Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or in a room without tv access (like me), you’ve probably seen one, or several world cup games in recent days. FIFA has been everywhere lately, and not just for soccer (..or football). One hot button topic surrounding the 2014 World Cup games are the measures that planners and developers have gone through to reduce the environmental impact of the games. Of the 12 stadiums being used for the games, 10 have applied for LEED certification, a recognition that indicates a high level of sustainable awareness. While the ultimate goal of the organizers is to have some sort of green energy integrated in all of the stadiums, as of now only four of the stadiums utilize solar energy in their design. To put numbers into perspective, the installation at Estadio Mineirão produces enough energy to power about 1,200 households, while the Solar PV system at Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha will generate enough energy to supply almost 2,000 households per day which is a great step towards creating a more sustainable society.
Brazil has very obviously dedicated much thought and planning to their renewable energy projects, but what about some of the other countries participating in the World Cup?
Lets pretend for a moment that the World Cup is a competition over sustainability bragging rights and not soccer. Based on figures from Renewables 2014 Global Status Report and teams competing in this years World Cup, I made my bracket for the first ever (imaginary) Renewable Energy World Cup.
Zone 1
USA-Historically, the US has allocated a good deal of money towards renewable energy. Of the four countries in zone 1, the US has the most established renewable energy portfolio.
Mexico-Mexico has established a plan to get 35% of its energy from renewable sources by 2024. Considering only 4% of their energy came from renewables in 2012, there is still much work to be done.
Honduras-Honduras has the potential to excel in all 5 of the renewable energies highlighted, but are relatively new players on the renewable energy field.
Costa Rica- Costa Rica is an emerging global leader in renewable energy. Their plan to become completely carbon neutral by 2021 is admirable as is their proposal for reducing dependency on petroleum.
Result: USA advances
Zone 2
Argentina- For 2014, forecasts are showing energy imports surpassing $14 billion. Argentina could greatly benefit from a new energy portfolio and have the necessary natural resources at their disposal.
Uruguay-Uruguay, like Costa Rica, was one of the top investors in renewable power in 2013. The country boasts a small but growing solar market that can help them reach their target of 90% electricity from renewables by 2015.
Brazil- In 2013 Brazil was in the top 5 for countries with the highest annual investment of renewable energies. Additionally, Brazil held the #1 spot for fuel ethanol production in 2013.
Chile- Although the Chilean solar and biomass markets are expanding slower than expected, there are some major projects in the works and the future is looking bright for their renewable energy market.
Result: Brazil advances
Zone 3
England- England recently awarded 16.6 billion pounds for new renewable projects, a figure that some say is “too much” despite the UK’s obligation to have 15% of its energy coming from renewables by 2020.
Netherlands- In 2013 the Netherlands introduced technology tariffs to support the generation of heat from biomass and other renewable sources which puts them on target to reach their goal of 37% electricity share from renewables by 2020.
Germany-Germany may as well be synonymous with renewable energy as the country is continuously adding to its list of renewable energy milestones.
Italy-Thanks to a feed-in tariff, the number of operational biogas plants jumped from 521 to 1,264 in a year. The Mediterranean nation is also making strides in the geothermal and solar sectors.
Result: Germany advances
Zone 4
Nigeria-Nigeria has a promising future in the renewable energy field, especially in hydropower. The country has established new goals to increase their energy output in all 5 of the major categories by 2015.
Ghana-Ghana has recently reached out to the Netherlands, a fellow world cup nation, for assistance in its energy sector. The Netherlands has pledged to assist the African nation that currently consumes more energy than it produces.
Australia- In 2013 Australia introduced its first Enhanced Geothermal System facility (EGS) which was considered a notable advance for the industry. Last year also brought an increase of community-owned PV projects.
Japan-Japan’s renewable energy industry is growing as major companies are investing in new projects. Since the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011, the country has made a point to seek out alternative power sources and renewable energy has been added to their list of things to consider.
Result: Japan advances
My Final Round Picks:
The U.S. has historically been a global power in the field of renewable energy. Unfortunately, states have a rich history with fossil fuel plants and getting everyone on board with proposed plans and regulations hasn’t been easy. The fact that certain State Representatives are calling for a massive reduction in the allocation of funds for renewable energy doesn’t help either. One bright spot however, is the increase of building projects with LEED certification. More projects means there is a greater need for builders with LEED credentials and an understanding of the booming green building industry.
Germany has been on a roll lately and has focused their attention on getting 80% of their power by renewable energy by 2050. Though the growth streak in new renewable developments is slower than it was a few years ago, Germany has the resources to become a true renewable energy superpower. Unfortunately, the energy overhaul has also led to increased prices for consumers and discussions are heating up between Germany and the EU about the pros and cons of the country’s energy transformation. Despite criticisms, Germany is projected to continue breaking records, and setting an example for the rest of the world on the renewable energy field.
Who do you think would win the Renewable Energy World Cup? Leave the name of your winning team in the comments below.
