Sustainability Hub: SDG7 – Affordable and Clean Energy

Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)

31 Jan 202201:43

Summary

TLDRThe UN's SDG-7 aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Chemical engineers play a pivotal role in developing technologies that reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. They contribute to the transition to net-zero carbon by 2050 by innovating in areas such as energy storage, like batteries and hydrogen, and optimizing energy supply processes. This mission is crucial for sustaining economic development and protecting the climate while meeting the growing global energy demand.

Takeaways

🌏 SDG-7 emphasizes the importance of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all as a global mission.
🔌 Clean and affordable energy is crucial for daily life and economic development, underpinning the need for expanded industry, construction, transportation, and improved living standards.
📈 The demand for energy is increasing, which necessitates sustainable solutions to protect climate stability and align with the goal of transitioning to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
🌿 Energy consumption and resource availability vary regionally, highlighting the need for new technologies to reduce or remove carbon emissions and decrease reliance on fossil fuels.
🔄 The global energy mix requires more work to replace fossil fuels with cleaner alternatives, such as renewable energy sources and other innovative solutions.
🔋 Development and deployment of energy storage technologies, like batteries and hydrogen, are key to managing the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources.
🚀 Chemical engineers play a pivotal role in the modern energy cycle, excelling in process design, optimization, and innovation to meet the demands of a sustainable energy future.
🛠️ Efficiency improvements and carbon reduction in energy supply and end-use are critical areas where chemical engineering can make a significant impact.
🏭 Chemical engineers operate in various areas including research, design, operation, waste disposal, and education, contributing to the advancement of clean energy technologies.
🌳 The choice of future energy delivery systems must consider environmental factors such as air pollution, water, and land usage to ensure sustainability.
🔑 The script underscores the central role of chemical engineers in achieving the mission of affordable and clean energy, impacting both technological development and global policy.

Q & A

What is the United Nations' SDG-7 focused on achieving?
-SDG-7 is focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Why is clean and affordable energy important for everyday life and economic development?
-Clean and affordable energy is crucial for daily activities and is key to human and economic development because it is needed to expand industry, construction, transport, and improve living standards. It also powers essential devices like cars, phones, and home appliances.
What is the significance of the transition to net-zero carbon by 2050?
-The transition to net-zero carbon by 2050 is essential to ensure that the increased demand for energy is sustainable and does not harm climate stability.
How does the mismatch between energy consumption and resource availability affect the global energy mix?
-The mismatch necessitates the development of new technologies to reduce or remove carbon emissions and to decrease reliance on fossil fuels, promoting the adoption of renewable and cleaner energy sources.
What role can chemical engineers play in the development and deployment of energy storage technologies?
-Chemical engineers, with their expertise in process design and optimization, can be central to developing technologies like batteries and hydrogen storage, which are vital for a sustainable energy future.
Why is it important to increase the efficiency and reduce carbon generation in energy supply and end-use?
-Increasing efficiency and reducing carbon generation are important to mitigate the environmental impact of energy production and consumption, aligning with the goal of a cleaner and more sustainable energy system.
What are some of the considerations for choosing future energy delivery methods?
-Future energy delivery choices must consider air pollution, water, and land usage to ensure that the energy sources are not only clean but also have minimal negative impacts on the environment.
In which areas can chemical engineers contribute to the modern energy cycle?
-Chemical engineers can contribute to the modern energy cycle in areas such as research and development, design, operation, waste disposal, and education.
How has the reliance on fossil fuels changed with the increase in renewable and cleaner energies?
-The reliance on fossil fuels has fallen as the use of renewable and cleaner energies has increased, indicating a positive shift towards more sustainable energy sources.
What is the impact of chemical engineers on the mission for affordable and clean energy?
-Chemical engineers can significantly impact the mission for affordable and clean energy by excelling in process design and optimization, thereby facilitating the transition to a more sustainable and efficient energy system.
What are some of the key areas of operation for chemical engineers in the context of the energy sector?
-Key areas of operation for chemical engineers in the energy sector include research and design of new technologies, optimization of existing processes, operation of energy facilities, waste disposal strategies, and educational initiatives to raise awareness and train the next generation.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Sustainable Energy for SDG-7

