Renewable Energy's Future is Threatened By Global Warming.

Renewable Energy's Future is Threatened By Global Warming.

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In spite of what common sense may tell us, solar energy and climate change are not good partners.

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By Roberto R. Diaz Blanco 

A recent study published in Nature illustrates how global warming is diminishing solar irradiation—or, in layman's terms, sunny days—exactly in the places on the earth where photovoltaic output is currently highest. As a result, climate change has a detrimental impact on solar energy output on a worldwide scale, and will continue to do so in the near future. Another recent study has backed up these findings, showing how, in the instance of Australia, local solar and wind energy production has declined in recent decades.

The true significance of both studies is that they focus on a larger issue: transitioning to renewable energies is one of the keys to mitigating and minimizing climate change; however, it's possible that before that happens, global warming will cause critical changes in atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, jeopardizing the viability of this type of clean energy. Its Achilles heel is precisely its reliance on the weather and the passage of time. Furthermore, weather conditions are changing and becoming more difficult to predict using climate models, resulting in an increase in extreme occurrences, which pose a hidden threat to any of these technologies.

"We discovered that due to climate change, the overall temporal trends in annual solar and wind power generation are minor." The influence on renewable energy production is particularly severe during the hottest days of the year, according to Jing Huang, one of the authors of the Australian study. "The effects of climate change vary by region," the researcher stated, emphasizing the necessity for future research in various climate zones to examine this heterogeneity.

The biggest climate dangers (and their impact in each scenario) for the most prominent renewable sources are listed in another study issued by Spanish researchers:

Photovoltaic solar energy:

1.The efficiency and performance of photovoltaic cells are significantly affected by rising global temperatures. In this regard, a study conducted by MIT researchers predicted a 0.45 percent loss of efficiency for each degree of temperature increase. In addition, an increase in energy expenditure would be required to ensure the proper and essential cooling of equipment and infrastructure, avoiding overheating and breakdowns (a common need for any technology). As a result, the net energy yield would be smaller.

 2. The rise in the number of suspended particles in the environment, which, when deposited on solar panels, partially obscures them and reduces their performance. In this situation, gradual warming increases water evaporation, resulting in the creation of clouds, precipitation, fog, and haze, as well as the aridity of the land, resulting in a greater presence of dust in suspension.

3.Variations in air circulation, increased cloudiness, and, once again, the existence of suspended particles that block and scatter sun rays cause a decrease in solar irradiation and more intermittency.

Wind energy:

1. Because turbines are built to work efficiently for a certain speed range and orientation, daily and seasonal variations in wind speed and direction have detrimental consequences.

2. Because hot air is less dense as the global temperature rises, the power generated diminishes. Furthermore, due to the increased presence of suspended particles, it raises the cooling needs of the facilities and favors both water condensation and erosion in the turbines.

Hydroelectric power:

1. Droughts and soil erosion are caused by changes in rainfall patterns and regimes, as well as events of torrential rains, floods, and floods. All of this has an impact on river flow and course.

2. As the world temperature rises, more severe evaporation occurs, affecting reservoir flow and water levels, as well as the electricity provided by hydroelectric plants.

Extreme weather: a common threat:

In addition to global warming, the report highlights another climate concern that all three major renewable energy sources face: extreme weather events. Perhaps the most significant of all these dangers, because it not only affects their efficiency but also has the potential to severely destroy the installations, rendering them worthless for an extended period of time.

More powerful and longer-lasting hurricanes —as a result of more intense oceanic evaporation feeding them to a greater extent—, a greater number of storms with intense electrical apparatus, extreme heat waves, and increasingly long and frequent periods of drought that favor and intensify fires have all increased in recent years. Also, severe rains induce flooding and drag enormous swaths of land that have already been degraded by aridity.

All of this bleakness raises the question: Is it too late for alternative energy? The ultimate solution will be found in the following decades. Meanwhile, the authors of this latest analysis point out that "the physical impacts of climate change are one of the great challenges that renewables will have to face."