How clean is green energy? Despite advances, technology still produces CO2, health risks – New Castle News

Report on the Clean Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Goals

Progress Towards SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The transition to clean energy sources is a critical component of the global effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 and SDG 13. While operational electricity generation from these sources is largely emission-free, a comprehensive analysis reveals a more complex relationship with the broader sustainability agenda.

• Zero-Emission Operation: Renewable technologies such as solar, wind, and battery storage are classified as zero-emission at the point of energy production. This directly contributes to SDG 13 by mitigating the release of climate-change-inducing carbon dioxide.
• Increasing Adoption: The growing implementation of renewable energy is evident. In the United States, renewable resources, including solar, wind, and biofuels, accounted for nearly 10% of all energy produced in the last year, marking significant progress towards SDG 7.
• Sustainable Infrastructure: Projects like the City of Anderson Transit Center, which incorporates a rooftop solar panel array, exemplify the integration of clean energy into urban infrastructure. This supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by creating resilient and environmentally sound public facilities.

Manufacturing Challenges and Implications for SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

Despite the operational benefits, the manufacturing lifecycle of clean energy technologies presents significant challenges that must be addressed to fully align with SDG 12, which calls for sustainable production patterns.

1. Carbon Footprint of Production: The manufacturing processes for solar panels, wind turbines, and battery cells are energy- and resource-intensive. These activities generate their own carbon emissions and environmental pollutants, creating a paradox where the tools for decarbonization have a notable carbon footprint.
2. Resource Extraction: The production of clean energy hardware relies on the mining of critical raw materials, such as lithium for batteries. This raises concerns related to environmental degradation, water use, and social impacts in mining communities, complicating the pursuit of responsible production.
3. Waste Management and Circularity: The end-of-life management for solar panels and batteries is an emerging challenge. Establishing effective recycling and disposal systems is essential to prevent future environmental harm and to create a circular economy for green technologies, a core tenet of SDG 12.

Conclusion: A Holistic Approach for Sustainable Energy Systems

Achieving a truly sustainable energy future requires a holistic approach that extends beyond operational emissions. To fully realize the ambitions of the SDGs, the clean energy sector must innovate across the entire value chain.

• Life-Cycle Assessment: It is imperative to evaluate and minimize the environmental impact of renewable technologies from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.
• Innovation in Manufacturing (SDG 9): Investment in research and development is needed to create cleaner, more efficient manufacturing processes and to develop technologies that rely on more abundant and less impactful materials.
• Policy and Partnerships (SDG 17): Collaborative efforts between governments, industry, and research institutions are necessary to build sustainable supply chains, promote recycling infrastructure, and ensure that the clean energy transition is just and equitable for all communities.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article’s primary focus is on clean energy sources like solar and wind, and their role in the energy mix.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The text discusses the manufacturing processes for clean energy technologies (solar panels, wind turbines) and showcases infrastructure like the solar-powered City of Anderson Transit Center.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The mention of a public transit center powered by solar panels directly connects to the development of sustainable infrastructure within a city.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article critically examines the lifecycle of clean energy products, highlighting that the manufacturing process is “anything but clean” and involves resource extraction (e.g., lithium mining), which relates to sustainable production patterns.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The entire discussion is framed within the context of climate change, focusing on “climate-change-inducing carbon dioxide” and the role of clean energy as a mitigation strategy.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article directly references this by stating, “Renewable resources — wind, solar, biofuels and more — accounted for nearly 10% of all energy produced last year in the U.S.”
• Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable… and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. The article’s central point that manufacturing clean energy components is not clean itself points to the need to improve these industrial processes. The solar-covered transit center is an example of upgraded, sustainable infrastructure.
• Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. The image and caption of the “City of Anderson Transit Center” powered by solar panels exemplify the development of sustainable public transport infrastructure.
• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The mention of a “proposed lithium mine” for battery production highlights the raw material extraction phase of the clean energy supply chain, making the sustainable management of these resources a relevant target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption. The article provides a direct data point for this indicator by stating that renewable resources accounted for “nearly 10% of all energy produced last year in the U.S.”
• Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added. This indicator is strongly implied. The article contrasts the “zero-emission” operation of clean energy technology with the carbon dioxide generated during manufacturing. Measuring the CO2 emissions from the manufacturing process is essential to assessing its sustainability, which is the core of this indicator.
• Indicator 11.2.1: Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport. While the article does not provide a specific proportion, it features the “City of Anderson Transit Center,” which is a tangible asset used to measure access to public transport. The existence and development of such centers are fundamental to tracking progress on this indicator.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ncnewsonline.com