Learning From Europe's Energy Crisis: Efforts To Overcome Climate Change Blocked By Climate Change Itself

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Finance)

JAKARTA – It is undeniable that a number of European countries are currently experiencing quite a complicated situation due to the lack of adequate energy supply. Many countries are forced to increase the selling price of certain energy due to the scarcity of raw material supply.

This phenomenon is what the Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) for the 2016-2019 period, Arcandra Tahar, is trying to explain.

"Opening 2022, we invite together to learn from many important events in the past year. One of them is the energy crisis in Europe," he said via his personal Instagram @arcandra.tahar on Saturday, January 9.

According to Arcandra, one of the important things that can be learned is that Europe's efforts to develop and strengthen renewable energy have not gone as expected and this is thought to be the impact of climate change.

"How is it possible that efforts to improve climate change are actually hindered by climate change itself, what are the facts?," he continued.

Arcandra said, countries in Europe such as England, Denmark and Germany rely a lot on wind as their renewable energy source besides the sun. Wind turbines are used to convert wind energy into electrical energy (PLTB).

“Europe has chosen wind turbines as a renewable energy source not without reason. In addition to the high average wind speed throughout the year, it is also due to the wind energy development ecosystem that has been formed for a long time," he said.

But what will happen in Europe in 2021 is beyond the expectations of many. The speed of the wind that was blowing was no longer as fast as it used to be. In 2020, wind turbines will still be able to produce electrical energy of 20 percent to 26 percent of installed capacity.

The situation will change drastically in 2021. Wind turbines are only able to produce electrical energy of 14 percent of installed capacity. In other words, there is a decrease in electricity production from wind turbines by up to 40 percent compared to the 2020 period.

Arcandra said, to this day no one knows for sure why the wind speed in Europe has decreased recently. Allegedly this is influenced by climate change.

“If this conjecture is correct, then we are in an endless loop. Why? Because wind energy is expected to be a solution to maintain climate change, because climate change destroys the expected wind speed," he said.

The same situation, continued Arcandra, may also occur with energy sourced from the sun. When climate change creates seasonal changes such as a lot of rain, of course it will have an impact on electricity production which is formed from solar-based energy sources.

“If we take a deeper look and reflect on what is happening in Europe with its energy crisis, is it possible that renewable energy is too advanced to take over the role of fossil energy in the transition to net-zero emissions? Of course we are aware that the use of renewable energy is not negotiable," he concluded.