Global Energy Crisis and Renewable Energy Resources

Use Hydrogen Cell and Solar Power to Solve the Global Energy Crisis 

By 

Aubert Lin, Melody Sun, Thomas Xu 

2023.6 

Table Of Contents 

Introduction ………………………………………….……………………………………………………………… 2

Background ….………………………………………….…………………………………………………………… 3

       Organizations ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

       Responses locally and globally on the energy crisis ……………………………………..... 4

Problem ..................................................................................................................... 6

Causes ........................................................................................................................ 9

Effect ........................................................................................................................ 10

Solutions .................................................................................................................. 10

Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 11

Reference ................................................................................................................. 13

Introduction 

In recent years, with the Energy crisis, global warming and the development of renewable energy technology, hydrogen energy and solar energy have gradually become the alternatives of Non-renewable resource such as fossil fuels. Our project hopes to use solar energy and hydrogen energy more specifically to solve the global Energy crisis. 

Background 

Organizations 

There are several organizations that are recently working on helping countries facing global energy crisis and develop the use of green energy and renewable energy resources.  

IEA (International Energy Agency) 

According to Mission - About (n.d.), the IEA provides authoritative analysis, data, policy recommendations, and solutions to ensure energy security and help the world transition to clean energy. 

NC Green Power 

“This nonprofit is working to improve North Carolina’s environment by supporting renewable energy and carbon offset projects and helping to get solar installations for schools with grants. They have helped with more than 1,000 projects in the state since 2003. With their school program, the schools receive the solar system, but they also get a weather station and curriculum for teachers to get the students involved in learning about solar energy.” (Jessica, 2020a) 

FCHEA (Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association) 

“The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) is the leading industry association in the United States representing more than ninety leading organizations advancing production, distribution, and use of innovative, clean, safe, and reliable hydrogen energy. For over 30 years FCHEA has provided a consistent industry voice to policymakers and regulators, driving support at the federal and state level. Our educational efforts promote the environmental and economic benefits of hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies.  

The mission of FCHEA is to advance the commercialization of and promote the markets for fuel cells and hydrogen energy.” (About Us, n.d.) 

IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) 

This organization support countries on help them to achieve the transition to sustainable energy.  

MEE(Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China) 
“To supervise and manage the implementation of national emission reduction targets. To organize the formulation of total emission control and discharge permit systems for land and Marine pollutants and supervise their implementation; to determine the capacity of air, water and ocean to absorb pollution; to put forward the names and control targets of pollutants subject to total emission control; to supervise and inspect the completion of pollutant emission reduction tasks at various localities; and to implement the target responsibility system for ecological and environmental protection.  

To be responsible for putting forward opinions on the scale and direction of fixed asset investment in the field of ecological environment and the arrangement of state monetary funds, for examining and approving fixed asset investment projects within the national plan and the annual plan according to the authority prescribed by The State Council, and to cooperate with relevant departments in organizing implementation and supervision. To participate in guiding and promoting the development of a circular economy and ecological and environmental protection industries” 

Responses locally and globally on the energy crisis 

IRENA and MEE have a cooperation on energy transition through renewables. With the China’s new 14th Five-Year Plan on energy transition (2022), more install capacity on renewable energy give more power generations. IEA (International Energy Agency) gives a comprehensive energy roadmap that shows governments should take actions on reducing the use of fossil fuels. The report gives detail steps on how to reach net zero emissions at 2050. 

Hopefully, solar power will replace coal. 

(IEA renewables 2022) 

NC green power expand public knowledge of cleaner energy technologies through communities. IRENA published a report to give outlines on make the world meet the goal of limit the global temperature rise within 1.5°C( in 2050). 

