Electricity and Power
Electricity is a major form of energy that much of the modern world has now taken for granted. According to Sustainable Energy for All, 87% of the world’s population has access to it. This is a large amount considering the light-bulb, one of the main sources of electricity, was invented less than 200 years ago.
Electricity and Clean Energy
Nowadays, electricity is produced from a variety of sources. It mostly comes from the combustion of fossil fuels, which accounted for 67.3% of total world production in 2016. However, this number is falling due to various forms of clean energy becoming more and more popular. This is mainly evident in richer countries, where they are increasing their efforts every year to reduce their carbon footprint. According to the International Energy Agency, production of energy from wind and solar sources saw a growth of 15% and 22% respectively between 2016 and 2017.
Why it is important to conserve energy
The energy sector is experiencing major shifts in its values and actions. The shift towards clean energy can be seen here in Hong Kong, where energy-saving has become a key priority of the government. The largest use of electricity consumption in Hong Kong is air conditioning, which accounts for about 30% of total consumption. According to the Hong Kong Energy Savings Plan, the goal of the Hong Kong government is to achieve an energy intensity reduction of 40% by 2025 using 2005 as the base. In addition, with the Paris Climate Agreement, 174 countries plus the European Union have pledged to make significant changes in energy consumption. This means there is an overall consensus that we need to reduce the carbon footprint in the energy sector.
What caused this shift in values and actions within the energy sector? Find out why this week on our website, where we’ll provide an overview about the current problems facing energy production.