Emaya on Fossil Fuel Alternatives

The three computer entities, Uncle Guhu, Brother Mikidepartment of energy. The temperature below the
and Bitsy researched alternatives to fossil fuel energysurface is relatively constant throughout the year;
and put out an email through eMaya. Fololowing is anthe geothermal pump warms up the fluid down in the
excerpt from the book 'eMaya' :ÂEarth and uses it to heat the home during the cold
    Guhu openedwinter. The same system has an accessory which
the conversation. "There is a general belief that mostprovides domestic hot water for bathing and
of the fossil fuel, coal, gas and oil, is used to makewashing, thus saving substantial energy. It's being
electricity. But that's not true. I found from the USinstalled in the US in many homes, but we could
Energy Information Administration (EIA), there is 15promote the idea around the world where it snows
TWh (trillion watt hours) of energy consumed by theduring the winter and save heating fuel."
World every hour, of which only 5.5 TWh are   "I support the idea." Said
electricity."Bitsy. "We now know that all these renewable
   Miki couldn't believe it. Heenergy sources are very small. They are not going
said, "Then what is the rest for?"make the slightest dent in the fossil fuel consumption.
   Guhu replied, "There is aWe need something big. What about solar power?"
lot used for making steam in the chemical and food   "Solar power is also a
industry, there is a fair amount for making cement,good economical substitute for water heaters in
there is a large amount used in heating homes, sometropical countries for heating domestic water for the
is used in transport and most of the rest is used forshower in the bathroom. You need to install rolled
cooking food!"sheets on the roof exposed to sunlight and circulate
   Bitsy spontaneouslythe heated water down in the taps," replied Miki.
remarked, "We must therefore, substitute fossil fuel   "That's one use. But the
in all these energy requirements to reduce the carbonother is more interesting. There is a way to convert
dioxide emissions. It's getting more complicated."the sunlight directly into electricity by using what is
   Guhu said, "Electricity isknown as photovoltaic cells or PV in short. The
generated from many sources. It's not all fossil fuel.largest planned PV station is at Victoria, Australia with
They have 16% by nuclear power, 5.6% by Oil,a capacity of 154 MW to be commissioned in phases
19.5% by Natural Gas, 30.5% by coal, and only 18.6from 2010 to 2013. It is the World's most advanced
% by renewable sources. The fossil fuels togetherPV heliostat solar concentrator power station.
represent the majority, i.e. 65.6%!"Tracking mirrors will concentrate the sunlight on the
   "So the fossil fuels addlarge PV cells to generate power. It will reduce
up to 13.2 TW; 9.5 TW for other uses and 3.7 TWgreenhouse gas emissions by 400,000 tons a year,"
for electricity generation. That is 88% of 15 TW ofexplained Guhu.
the total." Bitsy put the figures together.   "But this is nothing
   Miki said, "That meanscompared to the Palo Verde nuclear reactor in the
that of the total fossil fuel consumed, 75% is beingUS, which makes 3,200 MW of power. It saves 8
burnt for other uses and only about 25% formillion tons of greenhouse gases a year! The solar
electricity generation. So in promoting renewablepower station looks like a small rose bush in front the
energy for power, we are trying to save what webig rain tree of the nuclear power plant. I think there
can from only the one-fourth fraction. I think wedoesn't seem to be anything better than the nuclear
must concentrate on the other sector which takespower when it comes to saving the gas emissions
up three-fourth of the fossil fuel consumption."and at the same time to fulfill the World's ever
   Bitsy said the obvious,increasing appetite for energy!" Observed Bitsy.
"We have to convert the source of energy for the   "Good thinking! You have
steam for the industry, home heating, and cookinghit the nail on the head, niece." Guhu complemented
food away from fossil fuels if we want to reduceher. "We have to concentrate all our energies in
the fossil fuel consumption."pushing the nuclear power fast-forward."
