Green energy

"Green or renewable energy is energy derived from sources that are renewable or virtually inexhaustible. These are, for example, the sun, wind, water, biofuels, etc. In contrast, non-renewable energy sources are oil, gas, coal, etc. The main argument for the use of green energy is that, unlike fossil fuel power plants, renewable energy does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Furthermore, it helps to conserve the limited availability of fossil fuels.

The strength/intensity of solar energy depends on many factors, e.g. the season (more in summer than in winter), the time of day (day/night cycle), the presence of clouds/pollution in the air that limit the access of solar radiation to the ground, etc. Solar energy can be used to produce:
- Thermal energy - to heat water, air, oil or other liquids that subsequently give off heat
- Electricity - with the help of photovoltaic panels, solar energy is converted into electricity

Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air masses in the atmosphere (the movement of air from places of high to places of low atmospheric pressure). It is converted into the following types of energy:
- Mechanical energy - wind drives sailboats, is used to drive the blades of windmills, etc.
- Electricity - with the help of electric generators the power of the wind is transformed into electricity

Water power is used in hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), where the water passing through turbines turns them to produce energy. Pumped storage hydropower plants (PSHPs) are a type of hydropower plant that, in addition to using the energy of the water mass to generate electricity, also have the ability to pump water from a lower-lying reservoir. Water energy is stored by transporting water from the lower basin to the upper basin, i.e. the electrical energy is transformed into potential energy of the water (pump operation). This mode of operation takes place when the electrical energy consumption is small and there is a surplus of energy in the converter system. The potential energy of the stored water in the upper basin is transformed (secondary) into electrical energy (turbine mode) when the consumption is high. In this way, the PAHPs store electrical energy during the minimum load of the power system (at night) and feed it back into the system during the maximum load.

Geothermal energy is heat energy coming from the Earth - it is used for both heating and electricity generation. It is environmentally friendly and permanent.

Biomass is considered an energy substitute for fossil fuels. It is used as a basis for the production of biofuels that replace conventional gasoline and diesel. The two most common fuels are ethanol and biodiesel. The main groups of biomass sources are crop energy crops (rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, sugar beet, cereals), wood energy crops, agricultural crops (maize), aquatic crops (algae), and municipal waste. Through mechanical-biological treatment (shredding and dehydration), municipal waste (mainly plastics and biodegradable waste) is used to produce so-called RDF (Refuse-Derived Fuel) fuel. RDF fuel can be used to generate electricity and heat in different types of facilities based on a variety of methods and technologies.

Green hydrogen

In order to meet the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, the European Union's energy system must become carbon neutral by the second half of the 21st century. Although renewables are key to achieving this, some are not always reliable, e.g. getting energy from the sun and wind depends on the time of day, the seasons and the weather. As the share of variable RES increases, energy storage plays an increasingly important role in bridging the time gap between energy production and consumption.

The European Commission estimates that the EU needs to be able to store six times more energy than its current capacity in order to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

One option for making the transition to a decarbonised economy that does not use carbon-based fuels whose combustion releases greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere is the use of hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources. This is so-called 'green' hydrogen, which is produced by electrolysis - the separation of the water molecule into oxygen and hydrogen.

Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be used for almost anything that requires the use of energy. It is found in many chemical compounds, such as water and organic biomass, and when burned produces only heat energy - no pollutants or carbon dioxide.

In addition, hydrogen is the most abundant chemical in the universe and a virtually inexhaustible natural resource. For example, stars are composed mainly of hydrogen in the plasma state (the temperature at the surface of the Sun is about 5 500oC and at its core about 15 000 000oC).

It is possible to transport the "green" hydrogen through pipelines to consumers or directly burn it in gas-fired power plants and feed the energy into the electricity grid. In the first option, the green hydrogen plant needs pipelines to transport the fuel to consumers. In the second option, an electricity grid is needed. There is a third option - to use the green hydrogen in fuel cells - energy conversion devices that can efficiently capture and use the energy from this chemical element.

Green transport

"Green transport is the type of transport system that does not have a negative impact on the environment. In recent years, the field of green transport has grown a lot due to rising fuel prices worldwide and the adoption of a number of national policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Statistics show that more than 90% of the entire vehicle fleet is powered by petroleum, and the transport sector is responsible for 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels.

Green transport aims to use resources efficiently and effectively, modify the structure of transport and choose healthier modes of travel. To achieve this, targeted public awareness and participation, improved private vehicle management, innovation and the production of vehicles that use energy from renewable energy sources are needed.

Types of green vehicles:
1. Bicycles
2. Electric bicycles and motorcycles
3. Electric and hybrid cars
4. Trains based on electric or hybrid locomotives
5. Car sharing by more than one passenger
6. Hybrid buses
7. Metro/trams

The benefits of using green transport are many:

- Reduces environmental pollution

Existing modes of transport use fossil fuel-based energy sources that release huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Shifting to green transport would help rid the air of these toxic gases, as this type of travel generates little or no emissions.

- Saves money

The use of green means of transportation/ways of getting around, such as bicycles, ride-sharing and electric motorcycles, reduces the cost of purchasing fossil fuels (gasoline/diesel/gas).

- Contributes to building a sustainable economy

The production and distribution of environmentally friendly vehicles will go hand in hand with the improvement of existing transport systems. This will create more jobs in the transport sector, thus minimising socio-economic disparities and building a sustainable economy. It will also reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

- Improves health

Fossil fuel energy sources such as natural gas, coal and oil emit toxic gases that adversely affect our health. These substances have been linked to increasing cases of cancer and other cardiovascular diseases in humans. The emissions produced by eco-friendly vehicles are not harmful to human health, so the expanded use of eco-friendly transport will improve the health of urban residents.

