By now, you may have heard the term "Energy Transition" several times, as the climate change is becoming a more severe problem to the whole word. But do you know what the Energy Transition is and what does it mean?

What is the Energy Transition?

The energy transition is the shift from using non-renewable energy sources to renewable energy sources.

In 2020, around 13% of global primary energy came from renewable technologies, where primary energy is the energy form found in nature that has not been subjected to any human engineered conversion process.

As you can see, almost 90% of the energy that we use still comes from non renewable sources (83% from fossil fuels). There is still a long way to go.

The energy transition is part of the broader ecological transition to sustainable economies through the use of renewable energy, the adoption of energy-saving techniques, consumption and waste reduction, sustainable development.

The energy transition is underway in several countries, particularly the most technologically advanced or those most motivated toward conservation of the natural environment.

How this is going happen?

The transition can be carried out by following several approaches, preferably in parallel, so as to eliminate dependence on fossil fuels and improve energy efficiency on the side of energy production and user consumption, as well as in its distribution and storage.

The main renewable sources are hydro, wind, solar, followed by biomass, geothermal and tidal, that makes and will make a smaller percentage of the renewable power generation.

The transition may require to replace production facilities, or to convert or repower them, so as to achieve more efficient production with less environmental impact.

There can be an improvement in the efficiency of systems used by consumers, such as the use of energy-saving or generally more efficient technologies. Similarly, greater insulation, thermal or electrical, can be made where energy is to be transported or stored.