Problem  

The war between Ukraine and Russia caused severe problems on the energy supply for Europe. (IEA, 2022) After the natural gas supply from Russia was cut down, Europe countries needed to spend higher costs to buy natural gas from the United States. The war undermines the original structure of the energy market and also affects the original plan for European Union(EU) countries to use renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions. When the energy crisis comes, industry and transportation worldwide cannot function properly. So people must explore solutions to find one or more recoverable and cleaner energy resources to replace fossil fuels. The world needs to have more renewable energy resources that can have massive production to support the stable functioning of all countries. 

(More investment needed to increase the use of renewable energy resources) 

Causes 

As the world's most important industrial raw material and energy source, gasoline is a necessity for every country. Earlier, people had realized that the lack of gasoline supply might lead to a global energy crisis. This is not because the supply shortage but the rising price of the energy resources. (Reuters, 2021)   However, at that time, these countries had sufficient gasoline reserves, and the international gasoline price and supply were also stable, so no one was overly worried about this problem. During the rebound of the global economics after the pandemic, the energy market begin to tighten. The outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine stimulate the hidden danger. Oil and natural gas prices reach record highs. While almost the whole of Europe depends on Russia's natural gas, they need a new energy source, and they pay more money to purchase natural gas and other Middle East countries. More than that, the EU countries have to use more fossil fuels, which is against their idea of using clean energy to reduce carbon emissions. In China, there are some gas-intensive manufacturing plants had power off. Energy bills in emerging and developing economics increased poverty and backward the goal of affordable energy. People have begun to realize that a global energy crisis has arrived. 

(IEA renewables 2022, energy market tightens) 

Effects 

People are gradually developing and using clean and renewable energy to replace traditional energy resources, such as hydrogen and solar energy. We could test that new energy in some small city and find out whether it relieves. While more companies invest in hydrogen cells and solar power, the cost of those clean energy resource goes down and help solve the energy crisis. 

Solutions  

1. Apply clean energy in more countries.  

2. Install more solar panels in places with sufficient sunlight (centralize construction). According to the recent  

3. Improve hydrogen fuel cells' maximum volume and storage with better storage methods. Reduce overall cost, develop new materials, improve the efficiency and duration of the membrane electrolytes, reduce production losses. 

4. Countries accelerate the progress of transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources. (follow the progress given by IRENA and IEA)  

5. Enhance awareness to the public on the energy crisis.  

6. More companies invest in the new energy industry and reduce the green premium. 

7. For organizations like IRENA and IEA, they could try to act their plan in more places, not just in the place which is near them. And then, they can make more small reasonable goals that all countries can follow and finish to transform to use of clean energy and renewable energy.  (Just like solar power and hydrogen power and hydrogen cells)  

-Germany, with more than 40 gigawatts of solar power installed. 

-China, with more than 36 gigawatts installed. 

The use of renewable energy resource reduces the reliance on fossil fuel and carbon footprint, also save money as well. (Ablison, 2023) 

Conclusion 

As a severe problem in the world, the energy crisis has tremendously impacted society and the economy. People must start searching for solutions to the crisis. Like those European countries, China, where I live, has also been affected by the energy crisis. However, due to China's international policies and resource reserves, the negative impact of the energy crisis on China is far less severe than in Europe. The world is now aware of the threat of the energy crisis, so most countries, whether China or other European and American countries and organizations, have begun to study ways to solve the energy crisis through new clean energy resources. The main idea is to transition to use sustainable energy resources. Countries should start reducing fossil fuel use and applying renewable energy resources in more areas. For example, in China and the United States, the government has begun to support the development of new energy vehicles, which are also widely popularized in society. However, the transition takes a higher cost, as known as the "green premium." All fossil fuels can be replaced once the world can narrow the cost gap between unrenewable and clean energy. With more production of clean energy, the energy crisis can be solved. More investments in the energy market need to be done, and countries should treat this as a severe problem.   

Our research will also be vital for other AP students. The energy crisis has dramatically affected social income, local prices, and the number of jobs. Some AP students choose majors that will likely be affected by the energy crisis in the future. So, our research can help them make changes for their future earlier. 

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