Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
HOW CAN INNOVATIONS IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
SOURCES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?
Oil shortages, nuclear waste, heating fuel prices, smog, blackouts and
brown-outs—energy issues are part of everyday life. An inherent tension
between increased demand for energy and heightened awareness of poten-
tial damage to the environment has spurred new generations of inventors
to seek solutions. The historian Rudi Volti writes about one example:
inventions in emissions control for automobiles.Volti argues that air quality
in Southern California has improved as a direct result of innovations rang-
ing from PCV valves to vapor recovery at gas stations to the catalytic con-
verter. Is it enough, though, to reduce emissions?
Amory Lovins believes it is not. In his overview of energy use, he offers a
number of alternative methods for getting the most from a variety of energy
sources. One of these is the “Hypercar,” a lightweight automobile prototype
powered by a combination of gas, electricity, and/or fuel cells and capable of
traveling nearly 200 miles per gallon of gas while producing zero emissions.
Lovins also supports new methods of building construction, including super-
efficient windows and thick insulation, to cut energy use dramatically.
The inventor Subhendu Guha offers his own innovation in energy pro-
duction: solar roofing shingles. Based on his research in amorphous silicon,
Guha devised an alternative to heavy, rigid solar panels mounted on
rooftops. His thin, flexible solar cells are built into shingles that are installed
much like traditional roofing shingles. Backpack versions of the solar cells
are used by campers, boaters, and the military to power equipment in
remote areas.
The innovations highlighted in these essays combine increased techno-
logical efficiency with heightened protection of the environment. Since it
appears unlikely that energy demand will decrease in the twenty-first cen-
tury, devising alternative ways to create and conserve energy while mini-
mizing adverse effects on the environment is critical.
