No doubt that during the 21 st century there are two dominant themes in the economy and world politics, the energy and the environmental conservation. Topics which in turn are closely related to the environmental impact caused by the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), a product of burning fossil fuels. Today
electricity generation comes from coal (40%), energy atomic (16%), gas (20%), hydro (16%), oil (7%) and renewables (1%). The raw materials for energy production and power plants, are regularly away from urban and industrial centers. For fuel or electricity reaches the consumer industrial or residential, must be transported over long distances. In the case of oil and gasoline are transported in large tankers and pipelines and tank cars. In the case of electric power transmission lines. Either way these transports in addition to being costly, inefficient and loss-making, which ultimately result a greater value for the consumer.
Until recently, the final cost of energy is not burdensome for consumers compared to other resources. The reason the world does not care about looking at other options to produce energy, it was cleaner and that was the scope or user environment.
Now with oil above $ 100 a barrel and the great concern for the great harm they cause to the environment the carbon dioxide, a product of combustion, as well as the dependence of the developed world has a relatively small oil-producing countries, makes the country look with great interest achieve with their own natural resources, generate alternative energy. Which in turn are more economical, cleaner and allow them in the medium term do not depend significantly on external suppliers.
know that energy is present in all parts, materials and processes. Scientists since antiquity have explained the close relationship between mass and energy and between the natural and physical processes. From there it's a matter of devised, with research and technology, how to extract energy economically implicit in nature.
Therefore it is expected that each country and each community in some cases, search their environment means or means to generate its own energy. In fact and for a long time looking how to harness the very first energy source is the sun, and in principle everyone can benefit. This is perhaps the local energy source in nature and although there are places where it is more efficient at capturing beneficial weather conditions in all parts can be used.
decades used solar panels for residential water heaters, but in recent years has been much technological progress, using new materials and technologies more economic and efficient, lowering the cost of a kilowatt generated. This has allowed the development of large production of solar energy in different parts of the world. For example in California is being built 34 solar power plants to provide electricity to 18 million households. Also there are already large panel manufacturers in China and other countries exporting to the U.S. and Europe where governments are subsidizing the use of solar energy.
Another source is local natural and common to all countries is the wind. This source has been used since time immemorial with windmills, but not read Don Quixote. Today the windmill farms exist in many countries, Europe and America. Germany leads in this development, with a quarter of wind power currently produced in the world. Alternatives this is perhaps the most advanced and lowest cost per kilowatt. The global capacity has grown at a rate of 30% annually and by 2020 it is expected that 15% of U.S. electricity is from this source, is now only 1%.
But the use of wind power generation is not left alone on the ground. England, Norway and other countries are developing technologies to harness the wind in the sea not far from the coast, putting windmills in the sea, where it is more strong and stable over time, so you can be more efficient process and achieve better use.
the other side are looking for ways to capture the energy that emerges from the waves or the movement of the sea. In Portugal, we have the first "wave farm" commercial and in California is constructed to be ready for 2012. Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada, are also investigating the issue and there are several experimental models. While the technology for the production of this energy is in its infancy and there are still obstacles to overcome, is expected to be an important source of energy for coastal communities worldwide.
As geothermal energy is achieved easily in places where there are geysers and similar sources. In fact the U.S. is the world's largest producer in this type of energy, generating more electricity by this method, the entire wind and solar power currently produces. In the Philippines, a country of volcanic origin, a quarter of its energy from this source. But these natural resources, the geysers and the like, are limited and do not expect major developments in this direction.
The new dynamic in the use of geothermal energy underground drilling at depths of 3 or more miles (4.8 km) where there are rocks at high temperatures. This "heat mining" allows the generation of electrical energy through a system of injecting water and removing water vapor, which in turn drives an electrical generator on the surface. There are currently a pilot project by a Seattle company in the U.S. and there are similar projects in Australia, Germany and Switzerland. While much research remains to promote large-scale commercial projects, experts believe that the potential is enormous, not only in the U.S. but in Europe and other continents.
The above methods are geared to producing electricity. As for the production of fuels which can replace gasoline and used in transport vehicle, there is the bio-energy product of the transformation of organic materials. This option deserves a special chapter, it is still evolving, while the raw material for processing can be very diverse.
so far is using sugar cane, corn and parts of palm oil. Brazil is the best example of this development. The fuel used by its fleet has a 40% ethanol product from sugar cane. U.S. has significant production from corn and is now in many service stations, gasoline mixture to a 10% ethanol. Clear that the use of corn for this purpose is not the most appropriate, it competes with corn for feeding animals and people and therefore it more expensive. Furthermore this process is inefficient and costly compared to sugar cane. Alternatively
are investigating options for renewable natural products do not compete with food production, such as cellulose (grass, wood, etc.), Algae, and natural waste. According to experts in the field there is still much to investigate and provide a huge potential. According to a report by the Economist magazine, a study by the Department of Energy and Agriculture suggests that the U.S. can collect 1.3 billion tons of agricultural equipment in this nation without affecting food production. The agricultural equipment, using the best technology available today to produce ethanol, adicionaría equivalent to 350 billion liters of oil or 65% of current consumption thereof.
addition to the above, there are currently generating electricity in the world and will not disappear, oil, coal, natural gas, water resources, nuclear energy, sand and rocks on which bituminous and are working hard to achieve cleaner and more efficient methods in use.
above means that the world already has many options proven to produce energy and therefore each country or region in the medium term will find the best alternative for its energy needs, or at least part of them, sources close to their own industrial and residential centers, which also help reduce dependence on external suppliers.
can not be naive and think that energy from coal, oil and gas will be replaced in its entirety or not will remain the main energy sources for decades. Today represent almost 70% of energy sources in the world and technology take time to implement alternatives to produce large scale. But the change began and the world is aware of its importance and has the economic and political incentive to do so.
change or addition to this energy revolution, has a special feature and is not dependent on a country or of an appeal, or technology, but is the effort and determination of many countries and communities, using countless resources and natural diversity of technologies and where there is no visible leadership, but a widespread competition between countries to make rapid progress on sustainable solutions, to give economic relief, reduce dependence and can arrest the deterioration of the environment.
In this issue there are many skeptics who do not foresee a change in decades and argue that the reliance on coal and oil is forever, but what we see in research, development and investment, it would be utopian to think that the second half of this century energy sources multiply and dependence on a few sources will be significantly reduced. There is no doubt that we are entering a boom as important or perhaps more, the computer boom, which transformed the world.
Note: some of the editions of Time magazine, U.S. News, Forbes and The Eonomist were consulted in the preparation of this article.
Jorge Pineda
Miami, 6/26/08
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