| Nurture future with Renewable Energy | | | | of fossil fuels is increasing. So sources of these fossil |
| | | | | fuels are being exhausted. |
| Energy is the ability to do work. All the sources of | | | | Of course every one will expect for sustainable |
| energy provide us the energy we need to live our | | | | development. The sources of energy that are |
| busy lives. This energy comes in different forms. For | | | | generally being used rapidly are non-renewable |
| example- heat (Thermal), light (Radiant), mechanical, | | | | sources of energy that is not able to provide |
| electrical, chemical and nuclear energy. Energy is in | | | | sustainable development. Use of non-renewable |
| every thing. We use energy to do every thing we | | | | energy sources is also providing global threat of |
| do, from making a jump shot to baking our favorite | | | | climate change. |
| cookies, to sending astronauts into space. | | | | Climate change is already happening and represents |
| There are two types of energy- | | | | one of the greatest environmental, social and |
| 1-Stored (Potential) Energy | | | | economic threats. The European Union is committed |
| 2-Working (kinetic) Energy | | | | to work constructively for a global agreement to |
| On the basis of replenishment, energy is of two | | | | control climate change, and is leading the way by |
| types | | | | taking ambitious action of its own. |
| 1-Renewable Energy | | | | The human activities that contribute to climate |
| These are the sources of energy that can be | | | | change include in particular the burning of fossil fuels, |
| replenished naturally in a short period of time after | | | | agriculture and land use changes like deforestation, |
| being used. | | | | these cause emission of carbon dioxide, the main gas |
| 2-Non-Renewable Energy | | | | responsible for climate change as well as of other |
| These are the sources of energy that can not be | | | | green house gases. To bring climate change to a halt, |
| replenished in a short period of time. Non-Renewable | | | | global green house gas emission must be reduced |
| energy sources come out of the ground as liquids, | | | | significantly. |
| gases and solids. Right now, crude oil (Petroleum) is | | | | So the only way to get sustainable development and |
| the only natural liquid commercial fuel. Natural gas and | | | | to reduce the problem of global threat of climate |
| propane are normally gases and coal is a solid. Coal, | | | | change is to turn towards the renewable sources of |
| Petroleum, natural gas and propane are all considered | | | | energy. |
| fossil fuel because they are formed from buried | | | | It has been discussed that renewable and |
| remains of plants and animals that lived millions of | | | | non-renewable sources are decided on the basis of |
| years ago. Uranium ore, a solid, is mined and | | | | timescale. The non-renewable sources are called so |
| converted to a fuel. Uranium is not a fossil fuel. | | | | because these can not be replenished in a short |
| Detail explanation of renewable and non-renewable | | | | period of time. So its too much use may deplete its |
| energy on the basis of timescale is given ahead. | | | | sources, which can not be reformed in a short time |
| India is speedily developing country. Now-a-days | | | | and hence these sources may not be available for |
| there is a conflict between various countries of the | | | | future generation. But if these sources are allowed |
| world for development. At present era, development | | | | for limited use and proper recycling of material, |
| of country is the capacity of that country to imbibe | | | | where it is possible, these sources may contribute to |
| technology. Of course use of technology is directly | | | | sustainable development. But we must pay attention |
| related with consumption of energy. So availability | | | | on global threat of climate change. So the use of |
| and consumption of energy decides level of | | | | sources of energy responsible for climate change |
| development. Here a question arises. Development | | | | must be avoided. So, proper use of all renewable |
| should be only for today or it must be a sustainable | | | | sources of energies is the solution of all these |
| development. | | | | problems. The proper use suggests here, the use of |
| Here a need of discussion on sustainable | | | | renewable energy in such a way so that these |
| development is being experienced. | | | | sources are not depleted. As discussed above |
| Sustainable development was defined by Brundtland | | | | depletion of renewable energy is too harmful. |
| Report of the world commission on Environment and | | | | Various renewable sources of energy are available, |
| Development (United Nations, 1987, p.43) as "meeting | | | | for example- Solar Energy, Wind Energy, |
| the needs of the present without compromising the | | | | Hydro-power and Bio-Diesel etc. Bio-Diesel is also an |
| ability of future generations to meet their own | | | | important renewable source of energy. All the |
| needs". | | | | renewable sources of energy are equally important. |
| The practical realization of this concept depends on | | | | But the detail discussion of Bio-Diesel and solar |
| the timescale to which it is applied. For sustainable | | | | energy is being done here. The interest has been |
| development renewable energy sources must be | | | | deviated towards the discussion of only these two. It |
