2012, the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All:

Renewable energy - a wave of the future

By Pramod DE SILVA

The world runs on energy. We need energy to operate everything from our cars to light bulbs. We derive most of this energy from burning fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel and coal. But there is a catch: these fuels will run out - perhaps in the next 200 years. Thus we have some more time to come up with viable solutions for the expected energy crunch.

Did you know that more than 1.4 billion people worldwide have no access to electricity and that 2.5 billion people – almost half of humanity – rely on traditional firewood for cooking and heating ? Our present energy sources are not adequate to supply them with the needed power and energy.

The solution lies in sustainable or renewable energy sources. The United Nations has taken the lead in popularising renewable energy. In fact, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made sustainable energy one of his five priorities for the next five years. With this aim in mind, the UN has declared 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

He will direct the United Nations to extend energy’s reach to combat endemic poverty. Universal access to energy, improved efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources are among the ambitious goals set by the UN.

This UN initiative will call for private sector and national commitments and attract global attention to the importance of energy for development and poverty alleviation. The goal is to meet three objectives by 2030:

• Ensuring universal access to modern energy services.

• Doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

• Doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

All these goals can be achieved with the advancement of technology and the right guidance by Governmental authorities. Private sector expertise can also be utilised where possible.

Before thinking of converting our energy system entirely to renewables, it is more practical to use existing energy sources and end products more efficiently. For example, carmakers are coming up with energy efficient diesel and hybrid cars which can go more kilometres per litre than even the cars manufactured just five years ago. Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs can give you light much brighter than that of an incandescent bulb at a fraction of the cost. Many of today’s household appliances use less power to perform their tasks.

There are many devices such as lanterns and radios which can be cranked by hand to run for hours on end.

Saving energy

There are many ways in which we can save energy – such as turning off unwanted lights, cycling or walking to the junction instead of taking the car and using a sophisticated filter instead of heating water. Imagine the savings if everyone were to follow such simple steps.

But as mentioned previously, there will be a day when fossil fuels run out. In preparation, we have made substantial progress in the sphere of renewable energy. Among the most well-known approaches are solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, wave energy and geothermal energy. Hydropower is another popular method.

Solar energy is already well established. There are many homes which use solar hot water heaters. In rural areas where it is impractical or uneconomical for the national grid to reach, solar panels provide electricity to thousands of homes. Scientists are now striving to increase the efficiency of solar panels, whose costs are coming down drastically. Remember, solar energy is completely free once the installation is complete.

And it won’t run out for the next 4.6 billion years. It has already been predicted that photovoltaic solar and concentrated solar thermal power will prevail in the 2060 energy mix, meeting a third of the overall global consumption and half of total electricity needs. Sri Lanka too has initiated several solar power projects countrywide.

Wind energy is similarly free and everlasting, though there are places and times where the wind is not very obliging. Rapid advances are being made in this sector. Wind turbine prices have dropped sharply in recent years, and a US report released in 2011 highlights that trend. According to the latest edition of the US Department of Energy's "Wind Technologies Market Report," turbine prices decreased by 33 percent or more between late 2008 and 2010. New turbine designs which are much more efficient have also been tested with an eye on commercialisation. A wind farm is being set up in Hambantota in Sri Lanka, putting the country on the global wind energy map.

Sri Lanka is also in an ideal position to reap the benefits of another form of energy, being an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Ocean wave energy is already becoming a mainstream renewable energy source. According to a recent report, Sri Lanka has identified 14 sites along its coastline to build power plants using energy from ocean waves as part of a move to shift to renewable energy sources. This is ideal as the country is embraced by waves with high energy potential throughout the year. Mid size wave energy projects are already operational in some countries such as Australia.

Prohibitive costs

However, the main limitation when it comes to wave power is the cost. The manufacturing and setup costs of the installations are prohibitive. Another challenge is ensuring that generators and equipment stay rust free. They also need to be built to withstand storms and harsh weather. However, Danish engineers have demonstrated a wave-energy conversion device that is able to adapt its structure from calm to rough seas.

Biomass energy is another exciting area. Biomass energy is derived from five distinct energy sources: garbage, wood, waste, landfill gases and plant-based alcohol fuels. It can mean a range of options from solid waste material to biological waste that are used to generate power. Sri Lanka is making strides in this field as well. Australian biofuel producer Algae Tec has signed a collaboration contract with building materials company Holcim Lanka to build an algae biofuels production facility in Sri Lanka. The facility will initially comprise a production plant of five photo-bioreactor modules that Holcim Lanka will use to determine whether to go ahead with a larger facility.

Geothermal energy

We are yet to harness the power of the Earth – geothermal energy – on a vast scale. If you have witnessed the ferocity of a volcanic eruption, you will realise the immense power that the Earth wields. This is a source of power that can be used to supply electricity to thousands of homes.

It is no pipe dream – some countries are already tapping this vast resource. For example, Nicaragua will add 36 MW of geothermal energy to the national grid later this month. The 36 megawatts are part of the 72 megawatt geothermal energy field generated by the San Jacinto-Tizate, in the Municipality of Telica, in the Pacific volcanic chain. It has been estimated that certain regions in Africa have the potential to generate 15,000 MW from geothermal energy and several European countries have agreed to fund geothermal projects there.

While these technologies sound exotic, we cannot forget simple hydroelectricity (basically, power from water) which has been powering our households for nearly 60 years. Since large hydroelectric projects raise environmental concerns, the attention has shifted to 1-10 MW mini hydroelectric projects which are more environmentally sustainable. Several Sri Lankan companies have already built mini hydro plants and more are on the way. A renewable energy company recently announced the construction of two mini hydro projects in Kadurugasgoda in Ratnapura and Uvathenna in the Balangoda area.

The country’s largest mini hydro plant will be built in Getambe, Kandy.

This year will thus be a very promising year for the expansion of renewable energy all over the world. With manufacturing and installation costs coming down, there is no excuse for not trying renewable energy right away. These initiatives will ensure a smooth ‘transition of power’ once fossil fuels run out in the next few centuries.