Climate change has become a prominent topic of conversation around the world: the People’s Climate Vote, the largest survey of public opinion on climate change, found 64 per cent of participants in 50 countries identified climate change as a global emergency that requires immediate attention. Renewable energy is a key phrase in these discussions concerning global warming.

Produced using natural resources that never run out, renewable energy could be vital in transforming the global energy sector from fossil-based generation to zero-carbon emissions. Just last year, the world’s renewable energy capacity increased by 45 per cent, the largest annual rate of increase since 1999.

GEM provides details on renewable energy projects across the globe including solar, wind, hydropower and waste-to-energy projects. Here are explanations of the different types of renewable energy with examples of upcoming renewable projects.

Solar Energy

Solar technologies harness the natural light and heat of the sun and convert it into energy. While solar thermal technology converts solar radiation into thermal energy (heat), solar photovoltaic turns sunlight directly into electricity. Certain countries, such as Australia and Brazil, have a natural advantage when it comes to the production of solar power thanks to their high levels of solar radiation.

Sol Do Cerrado Solar Project, Brazil

All values as of 18 May 2021.

Owned by Vale, and located in the municipality of Jaíba, Minas Gerais, the Sol Do Cerrado Solar Project is set to be one of the largest solar farms in Brazil. The project will feature 17 solar sub-parks, battery storage and an elevator substation, and it will have a 766 MW generation capacity.

In 2020, Brazil’s installed solar power generation capacity hit 7.5 GW. In addition, projections from the Brazilian Solar Photovoltaic Energy Association indicate that solar power investments should generate more than 147 000 new jobs for Brazilians in 2021, making this renewable source an important contributor to Brazil’s economy.

Wind Energy

Wind power is generated through the use of turbines: these massive structures use the kinetic energy in the wind to spin an electric generator which then produces electricity. Global wind capacity additions increased more than 90 per cent in 2020 reaching 114 GW, marking wind power as one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies.

Ocean Wind Project, United States

All values as of 18 May 2021.

GEM currently has 128 wind farm projects listed in the United States (as of 18 May 2021), one of them being New Jersey’s first offshore wind project. The Ocean Wind Project is owned by Ørsted and New Jersey’s Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) and is set to begin construction in late 2022. Featuring 98 turbines, this project will generate 1100 MW of wind energy and have the potential to power over 500 000 homes.

Recognising America’s potential to lead a clean energy revolution, President Joe Biden has made a commitment to net-zero emissions: an ‘economic’ and ‘moral’ imperative to future generations.  In addition, he stated that investment in clean energy, such as the advancement of ambitious wind energy projects, would drive new jobs and economic activity in the United States.

Hydro Energy

Hydroelectricity, or hydropower, is a renewable form of energy that harnesses the power of moving water to generate electricity. Hydroelectric energy plants usually feature a reservoir or dam; the water is then passed through generator-powering turbines to create electricity. One of the oldest and most mature energy technologies, hydropower accounts for more than 60 per cent of renewable generation globally.

Brenwe Hydro Project, Vanuatu

All values as of 18 May 2021.

Asian Development Bank’s Energy Access Project will feature a 400 kW hydropower station located on the Brenwei River in north-west Malekula, Vanuatu. With distribution grid extensions and 21 km transmission connection to the capital of Malampa Province, the project aims to improve rural electricity access.

Vanuatu’s National Energy Road Map has set a 100 per cent renewable energy target for 2030. While hydropower only accounted for 8.7 per cent of Vanuatu’s total renewable energy sources in 2015, the development of the Brenwe Hydro Project will benefit the country’s efforts to move away from non-renewable energy sources.

Waste-to-Energy

Waste-to-energy, or biomass energy, is a renewable energy produced by living or once-living organisms. The most common biomass materials are plants, wood and waste; they can be burned to create heat, converted into electricity or processed into biofuel. It is worth noting that while bioenergy can help in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the burning of biomass still releases carbon dioxide emissions and other harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Remondis Furnace Project, Australia

All values as of 18 May 2021.

Located in Swanbank, west of Brisbane in Queensland, the Remondis Furnace Project is a AU$400 million waste-to-energy incinerator. The proposed 50 MW plant, owned by German-based waste-company Remondis, will process between 300 000 and 500 000 tonnes of waste per year, generating enough electricity to power 50 000 homes.

Residents in Ipswich have expressed concern that the incinerator will encourage people to create more waste rather than recycle it. However, the State Development Minister has assured that the development of this new industry, via the government’s waste levy, will provide a preferable alternative to landfill for the future.

GEM provides companies with valuable insight into not only renewable energy projects, but future mining, and oil and gas projects around the world.

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