At the moment, the world is at a point where everything seems to be unstable. Gas and food prices are hitting record highs; economies are falling into recession, and climate change threatens to destroy the planet. The pressure on governments to make basic amenities more available and affordable has never been this high as the world approaches a very unpredictable winter. Most of you might not know this, but the increasing energy demand is what has created this black hole that the world, especially the poor and low-income individuals, is about to be sucked into.
Before now, the common person’s definition of an energy crisis is an increase in the pump price at the local gas station. A crisis like this doesn’t usually last long as the government intervenes with subsidies to return the prices to normal. This time, pump prices, electricity bills, and gas prices are all skyrocketing, and governments have run out of options not to return the prices to normal but to stop them from going further up. Most governments aren’t paying attention to it. Energy efficiency programs are some of the best ways to survive the crisis, but most aren’t. In this article, we will highlight the causes of this present-day energy crisis and offer solutions for mitigating them in the future.
How Did The Energy Crisis Get This Bad?
One thing cannot be held responsible for putting the world in this energy predicament. Several neglected factors have come into play to make this predicament a painful and memorable one. These are some of the major causes of the global energy crisis.
Overpopulation
The increasing global population is one of the major causes of the crisis. As the world’s population grows, more pressure has been mounted on the earth’s limited available energy resources. Overpopulation has never been seen as an issue. This is because politicians and businesspeople saw humans more as assets. They believed that the more the population grows, the richer and more powerful they become due to the increased demand for commodities. Unfortunately, the world’s resources are reaching a breaking point, and that logic is no longer suitable. Both the rich and the powerful are fighting for the little that is left, leaving the poor and vulnerable to fend for themselves.
Energy Overconsumption
This current energy crisis would have been avoided if only energy had been utilized more efficiently. Consumers who misused energy resources did so because the energy supply is cheap and unregulated. When energy is misused, it tends to put unwanted pressure on the energy market, creating a gap between the demand and supply chain. This wasted energy has now come back to haunt the world as the global energy reserve is quickly depreciating with no quick replacement on the horizon. Bright Powers offers excellent Energy compliance solution to building managers and owners on energy consumption, read all about it here.
Neglecting Renewable Energy’s Call
Over the years, there have been constant calls by both environmentalists and energy experts for a shift to a more sustainable energy source. This call has always been neglected, with politicians pointing out that renewable energy is too expensive and unreliable. If only they had listened and increased global renewable energy generation to above 70%, the world would have been better off today. It could have helped open the energy market by taking power away from the handful of oil-rich nations that set the energy prices to satisfy their interests.
Feasible Solutions To The Energy Crisis
There are so many solutions that, when properly and timely implemented, can help ease and end the energy crisis in the short and long term. The benefits of some of these solutions might not entirely be felt today, but in the long run, they will help prevent the world from falling into such a predicament again.
Accept Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is the best way to end the energy crisis once and for all. With renewable energy, there will be an unlimited energy supply capable of lasting the world till the end of time. Note that implementing a green energy plan is not a quick fix to today’s energy crisis, but it’s an assurance that the next generation won’t have to suffer an energy calamity. The challenge that green energy implementation might face is the political class, who are selfish and shortsighted enough to see modern civilization on a dangerous path to extinction without sustainable energy. So, global citizens must ensure that only politicians who wish to implement green energy policies such as solar, wind, and steam are elected into office.
Optimize Energy Consumption
Energy consumption optimization is one of the fastest ways of reducing the pressure of the energy crisis. To achieve it, households and factories must be forced to reduce electricity usage for optimum performance. When this is achieved, energy demand will fall, saturating the market with enough energy to make prices also fall. For effective energy optimization, households must replace regular light bulbs with LEDs, and factories must partake in energy efficiency programs to help them understand how to optimize energy usage.
A Regular Energy Audit
Energy audits help create an energy map for any particular area or location. When regularly conducting energy audits, you can identify areas within the country, state, household, office, or factory where energy has been lost. This audit will aid in understanding why energy is being lost and how the issue can be fixed. Energy audits can also help minimize your carbon footprint, helping you save both money and the planet.
Increase Power Generation Flexibility
With the demand for electricity at an all-time high, governments must introduce laws and policies that make it possible and more accessible for people to generate their electricity. This group of people should be allowed to plug into the grid and get paid for the power they generate. Policies like this will go a long way toward reducing the effects of the energy crisis by making power readily available and cheap.
Bottom Line
Today’s energy crisis is going to ravage the world for a very long time, but if the right laws and regulations are put in place, this will be the last energy crisis the world will ever face.
