Title: The Rise of Renewable Energy
Author: Daniel M. Kammen
A:
B:
Most developing countries have abundant renewable energy resources, including solar energy,wind power, geothermal energy, and biomass, as well as the ability to manufacture the relatively labor-intensive systems that harness these. By developing such energy sources developing countries can reduce their dependence on oil and natural gas, creating energy portfolios that are less vulnerable to price rises. In many circumstances, these investments can be less expensive than fossil fuel energy systems.
C:
Renewable energy is the future. Over the next few years, the world will see the amount of power generated from solar, hydro, and wind sources exceed the amount of power generated from fossil fuel-based sources. This is definitely a good thing. Fossil fuels are finite and harm the environment – by continuing to rely on them, humanity ends up doing itself a disservice. It’s really amazing that the world is now transitioning to being dependent on renewable energy; such a scenario wouldn’t have been possible just a decade ago. Should everything go smoothly, we’ll be able to become fully dependent on renewable energy within the next half-century. Aside from giving the world better energy solutions, the use of alternative energy also has other positive effects. One of these positive effects happens to be the growth of the construction industry. Most people don’t realize this, but the world’s transition into being renewable energy-dependent has created more jobs in the sector.
So What?
Researchers also pressing ahead with development of biofuels that can replace portion of the oil consumed by motor vehicles.
Say Who?
Daniel M. Kammen
What If?
Transformation to renewable energy can turn the nation's energy sector into something that was once deemed impossible: a vibrant, environmentally sustainable engine of growth
This remind me of?
Most important step is to institute market-based schemes to make the prices of carbon fuels reflect social cost. Use of coal, oil and natural gas imposes a huge collective toll on society. Fee on carbon emissions would provide a simple, logical and transparent method to reward renewable clean energy sources over those that harm the economy.
Author: Daniel M. Kammen
A:
- In recent years, dramatic improvements in performance and affordability of solar cells, wind turbines and biofuels have paved the way for mass commercialization
- Renewable sources promise to enhance America's energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuels
- Solar cells-photovoltaics use semiconductor materials to convert sunlight into electric currents
- They provide a tiny slice of world electricity. .15% of total generating capacity. It could potentially supply 5,000 times as much energy as the world currently consumes.
- Solar cells easy to use because they can be installed in so many places
- ''Million Solar Roof'' create 3,000 MW of new generating capacity in the state by 2018.
- Research shows that U.S alone could grow to 10,000 MW in just 20 years
- Challenge will be lowering price of photovoltaics, which are expensive to manufacture
- Wind power has been growing at a pace rivaling the solar industry. Wind turbines increased more than 2.5% a year. 60,000 MW in 2005
- In the U.S, wind power industry has accelerated dramatically in the past five years, with total generating capacity leaping 36% to 9,100 MW in 2005. Potential for expansion is enormous, in the windy Great Plains states.
- Local concerns over how wind turbines will affect landscape views
- Common biofuel is ethanol, made from corn and gasoline.
- Ethanol impact on greenhouse gas emissions are ambiguous. Substituting corn ethanol for gasoline reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 18%, but it will not do much to slow global warming unless it becomes cleaner.
- Another promising biofuel is called green diesel.
- Researchers produced this fuel by gasifying biomass, heating organic materials, converting compounds into long-chain hydrocarbons using the Fischer-Tropsch process
- Result would be an economically competitive liquid fuel for motor vehicles that would add virtually no greenhouse gases.
- More than 20 states in the U.S have adopted standards setting a minimum for the fraction of electricity that must be supplied with renewable sources.
- Germany plans to generate 20% of its electricity from renewables by 2020 and Sweden intends to give up fossil fuels entirely.
B:
Most developing countries have abundant renewable energy resources, including solar energy,wind power, geothermal energy, and biomass, as well as the ability to manufacture the relatively labor-intensive systems that harness these. By developing such energy sources developing countries can reduce their dependence on oil and natural gas, creating energy portfolios that are less vulnerable to price rises. In many circumstances, these investments can be less expensive than fossil fuel energy systems.
C:
Renewable energy is the future. Over the next few years, the world will see the amount of power generated from solar, hydro, and wind sources exceed the amount of power generated from fossil fuel-based sources. This is definitely a good thing. Fossil fuels are finite and harm the environment – by continuing to rely on them, humanity ends up doing itself a disservice. It’s really amazing that the world is now transitioning to being dependent on renewable energy; such a scenario wouldn’t have been possible just a decade ago. Should everything go smoothly, we’ll be able to become fully dependent on renewable energy within the next half-century. Aside from giving the world better energy solutions, the use of alternative energy also has other positive effects. One of these positive effects happens to be the growth of the construction industry. Most people don’t realize this, but the world’s transition into being renewable energy-dependent has created more jobs in the sector.
So What?
Researchers also pressing ahead with development of biofuels that can replace portion of the oil consumed by motor vehicles.
Say Who?
Daniel M. Kammen
What If?
Transformation to renewable energy can turn the nation's energy sector into something that was once deemed impossible: a vibrant, environmentally sustainable engine of growth
This remind me of?
Most important step is to institute market-based schemes to make the prices of carbon fuels reflect social cost. Use of coal, oil and natural gas imposes a huge collective toll on society. Fee on carbon emissions would provide a simple, logical and transparent method to reward renewable clean energy sources over those that harm the economy.