New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
How dirty is clean tech when it comes to the circular economy?
6/12/2023
8 min read
Feature
As renewable energy generation accounts for an increasing share of global power, the environmental impact of these clean energy sources must be carefully considered. Demand for wind turbines, batteries and solar panels is exploding and so creating a circular economy for the new energy system is fundamental to a more sustainable relationship with the environment. Sara Siddeeq reports.
The global energy sector stands at a crossroads as it moves towards increasing reliance on renewable energy. Yet the transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources is fraught with complex environmental and economic considerations.
The drive towards net zero emissions hinges on a substantial upscaling in the production and deployment of renewable energy technologies. However, this shift towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of extracting, transporting and refining fossil fuels requires a dramatic rise in mining critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements.
It is anticipated that the demand for rare earth elements will surge by 400–600% in the upcoming decades. These materials are critical for the manufacture of solar panels, wind turbines and batteries, but extracting them poses substantial ecological risks. Habitats may be destroyed, water sources may be contaminated and local communities may be displaced, all to generate clean energy.