The Path Towards a Sustainable Future: A Critical Analysis of Renewable Energy Policies

This article critically analyses global renewable energy policies through ۲۰۲۵. It focuses on eight countries: Germany, Denmark, China, the United States, India, Brazil, the UAE, and Morocco. The analysis highlights cross-country differences in renewable energy use, costs, reliability, and public attitudes. While renewable capacity has grown and costs have fallen, significant challenges remain. High-penetration renewable systems are becoming less reliable. Policy changes in the United States threaten further progress. Tariff wars have delayed billions of dollars in clean energy projects. Land-use conflicts are also intensifying globally. By ۲۰۵۰, demand for critical minerals is expected to rise sharply. This will exacerbate child labor, water scarcity, and geopolitical risks in the Global South. Meanwhile, the early phase-out of nuclear power in Germany and Denmark has increased fossil fuel dependence and raised consumer prices. These outcomes reveal the limitations of relying solely on renewables. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are already in use in Russia and China. They are considered a promising low-carbon addition to renewable energy systems. Commercial deployment of SMRs is expected in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries between ۲۰۲۶ and ۲۰۳۰. This paper argues that a rapid, cost-effective, and fair transition to net zero requires specific policy measures. These include long-term revenue certainty, responsible mineral management, biodiversity protection, nuclear integration, and community benefit-sharing. Without these measures, the energy transition will be slower, more expensive, and less equitable.

کلیدواژه ها:

Renewable energy policy ، Energy transition ، Intermittency ، Critical minerals ، Land-use conflict ، Small Modular Reactors ، Policy stability