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Source:
Borneo Bulletin
Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
By: James Kon
John
Loughhead, the President of the
Institution of Engineering and
Technology (UK) and the Executive
Director of UK Energy Research Centre,
delivering his keynote address. - JAMES
KON
The
President of the Institution of
Engineering and Technology (UK) and the
Executive Director of UK Energy Research
Centre yesterday highlighted the global
potential for renewable energies in his
keynote address at the opening ceremony
of the 1st International Conference of
the Institution of Engineering and
Technology Brunei Darussalam Network,
yesterday at the Rizqun International
Hotel.
Speaking on the topic of "Renewable
Technology in Future Sustainable Energy
Systems", John Loughhead predicted that
the world energy demand would double
from 10,000,000 MW in 2006 to 20,000,000
MW in 2050.
He added, "The increased energy that we
use is tiny compared to the energy that
we received from the sun
(100,000,000,000 MW) and wind
(100,000,000MW)."
Loughhead noted, "Today, we use fossil
fuels, and the conventional figures on
estimation of reserves on energy
include, oil is 41 years, natural gas is
67 years and coal is 165 years, based on
current prices at today's rates of
extraction and consumption."
"Of course, the problem with hydrocarbon
fuels is that they emit carbon and
global carbon emissions have been on the
rise for the last hundred years or so.
One of the consequences is that over 50
years, there is a detectable increase of
concentrated carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. Although the concentration
is small in absolute term, it is
believed that the consequence of the
concentration of carbon dioxide has led
to a detectable increase in global
temperature.
"The rise in temperatures could have
potentially significant consequences.
The projected impacts of climate change
have adverse effects on crop yields, the
availability of water, the destruction
of ecosystems, extreme weather condition
and others."
Outlining recommendations in the efforts
needed to replace carbon emitted by year
2054, he said, "The world needs to have
700GW of nuclear energy displacing coal
power."
"In the biomass fuel, the world will
need to produce two billion 60-mpg cars
running on biofuels, which need 250
million hectares of high yield crops. To
generate hydrogen that could be used in
vehicles, we need to produce enough
hydrogen to fuel two billion vehicles.
In solar energy, over 50 years, we must
install 120-240000000 m2 (of panels)
each year."
Highlighting Europe's efforts in saving
energy, he said, "Europe has issued a
directive to reduce energy usages by 20
per cent by 2020. By the same year, the
UK target for renewable energy by 15 per
cent."
He also touched on the renewable energy
from waves and the tide.
In concluding, he made a projection of
the situation up until in 2050 where
current renewable energy will provide an
increasing amount of energy but will not
meet our ambitious demands. Integrating
"renewables" will require new approaches
to energy infrastructure, especially
electrical distribution networks. Fossil
fuels will remain dominant and available
but at a price. Coal will become
increasingly important, improved
technologies for fossil use, carbon
management and small-scale integration
are critical. Developing economies are
key both to users and developers of
energy technology. |
