Security

The production and use of renewable energy can increase security by allowing for improved:

Domestic Energy Security: Maximizing renewable energy and energy efficiency on a national and regional level will reduce our dependence on imported fuels. This will benefit domestic energy security and reduce price volatility.

Control and Reliability: Renewable energy produced and used on a local scale will also provide a degree of local control, security and reliability. Distributed power generation systems and flexible local grids can be community owned and controlled, linking with other grids when needed. Biofuels can be produced from local agricultural crop, forest products or wastes. In contrast, conventional energy production from fossil fuels and nuclear power will always require centralized management and large distribution infrastructures. These resources are overwhelmingly owned and controlled by a few countries or corporations. They are more vulnerable to security threats and the consequences of system breakdowns or disruptions are greater.

Environmental and Human Security: As conventional energy resources are tapped, new resource development will increasingly move to more remote, sensitive ecosystems (such as offshore and Arctic). Moreover, these resources are typically in remote areas where indigenous populations are prevalent. Without proper attention and consultation, these environments and populations risk being damaged or destroyed by resource development. Use of renewable energy resources minimizes the demand for these resources and therefore the impacts.

Human Security: Energy is key to human development, and renewable energy can ensure energy needs are met while protecting local environments and populations. For example, renewable energy provides us with the ability to cook without harming our health and environment, produce power without mercury emissions, and help ensure water supplies are not polluted. Renewable energy can also rapidly deliver clean energy services to the energy poor of the world.

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