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SDG7 – Affordable and Clean Energy

New Vocabulary

  • clean energy
  • energy efficient
  • expedite
  • insufficient
  • offset
  • pollute
  • renewable
  • solar
  • strides

Practice the new vocabulary

Affordable and Clean Energy Vocabulary (text version)

Match the words to their definitions.

Words:

  • Insufficient
  • Solar
  • Clean Energy
  • Energy Efficient
  • Pollute
  • Expedite
  • Strides
  • Offset
  • Renewable

Definitions:

  1. Energy that comes from renewable resources that do not pollute
  2. Using as little energy as possible
  3. To make a process or action happen more quickly; to speed up
  4. Not enough
  5. To use one cost, payment or situation in order to cancel or reduce the effect of another
  6. To make air, water, soil, etc. dirty and not suitable for people to use
  7. Something that replaces itself naturally or is easily replaced because there is a large supply of it
  8. Using the power of the sun’s light and heat
  9. An improvement in a situation or in the development of something

Check your answers in footnote[1]

Activity source: Affordable and Clean Energy Vocabulary by Virginia McHardy, CC BY-NC 4.0

Clean Energy Vocabulary Fill in the Blanks (text version)

Today, our company president announced that we would *expedite* the search for a new site for our factory.

Our company is very focused on the sustainable development goals and has made great [Blank a] in being good citizens of the world, so we will search for a place where we can install [Blank a] panels, either on our roof or near the building. We use as much [Blank c] as possible but where we are now, there is [Blank d] sun to do this.

When you make things in a factory, you can’t help but [Blank e] the air or water in some way. However, using [Blank f] energy such as this will help us to [Blank g] this sad fact and the more [Blank h] we are in our factory, the less negative impact we will have on the earth.

Check your answers in footnote[2]

Activity source: Clean Energy Vocabulary Fill in the Blanks by Virginia McHardy, CC BY-NC 4.0

Affordable and Clean Energy

 

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) Goal 7 Infographic:

In 2022, global electricity access declined for the first time in a decade, primarily due to disruptions from COVID-19 and the Ukraine conflict. Despite improvements in energy intensity and renewable energy growth, access to clean energy in developing countries remain insufficient. This infographic shows us that 675 million people in the world were still without access to electricity in 2021, and 80% of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa. At the current rate, 660 million people will still lack electricity by 2030. In the same time frame,  1.8 billion will not have access to clean cooking by 2030. This means that people will still be using cooking systems that cause pollution.

To achieve universal access to energy by 2030, we need to expedite electrification efforts, doubling the current pace, but financing for clean energy for developing continues to decline.

We have made some strides in using renewable energy resources for electricity, with 30% of electrical energy coming from renewable resources. However, only 4% of transportation energy and only just over 10% of heating energy comes from renewable resources.

Canadian Perspective

Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy (text version)

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all

Canadian energy use

Energy consumption increased 3% between 2020 and 2021. Energy use remains 8% lower than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a 20% increase in savings from 2020/21 due to adoption of energy efficiency practices in 2021/22, bringing Canada to 13% of the 2030 target.

The main sources of energy consumed in Canada in 2021 were…
Table summary
This table displays the results of The main sources of energy consumed in Canada in 2020 were…. The information is grouped by Source (appearing as row headers), Percentage of energy consumption (appearing as column headers).
Source Percentage of energy consumption
Natural gas 38
Refined petroleum 35
Hydro & nuclear 24
Electricity generated by renewable or non-GHG emitting[3] sources in 2021

Electricity generated by renewable or non-GHG emitting sources was 81% of total electricity generated in 2021.

Sources of renewable electricity generation in 2021
Table summary
This table displays the results of Sources of renewable electricity generation in 2021. The information is grouped by Source  (appearing as row headers), Percentage of all electricity generated  (appearing as column headers).
Source Percentage of all electricity generated
Hydraulic turbines 60.6
Nuclear steam turbine 14.0
Wind turbines 5.5

Solar and other methods of renewable electricity generation contributed less than 1% of electricity generated in 2021.

British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec are generating over 90% of their electricity from renewable or non-GHG emitting sources.

Community spotlight: EnviroCentre

EnviroCentre works to help the city of Ottawa achieve its climate targets through programs that help individuals, organizations and communities reduce their energy consumption.

Between 2015 and 2020 EnviroCentre has:

  • Conducted 2,246 home energy assessments
  • Retrofitted 1,123 homes

From 2015 to 2021, EnviroCentre’s annual Let’s Bike Ottawa campaign has had:

  • 22,702 participants
  • 2,606,560 kms logged
  • Averted 509 tonnes of GHG[4]

Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 25-10-0029-01, Supply and demand of primary and secondary energy in terajoules, annual. Statistics Canada, Annual Electricity Supply and Disposition Survey, 2019/2020. Natural Resources Canada, Departmental Results Report, 2021-22. Envirocentre, 2022.

Source: Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy In Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Report, 2022 by Statistics Canada, used under Open License

 

Discussion Questions

Use the new vocabulary words in these discussion questions. Ask and answer in partners or small groups:

  1. When you buy new appliances, equipment, vehicles, etc., what is more important to you – energy efficiency, price or function? Why?
  2. Do you think big companies or big institutions should be required to pay to have solar panels on their roofs to add clean energy to the power grid? Why or why not?
  3. What strides have you made in your personal life to reduce your energy use in your home or daily life (electricity, oil, gas, etc.)?
  4. What do you think we can do to offset the pollution we create by driving cars?
  5. Should people who drive gas-powered cars or trucks be made to pay an extra tax for the polluting effect of their vehicles? Why or why not?
  6. At the moment, there is insufficient energy available from renewable resources in the world. How can we, as a society, expedite the development of more of this kind of energy? Be specific.

