Renewable Sources of Energy in Australia - Ecology Research Paper Example

Abstract

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The main aim of this paper is to propose the manner in which system thinking and system approach can be used in shifting to more renewable sources of energy in Australia; these sources of energy being clean and optimum. It is important that new energy systems to be used in the next decade to be carbon-free and thus reduce pollution, and the destruction of the ozone layer. This paper will look into renewable energy, and systems thinking. The paper will provide a casual loop, with explanation on the loops, how they can be used in utilizing renewable energy together with all the major performance variables.

IntroductionThe human society and the world at large are facing many complex problems, and challenges. It is becoming harder to tackle these problems need critical thinking to solve them. There are some cases where short-term solutions of problems have been created but then the problem comes back, with more grievous consequences and bigger than how it was. Systems thinking is a technique which provides solutions to the complexities and challenges facing the world currently (Richmond, 2010). System thinking aims at enhancing our comprehension on the relationship between how a system is performing and its internal structure together with all its operational policies. This knowledge helps in developing effective and efficient leveraging policies.

Science, technology, inventions and innovations have improved human life considerably. However, technology has come at a great cost, resulting in problems such as environment degradation, environmental pollution, green-house effect and adverse changes in weather and climate. Oil and its derivatives are important assets of any nation but they cause irreparable damages when used non-optimally. Fossils fuels generate a lot of carbon gases and its imperative to replace them with cleaner and renewable energy sources. The use of cleaner, renewable and environmentally-friendly sources of energy such as wind energy, solar, hydrogen, HEP and geothermal will go a long way in curbing environmental pollution and its related effects not only in Australia but globally. Use of renewable energy will have environmental and economic benefits (Kim, 2014). There are many solutions which have been proposed to create change but these solutions are not successful since there is no assist provided to the change agents. System thinking will provide a solution together with the appropriate level of certainty, social and security capacity.

Significance of this Study to AustraliaPlanning for the future with regards to the existing gaps is a favorable way of dealing with problems rather than waiting for disasters to happen then looking for solutions. However, it is important to apply scenarios-based planning for the development and enhancement propulsions and future evolutions. To achieve these fundamental changes, especially in the energy sector, there has to be a proper structure in Australias energy system. There are several reasons why a shift to renewable sources of energy is required. These reasons are economical, environmental, and social or they are intertwined together (Richmond, 2010).

Provide a way to deal with the rise in prices of oil. There has been an upsurge in the prices of oil and this has resulted in negative social and economic conditions.

Curb the reuse of oil as a weapon and leverage

Deal with the depletion of reserves of oil globally

Reduce environmental pollution that has been brought about through burning of fossil fuels and emission of carbon cases

Reduce the greenhouse effect and thus deal with rising temperatures globally and changes in climate

Methodology: Systems ThinkingThe method used in this paper is systems thinking. System thinking can be defined as a manner of looking at the world and its phenomena. System thinking presents and provides an effective and efficient methodology for social and cultural systems, more so in the current world which is filled with complexities and confusion. System thinking is not only concerned with analyzing the parts and details of a system but also all the interactions taking place between the various respective parts and the interactions taking place between the parts and the environment as well (Chi et al, 2009). Everything in the world is changing at a very high rate. Change is a dynamic recurrent process, it is always occurring. It is important to know the appropriate direction of change though this is not an easy thing because of the complexity and intricacy of change. Institutions and the global society have supported and backed changes trying to deal with environmental issues but the results have not been forthcoming (Kim, 2014).

To deal with a shift from the current sources of energy to renewable and cleaner energy sources, it is imperative to understand what has caused changes in the past, identifying all structures and relationships which will assist in developing future developments. Many changes which human beings try to understand are consequences which have been brought about by the actions of man. A new social intelligence is needed to bring fundamental changes in the world today. This is where system thinking comes into play, it is crucial for the survival of human beings.

