Summary Reader Response Essay Draft 3

In the article “How can southeast Asia's clean energy transition be sped up?”, Tim Daubach (2019) Southeast Asia is a region with huge distinctive economies, resource allocation so, Ernest Moniz (Chief Executive of the Energy and Nuclear Threat Initiative) believes that the region should execute low-carbon technologies in the production, storage and supply of electricity to reduce the harmful gas emission. He suggested that for the countries with limited area, it is smart to use nuclear fusion or hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel. Nuclear fusion facilities have huge prospect but, due to today’s technology and maintenance cost, it is not efficient for power production in huge scale according to Chapman (Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority). Moniz insists that to shift people to use sustainable energy more swiftly, business and policymaker should decrease the cost of the energy. Therefore, Southeast Asia should grasp the chance to improve their ecosystem, livelihood, and economy by quickly incorporating various sustainable methods in producing green energy. 

The key to reducing carbon emission is to implement low-carbon technology in every region. Lv & Qin (2016) stated that during the golden age of industrialization, the technology used to only maximize the economic growth, ignoring the damage done to nature; resulting in greenhouse gases which causes global warming. Hence, low-carbon technology is introduced to decrease the greenhouse gases to the steady level by reducing carbon emission. Energy Saving Trust. (2011) mention that there are various low-carbon technology such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems; Wind turbines; Micro-CHP; Hydroelectricity; Solar water heating etc. They also examined that solar PV is easy to install, Feed-in Tariffs payment which make a good investment, and it is estimated that “Typical domestic systems are around 2.2 kW in size and can provide around 1,850 kWh a year. This is over 40% of the electricity used by a typical household”. So, the objective of establishing low-carbon technology is to focus on how people can get profit from implementing it and bring stability between human and nature for a better ecosystem and economic growth.  

The first commercial nuclear power plant was commissioned in 1954, being one of the oldest sustainable energy sources stated by European nuclear society. International Energy Agency (2019) observe that in the past 50 years, nuclear power provides about 10 times that of solar and wind energy combined and became one of the top contributors of global electricity supply market. Moniz (2019) stated that for countries with limited space in Southeast Asia, it is smart to use nuclear fusion or hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel for energy production, but I do not agree with Mr.Moniz on the idea of building nuclear power plant. Even though this power plant takes less space, there are 3 main drawbacks which were examined by Kuet (2019). Firstly, the radioactive waste is lethal for living organism so, for small country it can cause havoc ; secondly, there is a need for high skilled professionals to run and maintain it as there cannot be any mistake in handling it; lastly, terrorist tend to attack power plant as it cause most damage to people and economy of the country. Hence, one solution does not suit for all Southeast Asia countries and people have to give consent for implementing something hazardous even though it may give some benefits. 

The business owner and government should take initiative to educate and popularize green energy. Daubach (2019) believes that the Southeast Asia is still falling behind in introducing essential energy efficiency measures. To diminish the usage of coal we must introduce new/alternative ways to generate power argued by Bianca Sylvester (Associate Director, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australia). Moniz insists that business and policymaker should unite and decrease the cost of the energy so that the people can change to sustainable energy more swiftly. I agree with his statement. Lv & Qin (2016) propose that the government should use social platform, media, magazine, news article etc. to guide people and explain to the general public on how they can benefit by swapping to clean energy and co-exist with nature. Therefore, they should revise tax policy, motivate, promote, and fund the research on clean energy. 

Regardless of inexhaustible sunlight, wind, and water bodies, Southeast Asia is lagging in changing from fossil to clean energy production in an era of flourishing economies observed by Daubach (2019). Scientists found solutions to prevent or reduce effect of environmental degradation hence, it is the duty of each person to learn, adapt, implement, and co-exist for the better future.  
  
References
Daubach (2019). How can Southeast Asia's clean energy transition can be sped up? Retrieved 
September 30, 2019, from 

Energy Saving Trust (2011). A buyer’s guide to renewable and low carbon technologies.  
Retrieved September 30, 2019, from  

International Energy Agency. (2019). Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System. Retrieved 
September 30, 2019, from 

Kuet (2018). Benefits and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy.  
Retrieved September 30, 2019, from 

Lv & Qin (2016). On Low-Carbon Technology.  
Retrieved September 30, 2019, from  

European nuclear society (2016). Nuclear power plants, world-wide.  
Retrieved September 30, 2019, from  

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