Hydropowers Role in Developing Sustainable Energy - Essay Example

? Renewable Energy Renewable energy is the energy that is generated from such natural resources as wind, rain, sunlight, geothermal heat and tides that can be replenished naturally. Approximately 16% of all energy that was consumed in the world was generated from these renewable sources. 3% came from new renewables like small hydro, wind and bio fuels. While most of these renewable sources were projects in large scale, they were also suitable for remote and rural areas, where human development was tied to energy availability. Concerns over the effects of climate change, tied to peak oil production, skyrocketing oil prices, and more government support enabled the increase in legislation of renewable energy, commercialization, and incentives. The current global recession has been weathered better by this sector than most other sectors because of better government regulation, spending, and policies The IEA projected that, in 50 years, solar energy could help cater for the majority of the world’s energy needs. Obviously, renewable energy is the growth sector of the future. This paper aims to review several of those sources and their significance in both today’s and the future’s energy markets. Renewable energy is the energy of the future. 1. Hydropower’s Role in Developing Sustainable Energy. Hydropower has a significant role to play in the advancement of renewable energy around the globe, with a majority of nations relying on it to some extent in the generation of energy (Kaygusuz, 2009). This energy source is environment friendly and produces negligible greenhouse gases. In addition, a system is striking in its cost-effectiveness since it converts 95% of energy inherent in the moving water into electric energy. Compared to sources like fossil fuels, which produce 60% efficiency, the potential for hydroelectric power is enormous. Hydropower was first used by ancient generations for the driving of wheels to make work easier. Over generations, the energy source evolved and was finally utilized for the generation of electricity, with authorities being struck by its renewable nature. The energy source only utilized the flowing water’s energy to produce electricity without decimating the water supply. This was especially significance since the water sources were the lifeline of the populations living along them and down-stream to them (Kaygusuz, 2009). Its development was aided by human’s need to find an energy source that was not decimated over time. Most energy sources at the time were used in large quantities that were obviously not sustainable in the occurrence that technology either remained on its course, or increased to require more energy. The greenhouse gas emitting nature of fossil fuels is the other factor that greatly affected the development of this source. Hydropower showed excellent potential in the cutting of these gases (Kaygusuz, 2009). Hydropower has come a long way to provide one fifth of the world’s power requirements (Kaygusuz, 2009). These projects were started in rural areas since estimates showed that the world’s rural population would grow by 95%. The highest demand was also forecasted to come from developing countries, which have been highly receptive of the energy. This was driven by the fact that the energy source was not liable to market fluctuations. Most governmental authorities around the world have turned to this energy source due to its combination of water management and its renewable nature. 2. Biomass Use as a Transitional Strategy for a Sustainable and Clean Energy System The greatest factor that made biogas desirable was its contribution to development that was desirable. Its attractiveness was further enhanced by low cost for conversion of resources into usable energy, as well as the availability of the resources, which was local. This made the energy source secure, thus desirable (Kaygusuz & Keles, 2009). Its usefulness in rehabilitation of degraded land via the use of exhausted resources as manure also led to most governmental authorities to invest in its development, since it promoted sustainable development. These authorities were also attracted by the fact that the sector created jobs for the rural population, decreasing urban migration. Solid biomass, however, had to be first converted into gaseous or liquid energy via bioconversion. This required investment from various authorities to produce it in large scale. The products from the early models were liquid, gaseous, or solid fuels, as well as mechanical, heat, or electrical energy (Kaygusuz & Keles, 2009). This wide array of energy products woke the authorities up to the possibilities of biomass fuels. However, due to the size of plants and their efficiency, most authorities held back from investing in them as electric power production avenues (Kaygusuz & Keles, 2009). 3. Wind Power as an Avenue for a Clean and Sustainable Energy Future. As wind turbine technology advanced over the last few decades, the objectives of wind turbines have evolved from being driven conventionally, to being driven optimally. This led to improved operating costs. Wind turbine technology was striking in its conversion of wind energy via the rotation of the blades into electrical currents without using any other energy source (Ferreira et al, 2010). Its compatibility with both large scale consumers like the national grid, and small-scale consumers, like rural residents encouraged investors and other stakeholders to take advantage of its potential in cost effectiveness. Another factor that led to the growth f this energy source was its renewable nature, clean status, and wide distribution. Wind energy also proved to have extremely low marginal costs and a high proportion of up-front costs. This made it cost effective since they required no fuel. The fact that they had almost zero fuel and maintenance costs, despite their high capital outlay, sold the energy source to many governments around the world as a sustainable energy source (Ferreira et al, 2010). The last few years have seen a massive increase in interest, in wind energy globally. This was especially due to its cost effectiveness, sustainability and its clean status (Ferreira et al, 2010). The massive reductions seen in costs of wind energy due to the development of new technologies also saw an upsurge in interest, as this was tied to favourable scales of growth and forecasting. However, the biggest downfall of wind energy was the forecasts that it would simply not do in densely populated areas because of the incessant noise they produced and the visibility issues that they caused (Kaygusuz, 2009). Forecasts made by the EU in the late 1990s showed that future hydropower would dominate renewable energy resources. They also forecast that wind energy would continue to grow. Hydropower and wind energy have been known, since the turn of the century, to have exremely low, or zero, emission of greenhouse gases. The trend that started decades ago to find and exploit sustainable and clean energy sources was inspired and bore the renewable energy sector that promised to become the energy technologies of the future. References Kaygusuz K. K, Keles S. S. (2009). Use of Biomass as a Transitional Strategy to a Sustainable and Clean Energy System. Energy Sources Part A: Recovery, Utilization & Environmental Effects, 31(1), 86-97. Doi:10.1080/15567030701468225 Kaygusuz, K. K. (2009). The Role of Hydropower for Sustainable Energy Development. Energy Sources Part B: Economics, Planning & Policy, 4(4), 365-376. Doi:10.1080/15567240701756889 Kaygusuz, K. K. (2009). Wind Power for a Clean and Sustainable Energy Future. Energy Sources Part B: Economics, Planning & Policy, 4(1), 122-133. Doi:10.1080/15567240701620390 Ferreira P, Araujo M, O'Kelly M. J. (2010). Electricity Power Planning: the Role of Wind Energy. World Academy of Science, Engineering & Technology, 71951-955 Read More