Improving Renewable Energy Infrastructure

Improving Renewable Energy Infrastructure
As the depletion of fossil fuels continues, the need to develop real alternatives has become an issue of paramount importance for global security and the prosperity of future generations. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), we have approximately 30 years to radically alter the manner in which we consume energy and make the shift to sustainable alternatives, as literally, there will be no fossil fuels left post 2050. 
This means that every sector within our societies has no option but to take this looming crisis seriously and to use what fossil fuels we have have left to develop robust renewable energy infrastructures to keep the world running. This problem is further exacerbated with climate change challenges and the push to become carbon neutral per the legally binding Paris Agreement signed in 2015 and the 2030 target of UN Sustainable Development Goals that include calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. 
In my previous article on electric being the next major energy source for the global transport sector, I mentioned that we need to develop innovative ways to generate and store this energy so that we can accurately generate what we need, and store the excess so that it can be used later. After all, there is little use to generate electricity with limited ways to store and transport it. 
The production of energy requires an ecosystem to be in place that covers its production, storage, distribution and access. We have such an ecosystem in place for fossil fuels, from production plants to consumer facing gas stations as well as the technical capability to provide support and maintenance for petrol based vehicles and industrial machinery. Since the invention of the internal combustion engine, we have had around 150 years to build this ecosystem which has developed and matured over time. The challenge we face now is to build a similar framework for renewables which is a mammoth task, as time is clearly not on our side.
The problem lies in the way we receive energy from renewables like solar, wind, geo thermal and others. These are intermittent sources of energy and the amount of energy generated is subject to weather conditions which can wildly fluctuate in some parts of the world. This leads to a shortage as well as an excess in energy as production is not stable and requires better, more reliable and cheaper forms of energy storage to collect this excess and release it when energy networks face a shortage. Innovations in battery technology is growing in leaps and bounds, particularly with the greater push towards electric vehicles, making it more reliable, efficient and driving down cost which is certainly good news for everyone.
Additionally, our transmission networks must be upgraded as it is becoming apparent they are outdated and inadequate to cope in pumping energy across extensive networks. For example, this is a particular problem on excessively sunny days where networks will become overloaded with energy and simply do not have the capacity to transmit. This has been highlighted as a real concern by the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory and will continue to grow as additional renewable infrastructures come online. Access to such energy must also be improved for consumer so that it becomes a real alternative to petrol.
Our renewable energy supply chains must also be improved and industries heavily reliant on fossil fuels must invest in the necessary technology and experts to help them make the transition in a cost effective and efficient manner. This is where the role of governments comes in who must themselves be renewable energy savvy and promote a culture of change. As well as having the needed experts in this field, a clear strategy for each sector in society should be in place with the relevant grants, subsidies and funds to help businesses make the shift. 
There must also be a strong partnership between the private sector that has the expertise in this area and our education institutions so that we produce intelligent, bright minds that understand this technology and build the institutions necessary to support and maintain renewable energy infrastructure. 
We need up to date technicians, scientists, energy experts and schools as we cannot afford to fall behind in this important field as we have done in the past, relying on external expertise which has held us ransom. 
Arab nations must step up their game in this regard, as change is on the horizon whether we like it or not. There is no reason why we cannot become world leaders in this innovative field if we act with wisdom. We must prepare ourselves and our nations for what is to come and cannot afford to be slack in our efforts to invest and build in the new energy field as our survival literally depends on it.