The curtain lifts this week on the United Nations and Climate Week, and yet Libya still churns, nuclear concerns persist post-Japan and one thing is clear: we can no longer dodge the need for greater global energy coordination that balances both eco-wisdom and consumption. Recent events should serve as a catalyst for the kind of unprecedented energy cooperation I witnessed earlier this year in a counterintuitive venue -- the Middle East.
In the midst of this year's "Arab Spring," approximately 149 countries formalized the creation of the International Renewable Energy Agency called IRENA, a relatively new entity designed to accelerate renewable energy adoption -- but ironically headquartered in oil-plenty Abu Dhabi.
With a UN-like membership roster, IRENA and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are creating a new model for a renewable energy policy framework that positively impacts climate change, transforms economies and assists in long-term energy security.
Fossil fuels in the same neighborhood as renewable energy innovation? The irony is lost on no one. The UAE has 10 percent of the world's oil reserves and ranks fifth in natural gas. Given the constant stream of income that these reserves produce, the Emirates could sustain themselves on oil for decades to come. With an enviable position in the Human Development Index and top quarter GDP ranking per capita in the world, there was no obvious need for change.
But instead, the UAE made a bold and deliberate, long-term commitment years ago to lead the world in clean technologies. They re-imagined their future not as a preeminent oil producer, but as a global pioneer in this sector. They had a simple but critical goal: To transform what might otherwise become an oil curse into an energy cure.
As revolutions roil the energy-rich Middle East and N. Africa regions, the UAE's early pivot to renewable energy now seems prescient -- and could provide an anchor of political stability for the wider region. States everywhere should pay heed to the two insights that drove the thinking of their leadership.
The first was that energy policy undergirds almost all of its government's missions -- to grow and diversify the economy, create jobs for women and youth, ensure national security, safeguard the environment, and build sustainable institutions, among others. In the absence of a smart, holistic approach to energy such as this, states are placing the future of their societies at risk.
The second insight was that developing clean energy technologies requires deep cooperation among nations, innovators, and corporations. Fostering these relationships can pay dividends not only in the form of greener energy and significant profits, but in greater international security as well. Inter-dependence defines the emerging, low-carbon energy era.
The UAE's dedication to renewable energy at home is unmistakably profound. Its signature initiative in this respect is Masdar City, the innovative sustainable community fully powered by renewable energy. A five-stage project, Masdar City is a sustainable, cutting edge urban development that serves as a magnet for clean-tech companies and a test-bed of renewable energy and sustainable technologies. Masdar City is part of the broader Masdar Initiative, a holistic, integrated approach to deploy clean technologies through investment and academic partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Governments and corporations continue to flock to Masdar to become part of the wave of innovation. Masdar's engineering-oriented CEO Dr. Sultan A. Al Jaber, and the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced a collaboration to test the performance of specially coated solar photovoltaic modules designed to avoid the moisture and cementation problems currently faced by PV module producers worldwide. GE, meanwhile, will open its first Ecoimagination Center next to IRENA's anticipated headquarters (which should be noted, will be among the world's rare positive-energy buildings). Siemens will implement in Masdar an innovative power grid combined with advanced building technologies, thus serving as both as an energy-efficient power solution and a living R&D platform. Siemens also is establishing an anchor presence in Masdar City, housing its Middle East Headquarters there as well.
The UAE is under no illusion about how quickly clean-energy technologies will be adopted. Fossil fuels remain absolutely essential -- without them, global economic growth and poverty alleviation would be impossible. But the key is for the world to proactively use the fossil fuels we have as a bridge to a zero-carbon world several generations from now.
It might be a stretch to say that historians will look back on IRENA's debut and the UAE's role promoting renewable energy as being as pivotal for international peace as was the founding of the United Nations in 1945. But perhaps not. The world is living through a necessary energy enlightenment that can form the basis of the next industrial revolution -- and thus be an engine of global development, social justice, and international cooperation. Thus the importance of the work being led by IRENA and the leadership of Emirates should not be underestimated.
Bill Richardson is a former US Energy Secretary, Governor of New Mexico and UN Ambassador
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I don't see why we didn't do that in rebuilding Katrina, make it a model community, bringing in our smartest people on green technology.
This Synodra company that failed, its beyond me. I easily perused a German company site, with various language options, that showed solar equipment in an easy, portable unit. These are units that can return energy to the grid. Create energy.
I can't understand why we can't do these things here. All I can think is that we are just completely stuck, unable to use our super powers of reason, action and innovation, and in the meantime, the world moves forward.
Good to see our agencies are part of the project.
We could green new communities right now and create jobs.
Oh well...
If the Federal Government would initiate a plan, regulated by power companies allowing all willing homeowners to install solar panels the plan would cost a few hundred billion, but would be paid back by homeowners just like they currently pay their electric bill now -- but one day would cease.
As you can imagine, reduced dependence on foreign oil, many many jobs for installersÂÂ, reduced CO2 and eventually free power is the payoff. IncreasingÂly, other homeowners will/are seeing the potential. Naturally, self interest is powerful; when that happens, I expect people to demand Government step up it's efforts to help all willing homeownersÂ. Soon, solar panels will be expected -- a natural part of life -- just any other part of the house.”
That is just fine Bill, it is just that the word "security" is a puppet to every pull and tug on every string in the book.
Much like the "energy" that "clean coal" brings to us my friend.
