Energy: Developing a Sustainable Future - page 4
Keywords: Energy- Sustainable energy-crude oil -
By wali on 11/12/2008
Level: Foundation Degree
Page Number: 4 of 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5
disposal of the waste products and the potential for contamination. Innovative methods of handling the nuclear waste and cleaning up inadvertent spills have been proposed including plants that remove the radioactivity from contaminated soil (Adler 1996, p.42). Hydrogen, an abundant element, has also received greater attention in the media as a source of clean and abundant energy. However, it is also negatively impacted by the strict requirements for the safe handling, transportation, and ditribution of hydrogen. Hydrogen has a great potential for explosion and the requirements for the safe production and storage are engineering intense to maintain safety. This adds greatly to the cost of the product as well as instills some trepidation on the part of public acceptance. There is a good possibility that these two sources could account for all the world's needs if the challenges of safety and public acceptance can be overcome.
Sustainable energy could become more of a reality by the implementation of conservation. A small solar electrical generator becomes more practical if the output requirements are lowered. Superconductors may hold the key to make alternative, sustainable, and renewable energy possible. Superconductors are materials that are able to transport electricity with no loss of power (Fundamentals of Superconductors 1996). Large amounts of power that is generated in power plants is lost in the lines during transmission. If this loss could be eliminated it could facilitate the construction of smaller generating plants that are fueled by renewable sources. In addition, all our electrical appliances would become far more efficient and require less power. Currently, superconductor technology is only operable at very low temperatures. New discoveries are breaking the way for the discovery of a super conducting material that operates at ambient temperatures.
In conclusion, the challenge of reducing the use of fossil based fuels will be met from several different directions. The future of energy consumption will be a mix of energies that are produced based on locally available resources. This will require decentralization of the electrical system and place distribution at the local level. Electric power for automobiles may be generated through solar, wind, or new ocean wave technology. Homes may be designed to be energy self sufficient depending on the location and the resources that are available in the geographic area. The abundance of nuclear and hydrogen fuels hold much promise if the challenges of safety can be met and the public can accept the
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