Beyond Fossil Fuels

“Embracing Clean Energy for a Sustainable Future”

Escueta, Joseph Gherom N.

A concept paper presented to the faculty of Saint Jude Parish School,Inc. Senior High School
Department in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Empowerment Technology. Prepared
under the supervision of Mrs. Cherry G. Zabate

Introduction:

Transitioning to renewable energy has become critical as the world faces the problems of
climate change, environmental degradation, and energy insufficiency. The dependence on fossil
fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas as the source of energy is unsustainable due to the finite
amount but are also the primary contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to global
warming and pollution. Continued reliance on fossil fuels poses significant risks, from air and
water contamination to economic instability due to the price of oil to skyrocket as the supply of
oil decline.

Renewable energy sources such as, wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, offer a
sustainable alternative that could address these issues and secure a cleaner and healthier future.
Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources are naturally replenished, providing consistent energy with
little to no effects on the environment, and have the potential to power communities indefinitely.
Shifting to renewable energy is crucial for the future as the continued use of fossil fuels
contributes significantly to climate change, depletes natural resources, and poses risks to public
and environmental health and safety.

Mission:

By transitioning to renewable energy sources, we aim to significantly reduce carbon

emissions associated with traditional fossil fuels. This reduction will lead to large improvements
in air quality, lower greenhouse gas levels, and ultimately help mitigate the effects of global
warming.

Vision:

To create a world where renewable energy is the primary source of power, providing
clean, reliable, and environmentally-friendly energy that supports economic growth and a
sustainable lifestyle for all.

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Purpose:

Transitioning to renewable energy has been in the sights of many people, especially with
the downsides of our current energy source being fossil fuels, such as, coal, oil, and gas, leading
to a large amount of carbon emissions. Renewable energy features a clean source of energy that
can theoretically never run out, with it being mostly sourced from the environment and earth’s
prominent features. An effective power plant that uses renewable energy, in theory could run
forever providing us energy for a lifetime. Even then renewable energy isn’t without its flaws.
Powerplants that uses a renewable source of energy can be too dependent on it and is flawed due
to outside factors that may affect its performance in producing energy.

“The primary objective of every society is to achieve development in all its dimensions”
(Meinshausen et al., 2022). In essence, the objective of this paper is to provide information on
how to transition to a cleaner and renewable energy source, such as wind, hydro, and geothermal
sources of energy, moving away from traditional fossil fuels is one step to the path of
development. Transitioning from a non-renewable energy source such as fossil fuels to a
renewable source like geothermal plants could address the problems of insufficient energy and
help stabilize the carbon emissions leading to a sustainable environment.

1. To know the benefits of the renewable energy source.

2. To promote public education and awareness

3. To foster innovation and infrastructure for renewable energy

Description:

An ideal world is one where renewable energy is the preferred source of power, helping
to mediate environmental issues like global warming by significantly reducing carbon emissions.
Renewable energy sources produce little to no carbon emissions, making them essential for a
sustainable future. As Adamowicz (2022) states, “The international community eventually
recognized that sustainable development cannot be achieved without sustainable energy.” This
vision of a future powered solely by clean, renewable energy is necessary for an aspiring and
sustainable world.

One of the primary goals of this framework is to inform stakeholders about the
importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, and geothermal
power. Moving away from fossil fuels can address the issue of energy insufficiency, especially
given the current depletion of fossil fuels. The shift from fossil fuels to clean, renewable sources
can reduce carbon emissions, mitigate global warming, and help create a more sustainable and
eco-friendlier environment.

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When discussions about the pollution caused by traditional energy sources arise, there is
often a shift toward non-conventional energy sources (Ramzan et al., 2022; Mohideen et al.,
2023). According to Lovins' guidelines from 1972, there are alternative ways to generate energy
without causing pollution. Nuclear energy is one such clean energy source that outputs a
significant amount of energy. Lovins' theory suggests that using the "hard path" — in this case,
nuclear power — would lead to the development of new technologies, resulting in more ways to
produce energy (Lovins, 1974; Lovins, 1976). On the other hand, the "soft energy path," which
involves renewable energy sources, would lead to more limited energy production. The
advantages of the soft energy path are manifold, including the potential to extend energy
generation indefinitely while remaining clean and self-sufficient.s

Sustainable energy practices, and technologies offer many economic benefits, including
cost savings, job creation and increased competitiveness (Bulavskaya and Reynès, 2018; Osorio-
Aravena et al., 2021; Dong et al., 2022) Adoption of renewable energy sources can decrease
reliance on fossil fuels, which are prone to price fluctuations and supply interruptions.
Renewable sources like solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power are power are abundant,
sustainable, and less vulnerable to market volatility. Unlike fossil fuels, which are finite and
dependent on geopolitical factors, renewable energy is largely independent of such external
influences. This ensures a more stable and predictable energy supply, reducing the risk of price
hikes and disruptions caused by resource scarcity or political instability. Additionally, as
technology advances, the cost of renewable energy continues to decrease, making it an
increasingly viable and sustainable in the future.

