The only alternative - Alternative power sources

By Sajitha Prematunge

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At an age where environmental pollution, due to burning of fossil fuel, has reached a critical level and the relationship between the supply and demand of oil has refused to stick to the predictable text book definition; in the face of the fuel prize hike, what will be the new facet of the energy crisis.

Some of course believe that it’s not a crisis at all. There have been false alarms like this before. The world was in danger of running out of fossil fuel deposits back in 1970s, but exploratory research turned up with new discoveries of deposits, this coupled with increased fuel efficiency brought down the prize of oil again.

Is what happening now, a similar scenario? “No.” Says Asoka Abeygunawardena, Executive Director Energy Forum. “There was a similar oil prize hike in the 1970 because people started to realize that oil resources are limited. This was published in ‘Limits to growth’ by the Club of Rome, a group of scientists. But thanks to the new technology, the prizes went down again.”

However according to Asoka Abeygunawardena this time it’s different. Observing the trends of fossil fuel consumption, of the past few decades, it’s clear that our consumption exceeds the rate at which new reserve are discovered.” He further explained that since 1980 there was a limited stock of oil reserves available and man has been exhausting it at an alarming rate.

Consequently in 1980, in an attempt to identify new oil reserves using high tech exploratory methods resulted in the discovery of - till then undiscovered - oil reserves. Accordingly there was another drop in oil prizes. But someday these oil reserves will also be exhausted.

According to Asoka Abeygunawardena, what’s termed as an ‘oil peak’ is expected by 2010 or 12. “The necessity for the oil peak is two folds. On one hand if we keep up the current consumption rate, all oil reserves will be depleted by 2030.” says he. Although a greater percentage of the national energy requirement was fulfilled by hydro power, the tables have now turned.

“Power generated by hydro electricity now, accounts for only 40% of the total supply while 60% is provided by oil.” 60% of oil in Sri Lanka is used for the transportation sector, 25% for the generation of electricity, 8% for industrial and thermal applications and 7% for domestic use.

With the increased use of oil another factor also requires immediate attention. Carbon dioxide emitted by burning of fossil fuel causes global warming. “Another 2 degree celsius increase will be fatal. The whole world is now bent on decreasing the level of carbon dioxide emission. Consequently a ‘CO2 emissions peak’ is expected in 2015.”

He explained that only if the world is able to achieve the CO2 emissions peak in 2015 will the world be able to refrain from exceeding the 2 degree mark. And a staggering 80% drop in the CO2 level is required, under the current situation to reach the CO2 emissions peak in 2015.

Discussing the alternate power sources solutions available for Sri Lanka, Asoka Abeygunawardena said that hydro power generation capacity can be increased up to 100 mega watts. Electricity generated from Gliriciria can account for up to 3000 mega watts, wind power can generate up to 24,000 mega watts. “A large area of Sri Lanka consists of coasts. And we can benefit from its winds and ocean currents and waves.”

But at the face of the latest fuel prize hike how is the transport service to survive, without becoming a luxury for the common people. “The rail should definitely be electrified, at least in the suburbs.” Dr. Saman Fernando, Manager, Technology watch centre, NSF (National Science foundation) said to the Sunday Observer. “There is no pollution and it’s energy efficient.”

He claims that there is still no substitute for diesel. “However producing biodiesel using oil bearing crops such as coconut, palm and Jathropa is possible, but large scale experiments have not been conducted.” Brazil transportation service depend 100% on ethanol and USA 20%. Unfortunately Sri Lanka is lagging behind.

“There isn’t a good acreage of flowering seeds of Jathropa in Sri Lanka. Although there are some Jathropa plantations in the North Central province, seeds need to be collected and large scale tests have to performed on vehicles.”

However there is much hope for Sri Lankas transport service, even at the face of the latest fuel prize hike. The University of Moratuwa is now in the process of testing methane, acquired from biogass and landfills, as fuel for three wheelers.

However the best viable alternate power source for Sri Lankan transport service may be Ethyl alcohol. The target of the plans of Inter-ministerial Committee on implementation of Bio-fuel, is to substitute petrol consumption with fuel-alcohol by 1%.

Ethanol or ethyl alcohol, is a byproduct of sugar cane production.

And this can be used as a fuel. Two Sugar production companies in Sri Lanka, Pelwatte and Sewanagala has claimed that they have the capacity to produce the required 1% of ethanol. According to the policies drawn, in a few years it can reach 10%.

Although nearly 70,000 ha of land have been recommended for sugar cane cultivation, by the Mahaweli Project, only 18,000 ha are used today. “Sugar corporations don’t own land. The land is owned by the private sector. So there is a limited acreage.” explained Dr. Saman Fernando.

“If the remaining recommended land are cultivated in order to acquire ethanol there would be an excess of sugar. This excess sugar can also be turned into ethyl alcohol.” Ariyaseela Wickramanayake, Chairman of Pelwatta Sugar Corporation, told the Sunday Observer that they can produce the entire requirement of ethanol. He also claims that just 65,000 ha of sugar cultivation can provide enough ethanol to replace petrol completely.

“It can produce up to 150 mega watts of power, employ a million people and save the country a huge amount of foreign exchange.” The sugar corporations have agreed to produce Anhydrous alcohol (does not consist water), if the necessary technology is provided.

Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee on implementation of Bio-fuel, Professor K. K. Y. W. Perera told the Sunday Observer that the government has decided to be self sufficient in sugar cane. But with the fast depleting oil reserves and sky rocketing prizes is just reaching that 10% mark enough? “What’s significant is making an effort. Producing alcohol takes a long time. We want to produce Nitrous alcohol and then convert that to Anhydrous alcohol. For now one to 10% is appropriate, 20% can be reached in a the lapse of five years.”

However he pointed out two difficulties is introducing ethanol. “The first is that it’s a large scale production. The second is the demand. Since it is new people may be slightly reluctant to utilize it.”

But Dr. Saman Fernando explains that when the ethanol production reaches the 10% mark, ethanol can be distributed by pumping machines, in fuel stations. But before that, when ethanol production gets off ground, people can start using them without fear. The combination of ethanol and petrol poses no threat to vehicles and can be used in any model.” And they believe that it will ultimately be much cheaper than oil and definitely eco-friendly.

Where as using bio gas is nearly ten years in the future, according to experts; and solar power is not economically realistic yet, bio-fuel seems to be the most promising alternative.

The most likely total world oil endowment is about 2,390,000,000,000 barrels. Of this amount, 77 percent has already been discovered and 30 percent has already been produced and consumed. If this estimate proves to be reasonably accurate, current relatively stabilized world oil-production volumes could be sustained to about the middle of the 21st century, in which case there would be an automatic drop in the production. (Source: Encyclopedia Britanica)

But mounting evidence about global warming is telling us that - with or without an energy crisis - we need to change our present consumption of fossil fuel sooner rather than later. With global energy consumption expected to double by 2030, economists say that continuing with the current rate of consumption for another two decades would be devastating to the global environment.

Source: Internet