atohe project - energy sources how clean is green
TRANSCRIPT
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Daniel Ireland Energy Sources 2011/2012
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Researched and published by Daniel Ireland
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Contents Page
Title Page Page 1
Contents Page - Page 2
Introduction Page 3
Brief Information on Renewable Energys:-
Biofuel Page 4
Biomass Page 5
Geothermal Page(s) 6 & 7
Hydro electricity Page 8
Solar Power Page(s) 9 & 10
Tidal Power Page 11
Wave power Page 12
Wind Power Page 13
Fossil Fuels Page 14
Nuclear Energy Page(s) 15 & 16
Research/analysis/conclusion of work exp. at United Utilities Page(s) 17 - 18
Analysis & Conclusions of Research Page(s) 19 - 22
References Page 23
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Renewable Energy
This project is based on sources of renewable energy, fossil fuel energy, nuclear and
the facts surrounding them. It will be looking at both sides of the argument for andagainst the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy & fuels and nuclear energy.
The need for renewable sources of energy and their derived fuels is becoming
increasingly important in todays society, as soaring energy costs and concern for
co carbon footprints, due to the use of fossil fuels. The other major factor is that
fossil fuels are not a limitless supply and as they become rarer the cost will be
extreme.
It would seem then that governments and energy companies taking action now and
heavily investing in new sources would not only be a boost to the economy but alsoensure that the future is bright for our children. It is also important for heavy
investment now as energy bills are continually rising and customers incomes are not
rising at the same rate. It is no longer affordable for many people nowadays, whether
this is down to what customers perceive as greedy energy companies and their
profits or the fact that fossil fuels are no longer a financially and sustainable viable
option, remains to be seen.
There are incentive schemes the government run at the moment such as the
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). These are designed by the government to invest in
alternative energy, reducing the impact on both the demand for fossil fuels and alsoreduce carbon emissions.
A quarter of the UKs carbon emissions come from the energy used in homes and a
similar amount comes from our businesses, industry and workplaces. The UK
government's target is to reduce those emissions by 2050.
Green Deal is a new government initiative designed to help meet the upfront cost of
making your home more energy efficient. Due to be launched in late 2012, the Green
Deal will allow you to install energy-efficiency measures and pay for the
improvements with the savings on your fuel bill. Although you will repay the cost overtime, this is not a conventional personal loan as the charge is attached to the meter
and paid back through your fuel bill. If you move out, the idea is that the new
occupant will pick up the charge while also benefiting from a more energy-efficient
property.
I hope by the end of this project to have provided detailed and structured arguments
for both sides concerning all the options available with energy/fuel and make a
judgement based on the facts.
I aim to answer some of the questions and concerns surrounding renewable energy.
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Biofuel
A biofuel is a fuel that is mainly derived from biomass or bio waste (biological carbon
fixation). One type of biofuel is biodiesel, which is made from used vegetable oil. It
can be when mixed with mineral diesel, be used in any diesel engine.
Another biofuel is bioalcohol. These are biologically produced and include methanol,
ethanol, propanol and butanol which all have high octane ratings. Butanol can bedirectly used as a replacement for gasoline however it is currently more difficult to
produce than methanol or ethanol.
Ethanol is the most commonly used biofuel in the world and when used in a mixture
with gasoline and 15% bioethanol, as it contains a higher octane, this is considered
more efficient when burnt. However, ethanol has lower energy content, so to drive
the same distance would require more fuel. When ethanol is burnt in the combustion
chambers, this has a corrosive effect. Aluminium, rubber hoses, gaskets and fuel
systems are also corroded by ethanol.
Biogas is another example of biofuel. Biogas is created when organic materials such
as; biomass, green waste, sewage and plant material are anaerobically digested by
anaerobes. Biogas consists of mainly methane and carbon dioxide. It can also
include hydrogen sulphide, moisture and siloxanes. Digestate is a by-product of the
production process and can be used as a biofuel or fertilizer.
