Net-Zero is more than just a transformation, it's a revolution

Resulting from the conversion of plant decay over millions of years of considerably high levels of heat and pressure, is a black sedimentary rock. This rock is what we refer to as Coal, a critical component ever since the Industrial Revolution for fuel. On this day Coal supplies about a quarter of the world's primary energy and over a third of its electricity.

It has been one of the most critical substances for the world as we know it, but this understanding is one that must fundamentally shift. The reason? The use of Coal is now causing irreparable damage to our environment through the emissions of Carbon Dioxide, a key contributor to climate change. To really put this into perspective 14 billion Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide was emitted into the atmosphere in 2020. That equates to about 40% of the total fossil fuel emissions.

This is where the problem begins to be put into context. For a long time, Australia's resources industry has been critical to the nation's economy. Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of Coal making up about 3.5% of the nominal GDP figure, as of 2018. Putting this into perspective, the OECD has recently stated that 'Australia is the only OECD country in the G20, which relies on coal for more than half of its electricity supply'. Australia has 19 coal power station supplying about 60 per cent of its electricity, which is well above the G20 average of 41 per cent. It's easy to see based on this, that the reduction of Coal in the Australian ecosystem is not going to be easy.

Initiatives such as the Paris Agreement have since led a global pursuit to emissions reductions, with a fluctuating Net-Zero target by approximately 2045. But for Australia, it's easier said than done. But what is a certainty, is that, as the OECD reports "This timely new research from Climate Analytics spells it out: burning coal is Australia’s number one contribution to climate change."

Rectifying this situation requires the transformation of a number of variables. But I'll correct that, a revolution is what is actually required, with the transformation not being the only answer. So, there's a few components that need adjustment:

1. There is a need to reduce the level of emissions that are generated from our Coal-fired power stations, and other sources of emissions. This is fact, this needs to happen.
2. But the immediate knock-on effect from reducing emissions is a lowering of supply to the grid. This is no easy feat as the demand on energy continues to sky-rocket.
3. So going back to Point 1, a way to do this is by relying on leaner, greener and cleaner methods of producing energy. We're starting to do this.
4. But there's another way, a way that Point 2 alludes to. This is by changing the Supply-Demand balance. Why can't we reduce demand? It would mean lesser supply. And in a world where the demand on energy is actually increasing, this may not be a possibility. But let's assume it is.
5. As citizens of Australia, or the world, living more sustainably and economically is a possible solution. There are poorer countries around the world where this isn't a choice, but mandatory for survival. But this may not be everyone's cut of tea. So reducing demand may be a way forward but requires a new way of living. A revolution.
6. But let's come back to Point 1. The technology we use for resourcing mining, or for other purposes, such as transportation, can adopted leaner, greener and more cleaner methods. This is happening around the world, which is great, but it's only just a start. But adopting less labor-intensive and more automation mechanisms could be a way to also cut emissions, through the use of more intelligent routing, economic gearing for engines, automated devices for efficiency, and the list goes on.

Question for you, did you see the theme here? Relying on generators to cut down emissions is one aspect. Changing our lifestyles to be more sustainable in approach is another. Utilising technologies that are cleaner can drive changes but become underpinned by a revolution in the world's processes. So did you see it now?

The change towards a Net-Zero world requires more than just one aspect to work. It requires all of them. It's all well and good by placing the impetus on generators to cut down emissions, but it's the entire ecosystem. It's the People, the Process, the Technology. Fundamentally, we're talking about a new revolution in every single possible aspect of our lives.

The key takeaway? Every time we throw the issue over the fence to the generators, how about we also assess how we live, how we get to work, and how can we do things better.

So a couple of probing questions for you!

If you're a citizen:

• What can you do to reduce demand on energy resources?
• Do you need your Air conditioner on at 12 degrees?
• It's a lot easier for us to control our usage. It could be as simple as turning your TV off at the wall, or as extreme as installing Solar Power. Hey, it could be as simple as jumping off the bus at a stop before your end. It'll reduce your carbon footprint.

If you're an operator, or a key part of the energy supply chain:

• Are you operating the right technologies to support operations? How about robotics or autonomous systems for more efficient operations?
• Do you need to embark on your transformation now?
• Do you know how you'll get there?
• Do you have a way of monitoring your emissions?
• What's your strategy or your future architecture, or even your operating model?

If you're running a process that is energy intensive, or is currently coal-intensive:

• Is it necessary or is there a better way to do it?
• How about renewables?
• Can you automate it?
• Would Space Based Solar Power work for you?

It's Australia's future we're talking about, and it can't always be placed on one aspect of our society, it's all connected. It is, a revolution.