Green infrastructure

"Green infrastructure is a tool for delivering environmental, economic and social benefits through environmentally friendly solutions, helping us to understand the benefits that nature provides to human society and to mobilise investment to sustain and enhance these benefits. In other words, infrastructure is a network of natural areas, semi-natural areas and green spaces that provides ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being and quality of life.

Green infrastructure can provide multiple functions and benefits in the same space. These can be environmental (e.g. biodiversity conservation or adaptation to climate change), social (e.g. provision of drainage or green space) and economic (e.g. provision of jobs and increased property values). Compared to 'grey' infrastructure, which generally fulfils a single purpose such as drainage or transport, green infrastructure is more attractive as it has the potential to address several issues simultaneously. Traditional 'grey' infrastructure is still needed, but can often be enhanced with environmentally friendly solutions.

Green infrastructure can be used to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff entering sewer systems and ultimately lakes, rivers and streams due to the natural retention and absorption capacity inherent in vegetation and soils. The benefits of green infrastructure can also include carbon sequestration, improved air quality, mitigation of the 'urban heat island' effect, creation of additional wildlife habitat and recreational areas. Green spaces contribute to enhancing the cultural and historic landscape, giving identity to places, and to the landscape of urban and suburban areas where people live and work. Research shows that green infrastructure solutions cost less than 'grey' infrastructure and offer a wide range of additional benefits to local economies, the social fabric and the wider environment.

The potential green infrastructure components are:
- Protected areas such as Natura 2000 sites
- Healthy ecosystems and areas of high natural value that fall outside protected areas, such as floodplains, wetlands, coastal areas, natural forests, etc.
- Elements of the natural landscape, such as small watercourses, groves, hedgerows, which can serve as eco-corridors or fords for wildlife
- Restored parts of habitats whose creation is associated with particular species, for example to help extend the boundaries of the protected area, increase foraging areas, provide breeding or resting areas for these species and support their migration/geographical dispersal
- Artificial features, such as eco-passages or eco-bridges, which are designed to aid species movement across impassable landscape barriers
- Mixed-use areas where land uses that help maintain or restore healthy biodiverse ecosystems are encouraged over other incompatible activities
- Areas where measures have been implemented to improve the overall ecological quality and permeability of the landscape
- Urban elements such as green parks, green walls and green roofs that support biodiversity and allow ecosystems to function and provide their services by linking urban, peri-urban and rural areas
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation features such as marshes, floodplain forests and heathlands to prevent flooding, retain water and absorb CO2, providing space for species to respond to changing climatic conditions

Green employment and green jobs

A "green" workplace is any professional activity that helps protect the environment and combat climate change by saving energy and raw materials, promoting renewable energy, reducing waste and pollution, or protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.

The development of sustainable consumption and production patterns generates the potential to create new jobs and transform existing ones into high-quality green jobs not only in virtually all sectors, but also along the entire value chain - from research to manufacturing, distribution and service, in new high-tech sectors such as renewable energy, in traditional sectors such as industry and construction, in agriculture and fisheries, and in the secto Green jobs ensure decent work, which in turn guarantees adequate social protection, sufficient income, healthy working conditions, respect for workers' rights and individual participation in decisions that affect their lives.

It is difficult to estimate the exact number of people holding green jobs in Europe or in Bulgaria because definitions of a green job vary. Moreover, there is a lack of standardised data, especially outside the green sectors, where green jobs are scattered across Europe in companies determined to improve their environmental footprint. The sectors traditionally assumed to generate green employment are:
- Sustainable transport
- Waste management and recycling
- Renewable energy
- Wastewater management
- Water supply
- Organic farming
- Energy efficiency of buildings, etc.

According to the Employment Promotion Act in Bulgaria, "green jobs" are jobs created in economic activities related to the production of goods and the provision of services supporting environmental protection, according to a list of economic activities approved by the Minister of Environment and Water and the Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

For each "green job" created that employs an unemployed person with a continuously maintained registration for at least 6 months who is referred by a subdivision of the Employment Agency, the employer shall be provided with certain amounts under the Act for the time the person has been employed - for a period not to exceed 12 months.

Green public procurement

"Green public procurement is an important tool for achieving environmental objectives related to climate change, resource use and sustainable consumption and production, especially given the importance of spending on goods and services in the public sector in Europe. In the Communication from the European Commission entitled "Public procurement for a better environment", defines 'green' procurement as 'a procedure by which public authorities seek to obtain products, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle, instead of products, services and works with the same basic function that would otherwise be provided'.

The significance of the issue of green public procurement is driven by its link to environmentally friendly technologies, and the state, local authorities and a number of companies as procuring entities under the Public Procurement Act (PPA) are major consumers of assets and services that leave a measurable environmental footprint. In view of this, finding and using better solutions from an environmental point of view is becoming an increasing necessity. Procurement contracts are a major commitment and source of funds for businesses, and therefore the definition of the terms and conditions of the procedures determines how businesses will orient their production and the services they offer.

A prerequisite for the sustainable inclusion of green requirements in public procurement procedures by contracting authorities and the supply of a wide range of products and services with environmental characteristics by businesses is good awareness of the benefits of the green element and its application in procedures.