Most studies and reports indicate that renewable energy sources are environmentally
friendly and economically viable as well. According to the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), "Renewables could reach 86% of global power needs by 2050, slashing net
emissions of carbon dioxide from 40 to 11 Gt CO2-eq and bringing energy access to close to
99% of the world's population.". Reports suggest that the costs of renewable energy
technologies, such as sun and wind, have reduced dramatically over the last years to the point
where the initially expensive renewals are turning out to be remarkably competitive with
traditional fossil fuels. That is another reason for renewable energy: It is very cost-effective.

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Many countries have already proven the feasibility and potential of transition towards
renewables. Today, Denmark generates more than 40% of its electricity from wind power and by
2050 has committed to being carbon neutral (Lund et al., 2018). Iceland achieves nearly 100% of
its electricity from renewable sources-the main sources being geothermal and hydropower. These
examples explain that renewable energy transitions are possible and further can lead to much
bigger environmental benefits, besides energy security and economic prosperity.

Governments from all over the world are now taking renewable energy seriously and
adding them to their policy books. The European Union has committed to reducing carbon
emissions by 55% by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, with a huge focus on renewable
energy (European Commission, 2020). The U.S has rejoined Paris Agreement and vowed to cut
emissions and invest in clean energy. International agreements and national policies emphasize
that renewable energy sources are keys to goals on climate change as well as efforts for
sustainable development.

Renewable energy is poised to be the largest source of job creation. IRENA estimates
that, based on numbers presented in this analysis, 85 million jobs could be supported globally in
industries as diverse as solar, wind, energy storage, and energy efficiency through 2030 (IRENA,
2021). Renewable energy projects are further opportunities for economic growth in rural and
other underserved areas as renewable energy projects provide jobs in manufacturing, installation,
and research and development. Therefore, renewable energy is the significant generator of local
and global economies.

In this regard, many prominent companies have committed to sourcing 100% renewable
energy for their operations. Large companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft also spent
significant amounts on investments in renewable energy as part of their corporate sustainability
strategies. Such commitments reflect growing recognition on the business side of the renewable
energy industry that renewable energy is an effective driver of long-term success-from a more
purely environmental as well as a financial perspective.

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Support:

To support the transition to renewable energy, a substantial but feasible budget must be
allocated for both infrastructure development and long-term maintenance. Below is a
hypothetical budget breakdown for a national or regional transition:

 Renewable Energy Infrastructure (Power Plants, Grids, etc.): PHP 10 billion (for the
development of wind farms, solar installations, hydropower plants, and geothermal power
plants)
 Energy Storage Solutions (Batteries, Grid Systems): PHP 2.5 billion (for developing energy
storage systems to ensure grid stability and renewable energy integration)
 Research and Development (R&D): PHP 500 million (to enhance renewable energy
technologies, including solar, wind, and geothermal)
 Job Training and Workforce Development: PHP 1 billion (for retraining workers from fossil
fuel industries and creating new green jobs)
 Government Incentives and Subsidies: PHP 4 billion (for providing financial incentives for
private investments in renewable energy projects)
 Public Awareness and Educational Campaigns: PHP 500 million (for national campaigns to
promote the benefits of renewable energy)

Total Estimated Budget: PHP 18.5 billion

While this budget represents a significant investment, it is important to recognize that the
transition to renewable energy also brings substantial long-term financial returns, including
reduced energy costs, job creation, improved public health due to cleaner air, and environmental
benefits such as mitigating climate change and reducing carbon emissions.

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Contact Information:

Author’s Name: Joseph Gherom N. Escueta

Grade and Section: 11- STEM 12

Address: B31 L26 California Street Sampaguita Village Brgy. Inocencio Trece Martires City
Cavite, Inocencio (B. Pook), Trece Martires City, South Luzon, Cavite, 4109

Contact No: 097161630805

Email: [email protected]

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References:

Adamowicz, M. (2022). “Green deal, green growth and green economy as a means of
support for attaining the sustainable development goals.” Sustainability 14, 5901.
doi:10.3390/su14105901

Bulavskaya, T., and Reynès, F. (2018). “Job creation and economic impact of renewable
energy in The Netherlands. Renew”. Energy 119, 528–538. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2017.09.039

Dong, F., et al. (2022). “Energy transition and carbon neutrality: exploring the non-
linear impact of renewable energy development on carbon emission efficiency in developed
countries.” Resource. Conservation Recycle. 177, 106002. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106002

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2020) “Global Renewables

Outlook”. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency.

Lovins, A. B. (1976). “Energy strategy: the road not taken.” Foreign Aff. 55, 65.
doi:10.2307/20039628

Mohideen, M., et al. (2023). “Techno-economic analysis of different shades of renewable

and non-renewable energy-based hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles. Renew. Sustain.
Energy” Rev. 174, 113153. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2023.113153

Meinshausen, M., et al. (2022). “Realization of Paris Agreement pledges may limit
warming just below 2 C. Nature” 604, 304–309. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04553-z

Osorio-Aravena, J., et al. (2021). “The impact of renewable energy and sector coupling
on the pathway towards a sustainable energy system in Chile.” Renew. Sustain. Energy
Rev. 151, 111557. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2021.111557

Ramzan, M., et al. (2022). “Environmental cost of non-renewable energy and economic
progress: do ICT and financial development mitigate some burden?” J. Clean. Prod. 333,
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