Traditional fossil fuels emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming and making the shift to renewable energy such as solar and wind to reduce carbon footprints. The globally recognized "RE100" initiative, for example, advocates for companies to use “100% renewable electricity." This article will explore what renewable energy is, how it differs from green energy, and the common types found in Taiwan.
What is renewable energy?
According to the United Nations and the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy refers to energy that can be continually obtained from natural resources, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy.
Unlike fossil fuels, which take millions of years to form, renewable energy sources replenish faster than they are consumed and typically produce fewer pollutants during conversion. Because of these sustainable and environmentally friendly characteristics, renewable energy is an important means of addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions.
Renewable energy includes solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, and biomass energy. (Photo: iStock)
Difference between renewable energy and green energy
The terms "renewable energy" and "green energy" are often used interchangeably, but they have different definitions internationally.
Generally, renewable energy has a broader scope. According to data from the UK's National Grid and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), green energy focuses on the environmental impact and carbon emissions of energy production and use. While all green energy is renewable, not all renewable energy is considered green.
For example, large hydroelectric power plants are renewable but may not be classified as green energy due to the potential environmental damage caused during construction and maintenance.
In recent years, some nuclear energy advocates have proposed including nuclear power as green energy. However, nuclear energy is still classified as clean or non-carbon energy rather than green energy. Although the EU has included nuclear energy in its sustainable classification guidelines, it requires strict management of nuclear waste.
Global trends in renewable energy development
Renewable energy is growing rapidly worldwide, and its power generation is expected to surpass coal by 2025. According to the IEA's 2024 electricity report, hydro, solar,
wind, and other renewable energies are projected to account for 35% of global energy supply in 2024, up from 30% in 2023. Solar energy will provide the most electricity, expected to meet half of the global demand growth in 2025, while wind power is projected to meet another 25%.
Countries leading the push for renewable energy include China, the European Union, the United States, and India, which have significant advantages in policy support, technological innovation, and market size. Southeast Asia is an emerging market for renewable energy, with Vietnam seeing the most significant increase in renewable energy generation. According to the UK energy think tank Ember, over 99% of ASEAN's wind and solar potential remains untapped.
The floating solar power plant in Phatthalung Province, Thailand. Southeast Asia is one of the most promising emerging markets for renewable energy globally. (Photo: Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand)
Common types of renewable energy in Taiwan
Taiwan has diverse renewable energy sources, including solar photovoltaic, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, waste-to-energy, and ocean energy. According to the latest "National Electricity Resource Supply and Demand Report," Taiwan's primary renewable energies include:
|
Type |
Form |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|
Solar Energy |
Technology that converts sunlight into electrical or thermal energy. Taiwan's long sunshine hours make it a key renewable energy promoted by the government. |
• High popularity |
• Low energy density |
|
Wind Energy |
Converts wind energy into mechanical energy, which is then converted into electrical energy through a generator. |
• High efficiency |
• High initial investment and maintenance costs |
|
Conventional Hydropower |
Uses the potential energy of natural water flow to generate energy. |
• Low operating costs |
• Ecological damage |
|
Waste-to-Energy |
Converts waste into electricity or thermal energy through incineration, gasification, or anaerobic digestion. |
• Reduces landfill waste |
• Air pollution |
|
Biomass Energy |
Technology that converts organic materials (such as crops, wood, and waste) into renewable energy. |
• Various forms like biogas and biofuels |
• Competition for land and resources |
|
Geothermal Energy |
Uses the Earth's internal heat for power generation by extracting hot water or steam from the ground. |
• High stability |
• High initial cost |
The Renze Geothermal Power Plant in Yilan. Geothermal power is a key focus of Taiwan's forward-looking energy projects. (Photo: Yilan County Government)
Challenges facing renewable energy
1. Limited application scope
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the global installed capacity of renewable energy has increased by a record 473 GW in 2023. However, transitioning fully to renewable energy requires expanding its use in transportation and heating. These areas are relatively underdeveloped in terms of technology and infrastructure and are currently unable to adequately support the widespread application of renewable energy.
2. Need for energy storage development
Renewable energy's intermittent and unpredictable nature necessitates energy storage technology to stabilize power supply. However, storage technology is still in the development stage and cannot fully resolve the instability of renewable energy supply, making it difficult to adopt renewable energy widely in industrial and residential sectors that require stable energy.
3. Unintegrated infrastructure and grid
Large-scale renewable energy development requires strong grid infrastructure support. However, many regions' grids are unprepared to incorporate large amounts of decentralized renewable energy. Upgrading and expanding the grid involves significant investment and complex technical challenges.
4. Policy and market barriers
While many countries are promoting renewable energy policies, in some places, traditional energy industries still dominate the market, hindering the expansion of renewable energy. Energy market transformation takes time, and many countries are still figuring out how to effectively integrate renewable energy into their existing markets.
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Renewable energy needs to be paired with energy storage to ensure stable power supply. Pictured is the energy storage facility built by Sembcorp in Singapore. (Photo: Sembcorp)
How to apply renewable energy to achieve net zero?
To help achieve net-zero emissions, renewable energy must significantly increase its installed capacity and diversify energy sources, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass, to enhance supply stability and reliability, reduce dependence on a single energy source, and mitigate risk. Optimizing the grid to ensure continuous power supply is also essential.
Investing in advanced energy storage systems, such as lithium batteries and hydrogen storage, is crucial to addressing renewable energy's intermittency. Storage technologies can release power during peak demand to balance supply and demand. Promoting smart grid technology can also enhance grid flexibility and adaptability, enabling efficient renewable energy integration and real-time monitoring and dispatch.
Governments should promote rooftop solar and distributed generation, encouraging households and businesses to install solar systems to reduce reliance on centralized grids and enhance energy autonomy. These measures can accelerate the widespread application of renewable energy and achieve net-zero emission goals.
The wave of energy transition: Keeping an eye on global renewable energy trends
As climate change intensifies, global pressure to reduce carbon emissions increases. Renewable energy is poised to become the core of future energy structures. However, realizing its potential requires ongoing technological innovation, effective policy guidance, and diverse energy integration to accelerate adoption and application.
Source: IEA, IRENA, EMBER, Taiwan Power Company, Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy
