Sustainable v. Renewable

While often regarded as interchangeable, “sustainable” and “renewable” are terms with h different meanings.  In an “Energy Education” article the University of Calgary posted online, the university clarified the distinctions in the definitions of the two. Although many firms, experts, and entrepreneurs might continue to substitute one word for the other, when one is applying for government grants, small business grants, USDA grants, USDA guaranteed loans,  technology grants,  state grants, DOE grants, and other forms of financing, precision in language is vital. It is crucial for applicants to utilize the correct words.

In fact, not all energy sources that are renewable are sustainable, and not all sustainable resources are renewable.  As the university piece pointed out, a renewable resource is “one that is naturally replenished with time. Renewable energy is any energy production that uses” a naturally replenishing source.” More can always be generated. However, “if the rate of use exceeds the rate of renewal –that is, the source is used more than it’s being recreated – its continued use will become unsustainable,” the article points out.

Renewable energy is generally taken to mean solar power, wind power, hydropower, tidal power, and geothermal power, the university article pointed out. Resources are considered non-renewable if they take a very long time to be created (fossil fuels are an example) or if their creation happened long ago and is not likely to happen again.  Sustainable energy is “energy production that can last for the foreseeable future. Sustainable energy practices must rely on resources which can continue to supply foreseeable needs,” the article points out. “These sources must be used cautiously so that they will not be used up, run out, or otherwise become unusable.” And, the article noted, even renewable resources can become unsustainable.

An additional aspect of the commonly held definition of sustainability is that with sustainable energy use the environment is not significantly damaged due to the accumulated effects of energy practice.

Lee Enterprises Consulting (LEC) offers a wide range of services in biofuels, biochemicals, biotechnologies, biomaterials, synthetic biology commercialization, feedstocks, and hemp/cannabis.  The company has business and financial services like due diligence, feedstock availability, grants and loans, and bio market research.  The company also offers technical and engineering-related services like techno-economic analysis, environmental evaluations, feasibility studies, risk analysis, and expert witness engagements.   The company also has strategic partnerships in place to assist clients with insurance, legal, accounting, plant fabrication, feedstock procurement.   With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting also has experts in anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one-stop-shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our 150+ experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See a video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.