Finding credible data on whether biofuel carbon emissions are lower than fossil fuel
derivatives if difficult, as there a large number of factors to consider, such as land
space being used for planting crops, fertilizers and machinery etc. More research is
needed to clarify this. What is clear however is that biofuels derived from wasteproducts, such as waste water treatment and household waste etc., are far lower in
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terms of carbon emissions than fossil fuels. Plus there is the added bonus that these
wastes are being used for good purposes, rather than being dumped out at sea or
landfill sites.
Biomass
Biomass is a renewable energy source, which comes from sources such as; food
waste, industrial waste, wood, plant crops and sewage. They are biological materials
from living or recently living organisms. There are many benefits to using biomass
including it being carbon lean, can be sourced locally thus supporting the local
economy and less atmospheric pollutants generated from biomass.
Products of biomass include biogas, digestate and liquid liquor. These occur when
the biomass is processed through an anaerobic digester. The biogas produced can
be used to power generators which in turn provide electricity.
The use of biomass as a renewable energy source is becoming ever increasingly
popular as it is proving to be a sustainable method of harnessing energy from thesources and turning it into other kinds of energy.
When waste water is being treated by water utilities, they take raw sewage
(biomass) through a process. From this process, the sludge is then put through the
anaerobic digesters, which in turn creates biogas, digestate and liquid liquor. The
biogas is used to power generators which create electricity. As the generators run
and begin to get hot, this allows for the combustion to be most efficient. Heat is then
extracted from the generator which is then turned into steam thus creating more
electricity. The digestate can then be used as a compost alternative and the liquid
liquor used as fertilizer.
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Geothermal
Geothermal energy is thermal energy trapped between the earths core and its crust.
It is considered cost effective, reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. This
being said, there are some concerns that the fracturing process can cause seismic
events and trigger earthquakes.
Greenhouse gases are emitted from the geothermal wells, but these emissions are
much lower per energy unit than fossil fuels. As the technology is advancing, more ofthese emissions can be captured and injected back into the earths crust.
There are a few different processes that can be done with the geothermal energy
sources. One is to create electricity, another is by direct application.
When the geothermal energy is directly applied, the geothermal heat pump will pump
heated water round anywhere that space heating is required. In Reykjavik, Iceland,
spent water from these kinds of systems is then pumped round pipes under
pavements and roads, keeping them ice and snow free in the winter.
The Eden Project in Cornwall has recently gone ahead with a plan for a Geothermal
heating district. With a capacity of 3-4MW electric and the ability to generate 95% of
the time, it should produce enough electricity to supply Eden and around 3,500
households, as well as heating for the Biomes and possibly some district heating. It
is hoped that power will be delivered from late 2013.
The plant will be made up of two boreholes, driven around 4.5km into the granitebeneath Eden. The rock at that depth is at about 180C. Water injected down thefirst borehole will be returned to the surface at around 180C via the secondborehole. The superheated water will be used to generate electricity, and will then be
returned to the injection borehole.
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An EGS plant is very efficient when compared to many other systems. Around 30%of the power created by the plant will go back into pumping water around the system,so it can be said to be about 70% efficient overall. The plant should cover an areaabout the size of a rugby pitch, and the buildings no more than 10m (30ft) tall. Unlikeother sources of renewable energy, the plant will be able to run 24 hours a day more
than 345 days a year.
Geothermal is not suitable for all, as drilling anywhere within an unstable tectonic
region can potentially trigger earthquakes. Also, the earths crust has different depthswith places where it is thin termed a hot spot. These are more ideal for geothermaltechnology due to less drilling required and more heat available to meet energy
demands.
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Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectric power is the energy derived from flowing water. This can be from rivers
or man-made installations, where water flows from a high-level reservoir down
through a tunnel and away from a dam.
Turbines placed within the flow of water extract its kinetic energy and convert it to
mechanical energy. This causes the turbines to rotate at high speed, driving a
generator that converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
The amount of hydroelectric power generated depends on the water flow and the
vertical distance (known as head) the water falls through.
It is the most widely used form of renewable energy, which when completed, there is
no direct waste created and the greenhouse gases emitted are considerably lower
than the fossil fuel alternative. The greenhouse gases (methane) come from organic
matter being submerged. As this matter breaks down, this creates methane which is
released to the atmosphere when water passes through the turbines. There are not
any carbon emissions from hydroelectricity.
