Energy Source for the near Future - Assignment Example

The energy development in the past has been linked directly to the market demand which was proven very successful in the past. But this approach has led to large-scale depletion in the resources that were easily accessible and escalated the concerns about environmental damage. Thus it is necessary to have a large number of options for meeting the growing demand while causing very less impact on the earth.

The reports available show that the fuel mix has more or less remained constant since 1980 (Lave, 291). According to the reports of the U.S. Department of Energy, half the quantity f electricity generated is from coal, nuclear plants account for 20 percent of the generated electricity, while hydroelectric plants contribute 7 percent and finally renewable energy and petroleum products account for 2 percent each. A significant thrust has been given by most of the state administrations to maximize the use of renewables. But the major challenge in the use of renewables is said to be the absence of a feasible electricity storage system. The estimates say that according to the prevailing conditions, 8 to 10 hours of sunlight is adequate to generate electricity for 24 hours but the lack of efficient and low-cost units to store this energy is a major drawback (Lave, 291). So is the case of wind energy also. The availability of wind and the period of electricity demand doesn't match, the wind in the required manner is not available, especially during the summer months when the electricity demand is at its peak. Hence, the feasible and immediate reliance would be on fossil felt itself and hence attempts should be made to minimize the impact caused by using large quantities of fossil for electricity generation. Thus the challenge is to make fossil fuel energy use more environmentally acceptable. Using a class of materials called Amines, carbon dioxide from the flue gases could be adsorbed and released during the process of regeneration (Lave, 291).
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B) What role will the state and federal governments play in the adoption of these new technologies?
The state and federal governments must be able to prepare regional-specific energy road maps considering the national energy consumptive pattern. The regional strengths in using renewable energy could be analyzed and the list of applications where the renewable energy intervention could be undertaken shall be assessed. Thus the state governments would be able to propose a pragmatic report listing the potential use of different types of renewable energy types. And the federal administration could give the necessary manpower and financial support for the augmentation of energy technologies or its promotion aimed towards the lesser utilization of electricity distributed in the common pool or from conventional fossil fuel sources.

C) Renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and landfill gases, provide 3 percent of New Jersey's electrical energy. Coal-burning plants generate 20 %, natural gas 21 percent, and petroleum plants 16 percent. How do you think your proposed energy technology can fit into New Jersey's long-term energy goals?

The role played the renewable energy in the total electrical energy needed in the New Jersey region is very low. The major drawback has been the lack of appropriate technological support available to meet the existing demand of the region. This technology development is a long-term goal, and a short-term strategy to enhance the dependence on renewable energy is also necessary. This could be in the form of the promotion of devices that depend on renewable sources of power and are used for both residential and commercial requirements. Read More