308
11.4.2.3 Climate Change Impacts on Land for Energy
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can be land-intensive, and impactful
if not managed in tandem with of purposes. Since these sources of energy are still
emerging, and the ideal location for such wind and solar are primarily based on
wind strength and solar radiation (isolation) reaching a given area, climate change
will likely not have a decisive effect on future wind and solar but will influence decision making through impacts on wind and cloud cover. The significant expansion of
on-shore wind and solar will bring challenging land use trade-offs.
Biofuels accounted for approximately 4% of the world’s road transportation fuel
in 2016 (IEA 2017). Some advocate significant expansion of biofuel use as a mitigation strategy for climate change. Using existing biofuel feedstocks such as sugar,
corn, and soybean for such an expansion of biofuels would quire significant diversion of land for that purpose. Moreover, climate changes may alter locations where
biofuel feedstocks might be optimally grown and the best locations for biofuel processing facilities. However, the development of advanced biofuels using non-food
crops would likely reduce competition with food crops for food cropland.
As noted in Chap. 3, traditional forms of biomass—wood, charcoal, leaves, agricultural residue, animal/human waste, and urban waste—are significant energy
sources, especially for rural populations and in many developing countries.
Therefore, climate change impacts of the plant growth and agriculture will have a
significant impact on the energy sources of those who depend on traditional biomass
for energy.
11.4.3 Energy
Climate change will affect existing energy systems primarily through direct impacts
on infrastructure and demand and indirectly through impacts on water. Mitigating
emissions of greenhouse gases will require near wholesale decarbonization of a
global energy system that obtained 85% of its primary energy from nonrenewable
hydrocarbons.
11.4.3.1 Climate Change and Energy Production and Movement
Energy production has traditionally been based upon the location of natural
resources, reflecting the local availability of hydrocarbons and suitable water flows
for hydropower. The recent rise of renewables reflects the same pattern with wind
patterns and solar insolation (the amount of solar energy incident on a surface), both
being products of climate. Energy infrastructure reflects the level and range of connectivity required to produce energy resources in a given location and move them to
demand centers. Energy production infrastructure, like all infrastructure, is sensitive
to a wide range of local conditions, including:
P. Saundry
11.4.2.3 Climate Change Impacts on Land for Energy
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can be land-intensive, and impactful
if not managed in tandem with of purposes. Since these sources of energy are still
emerging, and the ideal location for such wind and solar are primarily based on
wind strength and solar radiation (isolation) reaching a given area, climate change
will likely not have a decisive effect on future wind and solar but will influence decision making through impacts on wind and cloud cover. The significant expansion of
on-shore wind and solar will bring challenging land use trade-offs.
Biofuels accounted for approximately 4% of the world’s road transportation fuel
in 2016 (IEA 2017). Some advocate significant expansion of biofuel use as a mitigation strategy for climate change. Using existing biofuel feedstocks such as sugar,
corn, and soybean for such an expansion of biofuels would quire significant diversion of land for that purpose. Moreover, climate changes may alter locations where
biofuel feedstocks might be optimally grown and the best locations for biofuel processing facilities. However, the development of advanced biofuels using non-food
crops would likely reduce competition with food crops for food cropland.
As noted in Chap. 3, traditional forms of biomass—wood, charcoal, leaves, agricultural residue, animal/human waste, and urban waste—are significant energy
sources, especially for rural populations and in many developing countries.
Therefore, climate change impacts of the plant growth and agriculture will have a
significant impact on the energy sources of those who depend on traditional biomass
for energy.
11.4.3 Energy
Climate change will affect existing energy systems primarily through direct impacts
on infrastructure and demand and indirectly through impacts on water. Mitigating
emissions of greenhouse gases will require near wholesale decarbonization of a
global energy system that obtained 85% of its primary energy from nonrenewable
hydrocarbons.
11.4.3.1 Climate Change and Energy Production and Movement
Energy production has traditionally been based upon the location of natural
resources, reflecting the local availability of hydrocarbons and suitable water flows
for hydropower. The recent rise of renewables reflects the same pattern with wind
patterns and solar insolation (the amount of solar energy incident on a surface), both
being products of climate. Energy infrastructure reflects the level and range of connectivity required to produce energy resources in a given location and move them to
demand centers. Energy production infrastructure, like all infrastructure, is sensitive
to a wide range of local conditions, including:
P. Saundry