Ecoblogi – A Blog by Daniel Elkama

I have written a lot about wind and solar power before. The only right solution for the future of the Earth, regarding the energy system, is to switch completely to cyclical renewable energy sources and smart electricity grids.

Here is a link to my opinion piece published in Helsingin Sanomat:

Reader’s opinion | Wind power produces clean energy
https://www.hs.fi/mielpide/art-2000009738290.html

As I have often said, for the future of the Earth and sustainable development, we need to think in terms of millions of years, not years or decades. The capitalist quarterly economy does not understand this. The Earth’s future must be built sustainably for millions of years: energy consumption is, along with meat production and automobiles, the biggest cause of climate emissions. Electricity and heat production cause about 35-40% of global climate emissions (IPCC 2025)

Only renewable energy is emission-free and circular. Everything else is a linear economy, with nature-destroying consumption of depleting raw materials, harmful emissions and waste. Nuclear power is not sustainable because of uranium mines and nuclear waste. Carbon dioxide is not the only emission, as is often portrayed. In fact, the carbon emissions of nuclear power are about 40% of the carbon emissions of oil per unit of energy (Zabot & Monguzzi. 2011. The Nuclear Illusion, ”Illusione nucleare”). However, there is no longer much to worry about nuclear power, because it is a dying industry. Renewable energy is up to 6-10 times cheaper than nuclear power, perhaps this is the main reason for the death of nuclear power. Big business has seen that it is not worth investing in nuclear power, which is unstable, expensive and prone to disruptions. We are now experiencing a major boom in renewable energy: China already produces as much solar and wind energy as the entire electricity production of the USA.

The wind does not stop, nor do the waves, the earth’s heat does not end, and the Sun will not stop shining for billions of years. Sustainable energy production is based on cyclical natural forces. By building these, we secure a viable and thriving planet for millions of generations to come.

Wind and solar combined with hydrogen technology is the best combination; When there is no wind, the sun often shines, when the sun does not shine, there is usually wind. Hydrogen can be burned when neither is available, with only water vapor as the emission. In addition to offshore wind farms, it is easy to produce hydrogen by electrolysis. Other renewable forms of energy production are also very good: for example, Iceland gets almost all its electricity and heat from geothermal energy. Japan has developed turbines that can be placed in ocean currents, which have enormous power. Africa has leaped straight to renewable energy.

The future looks bright: we are entering a new era of a sustainable circular economy. By the 2040s, all energy will likely be renewable and transportation will be electric and hydrogen-based.

Daniel Elkama