Generating electricity from renewable sources is undoubtedly a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable future. However, there are still challenges to overcome.
There is much talk about generating electricity using renewable sources such as wind or biomass. There are several benefits to using these techniques, such as lower carbon emissions, reduced environmental impact, and greater profitability, as the sources naturally renew themselves.
However, like any other process, there are challenges to be overcome to make it more efficient and reliable. Check them out below!
What are these challenges?
Economic Factors: There is a high cost associated with the technologies needed for renewable energy generation compared to other competing technologies. For example, photovoltaic technology still has a significant installation and maintenance cost compared to thermal sources.
Environmental Impacts: Research conducted by the Department of Botany at the Federal University of Pernambuco, focused specifically on farms installed in the Caatinga, indicated that wind energy generation is not harmless. There are impacts on fauna, especially on bats and birds, which collide with the blades and end up dying. These animals are important for the ecosystem as they control pests.
Grid Integration: In the case of conventional generators, such as thermoelectric power plants, there is a generation line that can remain constant or vary according to the grid demand. In the case of renewable energies, there is a very strong dependence on climatic conditions for electricity generation, causing a variation in electricity input to the grid. Therefore, conventional generators need to be able to compensate for this difference to avoid affecting the stability of the electric system.
Competition with Traditional Sources: The implementation of renewable energy sources in the electrical system creates market competition with previously established sources. This competition is a fundamental part of the transition to a cleaner generation system and mainly revolves around production costs, which are relatively higher than traditional sources.
System Stability: We cannot talk about system stability without mentioning the events of August 15, 2023, when 25 states in the country were affected due to a disturbance in the Northeast subsystem. The failure occurred due to the unexpected performance of wind and photovoltaic parks, resulting in the opening of the Quixadá terminal of the 500kV Quixadá — Fortaleza II transmission line. This shutdown was carried out by the terminal's own protection system, based on an accidental actuation of the closing logic under fault. This occurrence demonstrates that there are still adjustments to be made regarding how stable the supply of energy from renewable sources can be, making considerations regarding the models used for generation balance prediction.
Brazil is privileged in terms of its energy matrix, being able to provide a good amount of the energy needed to power the country from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydro. Some countries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, also present considerable numbers, with their generation coming almost exclusively from clean sources.
We can also mention distributed generation, which contributes to the growth of renewable energy use. This involves generating energy close to or at the point of consumption, differing from conventional generation, which is usually done at great distances from the supply point. Within this, technologies such as cogenerators, generators that use fuel residues for generation, emergency generators, generators for peak operation, photovoltaic panels, and small hydroelectric plants can be cited.
And even though there are challenges, much has been and is being done to ensure that the country's electrical system receives more and more energy from renewable sources. The energy balance has already changed significantly compared to a few years ago, and the trend is for these technologies with smaller negative impacts to gain more strength!