Assuming our species is around for another few hundred years, there is no doubt that we will at some point in the future completely exhaust our fossil fuel resources. The looming threat of depletion of accessible fossil fuels combined with the effects greenhouse gases have on our climate should indicate to us that it is time to enact a change. To make a successful transition from our current systems to a form of clean renewable energy would require massive amounts of change in a short period of time, and to me this hints at the idea of revolution.
The few options available to us now including nuclear and bio fuel face considerable setbacks, the largest of which is currently cost efficiency. Assuming fossil fuels become too expensive to manufacture in the near future, which of our current options do you think will take the lead?
While making predictions about when, and how we will make the switch is a difficult task, I think speculation is still valuable in spreading forward thinking regarding energy use. How to you think the energy revolution will happen? What do you think the social and economic or even geopolitical implications will be?
Here are some links with relevant information:
http://web.mit.edu/nuclearpower/pdf/nuclearpower-summary.pdf
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-15/lockheed-skunk-works-team-tackling-nuclear-fusion-reactor.html
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/08/24/us-navy-eyes-biofuels-to-fuel-fleet-of-the-future.aspx
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/issues/2009/april/thebiofuelfuture.asp
With such a silent threat, mankind's response to our impending energy shortages will require some large traumatizing event before we are inclined to do much of anything, in my opinion. What this event could be, I don't think anybody could say for certain, but probability-speaking I think some global economic crisis is likely due to how intertwined our economy is with fossil fuels and how everyone else's economy is intertwined with ours. This all seems quite bleak to me, so here's an alternative: we stick with our plans for diversification of our portfolio (The EU recently met and agreed to cut emissions by 40% and increase use of renewables by 27% by 2030 [source: http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-priorities-2020/eu-leaders-adopt-flexible-energy-and-climate-targets-2030-309462]) and countries are gradually weaned off of the cheaper, nonrenewable, and more harmful energy over the next decade or so. If this doesn't occur, it's hard to envision a future unlike what was shown in "The Calorie Man".
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting question Alec, and as the only Electrical Engineering student in this class I would like to tackle this from an EE practical power perspective. I shall discourse briefly about Solar Energy, Wind Energy and Nuclear Energy.
ReplyDeletePower companies generate power for residential and industrial companies based of of peak power.
Due to peak power, Solar and Wind energy are ruled out as effective ways to power industrial and residential because of their sporadic nature, and their high inefficiency. Simply put Solar and Wind energy are currently reliable and cannot make peak load by themselves.
This doesn’t entirely rule out Solar and Wind energy however. Solar and Wind energy can currently be used for personal or residential purposes effectively. Possible advances in technology in the future could increase the usefulness of Solar and Wind energy, however that is would mean to create a better battery or capacitive element and increase the efficiency of solar panels (which if I believe correctly, there is much research underway).
I personally believe that the future relies on Nuclear energy yet I understand why we do not implement as much as we do. The advantages are clear, Nuclear energy has a drastically smaller carbon footprint, is amazingly materially efficient, and is able to provide peak power by itself. However I understand the fear behind it,if an accident occurs and is not contained, the potential effects are largely disastrous. I feel however that the fear of Nuclear energy int he United States is overstated.
I have to agree with Aaron. Currently the fear of Nuclear energy is overwhelming the need for it and unless a drastic change happens, we will be using fossil fuels until fossil fuels run out.
I agree with Aaron that a global economic event could probably push forward the energy revolution. Seeing as an alarming portion of the population still rejects ideas of climate change and the threat of overpopulation, the economy is a good way to get the attention of everyone. Money talks so to speak. I also think the economics will come into play, because once there is a crisis for energy, it will be in the best economical interest of industry to find efficient solar and wind energy storage devices. I think it is sad, but the most effective incentives in today's world are monetary.
ReplyDelete