This guide is from the International Journalists Network, to view it from here
Written by: Rahma Diaa and Hadeer Al-Hadary
In 2023, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, was held, with 118 countries pledging to triple renewable energy by 2030, and double the rate of energy efficiency by 2030.
COP28 witnessed a major battle between negotiators representing the participating countries to reach a final draft, and in the end, the phrase “transition away from fossil fuels” was mentioned for the first time.
In the same context, the shift towards renewable energy represents a future trend for dozens of governments and thousands of institutions in the public and private sectors, as it is the only reliable option and alternative to shift away from the use of fossil fuels. It is also the cheapest in cost, the fastest in growth, and the most protective of human and planetary health.
According to recent UN statistics, today nearly 30 percent of the world's electricity comes from renewable energy sources, and by 2050, 90% of the world's electricity could come from renewable energy sources. In the future, renewable energy sources are expected to become the largest source of electricity generation globally by early 2025, surpassing coal.
All these facts that have become our new reality mean, in turn, that we, as journalists, must shed more light on covering issues related to renewable energy, at a time when climate change disasters are no longer a passing problem but have become “the crisis of our time” in every sense of the word, as described by the United Nations.
What does “renewable energy” mean, what are its types and why do we need it?
Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural sources that are replenished at a rate higher than they are consumed, such as sunlight and wind, for example. Renewable energy sources are abundant and present everywhere around us, while fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are non-renewable resources that take hundreds of millions of years to form. When burned to produce energy, fossil fuels emit harmful greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. Emissions from renewable energy generation are much lower than those from burning fossil fuels, which is why switching from fossil fuels, which currently account for the lion’s share of emissions, to renewable energy is essential to addressing the climate crisis. Renewable energy is currently cheaper in most countries, and it creates three times more jobs than fossil fuels, according to a United Nations report.
The United Nations report lists the types of renewable energy as follows:
Solar energy
It is the most abundant of all energy sources and can even be generated in cloudy weather. The cost of manufacturing solar panels has fallen dramatically in the past decade, making solar energy accessible to everyone and often the cheapest. Solar panels have been in use for about 30 years, and their grades vary depending on the type of materials used to make them.
Wind energy
Wind energy is extracted from the kinetic energy of the wind using large wind turbines located on land, at sea or in fresh water (offshore). Wind energy has been used for thousands of years, but in the last few years, onshore and offshore wind energy technologies have evolved to produce larger volumes of electricity using taller turbines and larger rotor diameters.
geothermal energy
Geothermal energy uses the heat energy found deep within the Earth. Heat is extracted from geothermal reservoirs using wells or other means.
Hydroelectric power
Hydropower uses the energy of water flowing from upstream to downstream. It can be generated from reservoirs and rivers. Storage hydropower plants use water stored in a reservoir, while in-stream hydropower plants harness energy from the stream.
Marine energy
Marine energy is derived from technologies that use the kinetic and thermal energy of seawater (e.g. waves or currents) to produce electricity or heat.
Bioenergy
Bioenergy is produced from a variety of organic materials, known as biomass, such as wood, coal and other manures for heat and power, and agricultural crops for liquid biofuels.
In a UN report titled “Renewable Energy: A Safer Future,” it was stated that to avoid the worst effects of climate change, emissions must be cut by almost half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. To achieve this, we need to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels and invest in alternative energy sources that are clean, available, affordable, sustainable and reliable, and also protect our health from the devastating effects of fossil fuel consumption.
The International Renewable Energy Agency says that renewable energy is the cheapest in most parts of the world today and that the prices of renewable energy technologies are falling rapidly. The cost of electricity generated from solar energy fell by 85 percent between 2010 and 2020. The cost of onshore and offshore wind energy fell by 56 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
Low-cost electricity generated from renewable sources could provide 65 percent of the world’s total electricity supply by 2030. It could also decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector by 2050, significantly reducing carbon emissions and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The IEA expects that the transition to net zero emissions will lead to an overall increase in energy sector jobs, while about 5 million jobs could be lost in fossil fuel production by 2030, which will lead to the creation of about 14 million new jobs in clean energy, or a gain of 9 million jobs.
