Art explains: A zero carbon world
Many of the world’s leading cities, investors, businesses and politicians are calling for a green economic recovery plan, shifting us off fossil fuels and making the world zero carbon, or renewably powered, over the next decade. Thankfully, a historic report last year showed us that we can reach 100% renewable energy in just a few decades, and it’s affordable; making this the clear answer to tackling climate change.
But what does a 100% renewable energy world look like? Here’s art to lend a helping hand with our imagination.
1. Electricity powers everything
DOMA art collective turned an electricity pylon into a giant 45 metre high robot in Argentina in 2012.
Who knows if robots will take over our power grids, but we’ll certainly need to up date our infrastructure. More than 90% of our energy will come from electricity by 2050. Fossil fuels will be phased out completely with remaining fuels either electricity-based or biofuels. This energy will be produced locally and regionally, and overall is much more energy efficient as we’ll be consuming our power close to where it is produced rather than it having to travel great distances to reach us.
The Argentinian creative collective DOMA made this beast, known for incorporating technology into street art, personally I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more of these crop up.
2. Solar will provide the majority of our energy
Alterpiece by Hilma af Klint, oil and metal on canvas, 1915.
Converting the suns rays into electrons, solar photovoltaics (PV) will provide nearly 70% of our electricity. Will the sun, therefore save us? In her series of Altarpieces, Halma af Klint, indicated so. She depicts the relationship between the physical and the spiritual world, the pyramid shape points towards spiritual enlightenment and salvation, represented by the sun - or perfect golden circle.
There will also be other natural sources in the mix: wind energy (18%), biomass and waste (6%), hydro (3%) and geothermal energy (2%). Wind energy and solar PV make up 96% of total electricity, and approximately 88% of the total energy supply.
3. Energy will be cheaper than it is today
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, 1942 - The Art Institute of Chicago
Brilliantly, a 100% renewable energy system is substantially cheaper option than the one we have right now. Homeowners and business owners alike, such as this crowd in Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, won’t just see the health benefits of clean electricity, like cleaner air, but feel it in their pockets and lifestyles too.
The Middle East and North Africa will see the price of energy production drop by over 30%, North Amercia 22%, South America 34% and Europe 15% while achieving zero emissions from their energy production by 2050. What’s commonly known at the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCE) decreases from around 78€/MWh in 2015 to around 53€/MWh by 2050. In short, more money for eating out. Win win.
4. Zero emissions from energy by 2050, or sooner
A FOREST by Spanish urban artist Pejac, 2018.
Energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounted for more than 60% of total global GHG emissions in 2015. Basically, fossil fuels have much to answer for with some studies showing just 100 companies are responsible for 70% of emissions. One artist well aware of this is Pejac, here showing smog-covered industrial chimneys letting out a thick smoke forming a tree-lined landscape in the sky.
But, there is hope. Deep decarbonisation of the power and heat sectors is possible by 2030. The transport sector will lag behind, with a big decline of greenhouse gas emissions from 2030 to 2050. Annual global GHG emissions in the energy sector decline steadily through the transition from approximately 30 GtCO2eq in 2015 to zero by 2050.
5. Millions of local jobs will be created
Coming home from the Mill, by L S Lowry, 1930.
This is where the story for 100% renewable energy continues to get better. In 2015, the global power sector employed around 20 million people, with more than 70% in fossil fuels. And, although energy jobs have improved somewhat since the appalling conditions for coal workers in the industrial revolution, working in solar and wind is a damn site better for your health - as well as nature.
A 100% renewable power system will employ 35 million people, with solar PV emerging as the major job creating industry, employing more than 22 million by 2050. The c. nine million jobs in the global coal industry in 2015 will be reduced to nearly zero by 2050 and will be overcompensated by more than 15 million new jobs in the renewable energy sector.
If you want to find out more and learn about what you can do, head to my blog on environmental news site Ecohustler: 100% renewable energy is possible, it’s now time to demand it.