That is why we have been fighting the oil wars after all.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2011/08/peak-of-oil-wars-5.html
http://www.oil-price.net/en/articles/OPEC_lies_about_its_oil_reserves.php
Still, I'm glad they are working on green energy.
Rooftop solar, offshore wind and waste bio char bio fuels are already cheaper than nukes, new coal, and oil wars. In combination, these green energies are 24/7, forever, clean, safe, ready to replace all fossil and nukes in 7-15 years, Carbon, land and fresh water negative.
http://solar.gwu.edu/Research/EnergyPolicy_Zweibel2010.pdf solar now 3$/W installed. last 100 years, 1-2 cents pwer KWH
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/10/solar-power-graphs-to-make-you-smile/
Great chart of energy source amounts: http://cleantechnica.com/2011/08/23/solar-power-intro-3-key-solar-power-points-top-solar-power-news/
http://www.sunelec.com/ 75 cents per Wp.
cheapest new solar panels 1-2$/Wp http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm
Obviously, a concerted effort with government support would make things more faster. But it's happening even with organized government opposition, like the Cheney/Bush national energy policies. The realities of fossil fuel production are just against the future. Many are delaying the future to get rich selling fossil fuels during the transition period. We are still in the early stages of this transition.
People might also realize that current suppliers are reaching toward extortion. Usually in the past, when that kind of situation has developed, it has lead to war. So, there is an excellent chance that somewhere in the transition period there will be one or more oil/coal wars. For eamples, I suggest that people look at wars for water. Riparioan rights were developed to provide for peaceful sharing of water. We haven't even thought too deeply about sharing the ever scarcer supplies of fossil fuels. So far, it's been distributed strictly by supply & demand. That's very close to breaking down here in America. No one is discussing this situation realistically.
Only waste should be used for energy. We do not want energy competing for food resources.
Otherwise unused land, where you don't have to energy or water intensity farm is probably ok for energy, but why not use it for something else first? Eventually everything gets dumps, that's the time to turn into energy and fuels with Bio char bio fuels.
the Arab Spring . . has Finally Sprung . . into a Fundamentalist Islamic NIGHTMARE ???
We need to skip central, industrial solar and wind and go STRAIGHT to the built environment to both upgrade for efficiency in a very substantial way, and generate clean, sustainable, reliable power, connected by microgrids with storage solutions right where the power is needed. It is a travesty that millions of acres of healthy public lands are being slaughtered for Big Energy profits (Chevron Solar, BP Wind, etc.) using billions of taxpayer dollars while our built environment bakes, leaks and sprawls.
Skip all these wasteful interim steps and take us to a REAL renewable revolution. One that we own and which rewards US for doing the right thing. German style feed in tariffs and PACE loans and a moratorium on Big Solar and Big Wind are a first step.
How are those transmission lines costing the taxpayers billions? Those are cost recovery projects. All costs, including government labor, are billed to the company.
the relative insolation of sites has already been measured, and the simple fact is that, after accommodating transmission losses and excessive-heat related losses of desert solar, it does not produce any more net power per-mW installed than rooftop systems sited in the built environments where that power is being sold. same amount of power, twice the cost, dead wilderness, wasted water, and monopoly/remote/unreliable infrastructure.
also, i never said Big Transmission was paid by taxpayers, but Big Solar and Big Wind are - 30% of project cost as a CASH grant (we lowly taxpayers only get tax credits, which means half the country is locked out), plus billions of dollars of "loan guarantees" which are often "loans" straight from the feds (we got locked out of PACE loans by the FHA so we get NO loan money).
But, now that you mention it, Big Transmission is HUGELY profitable, with cost recovery PLUS FIXED PROFITS in the 15% range. Policies that incentivize transmission, including totally unneeded transmission, and crush energy democracy are a failure for our energy grid, our planet and our economy. Why don't WE get cost recovery and 15% ROI for our rooftop solar projects which obviate the need for SF6-spewing transmission?
Big Solar and Big Wind offer real savings that can give those who aspire beyond subsistance some help. Time to say Good Night, IRENA.
Big Wind produces very little power, almost entirely at times when it's not needed, and it's embedded GHGs and energy, combined with the embedded GHGs and energy of long-distance transmission (see SF6) make it a poor choice if GHG reduction is your goal.
if you want to insist on Big Solar and Big Wind, then they all need to be sited on the Re-Powering America's Lands locations identified by the EPA - there are over 500,000 brownfields, superfunds, abandoned mines and toxic ag sites across the nation - those should be the only open spaces considered for industrial power development if you want green points...
for the record, our electricity consumption as a nation (and our gasoline consumption) has been dropping and is not estimated to increase measurably over the next 20 years - let's retrofit for efficiency, passive heating and cooling and other smart solutions that don't need fossil fuels OR renewable energy, instead of shouting "kill wilderness first!" which is all that has been happening here...
Bill, you are quite the optimist if you think we have several generations left until we arrive at a zero-carbon world. In our obsession to maximize economic growth, all renewable energy seems to do is supplement fossil fuel. Let's say that a country converts 10 percent of its fossil fuel use to a renewable source. That in itself would keep it's GDP constant- totally unacceptable. Instead, that country would choose to continue using the same amount of fossil fuel along with the 10 percent conversion to renewables; to increase it's GDP 10 percent and to create more jobs.
Without addressing the religious paradigm of constant economic growth, we will be lucky to make it a decade more before we squander the fossil fuel bounty we have been blessed with.