A sustainable energy centre is a place where people and the community in which they reside can meet their demand for sustainable forms of energy. A sustainable energy centre is an environmentally responsible place where people can find and get involved in renewable energy generation, use and distribution. It is characterised by having all the elements needed to live in a sustainable way, including green spaces, very little impact on the environment, human dignity and community participation. The following are the main qualities of a sustainable energy centre:
- Energy security
The sustainable energy centre is designed, managed and operated to ensure that the energy supply is free-flow, uninterrupted and secure. Sufficient permanent capacity should be provided so that the community can meet its energy demands during frequent power cuts in the national grid. Enough energy should also be available to cover the days when there is no wind or sun. The sustainable energy centre must therefore be supplied by at least two different renewable sources or a combination of renewable sources with an equivalent capacity.
- Human dignity
The sustainable energy centre should provide sufficient public space and facilities to enable community residents to meet the community’s need for human dignity. The supply of electricity should be planned so that there is always a minimal amount of power required for basic needs such as food preparation, health care, water treatment, communications and entertainment. Therefore the sustainable energy centre must not only generate power but it must also be able to distribute at least two thirds of its generated electricity to the community within 24 hours from the original production.
- Efficient use of resources
The sustainable energy centre should be designed and managed to maximise the use of locally available renewable energy sources. Energy conservation must be part of the design from its inception as a component of a sustainable development area. There should be an emphasis on efficient design for power generation, conversion, transmission and distribution. The community’s need for electrical services should also be taken into account in the planning phase.
- Environmental responsibility
The sustainable energy centre must be designed and managed to reduce the impact on the environment and climate change. The generating units should be installed in open spaces such as an agricultural area or a roofed car park away from the centre of a town or city where they will cause minimal pollution due to dust, noise or vibration.
- Job creation
The sustainable energy centre should create jobs for the local communities in which it is built. The energy centre should be designed for efficiency, productivity, safety and protection of the environment. The addition of jobs will also help local communities to become self-sufficient in renewable energy as they learn to install solar equipment or other forms of renewable energy.
- Mitigation practices
The sustainable energy centre should incorporate mitigation practices such as wind power where possible, soil and water conservation and efficient use of water and electricity through minimisation or recycling.
Conclusion
A sustainable energy centre will deliver to a community, the most sustainable form of energy for their use. It will be designed and managed so that it provides several different sources of renewable energy. Into this mix, it must distribute enough power to supply basic needs such as food preparation, health care and entertainment. Energy conservation should be part of the design from its inception so that the least amount of energy is consumed for basic needs.