A generic Southern perspective on renewable energy

Abstract

The increase in the use of fossil fuels from about the mid-nineteenth century and their growing unsustainability led to a growing demand for renewable energy, with its superior features of environmental soundness and decentralised availability facilitating the empowerment of individuals and communities and strengthening their self-reliance. Since this demand can even assume a fundamentalist trend, the question arises: should the goal be sustainable development or renewable energy? Here, the position is taken that the goal should be sustainable development with renewable energy being an instrument. But biomass-based renewable sources are not necessarily always synonymous with sustainability. Biomass sources can be used non-renewably, and non-renewable sources can be used quasi-renewably for a specific end-use. Whereas a renewable energy fundamentalist would forbid the utilisation of a non-renewable resource irrespective of its equity and other advantages, a sustainable development-oriented view may support the use of a non-renewable resource (for example, liquified petroleum gas, LPG, for cooking) if it dramatically improves the quality of life during a transition period and if it buys time before a solely re-newables solution is implemented. After indicating the interrelationships between biomass energy, renewable energy and sustainable (urban and rural) development, the generic energy strategies for renewable energy in general to advance the goal of sustainable development are listed. Then, the specific strategies for biomass energy in particular are mentioned. A brief description of the barriers to renewable energy is supplemented with a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis. Following a discussion of some guidelines for the dissemination of renewable energy technologies (RETs), the characteristics of a renewable energy policy package (REPP) for sustainable development are outlined. Finally, an indication is given of the RETs for the near, medium and long term and of the general positive implications of renewable energies.