As hydroelectricity can be generated 24 hours a day, this is a good source for
renewable energy as opposed to some of the other options.
The disadvantages to hydroelectricity however, are that sometimes a river may be
completely diverted or a large space of land flooded to create a reservoir. This can
have a damaging and lasting impact upon the eco system immediately surrounding
the dam. Another issue is that the temperature of the water that is released back into
the river is warmer, meaning that this can cause problems with wildlife. These
problems can essentially have a damaging and lasting impact on the localecosystem.
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Solar Power
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity.
Solar Power is currently, possibly one of the best available sources for renewable
energy. This is because it is completely green and a constant free energy source.
There are three different types of solar power; photovoltaic, concentrated solar
power and chemical solar power.
With photovoltaic, this is done by the solar panels capturing the photons which cause
the free electrons in the panels to move about, creating energy which flows using the
positive and negative terminals of the solar panels.
Concentrated solar power is where mirrors/lenses track the suns movement and
direct the beam on to a central tower which is used as a hear source.
Chemical solar power is where a chemical reaction is started by applying energy
from solar power to start the chain.
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Another new alternative is that of artificial photosynthesis. Although development is
at an early stage, it has been somewhat achieved. The idea is simple, take water
and use sunlight to split it thus creating energy.
Photosynthesis is all about using the sun's energy to split water into its constituents,
hydrogen and oxygen, and rearranging them into chemically more energetic
molecules - in the case of plants, carbohydrates made with the help of atmospheric
carbon dioxide. The idea is not just to replicate this, but to develop something better
and more efficient.
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Tidal Power
Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of the tides into
electricity or other useful forms of power. The tide is created by the gravitational
effect of the sun and the moon on the earth. Tidal energy is therefore a predictable
form of renewable energy, which can be harnessed in two forms:
Tidal Range
Tidal range occurs due to the movement of large volumes of water in the sea. As the
tides move (flow and ebb), the increasing water volume in an area causes the water
level to rise near the coast (high tide) and this reverses as the tide turns and thewater moves away from the coastline. The amplitude of these effects is dependent
upon the gravitational pull from the sun and moon and the local coastal morphology.
Barrages and lagoons use this potential energy component of the tide to generate
energy.
Tidal Stream
This is the flow of water as the tide ebbs and floods, and manifests itself as tidal
current. Tidal stream devices seek to extract energy from this kinetic movement of
water, much as wind turbines extract energy from the movement of the air.
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Wave Power
Waves are generated by the wind as it blows across the sea surface. Energy is
transferred from the wind to the waves.
Wave energy is sometimes confused with tidal energy, which is quite different.
Waves travel vast distances across oceans at great speed. The longer and stronger
the wind blows over the sea surface, the higher, longer, faster and more powerful the
sea is. The energy within a wave is proportional to the square of the wave height, so
a two-meter high wave has four times the power of a one-meter high wave.
Wave power works in various ways, with their being numerous different designs for
the means of capturing the energy in the waves.
One of these ways is the Pelamis device (seen above right) which works
hydraulically. The Pelamis machine consists of a series of semi-submerged
cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints. As waves pass along the length of the
machine, the sections move relative to one another. The wave-induced motion of the
sections is resisted by hydraulic cylinders which pump high pressure oil through
hydraulic motors via smoothing hydraulic accumulators. The hydraulic motors drive
electrical generators to produce electricity
Other methods include attenuators and buoys, again with various designs available.
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Wind Power
Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity. Forty
percent of all the wind energy in Europe blows over the UK, making it an ideal
country for domestic turbines (known as 'microwind' or 'small-wind' turbines). A
typical system in an exposed site could easily generate more power for your
electrical appliances use.
Wind energy uses the kinetic energy of the wind and turns into electrical energy.
Initial costs are quite steep, but in the long run they will prove to be much more cost
effective.
Wind turbines work by converting the kinetic energy carried by the wind. The wind
drives the propeller blades round which in turn, generates electricity which is then
exported back to the grid and distributed.
Although wind energy is a relatively cheap option when compared with some of the
alternatives, there are drawbacks that come with using the turbines. These being
that the turbines are unsightly. Also, wind is difficult to predict meaning that
generation of electricity would cease at times.
