Energy integration: key to success?

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Towards 100% Renewables

I really enjoyed the three forums I participated during the Conference “The Great Transformation – Greening the Economy”. Basically, they were about how to green the cities, a 100% renewable society and partnerships between north and south. To be honest, I think I overexpected the last one. When the speakers said that is necessary the industrialized countries assist the development ones in order to develop themselves in a clean way, it looked a little “eurocentrism”. I mean, these countries will not reach the next level unless they are helped. Is this dependency good?

Greening the Cities

“7% of the world population will live in global cities – it is too many people.” Hep Monatzeder, Deputy Mayor of the City of Munich.

We know that cities are often the main polluters and, as they are becoming bigger and bigger, the problem is just getting worse. Global cities, like London, São Paulo, New York, Tokyo, etc, have millions of inhabitants. It makes a huge impact: they need food, clean water, energy… On the other hand, to provide these necessities, they pollute a lot. Fortunately, we are starting to see good examples of greening the cities and reducing our carbon footprint.

Malena Karlsson, Information Officer for Hammarby Sjöstad, and Victor Páramo Figueroa,  General Director for Air Quality Management, brought some cases from Stockholm and Mexico City, respectively. For Malena, the fact that Stockholm has applied for the Olympic Games was a great opportunity to develop the city. Although the lost the chance, now they have a clean and good public transportation, at the same time they are building a sustainable place and also involving the citizens in this process, in recycling and not wasting. A low impact public transportation has also been implemented in Mexico City. Besides using electric trolleys and having a circulation system to reduce the number of cars, they are establishing a bicycle system. In 2007, 2% of the population used bicycle to move around, the ideia is to increase this percentage to 5% by 2020. “It is about educating the citizens to use bicycle”, says Figueroa. Both of them believe in an integrated energy program focusing on several mixed projects.

Mixure of clean energies

When I wrote “A desgraça de Belo Monte” I said that was crucial to move on to the next energy level. I mean, it is not advantageous to use hydrocarbon to generate energy in an ordinary plane anymore. Of course, we will not stop using it soon; nevertheless we can use it for noble uses, as industries’ necessities. Prof. Pahl-Weber, Director of the Federal Institute for Construction, Urban and Spatial Research – BBSR, said that it is possible to have a 100% renewable energy scenario through a mix of solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass energies. As Michaele Schreyer, Network European Movement Germany, I do not think it is a utopia. We need to support research, establish a joint undertaking and promote investment in renewable.

Energy Triangle

This mix is the future.