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Global Climate Change: Clean Energy Technology
Overview
 50 watt PV systems installed in homes in Brazilian village to provide lighting. NREL
Today, approximately 2 billion people in the developing world do not have access to electricity. As they gain access, they will increase the developing world’s demand for energy, which is already expected to more than double in the next 25 years (with the transportation sector accounting for the fastest-growing share of total energy use). The production and use of energy have implications for human populations and the environment at the local, regional, and global levels. The combustion of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading greenhouse gas (GHG). Other GHGs include nitrous oxide and methane, a by-product of agricultural production and decomposing solid waste. These emissions from human activities are contributing to recent observed changes in the climate system; the international deployment of technologies that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution, and enhance energy security in a context of economic growth is a central objective of U.S. climate and development policies.
The challenge, therefore, is to promote economic growth in developing countries while simultaneously reducing GHG emissions that lead to global climate change. This challenge can be met through the expanded use of clean, cost-effective technologies and practices that provide essential services and also have a reduced impact on the environment. Specifically, technologies are currently available to improve efficiency in the industrial, power, transportation, and building sectors. In addition, technologies that utilize renewable resources such as wind, solar energy, biomass, and hydropower have numerous large- and small-scale applications around the world and can be particularly cost-effective in rural areas where access to electricity is limited. Use of renewable sources and energy efficiency measures can decrease consumption of fossil fuels with high GHG emissions, such as coal. In cities, where nearly half the world’s population lives, improved public transportation systems and urban planning can reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions from vehicles, landfills, and buildings. By encouraging policies and practices that support the widespread use of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies at the national and local levels, the dual objectives of providing access to services while helping to mitigate global climate change can be accomplished.
 Cindy Lowry (USAID) admiring the Bajaj auto rickshaw, converted to run on 100 percent hydrogen, displayed at the 16th Annual US Hydrogen Conference, “Partnering for the Global Hydrogen Future.” Mohamad Bazzi, Energy Conversion Devices
USAID’s Approach
USAID undertakes activities in the urban, industrial, and transport areas of the energy sector with the goal of promoting sustainable development and building technical expertise in the application of climate-friendly technologies. USAID seeks to build capacity to support technical improvements in energy and industrial efficiency, renewable energy, methane capture, and clean technologies while facilitating private sector investment, access to technologies, and policy reform. Through these activities, USAID has helped avoid the equivalent of over 15 million metric tons of CO2 emissions over the past five years.
USAID has an extensive portfolio of climate change mitigation activities in India, currently the sixth highest generator of GHGs and the second fastest-growing emitter after China. This is due in large part to India’s inefficient energy sector, which is responsible for approximately half of the country’s total carbon emissions. With USAID support, the Center for Power Efficiency and Environment Protection (CenPEEP) was created to improve the operating efficiency of coal-fired power plants. CenPEEP implements efficiency measures that increase the generation capacity of power plants while reducing the amount of fuel consumed per unit of output. Efficiency improvements allow Indian power plants to increase the supply of much-needed electricity while reducing negative impacts on the environment. CenPEEP’s work, coupled with USAID’s contributions in demand-side management and renewable energy use, has helped avoid over 7.4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents cumulatively since 1997 and has resulted in substantial fuel savings that have reduced the price of electricity for end users. A cleaner, more reliable electricity supply is one way in which USAID is promoting economic development in India while improving environmental quality.
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Growth in motor vehicle use, and therefore transportation-related GHG emissions, is taking place at a more rapid pace in developing countries than in the rest of the world. While petroleum consumption in industrialized countries is growing at 1% per year, it is growing by 6% in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. A by-product of fossil fuel combustion is local air pollution, which leads to as many as 4 million premature deaths each year in developing countries.(1) According to the International Energy Agency, a bus replaces anywhere from 10 to 40 other motorized vehicles, regardless of whether it is “clean” or “dirty.” Encouraging governments to invest in public transportation and convincing riders to use buses and other forms of mass transit are some of the best strategies for providing efficient, sustainable transportation and reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles.
USAID’s activities to limit the growth of transportation-related GHG emissions have resulted in the implementation of a number of sustainable transportation systems. Jakarta, Indonesia, for example, established the first bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Asia, while India has implemented non-motorized transport through the modernization of rickshaws and has secured government approval to develop a BRT in New Delhi. In Senegal, USAID supported the development of an integrated BRT and bikeways plan for Dakar. Such sustainable urban transportation systems not only alleviate traffic congestion, they lead to reductions in emissions of air pollutants that cause respiratory and other health problems as well as global climate change.
Recognizing that energy is one of the major expenditures for poor families living in urban townships, USAID promotes the use of low-cost solar water heating units in South Africa. Solar water heaters significantly reduce household energy consumption and costs while providing hot water to households that could not otherwise afford it. The goal of this program is to promote the installation of solar water heater systems by public housing authorities, thus reducing the cost of housing, power, and other municipal services while reducing health risks and improving the quality of life in South African townships. When aggregated across a township, the energy savings of solar water heaters also result in significant reductions in indoor air pollution and GHG emissions. National interest in solar water heating for low-income households has surged, and as a result, plans are underway to encourage replication of this work by more housing authorities across South Africa.
Conclusion
Because economic and social development are high priorities for developing countries, the activities that USAID supports are part of an integrated strategy that encourages development while addressing the causes and effects of climate change. USAID supports multiple-benefit efforts by providing tools, information, and technical assistance to stakeholders in partner countries throughout the world. The complexity of the problem requires an approach that addresses numerous sectors at varying scales, from industry to the individual. The application of new technologies and practices offers the prospect for continued economic growth with reduced GHG emissions. Recognizing that leaner productivity and greater efficiency are critical for economic success, USAID will continue supporting the commercialization, dissemination, and adoption of environmentally sound technologies. Moving forward, the goal will be to attract more private investment in technologies that meet development needs and reduce GHG emissions.
Footnote
1. Fuel for Thought: An Environmental Strategy for the Energy Sector. World Bank.
Please note, many links in the Global Climate Change portion of USAID's web sites point to information on the U.S. State Department and White House web sites. Some of these materials may be under review and temporarily unavailable. These links will be updated on USAID's web sites as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
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