Wind turbines tend to be by the coast, at sea or in hilly regions where the greatest
chance of strong winds are to occur.
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Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels firstly, fall in to 3 main categories. These are: Coal, Oil and Natural Gas.
These can then be broken down in to their derivatives.
Oil The derivatives start with Fuel Oil, Diesel Oil and Kerosene. These continue toNaphtha, Gasoline (Petrol) and Refinery Gases. As the price of crude oil continues
to increase, the demand for cheaper and cleaner alternatives will surely increase.
Coal This can be burnt directly to generate electricity and is currently (Aug 2011)
the cheapest method of generating electricity. Coal provides 29.6% of global primary
energy needs and generates 42% of the world's electricity.
There are also the derivatives of coal such as CTL (Coal to Liquid). The two methods
used for CTL are; direct liquefaction, this works by dissolving the coal in a solvent at
high temperature and pressure. This process is highly efficient, but the liquidproducts require further refining to achieve high grade fuel characteristics. The
second method is; indirect liquefaction, this gasifies the coal to form a syngas (a
mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide). The syngas is then condensed over a
catalystthe Fischer-Tropsch process to produce high quality, ultra-clean
products. Ultra-clean petrol and diesel can be then made from CTL. Although this
ultra-clean petrol produces fewer emissions than standard petrol, overall, the
process of CTL produces more emissions.
The environmental impact of Coal over the years has been widely publicised, with it
getting mostly negative press about it being considered as a dirty fuel. With
technological advances, the capture of emissions and particulates created from the
process of generating electricity or CTL has improved and there is also the possibility
of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) which would further offset the co emissions.
Natural Gas In its purest form, it is almost pure methane. Ethane, butane and
propane are also associated with natural gas. Natural gas is a vital component of the
world's supply of energy. It is one of the cleanest, safest, and most useful of all
energy sources. It is the cleanest of the fossil fuels, having fewer emissions. This is
because the main products when under combustion are carbon dioxide and water
vapour, the same as which we breathe out.
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Nuclear Energy
There are 2 types of Nuclear energy, Fission and Fusion.
Nuclear fission - This is the splitting of an atom's nucleus to release heat. Nuclear
power stations use the fission of uranium-235 to heat water. All nuclear reactors
produce radioactive waste. At present the most dangerous waste is sealed in glass-
like blocks which are buried deep within rocks. Careless disposal of waste in the past
has led to pollution of land, rivers and the ocean.
Nuclear fission is increasingly becoming outdated. The cons far outweigh its only
pro of it producing carbon free energy. Nuclear reactors, whilst being largely
unpopular and extremely expensive, produce waste material that currently has no
viable long term solution for safe disposable.
There is also the problem with the safety of Nuclear reactors following accidents
such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. Such incidents have highlighted the safety
concerns and forced some governments into abandoning use of their reactors.
The last such problem is the threat of terrorism. This alone causes alarm to many
about the potential catastrophe of such an attack taking place.
Nuclear Fusion This is the process that heats the Sun and all other stars, where
atomic nuclei collide together and release energy (in the form of neutrons). Fusionscientists and engineers are developing the technology to use this process in
tomorrow's power stations.
To get energy from fusion, gas from a combination of types of hydrogen deuterium
and tritium is heated to very high temperatures (100 million degrees Celsius). One
way to achieve these conditions is a method called magnetic confinement'
controlling the hot gas (known as a plasma) with strong magnets. The most
promising device for this is the tokamak', a Russian word for a ring-shaped magnetic
chamber.
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A Nuclear Fusion Reactor, called the International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor (ITER) is currently being built in the South France. ITER is a large-scale
scientific experiment that aims to demonstrate that it is possible to produce
commercial energy from fusion. The outcome remains to be seen, but in theory,
nuclear fusion does propose an interesting way forward for potentially supplying thefuture of our worlds energy demands.
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Research whilst on work experience at United Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant
and analysis/conclusions
I observed whilst on work experience with United Utilities in Oct 11 that they were
not only treating the waste water but also making use of the by-products of the
process. They are the water utility service provider for the North West and Cumbria.
