Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1.2 WAYS TO MITIGATE THREATS TO A SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY SUPPLY
As discussed in the previous section, fossil fuel utilization puts pressure on our global
ecosystem by contributing to global warming and harmful emissions. Moreover,
the reserves of fossil fuels are finite. There are three ways to deal with this global
challenge, and they all require drastic innovation development in the respective
technologies:
The energy efficiency of conversion systems should be drastically improved,
going hand in hand with reduced use (savings); related to this is also a moderate
population growth.
Renewable energy sources should be used in order to supply nonfossil-based
energy.
Clean use of fossil fuels also will be needed for several decades to come, includ-
ing carbon capture and storage (CCS). Nuclear energy usage also largely reduces
CO
2
emission, but the generation of nuclear energy is associated with the crea-
tion of radioactive waste (fission) and potential issues with unwanted extended
military (nonproliferation) or even terrorist usage.
The principle of these three energy utilization strategies is also called the
“
Trias
Energetica,
as illustrated by Figure 1.5.
This topic concentrates on the pathway of sustainable development via utilization
of renewable energy sources and focuses particularly on one type:
energy from bio-
mass
or
bioenergy
. Biomass consists of material that has an organic origin. It includes
”
Renewables
Eficiency and
savings
Clean fossil fuels
with CCS and
nuclear
FIGURE 1.5
Concept of the “Trias Energetica,” based on Lysen (1996).
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