The first paragraph emphasizes the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 7, which is to provide affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. It underscores the importance of clean and affordable energy for daily life and economic development. The paragraph highlights the need for increased energy to support industry, construction, transport, and to improve living standards. It also addresses the challenge of meeting the growing demand for energy in a way that is sustainable and does not compromise climate stability, advocating for a transition to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The role of chemical engineers in developing new technologies to reduce carbon emissions, such as energy storage technologies and increasing energy efficiency, is also discussed.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡SDG-7

SDG-7 stands for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal number 7, which is focused on 'Affordable and Clean Energy.' It is a universal call to action to ensure access to reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. In the script, it is mentioned as the mission for achieving affordable and clean energy, emphasizing the importance of this goal in global development.

💡Chemical Engineers

Chemical engineers are professionals who apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems related to the production or use of chemicals, materials, and energy. In the context of the video, chemical engineers are highlighted for their potential impact on the development of clean and affordable energy, suggesting their role in designing and optimizing processes that contribute to energy sustainability.

💡Clean Energy

Clean energy refers to energy sources that do not emit harmful pollutants and have minimal impact on the environment. Examples include solar, wind, and hydro power. The script underscores the necessity of clean energy for everyday life and economic development, as well as its role in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change.

💡Sustainable Energy

Sustainable energy is energy produced in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The script mentions the need for sustainable energy to expand industry and improve living standards while protecting the climate, indicating the balance between energy demand and environmental responsibility.

💡Net Zero Carbon

Net zero carbon refers to a state where the amount of greenhouse gas emissions is balanced by an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas removal, effectively having no net emissions. The script highlights the importance of transitioning to net zero carbon by 2050 to stabilize the climate and reduce the environmental impact of energy production.

💡Renewables

Renewables are energy sources that are naturally replenished and can be used repeatedly, such as wind, solar, and hydro power. The script notes the increase in reliance on renewables as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, indicating a shift towards more sustainable energy sources.

💡Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. They are non-renewable and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The script mentions the reduction in reliance on fossil fuels as part of the transition to cleaner energy sources.

💡Energy Storage Technologies

Energy storage technologies are systems that store energy for later use, such as batteries and hydrogen storage. The script mentions the development and deployment of these technologies as a way to address the intermittency of renewable energy sources and to improve the efficiency of the energy supply.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of energy refers to the ratio of the useful output of an energy system to the input of energy required to produce that output. The script discusses increasing efficiency to reduce carbon generation in the energy supply and end-use, highlighting the importance of optimizing energy systems to minimize waste.

💡Process Design and Optimization

Process design and optimization involve creating and improving the methods and systems used to produce goods or services, with a focus on maximizing efficiency and minimizing waste. In the script, chemical engineers' expertise in these areas is emphasized as crucial for the modern energy cycle, suggesting their role in developing more sustainable and efficient energy processes.

💡Waste Disposal

Waste disposal refers to the process of getting rid of waste materials by methods such as recycling, composting, or landfilling. The script mentions waste disposal as one of the areas where chemical engineers can contribute, indicating the importance of managing waste in the energy production process to minimize environmental impact.

Highlights

Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy is a mission for UN's SDG-7.

Clean and affordable energy is essential for everyday life and key to human and economic development.

Increased energy demand must be sustainable and protect climate stability.

Transition to net-zero carbon by 2050 is essential for climate goals.

Energy consumption and resource availability do not match regionally, necessitating new technologies.

Fossil fuel reliance has decreased with the rise in renewable and cleaner energies.

There is a need for more work to replace fossil fuels in the global energy mix.

Developing energy storage technologies like batteries and hydrogen is crucial.

Increasing efficiency and reducing carbon generation in energy supply is important.

End-use energy considerations include air pollution, water, and land usage.

Chemical engineers play a central role in the modern energy cycle.

Chemical engineers excel in process design, optimization, and various operational areas.

Research, design, operation, waste disposal, and education are key areas for chemical engineers' impact.

Chemical engineers contribute significantly to the affordable and clean energy mission.