Energy
Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 2:20 pm EDT
Key Points
- Bertrand Piccard emphasizes the necessity of cutting energy waste to effectively transition to renewable energy sources, stating that it’s futile to shift to renewables without improving efficiency.
- Piccard points out that around three-quarters of the world’s energy is wasted due to inappropriate behavior and inefficient systems or infrastructures, highlighting the need for a more efficient approach to energy consumption.
- Piccard raises concerns about the oversupply of solar panels from China to the European market, acknowledging the impact on domestic industries while also recognizing the positive contribution of China in driving down the cost of solar energy globally. He suggests leveraging the influx of Chinese solar panels to generate cheaper electricity locally and promote renewable energy adoption.
Bertrand Piccard, an explorer and environmentalist, emphasizes the importance of focusing on cutting energy waste alongside shifting to renewable energy sources. Speaking at an “IOT: Powering the Digital Economy” panel, Piccard highlighted that approximately three-quarters of the world’s energy is wasted due to inefficient systems or behaviors. He stresses that replacing fossil fuels with renewables without addressing inefficiency is futile, as it perpetuates waste. Piccard criticizes the narrow focus of some countries solely on wind and solar energy, neglecting other renewable sources like biogas and geothermal energy. He warns that this approach could lead to missed green energy targets and overlooks opportunities for local energy production. Addressing concerns about China’s oversupply of solar panels to the European market, Piccard acknowledges the challenges it poses to domestic industries but also recognizes the positive impact of China’s role in driving down the cost of solar energy globally. He suggests leveraging this influx of solar panels to generate cheaper electricity and promote local hydrogen production. Piccard reflects on the progress made in solar energy over the past two decades, crediting China for significantly reducing its cost and catalyzing advancements in renewable energy technologies. Despite the challenges, he sees China’s influence as instrumental in advancing renewable energy adoption worldwide.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/17/a-shift-to-renewable-energy-is-hopeless-without-efficiencies-environmentalist-says.html
