To Avoid Becoming Unsustainable

The Era of Energy Transition: What Are We Being Asked Now?

2050 carbon neutrality, ESG investment, the rapid expansion of electric vehicles, the scaling up of renewable energy...
Over the past few years, keywords related to energy have rapidly entered our daily lives.

At first glance, "energy transition" may seem like a global policy issue.
However, these changes are directly linked to problems such as household electricity bills, the types of cars we drive, our commuting and transportation methods, and ultimately, our very lifestyles.

Why is an "energy transition" being demanded?

A Sense of Crisis Regarding Global Warming and Climate Change

Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and an increase in natural disasters.
The recognition that these phenomena are caused by climate change is widely shared internationally.

However, on the other hand, there are skeptical positions held by some leaders and experts, including the current President of the United States, who claim that "warming is not progressing" or that "there is no scientific proof."

These "contrarian" perspectives are intertwined with political support bases and the structure of energy interests, carrying the risk of hindering climate policy.

Even so, the current reality is that efforts toward CO₂ reduction are "steadily and surely beginning to progress."

Is CO₂ Reduction Really Progressing?

Transition in Power Generation Methods

- From thermal power generation using fossil fuels to zero-emission thermal power generation using hydrogen and ammonia. Furthermore, as the transition to renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.) progresses, CO₂ emissions derived from electricity are steadily trending downward.

- Countries have announced the cessation of new coal-fired power plant construction and their phased abolition, making the "decarbonization" of the energy mix an unavoidable trend.

Changes in Automotive Fuel

- With the spread of hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, CO₂ emissions from the transportation sector are also heading in a downward direction.

- In Europe, in particular, there is a movement to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, and the "redesign of transportation" is accelerating globally.

SDGs Cannot Be Achieved Overnight

The "Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" are a grand agenda consisting of 17 goals and 169 targets.
The reality is that it will likely take more than a decade or so for everything to be achieved.

However, among them, the area of CO₂ emissions, which can be measured by numerical indicators, is one where concrete results are easier to produce.
If the policies of each country, corporate investment, and technological evolution accumulate, solid progress can be expected, at least in the "decarbonization of energy."

Toward a New Way of Engaging with Energy

It is important to view the energy transition not merely as a reconstruction of infrastructure, but as a "transformation of social structure, lifestyle culture, and values" for the realization of a sustainable society.

・Households installing solar power generation
・Individuals switching to EVs
・Consumers paying attention to corporate CO₂ emissions

Each of those choices may be an invisible vote that underpins climate policy and industrial structure.

Next time: Is the electricity rate system changing!?
——The light and shadow of dynamic pricing

In the second installment of the energy column eneRIO (New Flow), we will focus on "variable rate services for household electricity (dynamic pricing)."

The background of the emergence of dynamic pricing and its future direction——we will delve into the background of the system and its impact on actual daily life.

Thank you very much
for reading until the end.