We have a growing need for energy. We need energy that is constant, safe, secure, controllable and distributable. Unfortunately, all sources come with benefits, costs, problems, limitations and issues. There is no best energy source or one that should be used by everyone, everywhere. The best source depends on availability, local considerations and cost. It is necessary to think about the full picture.
All energy on Earth ultimately comes from the sun or from outside our solar system. Matter comes from energy released in the formation of the universe and can be transferred back to energy. Solar fusion in our sun creates continuous energy that comes to fuel the Earth. Energy manifests itself in weak forces, strong forces, electromagnetism and gravity. Those forms can and are transferred back to other forms of energy.                 Â
Fossil fuels and biomass energy depend on the sun, which provides energy for photosynthesis. Wind energy is localized and variable. Solar energy is also variable, available only in the day and not much lands in one place. Hydrothermal energy from inside the Earth or the ocean is available in only certain places. Hydrological energy available from water must be recovered and brought to land somehow. Nuclear energy comes from the energy that made matter and is large and highly concentrated.
Fossil fuels and biomass have stored energy that can be released in chemical reactions. Energy can be obtained from plant biomass on land or in water. However, both require a lot of room to make much energy. Biomass energy from aqueous plants requires considerable amounts of energy to remove water before releasing energy. Releasing fossil fuel and plant-based energy by oxygenation releases carbon dioxide. Many people want to reduce the amount of the Earth’s CO2, believing it affects our climate. Reducing CO2 requires chemical, thermal or other forms of energy to capture CO2 or release carbon and oxygen. Almost all chemical or other reactions require more energy to release CO2 than the energy recovered.
Wind, hydrothermal, hydrological and nuclear energy do not generate carbon dioxide in operation, but some CO2 is generated in the manufacture and construction of the facilities. Wind energy is usually available distant from where it is needed. Sadly, wind energy is responsible for killing lots of birds and needs a great deal of land. Hydrothermal energy is available in limited locations, and is somewhat inefficient to convert to electricity. Energy can be lost due to the cost for recovery and transportation. Hydrological energy from dams works well. However, there are only a limited number of areas left to dam and dams have environmental consequences. Unfortunately, there are no good economic technologies to capture the force of waters other than dams. There are environmental consequences to ocean and tidal recovery processes to make energy. Nuclear energy is vast, available and concentrated, yet there is concern about uncontrollability and radiation.
Solar, biomass and fossil fuel energy comes to Earth and was or is converted to wind, thermal and hydrological or electrical energy. Solar energy collection is low in efficiency due to physical limitations, daily day/night changes and the position of the sun during the day. Also, we usually do not get solar energy at the times of the day that it is most needed. It is localized and therefore may not be located where needed. Of course, all fossil fuel and biomass energy recovery processes release carbon dioxide.
Knowing all this, what do we do?
Fossil fuels and biomass release carbon dioxide that requires energy to remove or mitigate. Electromagnetic energy from batteries is distributable but the energy must come from somewhere else. We need some form of energy to remove CO2 from that released from fossil fuels and biomass. Nuclear energy is more concentrated than any other source of energy on earth and does provide an abundant, constant, CO2-free source of energy.
If we are worried about using biomass and fossil fuels because of the release of carbon dioxide, we need another source to control the CO2 produced from fossil fuels and biomass. Solar and wind energy can work but we need a cost-effective way to make the energy and deal with the supply and land use needs. A good method of energy storage and distribution can help these sources, but this is still a work in progress. Nuclear energy can be the solution if we can develop safe, small modular reactor facilities.
So, with energy, as with most other things, there is not yet one solution that fits all situations. All alternatives must be considered based on reliability, cost, location, environmental considerations and the ability to distribute the energy to where it is needed. Technology to help us may be coming but unfortunately it is not here yet.
GA Ben Binninger
Valencia
