The renewable energy revolution

THERE will come a time when we view fossil fuels as archaic.

Burning fossil fuels is cheap and easy, but it is also dirty. It brought us into the Industrial Revolution, but burning fossil fuels also has had a severe impact on health and the environment, killing millions of people worldwide and impacting global climate. How much damage will we cause before finding more sustainable alternatives?

China, for one, has already had enough.

In the midst of a health and environmental crisis that has led to 1.6 million deaths a year tied directly to fossil fuel pollution, China has recently decided to scrap plans for 85 new coal power plants.

Instead, China will be investing $361 billion—which is 3.3 percent of the country’s entire GDP—in renewable technology that is estimated to account for 50 percent of new energy production by 2020 and

d) Buy from a solar dealer licensed by the ERB.

Apart from SHSs which can easily be assembled by literally any person, other solar energy systems which are custom designed require a well-qualified technician to do the installation. Installation of specialised solar equipment requires a certain level of technical competence with certification from recognized bodies such as the Engineering Institution of Zambia and the National Council for Construction. Only qualified technicians can carry out solar installations. also create 13 million jobs. Assuming they use a trio of hydroelectric, wind and solar power, that investment could account for 14 percent of China’s total energy capacity.

By comparison, if the U.S. made a similar investment—3.3 percent of its GDP—it could account for 44 percent of its total energy capacity and allow the U.S. to be completely energy independent, if desired.

China is not alone in its mission to reduce fossil fuel

Mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that only qualified personnel become accredited solar energy system installers in Zambia. The Energy Regulation Act as read together with the subsidiary regulations and standards, mandates the ERB to regulate solar energy system installers (technicians) and those engaged in the sale, importation, distribution and marketing of solar energy products. To date, the ERB has licensed over one hundred (100) companies to engage in the provision of solar energy services. Before one can consumption. Many forward- thinking countries realize that fossil fuels are finite and that limited global reserves guarantee they are not the energy of the future. Take Costa Rica, for instance. Last year, 98.1 percent of Costa Rica’s electricity needs were met by renewable technologies, thanks to hydroelectric, geothermal and wind power. In the U.S., less than 15 percent of energy needs were fulfilled by renewable energy. It is important to note purchase any solar energy system, one has to make sure that the company is licensed by the ERB. That is the only way that consumers can ensure that their interests are protected.

Undertakings are subjected to competence scrutiny prior to a licence being awarded. This assessment is based on technical know-how and compliance to industry standards and codes of practice. For example, a code of practice for “Photovoltaic Systems Designs and Installation” has been published by the Zambia Bureau of Standards that Costa Rica’s electricity needs do not include the transportation sector, which is still very reliant on oil.

Nonetheless, it is still an impressive example of renewable energy use.

The U.S. is also falling behind many other countries, such as those in Europe and South America.

Today, Sweden generates more than 50 percent of its energy needs using renewables, and—like many other European in collaboration with the ERB. The code specifies technical requirements for photovoltaic modules, batteries and fittings in order to avoid the installation of sub-standard solar equipment. And all the licensed companies are subjected to this requirement, among others things, before they can be granted regulatory consent to operate.

Important Notes for consumers:

• The initial installation cost of solar power systems depending on the size to be installed, can be nations, particularly Latvia, Finland and Denmark—it has its eyes set to reduce or completely eliminate its dependence on fossil fuels by 2050.

Despite a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, America has great potential for renewable technologies.

A recent study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory concluded that the U.S. has 65 gigawatts (GW) of untapped potential across the nation’s rivers and streams, which would roughly • double the current hydroelectric power capacity.

Estimates for wind power are even more optimistic. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), wind power could supply more than a third of the nation’s power by 2050. And with decreasing costs and a relatively stable market, the DOE estimates that wind power could save consumers $280 billion.