They are actually underway with a project to extend their waste water capabilities at
their Davyhulme WWT site. This includes upgrading their on-site generators
powering the plant from 2 to 5.
The process starts with treating the sludge, then putting the sludge through
anaerobic digesters which break down the sludge, which in turn produces by-
products such as gas, digestate and liquid liquor. The gas is extracted and is used to
power the generators (which under their project scheme are being upgraded from 2
to 5). This will actually allow the site to export electricity back to the grid. Thiscoupled with the carbon credits scheme makes this kind of renewable energy
lucrative.
They also are involved in making biodiesel from the algae during the waste treatment
process. The algae can be mixed with diesel to create biodiesel thus cutting carbon
emissions.
They are involved in a scheme called SUPRABIO. Between February 2010 and
January 2014, 16 partner organisations will be undertaking research with the aim of
developing sustainable and competitive bio-refinery processing schemes for a rangeof geographical and social conditions.
United Utilities Water has been responsible for many innovative developments in the
water industry. A notable recent development is Enzymic Hydrolysis, which has
become the new standard for sewage sludge treatment in the UK delivering
enhanced biogas production and superior pathogen control capability.
Such innovative ideas of rethinking how we manage our waste and by products are
not only kinder to the environment but also potentially lucrative. Their involvement in
schemes such as SUPRABIO, aiming to produce biodiesel shows initiative to be atthe forefront of future technology aimed at improving the use of by-products of waste
water treatment. United Utilities are a FTSE100 listed company and with regards to
the schemes they are involved in, it isnt hard to see why.
Learning about these things, albeit initially not in such detail, ultimately led me to
create this beginners guide report on alternative energy sources etc.
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This diagram shows the SUPRABIO model process (which includes United Utilities)
for sustainable and competitive biofuels.
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Analysis & Conclusions of Research
In a world with an ever increasing demand for energy, the need for alternative
energy sources is rising. This coupled with the environmental challenge of reducing
carbon emissions means a lot of research and development of current and new
technologies to try and find an abundant energy source that fits the bill.
From my research I have come to the conclusion that when all things are
considered, nuclear fusion, for me is the future. If they can achieve their research
goals on fusion, then it has the potential to not only provide a new virtually carbon
free energy source, but to open the door of possibility to developing the technology
for other purposes.
All the energy sources have their different pros and cons. But it really depends on
your reason for looking at alternative energy. If you look at it from the angle of
tackling climate change, then you would tend to lean towards green sources ofenergy. Although again, this depends on which side of the argument you stand on
with regards to global warming. Some people believe it is a myth, and others believe
it is responsible for many of the changing patterns in the weather system.
There are truths and facts in the climate change debate. Such as:
The Earths surface has warmed by about 0.75C on average since around 1900
and by around 0.4C since the 1970s.
More than 30 billion tonnes of CO2 are emitted globally each year by burning fossilfuels.
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) requires all domestic energy
suppliers with a customer base in excess of 250,000 customers to make savings in
the amount of CO2 emitted by householders. Suppliers meet this target by promoting
the uptake of low carbon energy solutions to household energy consumers, thereby
assisting them to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes.
The primary aim of CERT is to make a contribution to the UKs legally binding target
under the Kyoto protocol (to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% below 1990
levels by 2008-2012) and the Climate Change Act 2008 requirement (to cut
emissions of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050).
However, CERT will also help: reduce energy demand; enhance the UKs security of
supply; reduce energy bills for those receiving measures; reduce fuel poverty; and,
secure jobs in energy efficiency industries.
The following diagram from New Scientist explains the global warming effect.
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So it would seem that using any energy that does not derive from the suns heat will
increase the warming effect on the planet. This leaves wind, hydro and wave power
to supply energy without altering the balance of the planet.
This in turn though, can cause other potential problems. Renewable energy sources
can also affect the climate. Wind farms are one such potential problem. They can
affect the local climate where they are situated. Surface temperatures behind the
wind turbines were higher than in front during the night, but as much as 4C lower by
day. It is thought that this is caused by turbulence which sucks air down from above.
Farmers in California and Florida are already using strategically placed turbines to
combat frost by sucking down warmer air.
