Countries around the world are exploring ways to transition away from fossil fuels. The transition, prompted by carbon emissions that exacerbate climate change, is vast and includes renewables such as solar, wind, and hydro. But is transitioning as simple as choosing renewables for energy? What other facets must be considered in this transition? Nutifafa Yao Doumon is an IEE faculty member and an assistant professor in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He and his students have been thinking about what the transition will require, what challenges lie ahead, and what could go right/wrong in the process.
What factors should be considered in the transition to renewable energy?
I recently had a similar discussion with my graduate students in MatSE 597 (Organic/Hybrid Optoelectronic & Photovoltaic Devices), a course that discusses renewable energy, sustainability, and energy transition. We agreed that meeting the energy transition is a complex challenge that requires a multifaceted approach. Though the following factors may not be exhaustive, they are crucial for the transition to renewable energy:
- Investment in renewable energy infrastructures
- Technology innovation and research and development (R&D)
- Energy efficiency measures
- Policy support and regulatory frameworks
- Global cooperation and collective action
What are some of the main challenges in the transition to solar energy?
The energy transition is not a simple task. It faces many multifaceted challenges, including technological, environmental, societal, economic, and geopolitical issues. Here, I will comment briefly on the technological and geopolitical aspects to give you a sense of the complexity we are dealing with.
From a geopolitical perspective, it is crucial to acknowledge the concerns of many regions or countries in the global south. They believe the West is coercing them into adopting renewable technologies, arguing that they have not been the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and that transitioning to other energy sources is not a priority, especially when they have not yet reached the level of development that the West has experienced. They believe, especially in Africa, that this may stall Africa’s rise out of poverty. These opinions are thoroughly expressed in two op-eds authored separately by the ex-vice-president of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in an Economist op-ed (paywall), and the president of Uganda, his excellency Yoweri K. Museveni, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed (paywall). This could be a whole debate on its own.
From a technological perspective, the energy transition seems to be equated with transitioning entirely from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources through novel technologies. While this is an ideal scenario for the betterment of the planet, the reality could involve drastically reducing fossil fuels and significantly increasing renewable fuels. Most renewable energy technologies are not fully mature and do not yet match fossil fuels in terms of societal integration. Silicon-based solar technology, the most established, has an efficiency of 26% and a lifespan of 20-25 years. Many other solar technologies, such as organic, dye-sensitized, and perovskite solar cells, are still under investigation and not yet market-ready due to their low efficiency and instability.
The biggest challenge to solar technology is that it cannot be a standalone solution; it needs complementary storage technologies like batteries to be fully accessible 24/7. Solar installations also require significant land, often in farming communities. Mining for materials to sustain solar and battery technologies opens a new set of challenges. There are many ramifications in terms of challenges that solar power or panels face during their lifespan, including disposal or recycling of this technology.
What opportunities exist to make the transition more just and sustainable?
We have many opportunities and lessons from our past actions and inactions to make the transition more just and sustainable. Deploying some of the renewable technologies can be region-, location-, or geography-dependent. For example, solar energy is highly efficient in hot climates, predominantly found in the global south, while wind energy is more suitable for regions with high natural wind speeds.
Global cooperation and collective action are crucial for investing in renewable energy infrastructures and driving technology innovation and R&D geared toward making the transition just and sustainable. Our past actions have shown that raw materials and minerals mining and processing can negatively impact deprived, rural, local, or Indigenous communities. This past knowledge gives us an opportunity to do better this time. However, this will require the involvement of communities themselves, the right policies, governments, and political will.
How could these opportunities impact researchers' work?
These opportunities could open the door for research diversification and inter-/multi-disciplinary team collaboration. Investing money and time into innovation and R&D of new technology for renewable energy harvesting, conversion, and storage is vital. It is also crucial to ensure that communities appreciate the efforts and technologies that could potentially replace or be in the mix with existing fossil fuel-based assets and gadgets.
Therefore, I see a considerable impact not only on how the community of researchers should approach research from an interdisciplinary and community-engagement perspective but also on how renewable technology companies and industries approach their R&D portfolios. Topical research must also involve pre- and post-technology development and deployment assessment. Researchers are becoming increasingly aware of their research’s carbon footprint, developing new and efficient work methods, and embedding sustainability in their processes.
What could go wrong if we are not mindful of these challenges?
The danger here is friction between the global south and global north and imminent fracture on the geopolitical front. Global warming and climate change are universal threats and must be confronted together. Working together voluntarily and collectively as equals, knowing our strengths and weaknesses, is the right way forward. Otherwise, countries in the global south may resist the push toward a green energy transition, becoming immediate and/or future polluters of the planet, which contrasts with the desired outcome.
On the technological side, though it may be insignificant, there is a risk that we may fail to fully realize the technological dream and deploy all renewable energy sources in time to mitigate global warming. Finally, in the quest for these technologies, we may end up worsening environmental pollution levels, health hazards, living standards, and well-being of different communities globally.
What could go right if we address these challenges?
Almost everything, from solving energy crises in major geographical locations through global cooperation and collective action to protecting our collective environment through equal treatment, climate justice, and mitigating global warming. A collective, well-coordinated effort can help us achieve our renewable energy and climate goals, creating a more sustainable and equitable energy landscape for future generations.
Nutifafa Yao Doumon is an assistant professor and Virginia S. & Philip L. Walker Jr. Faculty Fellow in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. With a background in physics, nanoscience, and leadership, his main interest focuses on materials for solar technologies. He conducts research into Optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, looking at stability testing and chemical characterization of the active layer, indoor/outdoor testing of organic/perovskite photovoltaic modules, and characterization of degradation and failure modes/mechanisms.
Nutifafa Yao Doumon