InstrumentsSystem Thinking ToolsFeedbackFeedback is one of the most vital components in systems thinking, it is one of the chief concepts. However, human beings tend to change their behavior when they encounter challenges and when they receive any warning signals. The relationship that exists between a human being and his or her surrounding is a two-way interaction and it is dependent on the principle of feedback (Nguyen, 2014). The environment is impacted by the living organisms living on it.

The feedback process can therefore be described as a process through which a signal is transferred through a chain of casual relationships until it effects on itself again. There are two types of feedbacks in system thinking. There is positive feedback where either a decrease or increase in one variable results in either a further decrease or increase of that particular variable. In negative feedback, when one variable decreases or increases, it results in that variable finally decreasing or increasing. Systems thinking is a powerful tool which simulates a system through the use of computing techniques and promotes the investigation and analysis of challenges and the description of how the complex systems are behaving. In the current research, system thinking is used in the field of energy (Senge, 2007).

Casual-Loop DiagramThe casual-loop diagram is a vital tool used in the demonstration of the feedback structure in systems thinking. This diagram contains some variables which are connected by arrows. These arrows represent the casual relationship between the existing variables. Past behavior of the system is reflected by the correlation between the variables. However, correlations are not demonstrative of the structure of the system. It is possible that the correlations which could be relied upon in the past may have been broken. Some reasons can lead to breaking of these correlations, they include; change in circumstances, dominance of a feedback which was silent and the development of new policies which are being analyzed. Each and every link of the casual loop diagram is a reflection of the casual relationship existing between the various variables (Easterbrook, 2014).

Casual loops modelingThere are seven main steps when it comes to modeling of casual loops

Identification and selection of the major variables

Coming up with causal-loop diagrams showing the behaviors of the system with time

Developing cause and effect diagrams

Assessing and evaluating how the loops have been behaving over of a period of time

Identifying all the general patterns which are governing the system

Identifying major points of leverage

Coming up with the systems interventions techniques

Casual-loop model of the development of renewable energies in Australia

Casual Loop Diagram (CLD) analysisFrom the above diagram, it can be noted that there are a variety of loops and each one of them has an important impact on the entire system. It can there be seen that are two loops, the positive loop which acts as the reinforcing loop and the negative loop which acts as the balancing loop (Richmond 2001).

Analysis of the first loop (1)

The above loop is called a reinforcing loop. From the loop, there are several suggestions. If there is an increase in the advertisement and the use of renewable energy logos, this will increase the awareness of people and it will be easier to call upon people to start using renewable sources of energy (Zhibin, 2013). The appropriate environment and culture will have been provided for the propagation of renewable sources of energy. This will finally result in the use of renewable energies. Creating a culture through this system refers to the organizational culture model of Edgar Scheins.

Analysis of the second loop (2)

In the second loop, there are a total of five loops. Out of the five loops, two are balancing loops while three of the five are reinforcing loops (positive loops). Two of those loops show that when there is an increase in the fertility rate, the rate of population increases as well. When there is an increase in the rate of population, the rate of fertility increases. It can also be noted that when the rate of mortality increases, there is a reduction in the population. When there is an increase in the population, the rates of mortality increase (Dykes, 2010). This is a balancing loop. When the population grows, more energy will be needed to sustain the population. To counter this, we should use either fossil fuels or renewable energy. When renewable sources of energy are used, there is a reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Consequently, this results in a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. This factor will have a significant effect on the rate of population.

Analysis of the third loop (3)

In the third loop, there are two reinforcing loops. The first loop indicates that when renewable sources of energy are used, there is a reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Consequently, there will be storage in the domain of oil and gas and this storage will be followed with an increase in the exportation of oils and its related products. This will then result in an increase in the export earnings (Zhibin, 2013). The income obtained through export income will be used in providing new energy equipment; consequently, this will result in an increase in the use of renewable energy.

In the other loop, it can be seen that an increase in exports will result in an increase in the revenue. This will result in economic growth and development for Australia. Economic growth for Australia will increase the gross domestic product and it will assist in exporting oil exports.

ConclusionOn the basis of above discussion it can be said that syst...