{"id":1940,"date":"2023-03-07T20:10:32","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T02:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalenergypark.com\/?p=1940"},"modified":"2023-11-15T20:48:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T02:48:13","slug":"three-barriers-to-transitioning-to-clean-energy-sources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalenergypark.com\/articles\/three-barriers-to-transitioning-to-clean-energy-sources\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Barriers to Transitioning to Clean Energy Sources"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the U.S. Department of Energy’s concerted effort to support and commercialize renewable energy technologies<\/a>, many industries are looking to shift toward clean energy solutions. From the use of electric school buses<\/a> to increased solar and wind energy installations<\/a> and energy grid modeling, it’s clear that sustainable energy sources are shaping the future of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While our world demands innovative sustainable energy sources, and innovations are edging us closer to a clean future, there are still many barriers to overcome before we reach 100% clean energy. Here are three of the biggest challenges the U.S. energy system faces as it plans to achieve clean energy targets \u2013 and ways to account for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrier 1: Implementation Costs Make High-Impact Adoption Difficult<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero by 2025 report, to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, annual clean energy investment will need to more than triple by 2030 to reach about $4 trillion per year. High investment costs result in higher implementation costs, making clean energy technology adoption expensive. Whereas most marketplace technologies can achieve lower adoption costs through increased scale, large-scale implementation of clean energy solutions is often unrealistic due to considerable variation within the environmental context. For example, solar panel installation varies considerably between single-family homes, multi-family homes, apartment buildings, and retail complexes. These nuances make scaling clean technologies difficult, resulting in higher implementation costs and adoption resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While high implementation costs make adoption difficult, there are a few ways to account for them. For example, providing financial incentives for clean technology installation can offset high adoption costs. Moreover, designing renewable energy solutions for increased efficiency can help lower long-term acquisition costs. Lastly, retrofitting old assets to make them more renewable and investing in net-zero capabilities in new building developments can help reduce long-term energy costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrier 2: Lack of Centralized Information and Unified Energy Standards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon emissions data is not widely available to users in real-time, so it’s challenging to know the current state of carbon emissions. Moreover, there isn’t a centralized database that tracks carbon emissions data. More centralized information is needed to analyze and aggregate data, understand the current state of emissions, and make plans and projections for a clean future. Moreover, clean energy initiatives are often fragmented, as different states, regions, and countries have various renewable energy standards. Without a unified vision and standards, supporting a cohesive and efficient transition to clean energy is difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several advancements are necessary to combat this barrier, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n