The movie Planet of the Humans has sparked many discussions among people involved with sustainable energy. In response to it, the SDG7 Youth Constituency held an online workshop about the facts and opinions that the documentary raises.

As an outcome of the event, we would like to present to you White Paper on “Planet of the Humans” which presents the best available science in relation to the four main topics of the movie:

• Life cycle analysis and environmental impacts of renewable energy systems

• Energy returned for energy invested in renewable energy systems

• Feasibility of biomass as a renewable energy source

• Degrowth and demand management as a solution

Introduction

The documentary “Planet of the Humans”  has gained a lot of attention from the international audience and as SDG7 Youth Constituency, we believe that it is important for us to issue a statement that will reach a wide audience, in particular youth, to inform their judgment on facts and opinions presented in the movie. 

We acknowledge that there are many complexities involved with energy transition and deployment of renewable energy systems (RES). In particular, it is important to consider the life-cycle impact, and the energy returned on energy invested (ERoEI) of RES. Moreover, there are many concerns related to the use of biomass. Lastly, demand management and, potentially, reducing economic growth should be considered as limiting the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, we need to acknowledge that people have the right to access electricity, health care, education, and better quality of life, and energy is needed for all of these. 

Many of the claims presented in the movie are outdated and inaccurate and their use raises serious concerns regarding the legitimacy of the production. Below, we are presenting the best scientific data that address the concerns outlined above. In particular, we believe that there exist many solutions for ensuring sustainable energy for all, and many more are under development. We need to be taking action in the face of the climate crisis rather than subscribing to the doomism presented in the movie. 

Statement

Life cycle analysis and environmental impacts of renewable energy systems

When we watch a visual presentation related to a certain global issue, may it be a movie, a documentary, a podcast, or a similar medium, one must make sure that it presents the latest available data. For the case of renewable energy systems, there are many relevant sources such as International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Sustainable Energy for All(SEforAll), International Energy Agency (IEA)[2], member state databases, academic journals and other such entities who keep verified data. To assess the lifetime environmental impact of RES, life-cycle analysis is an accepted methodology. According to different peer-reviewed literature and case studies, the following conclusions emerge:

• Life-cycle GHG emissions of coal, oil, and gas energy generation exceed the emissions of renewable energy sources

• There are many studies that confirm these findings for different types of REsources such as hydro, solar, wind, geothermal, waves  etc. 

• One aspect that agrees with the movie based on published literature is that the GHG impact of the construction of renewable energy generation plants per kWh is higher than that for fossil fuels plants 

• There are certain environmental impacts of the RES, such as:

  • PV panels require rare earth elements that come from mining

  • Wind farms cause harm to birds but there are solutions being developed to limit these impacts 

Moving forward, it is important that solutions are being developed to reduce the environmental impact of RES.

• For the solar energy systems: important that we think about the raw materials, think of recyclable resources. Innovative findings on using alternative resources. 

• For wind energy system: Make it less harmful by design but much noise pollution 

• For geothermal energy systems: Mostly located in remote and sensitive ecological areas, so project developers must take this into account in their planning processes

• Generally: High spatial requirements driven by low power densities are one of the most weaknesses of renewables. This higher spatial requirement makes humans occupy more space and intervene in more ecosystems to deliver the same energy.

There should be continued study and research on the environmental impacts of RES and education programs to make the public aware of those. There are solutions being investigated to minimize the environmental impact by introducing sustainable construction principle, which is consist of protecting the natural environment, reducing waste and using recyclable resources to construct the components and system of the renewable energy generation units like solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal and power stations Furthermore, the technology transfer and facilitation is required to support member states to implement best practices to minimize the environmental impact. 

Energy returned for energy invested in renewable energy systems

Energy returned on energy invested (ERoEI) is the ratio of energy that comes out of the plant compared to the energy that was put into constructing and running it. The following findings emerge from the research:

• In the past ERoEI for RES was worse than for fossil fuels power generation systems but as there is a transition to tar and shale, this relationship does not hold anymore. 

• Among RES, hydropower has the highest ERoEI 

Levelized cost of energy (LCoE) is the total monetary cost of producing the energy from “cradle to grave” and it is another important aspect when determining the choice of the energy system to be deployed. In this regard, the falling prices of RES have made them the most competitive energy source. Having this in mind, RES is particularly attractive in places where high up-front costs of conventional power plants are barriers to energy access. Moreover:

• Fossil fuels impact morbidity and mortality which in turn drive the willingness to accept renewables up 

• One of the crucial elements of a deployment of RE is the availability of finance and there are numerous existing channels to finance them 

Feasibility of biomass as a renewable energy source

Biomass can be utilized to generate electricity or make fuels for cooking. The use of biomass as a renewable energy source is a practice that generates many controversies.  There are both advantages and disadvantages to its use, and the environmental impacts should be thoroughly considered. Some materials, like briquettes, are expensive, while others are available only seasonally. 

Advantages of biomass

• Have lower GHG emissions relative to fossil fuels

• Partially act as carbon sink during the growth phase

• Less costly than fossil fuels

• Reduces waste

• Uses accessible waste

• Can be produced locally

• Can be used to create different products

• An abundant source of renewable energy

Disadvantages of biomass

• Requires a lot of water

• No clear policies in the sector 

• No availability of livestock for large-scale generation 

• Regeneration is very slow

• Not entirely clean and has related GHG emissions relatively higher than other renewable sources

• Not as efficient as fossil fuel

• Burning needs wood 

• Needs large spaces 

• Brings about conflicts around food security

• Most of the technologies used are still in pilot stages

Any use of biomass must be sustainable, for example, crops must be grown sustainably. There is also increasing potential from new biomass sources like algae, grass, food waste, etc.

Degrowth and demand management as a solution

With the ever-growing, yet limited, the capacity of variable renewable energy sources, the question arises as to whether they can replace power generation from fossil fuels to the extent that would allow meeting the climate targets. One of the conceptual frameworks that offer a solution to this question is degrowth. Degrowth is a new idea that comes from Europe and it is based on the principle that humans need to reduce the use of energy, limit the extent of development, and embrace indigenous knowledge. While degrowth supports renewable energy, the energy demand from some of the sectors may never be met with renewable energy sources, such as shipping, aviation, and industry. Degrowth deliberately wants to disrupt ideas like development and it may not be suitable in some political forums. It is an uncomfortable idea that youth have an opportunity to introduce.

In planning any energy projects, we must look not only for economic development but also for social-impact, prosperity, and well-being for all. Energy must be affordable for all but there also must be better resource management and responsibility for the local, indigenous communities and small remote access civilians. It is crucial that the renewable energy sector will not become yet another industry in the hands of a few multinational corporations. And not only contributing to the sustainable energy supply but also creating multiple impacts on other aspects of sustainable development.

Further reading and references are available in the PDF version linked below.

Contributors: (alphabetically)

• Asma Rouabhia 

• Beniamin Strzelecki

• Bima Surya  

• Birendra Rai

• Chiagozie Udeh

• Ebrahima M Boye

• Esther Wanza

• Jorge R. Martínez Pérez Tejada

• Joyce Mendez 

• Juan Ignacio Arroyo

• Lennart Tiller

• Mauricio Trujillo

• Mohammad Rahman

• Paola Flores

• Pranav Sinha 

• Prudence Lihabi

• Rind Alhage

• Sajith Wijesuriya

The white paper is a collaborative work and in its entirety, it does not reflect views of any individual contributor.