Watch the video

Watch Goal 7 – Affordable and clean energy (2 mins) on YouTube

Video source: UNStats. (2022e, July 7). Goal 7 – Affordable and clean energy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEh8ggmDQFc

Clean Energy Video Quiz (text version)
  1. Martha Alicia Benavente from Guatemala is excited to….
    1. become a solar engineer.
    2. become the first female solar engineer in Guatemala.
    3. use oil lamps for her community.
    4. create solar lamps for her community.
  2. What will be the population of people without electricity in 2030?
    1. 1.2 million
    2. 1.2 billion
    3. 679 million
    4. 733 million
  3. True or false? In order to reach our world climate goals, we need to quicken the development of energy efficiency.
  4. Fill in the blanks: In [Blank a] the number of people cooking with systems that contaminated the air reached [Blank b] billion. In order to improve this yearly, we need a rate of [Blank c] % by [Blank d].
  5. Fill in the blanks: Unfortunately money from the global public to help developing countries with renewable energy sources decreased $13.8 billion from $24.7 billion in [Blank a] to $ [Blank b] in [Blank c].
  6. True or false? In 2019 the consumption rate of renewable energy is very high.

Check your answer in footnote[5]

Activity source: Clean Energy Video Quiz by Virginia McHardy, CC BY-NC 4.0

What Can We Do in Our Day-to-Day Lives

Every one of us can do something to have a positive impact on this goal. Here are some suggestions:

Buy with a conscience:

  • If you are buying new appliances or equipment, choose energy efficient and/or clean energy options. For example:
    • If you need a new kitchen appliance (fridge, stove, toaster, coffee maker), look at the energy rating for each brand or model you are considering. Choose the most energy efficient model you can afford, as this is not only a better use of energy, but it will save you money on your electricity or gas bills as well.
    • If you need a new lawnmower, choose one with a rechargeable battery. They may cost more at the beginning, but there is no need to buy gas or oil, and they cost very little to recharge, making them cheaper to operate over time while also using cleaner energy.
  • If you are buying a new (or pre-owned) vehicle, consider buying an electric one.
  • Consider your driving habits and access to recharging centres before making your final decision.

Keep your vehicle in good running order:

  • Make sure your car, truck, or motorcycle gets regular maintenance, especially if it is gas or diesel powered. Poorly maintained vehicles cost more to operate and create more pollution.

Turn it off:

  • The less electricity we use, the more that’s available for us all. Save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use, including your computer.
  • If you’re watching TV or working on your computer or other device with a lighted screen, turn off the lights if you don’t need them.

Replace it:

  • Replace old light bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs.
  • Don’t forget your Christmas lights! Old style bulbs take a lot more energy and pose a higher risk of fire due to the heat they produce.
  • Replace old appliances with energy efficient models.

Become a Bullfrog Power user:

  • While living in Canada, consider joining the Bullfrog Power movement to support renewable energy in your own home (either owned or rented). Bullfrog Power a leading green energy provider. When you sign up to Bullfrog Power you provide them with information about how much you pay for electricity over the course of a year. They then charge you a small portion of this amount each month and the equivalent amount of green electricity is injected to the electricity grid in the region where you live.

Find a Goal 7 charity you want to support. Any donation, big or small, can make a difference! 

Key Targets for SDG 7

  • 7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
  • 7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
  • 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
A single light bulb hangs from a wire outside. Photo by Meizhi Lang, Unsplash license

Assignment/Homework

  1. How Energy Efficient is Your Home?
    Ask students to do a survey/analysis of their home to look for these things:

    1. Appliance Energy Ratings:
      List all appliances in the home, and note the energy rating of each.
    2. Energy Efficient Lightbulbs:
      Count the number of lightbulbs being used in the home. How many of these are energy efficient bulbs?
    3. Plugged or Unplugged:
      Ask students to count how many appliances (including computers or other devices) stay plugged in when not in use and report back on this, as well as what these are.
  2. Municipality Check:
    Ask students to research a related item in their town or city. For example:

    1. What percentage of city buses are electric?
    2. Are there solar panels on any buildings owned or operated by the municipality?
    3. Etc.

You can read more about Goal #7 in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 from the UN.:

For instructors, please visit York University’s The SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit for lesson ideas

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, this page is created by Virginia McHardy, CC BY-NC 4.0

References

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). Goal 7 [Infographic]. Sustainable Development Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal7

  1. 1. Clean Energy, 2. Energy Efficient, 3. Expedite, 4. Insufficient, 5. Offset, 6. Pollute, 7. Renewable, 8. Solar, 9. Strides ↵
  2. a. strides b. solar, c. clean energy, d. insufficient, e. pollute, f. renewable, g. offset, h. energy efficient ↵
  3. Renewable and non-greenhouse gase (GHG) electricity includes electricity generated from hydraulic turbines, solar, tidal power turbines, wind power turbines, nuclear steam turbines and other types of renewable and non-greenhouse gas emitting sources. Electricity generated from biomass is not included. ↵
  4. Based on 0.255 kg of GHG emissions per kilometre. ↵
  5. 1. d, 2. c, 3. True, 4. a. 2020, b. 2.4, c. 3.2, d. 2030, 5. a. 2017, b. 10.9 billion, c. 2019, 6. False.  ↵
definition

License

DRAFT: SDGs for EAP Learners Copyright © by Donna Naylor and Virginia McHardy. All Rights Reserved.

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