The most reliable predictions indicate that by 2050, the world’s population will have nearly doubled from its present level to about 10 billion people. Most of this growth and much of the increase in energy consumption will occur in developing countries such as Namibia.
Energy is a requirement for industrial development and activity. Without an effective energy supply neither is possible. There are a number of serious issues when considering industrial energy use and the sustainable growth of industries particularly in developing countries. Such issues range from the additional cost of energy processes due to inefficient utilization, vulnerability to price shocks of imported fuels and wide-scale inefficient and unclean utilization of energy, both at the local and national level, as well as the regional and global level.
Meanwhile, at the household level, over 1.6 billion people lack access to modern forms of energy services. The vast majority of these people live in the rural areas of the poorest regions of the world. Many are either too poor or too isolated to attract commercial energy-related investments as they are not a viable market that can generate an adequate return on those investments. This is concerning as energy is an essential building block for fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development. The provision of safe and affordable energy is an important, if not vital, condition for their achievement.
While the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technology is at an advanced stage in some developed countries, developing countries are still far behind due to various barriers such as limited awareness amongst policymakers, lack of capacity in terms of trained personnel, poor regulatory and policy frameworks, and of course, the lack of finance.
Energy supply must be sustainable and diverse, and energy needs to be used more efficiently. A sustainable energy supply, both in the short- and the long-term, is needed for promoting economic development and the quality of life, as well as protecting the environment. We also need a greater diversification of energy resources – if we are largely dependent on one fuel source, we risk price increases and supply disruptions. Energy is a precious resource which must be conserved.
Protecting the Environment:
Damage to the environment is reason enough to promote alternative environmentally friendly energy sources. Much of the global-scale environmental ruin we see today is due to the adverse effects of energy production and use. The burning of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. At present, fossil fuels produce most of our energy. Some energy comes from nuclear power stations and a small amount from renewable sources. Nuclear power and renewable energy do not produce greenhouse gases.
External Energy Supplies:
If present trends continue, increasing demand will cause rising imports of energy. An increased dependence on energy imports means that the cost and supply of a vital resource for our economy slips further and further out of our control. Moreover, we may become more exposed to the results of political instability in the regions where fossil fuels are produced and while it seems we are quite far removed from these countries and situations, we are affected every time there is an oil price hike or the threat of insufficient supplies.
Consequences of Energy Dependence:
The consequences are likely to be higher energy prices. There is also likely to be more uncertainty about supplies and greater environmental risk as less easily accessible reserves of fossil fuels are exploited. Future increases in energy demand will exert even greater pressure on the finite reserves of the world. Many things have changed the shape of the world we know and live in today. But underlying them all is an abundant and relatively cheap supply of energy. This fact underpins all of our economic activities as well as our leisure pursuits.