It is possible, that on a large enough scale, trying to harness the winds power will
alter the patterns thus altering the movement of the different weather fronts that bring
the heat, cold and rainfall with it.
Solar Power could also affect the climate of the planet by making it less reflective.
The effects of this however, would depend proportionally on the efficiency of the
solar power technology.
So looking at some of the options, it seems that harnessing the green energies can
bring with it complications. Perhaps then, another approach would better suit our
needs. What if, existing fossil fuel methods of electricity generation were developed
to be more efficient, carbon was captured and stored underground and particulates
collected preventing pollution. Would this satiate the energy demand? I think the
answer may lie somewhere else, as fossil fuels are a limited source.
Personally, I think that updating and making more efficient technologies alongside
introducing long term energy options is the best solution. I think having numerous
energy sources would keep the market competitive for consumers and reduce the
demand on any particular source.
If, like I said earlier, nuclear fusion is the way forward, is it possible to offset the
warming effect on the planet of creating energy. Perhaps with CCS (Carbon Capture
& Storage) offsetting other carbon emissions, we could utilise geo-engineering to
return the planet to equilibrium thus avoiding climate change.
Would this idea ever work? Well in theory you would have to say it would. Nuclear
fusion is in development already and the idea (although needing more research) of
geo-engineering seems a distinct possibility. This idea hints at artificially inducing the
planets weather systems to reduce the warming effect created by free energy. This
could also lead the way to manipulating the weather patterns to suit the needs of
farmers etc. For example, farmers and drought regions getting rain when needed.
Lastly, I find that my own approach to energy sources is that of an ethical one. I
believe in recycling waste materials and not in land fill sites. Whatever you add or
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take from this planet must be balanced either way. Life has a cycle, not just for us,
but for every other species on the planet including animals and plants.
As a human race, through evolution we have mastered many skills to become the
dominant species on the planet. We now need to master harnessing energy sources,
as this will surely lead to a brighter future for us all. There is a fine balance that we
must try and work to, because sooner or later if we dont, we will have a problem that
we may not be able to do anything about. So whilst the choice to take action
regarding energy sources is here, we should do our upmost to address it.
Recycling also has a bearing on the demand for energy sources. If we can recycle
virtually everything and find uses for their by-products, then surely this can help
reduce the demand on fossil fuel derived energy sources.
Such an example of this would be the treatment of waste water. There is a process
which finds excellent uses for these by-products of waste. The sludge has algaewhich contains oil. This oil can be mixed with diesel to create biodiesel, reducing the
demand on the need for diesel.
When the sludge is then put through anaerobic digesters, this gives off a gas, which
can then be used to power generators which in turn create electricity. The final
digestate when dried can be used as compost alternative and liquid liquor used as a
fertilizer. So the benefits of this are there to be seen, not only environmentally, but
financially.
These processes are already implemented in places, by utility waste water treatmentcompanies. If these processes were more wide scale, then there would be less
dumping of sludge out at sea and more benefits to be had from the by-products.
Other companies are also looking at ways of implementing biodiesel. It not only
makes transport kinder to the environment with the carbon emission savings, but
with the constant rising price of diesel also makes financial sense.
Nowadays companies are becoming more environmentally conscious and want to be
environmentally sustainable. With the constantly rising price of oil and governments
targets of carbon emission saving, biodiesel is ever increasingly looking like a sound,viable option.
To conclude, I believe nuclear fusion and geo-engineering will return the planet to
equilibrium in regards to carbon emissions & the global warming effect. This will
bring us to become a type-I civilization (type-I civilization refers to work by Dr Michio
Kaku).
Ultimately once nuclear fusion is mastered, this will allow us to harness the power of
a star and although an entirely different subject altogether, I believe fusion will power
space travel.
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References
Wikipedia
Scienceonline.co.uk
decc.gov.uk
energy-saving-trust.org.uk
tidalenergyltd.com
pelamiswave.com
stockporthomes.org
ofgem.gov.uk
edenproject.com
worldcoal.org
naturalgas.org
ccfe.ac.uk
iea.org
iter.org
conserve-energy-future.com
newscientist.com
clickgreen.org.uk
suprabio.ee
United Utilities