| used. At the extreme, all resources on this planet | | | | is because of the visit of some research work |
| (except sunlight) are finite and can therefore be | | | | related to these fields. |
| exhausted (thereby denying access to future | | | | Bio-Diesel refers to a nonpetroleum based diesel fuel |
| generations, Richards, 2006). In practice, however, | | | | consisting of long chain alkyl (Methyl, Propyl or ethyl) |
| most non-renewable resources (metals, minerals) with | | | | esters made by trnasesterification of vegetable oil, |
| the exception of fossil fuels, are not destroyed by | | | | animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone or |
| their usage and with efficient recycling these | | | | blended with conventional petrodiesel) in modified |
| materials can be renewed. They are only considered | | | | diesel engine vehicle. The trnasesterification process |
| non-renewable in the sense that natural formation of | | | | involves mixing vegetable oil, alcohol and sodium |
| new economic deposits of these materials occurs on | | | | hydroxide. This is simple enough that many people do |
| timescales that greatly exceed human experience | | | | it at home. The reaction also produces glycerol as a |
| (e.g. tens of thousands to millions of years). | | | | product (~ 10% by weight). Bio-diesel is distinguished |
| For most of the non-renewable materials that is being | | | | from the straight vegetable oil (SVO) (Some times |
| used in the present time supply has crossed the | | | | referred to as "waste vegetable oil""WVO""used |
| demand over the last century. New resources are | | | | vegetable oil" "UVO""Pure plant oil""PPO") used (alone |
| continually being discovered and new technologies | | | | or blended) as fuels in some converted diesel |
| increase the efficiency of mineral extraction and | | | | vehicles. If use of Bio-Diesel becomes practical from |
| processing. Hence in short to medium term, future | | | | all angles, it will be too beneficial for society. It is the |
| generations are not being disadvantaged by our | | | | time of Diesel and petrol crisis. Easily accessible |
| current usage. New sources and new developed | | | | sources of diesel and petrol are decreasing and hence |
| technologies are available for next generations. In the | | | | their rates are increasing. Dependence on only diesel |
| longer term however, easily mined resources will be | | | | and petrol shows insecure future. Transport is the |
| harder to find i.e. near surface and high grade | | | | base of development. Now-a-days transport is mainly |
| resources will be depleted. This will cause price | | | | based on availability of diesel and petrol. So for a |
| increase. In longer term only deeper and less | | | | safe and developed future, bio-diesel may prove a |
| accessible, that is called lower grade and harder to | | | | prominent base. But bio-diesel is still under research. |
| reach, deposits will be available. | | | | The next topic of interest is solar energy. Solar |
| In contrast, there are many of the renewable | | | | energy is the primary source of energy for our |
| resources that face the greatest risk of exhaustion. | | | | planet. It is radiant light and heat from sun that has |
| In the case of living resources (plants and animals), | | | | been harnessed by human since ancient time. Solar |
| potential extinction and renewable resources | | | | energy refers primarily to the use of solar radiation |
| depletion such as deforestation over fishing, soil | | | | for practical ends. Increased utilization of the same |
| degradation and river and ground water drawdown is | | | | would result in all round benefit, both in terms of |
| possible. It can cause long term damage to eco | | | | cleaner environment and monetary gain, for individual |
| systems. This damage is far in excess of that caused | | | | user as well as the nation. All other renewable |
| by extraction and use of non-renewable resources, | | | | energies other than geothermal derive their energy |
| with the exception of changes to the earth's | | | | from the sun. |
| atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. | | | | Solar power technologies provide electrical generation |
| Fossil fuels are called non-renewable sources of | | | | by means of heat engine or photovoltaic's. |
| energy. Actually fossil fuels are an exception to the | | | | Solar energy is being used for water heating, space |
| effective inexhaustibility of non-renewable resources. | | | | heating, space cooling and process heat generation. |
| Fossil fuels are destroyed by there use. Natural | | | | Solar vehicles are being used. |
| reformation of coal, oil, and natural gas from CO2 | | | | Solar energy is being used for water treatment i.e. it |
| released into the atmosphere by burning of fossil | | | | is being used in solar still, solar water disinfection, |
| fuels occurs on timescale of millions to hundreds of | | | | solar desalination and solar power desalination unit. |
| millions of years and so it is effectively non existence | | | | Not only these, various different solar devices have |
| of these resources from the human perspective. But | | | | been developed and most of them are being used. |
| actually reformation of these sources is possible. | | | | Researches are going on various solar devices to |
| Although new reserves of hydrocarbons continue to | | | | have better use of solar energy. |
| be found and coal is in plentiful supply, consumption | | | | |