
Gaiak
Energy Transition: Importance of carrying out the process properly
The energy transition aims to replace the current energy model, which is overwhelmingly based on fossil fuels, with a model increasingly dominated by renewables and other clean energy technologies. All energy transitions have many specific attributes, but the one currently underway is unprecedented. Clean energies such as renewables, nuclear energy, hydrogen, bioenergy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage must be developed in a technologically neutral way. This transition will reduce the greenhouse effect and allow a certain energy independence for those countries that do not have fossil resources. Obtaining clean energy at low costs is a major priority.
Global clean energy deployment reached new heights in 2023, with solar PV (420 GW) and wind turbine additions increasing by 85% and 60% annually, respectively. The world is projected to add more than 5,500 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity 2024 and 2030, almost three times the increase seen 2017 and 2023. This would account for almost half of the world’s electricity produced in 2030. These technologies feature renewable, sustainable and relatively predictable resources. However, there are visual and environmental impacts associated with the power transmission lines required, and the cost of transporting power is also very high, particularly for offshore wind. In addition, since it is not always sunny and/or windy, it is important to store these renewable energies in storage s, which are mainly based on hydraulic pumps and electrochemical s such as batteries or supercapacitors. In the case of batteries, the total market is expected to reach 250 billion euros per year in 2025, facilitated by sales of new electric vehicles, which have increased worldwide by 60% in the last two years.
Nuclear energy will be another technology to be discussed in the future. The EU has agreed to include nuclear energy in its “Green Taxonomy”, and it currently contributes to electricity generation with about 10%. The technologies that will be part of nuclear energy are advanced fission and fusion. Nuclear fission uses uranium, plutonium and may soon use thorium as fuel. Nuclear waste and its storage are a concern, especially in Western countries, since unstable nuclei can be radioactive for millions of years. In contrast, nuclear fusion uses hydrogen, deuterium and tritium as fuel, generating helium, which is an inert gas, without producing long-lived radioactive nuclear waste, with a production of three or four times more energy.
Hydrogen, as an energy vector, is currently obtained almost entirely from natural gas and coal, producing high CO2 emissions. The use of renewable energies will allow the production of clean hydrogen, known as green hydrogen, with a 100% yield, significantly reducing production costs, unlike that currently obtained by electrolysis, which only represents 4% with a high economic cost. Bioenergy as a source derived from biomass can also contribute to obtaining electricity using organic and aqueous waste (wastewater) and to the circular economy.

It is important and should be thoroughly analysed how the current energy transition is being
carried out and how public money is spent on innovation in Europe.
As discussed in the so-called Draghi Plan, recently presented to the European Parliament, if the objectives of the energy transition are accompanied by a coherent plan to achieve them, it will be an opportunity for Europe. But if we do not coordinate our policies, there is a risk that it will be contrary to competitiveness and, ultimately, delayed or even rejected. This process obviously has implications for energy technology, society's economic infrastructure and social structure. This is why joint effort companies, governments and non-governmental associations is required to address political uncertainties and speed up the permitting processes, construction and modernisation of electricity networks and the increase in the capacity for storing electricity from renewable energy.
Battery research had been a very clear long-term strategy in Germany. Unfortunately, one of the three parties that formed the government and headed the Ministry of Education and Science considered that electric mobility was something from the Merkel government era, projecting a reduction or halt of funding for research in this field and initiating funding for nuclear fusion. This is quite ridiculous, since a halt or reduction in funding for a project has a huge damage that is difficult to recover. A recent change in government or the result of new elections could halt or delay this initiative. There is a lot at stake and in the future, we will only be able to succeed in the global battery business if Europe joins forces.
It is important and should be thoroughly analysed how the current energy transition is being carried out and how public money is spent on innovation in Europe. Considerable European funding is available through the “Next Generation” funds, but there are important questions to consider such as: How has the evaluation of the projects presented been carried out? How are these projects being managed? Are the allocated funds being spent appropriately? Regarding green hydrogen, significant investments are being carried out, and it is important to observe their performance when this “soufflé” is regularised. In the case of batteries, mainly solid-state batteries for use in electric vehicles, the possibility of having thirty gigafactories in Europe was analysed, of which five could correspond to Spain. How is this issue currently? How many gigafactories will remain in the future? What performance has been obtained with the funds used? How has the process of evaluating results been followed?
Given all these data, can we trust that the current energy transition will be performed properly? There is a lot at stake in this transition and, if it is not carried out correctly, future generations will pay dearly for it. Let us avoid a disaster.