Long-term benefits of switching to renewable energy sources.
What are renewable energy sources (RES) and why are fossil fuels no longer an acceptable option?
Renewable energy sources (RES) use natural resources to create energy, such as wind, sun, water, geothermal energy and biomass. Given that all these listed sources come from nature, they do not negatively affect it in any way, and they are constantly renewed and cannot disappear.
Fossil fuels, which are traditional sources of energy, are very limited and harmful to the environment because they emit harmful gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that pollute the air and can cause breathing problems and increase the occurrence of diseases such as asthma. Also, due to CO₂ emissions, they contribute to global warming and climate change. In addition, they acidify the oceans and pollute the soil and water.
In addition to all these disadvantages, fossil fuel reserves are decreasing; it is estimated that the reserves of oil and natural gas are sufficient for only another 50 years, while coal has the longest estimated reserves, for about 100 to 150 years, but its use is fortunately decreasing due to the large impact on the environment and the transition to cleaner energy sources.
Why support the transition to renewable energy sources?
The key to preserving our planet and ensuring a sustainable future is to minimize the damage caused by the use of fossil fuels, and switching to renewable energy sources is certainly a right way to achieve this.
Renewable energy sources do not emit harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other pollutants that come from fossil fuels. They thereby contribute to the reduction of air and water pollution, which improves the health of people and the environment. Also, the use of renewable energy sources reduces greenhouse gas emissions, thereby slowing global warming and climate change, which reduces the risk of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and heat waves.
Renewable sources allow countries and local communities greater energy security and independence, because they are not subject to global oil or gas prices. This means less dependence on external suppliers and more stable energy systems.
In other words, local energy production reduces dependence on fossil fuel imports, which helps economic stability.
Some of the examples of good practice of switching to RES in Croatia
Solar power plants in Istria and Dalmatia
In Istria and Dalmatia, solar power plants use solar energy, which is extremely useful due to the large number of sunny hours. Many hotels, households and businesses use solar panels to generate electricity, reducing electricity costs and fossil fuel consumption.
Wind park Krš-Pađene (Dalmatia)
This wind farm, one of the largest in Croatia, uses wind power to produce clean energy. The installation of wind turbines in Krš-Pađena reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and the energy produced in the wind park covers the electricity needs of tens of thousands of households.
Geothermal power plant Velika Ciglena (Bjelovar)
Velika Ciglena is the first geothermal power plant in Croatia, located near Bjelovar. This power plant uses thermal energy from the interior of the Earth to produce electricity without polluting the environment. As we have already stated, this local community really benefits from a stable and secure energy supply accompanied by additional economic growth through job creation.
Biogas plants (Slavonia)
In Slavonia, where agriculture is highly developed, biogas plants use organic waste (eg harvest residues and manure) to produce electricity and heat. Biogas can supply energy to the local community, and farmers get additional income by selling waste for energy production.
Hydropower plant (NP Krka)
This hydroelectric power plant in the Krka National Park uses river energy to produce electricity. Such hydropower plants have a minimal impact on the environment and supply local communities with clean energy.
“Switching to RES is very expensive”
Although the initial investment in renewable energy sources is higher, the costs of producing energy from renewable sources decrease over time. Energy from the sun, wind and other renewable sources is becoming cheaper, while the prices of fossil fuels fluctuate and often rise, which we witnessed a few years ago when the war in Ukraine started and the gas market suddenly destabilized.
In addition, the development of the renewable energy sector creates new jobs, especially in the production and maintenance of solar panels, wind turbines and other forms of green energy, and local energy production reduces dependence on fossil fuel imports, which greatly helps economic stability.
