World energy demand to triple by 2050

The world’s energy demand will triple by 2050 with the population to be around nine billion, said Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa, Dr. Janaka Wijesundara.

Wind mills, a clean energy source

He was addressing the media at a ceremony to launch the International conference on ‘Use of Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Living’.

He said the use of costly thermal power has given rise to many adverse issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, acid rain, climate change, depletion of fossil fuels and a threat to the existence of life on the planet. “Over 80 percent of the world’s electricity is produced by fossil and nuclear fuels with transportation mainly fuelled by petroleum”, Dr. Wijesundara said. According to geological surveys global oil production will go into terminal decline with the rapid increase in demand for fuel. Marion King Hubbert, a Texan oil geologist predicted that oil production in any given region would reach a peak and then slip into terminal decline. Staggering energy bills, drain on foreign exchange and environemtal degradation are the outcome of the use of diesel fuelled thermal power. “Sri Lanka is blessed with ample sunlight and water which could be harnessed to produce energy for the country.Population and industrial expansion in the country has increased the demand for energy”, Dr. Wijesundara said.

He said what Sri Lanka lacks is the technology and know-how to use the resources to produce energy.

Wind mills in Puttalam and plans to set up more of them in feasible locations is a positive move which needs to be supported. Sri Lanka is backward in using renewable energy as an alternative to harmful fossil fuels.Technology on solar energy has expanded and more research on wind power is needed.

The conference which will be held from November 26-28 in Colombo will focus on the need to use environment friendly renewable methods of energy production.

(LF)