Data sources on renewable energy:
Working on renewable energy stories requires using statistics, figures, supporting reports, and communicating with relevant institutions and networks, which the following sources provide you with:
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Initiative
International Energy Agency (IEA)
Renewable Energy Expansion Network (RENAC)
European Renewable Energy Council (EUREC)
Global Renewables Alliance
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
World Renewable Energy Network (WREN)
Rocky Mountain Renewable Energy Institute (RMI)
Global Wind Energy Consortium (GWEC)
Clean Energy Alliance
Renewable Energy Solutions Center (RECP)
Global Environmental Information Network (GENI)
World Bioenergy Association (WBA)
Global Solar Network (GSN)
Earth Day Network
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
Friends of the Earth
Tips for writing stories about renewable energy from different angles:
As journalists, we can write about renewable energy from different angles, including but not limited to:
- Follow up on the implementation of government policies, laws and regulatory frameworks in each country regarding renewable energy. For example, Egypt set in its national plan a goal for renewable energy to account for about 42% of its total energy by 2030.
- Initiatives and projects that aim to use renewable energy, whether implemented by governments such as the Benban Solar Energy Project in Egypt, or by private sector or civil society organizations.
-Creating news stories to correct false or misleading information about renewable energy, as there are many climate change skeptics around the world who promote misleading information that renewable energy cannot replace traditional energy produced by burning fossil fuels, or promote that wind energy projects affect the health of the Earth and living organisms, while the United Nations announced that entire countries can rely on 100% on electricity production from renewable energy sources, and areas such as South Australia, Quebec in Canada, and Qinghai in China have already achieved this goal, and there are some countries that have succeeded in securing their needs and exporting a surplus of electricity using hydroelectric power, such as Paraguay and Quebec in Canada.
- Tracking the financing directed to countries to implement renewable energy projects, and the challenges facing the implementation of these projects.
- Discussing the future of millions of workers when switching to renewable energy: This discussion has occupied an important space over the past years. While many are calling for a complete cessation of the use of fossil fuels, the future seems uncertain for millions of workers who depend on them to earn their living. Therefore, other discussions have emerged in contrast that renewable energy markets can provide millions of different job opportunities, and from here, former workers in the coal or oil industry may find new job opportunities.
-Write explanatory stories that help the audience understand the different types of renewable energy, the differences between each one, and the obstacles to its use. (Example: Why is almost no one buying green hydrogen?)
- Following up on scientific periodicals, research, studies and analytical reports related to renewable energy: This helps to identify the latest statistics, discoveries and developments in the field of renewable energy and to produce news pieces, follow-ups and analyses of these publications.
- Follow climate action tracking sites: These sites help you track renewable energy transition plans in different countries, and obtain analytical reports to evaluate those plans and government policies and the extent of commitment to promises to reduce emissions. You can learn about the most prominent of these sites through the International Journalists Network’s guide (A guide to tracking and verifying “net zero” goals for countries and companies)
-Working to humanize renewable energy stories: We should not be satisfied with statistics, studies and expert statements, but rather talk to stakeholders and ordinary people to connect renewable energy stories to people’s daily lives. (Example: Al-Basaisa.. the story of the first village in Egypt to be self-sufficient in energy).
– Add visually appealing elements to the story: Make sure to represent data and numbers in a visually appealing way using infographics, videos, and interactive maps, and support your story with videos and podcasts whenever possible.
- Beware of falling into the trap of greenwashing: Do not be led by projects and institutions that promote themselves as supporters of the transition to renewable energy without checking their history, other activities, and the extent of their commitment to implementing these promises. You can refer to this guide for more advice in this regard. (Guidelines for preparing press reports that expose “greenwashing” practices)
-Approaching stories from a solutions journalism perspective: Many renewable energy stories can fall under the category of climate solutions journalism when the story presents a response to a problem, presents evidence of the effectiveness of that solution, rigorously evaluates it, and discusses the benefits alongside the challenges and obstacles.
Resources for Journalists on Renewable Energy:
These training guides will help you enhance your understanding of renewable energy issues and provide coverage from different angles, such as:
- Training manuals provided by Clean Energy Wire, an organization dedicated to supporting journalists in covering renewable energy, and also occasionally offers various trainings and fellowships.
Climate Tracker's guide to storytelling on energy issues.
-The Society of Environmental Journalists' guide to writing about environmental and energy issues.