   Guhu was more rational.   Miki said, "We have to
"We must leave no stone unturned. We must try tothink of nuclear power station as a combination of 2
promote other sources of electricity as demand forparts: (1) the reactor where steam is generated and
energy is increasing by leaps and bounds. If we don't(2) the turbine generator which uses the steam to
address the issue, they will take the easy route outmake electricity. We could promote the idea of
and put up more and more coal based thermal powersetting up only the first part near the chemical and
plants. If it is not stemmed, coal will show a markedfood industry and supply them the steam for heating
increase in usage."for the process requirements. This will avoid burning
   Miki said, "Among theof fossil fuels and save the emissions."
renewable energy sources, the largest is hydro   "That's brilliant. But I'll go
power. It is the electricity generated when the watera step further," said Bitsy and continued, "the existing
stored in a dammed reservoir is sent down a pipecoal and gas based thermal power stations also have
called penstock to the turbine located at a lowerthe two stages, one to make steam and other to
altitude which produces the power. As the reservoiruse the steam to drive the turbines. They can shut
gets filled by rain every year, the power source isdown the first stage and procure the steam from a
inexhaustible. All the best sites have been exploited innuclear station to drive their turbines. Thus the
the developed countries long ago. There is howevergreenhouse gas emissions from the existing power
good prospects in China and the Indian sub-continent."stations could also be saved."
   Bitsy added, "But there   "I can foresee that
is now a great awareness of the environmentalcheap electricity will even make the cement kilns shift
damage a dam could do. Besides, the displacement offrom coal to electric heating," said Miki.
the population from the land which may go under   "Yes nothing is
water when the dam is filled is also an impediment toimpossible. The steel making furnace is already
building new big projects. But there is scope forelectric, so why not cement?" added Guhu.
smaller projects called 'Mini Hydel' to be established   "I can clearly see some
with smaller water capacities befitting thelight as how to grapple this gigantic problem. Three
environment."fourth of fossil fuel is burnt for heat and only one
   Guhu pointed out, "Nowfourth for electricity. The renewable forms of
they have a new concept of water power in theelectricity generation cannot help to reduce the larger
form of small do-it-yourself kits. The people living incomponent of the fossil fuel consumption. Only
houses near a flowing stream can put up a smallnuclear reactors can provide both steam and
waterwheel to generate power for their home. Ielectricity without adding to the greenhouse gases.
think there is sufficient momentum in this field andThe only answer which eMaya can tell the World for
we will see it grow in the future. China is doing it.reducing emissions on substantial scale is therefore,
Why not elsewhere in the World? Why not on the'Nuclear Power'." Guhu concluded. Bitsy got eMaya to
Mississippi river? We have got to promote that."enlighten the World!
   Miki asked, "Talking of    "Hi Friends of
water based generation, what about wave and tidalCoolWorld,
power from the sea? It could be useful to those   This is eMaya. I bring
living on the coast."you a perspective of the energy consumption of the
   Bitsy said, "Sure thereWorld.As much as 85% of the energy requirements
are some ways to tap this power and its being done.of the World are met through fossil fuels, the
But the wind from the sea seems to have a biggerbalance from nuclear and renewable sources. The
potential."wind power industry has shown good promise thanks
   Guhu added, "Not onlyto the cash flow from Carbon Credits and now
from the sea, but wind energy is also being tappedgenerates 2% of the total electric power! Other
inland by erecting wind turbines at a rapid pace. Thesources like mini hydel, solar, and geothermal have
growth of this source has speeded up as it qualifiesdeveloped momentum for growth.
for Carbon Credit Certificates. The added cash has   But 65% of the energy
given a big boost to wind power. From just 10,000consumed by the World is as heat and only 35% as
MW in 2000, the capacity has shot up ten times toelectricity. The only way to save fossil fuels
100,000 MW in 2008! It's poised to double every 4substantially is go for nuclear energy, which can
years!"create steam as well as electricity to meet bulk of
   Miki said, "Thethe energy demand. We have to study the method
geothermal power could be very useful to substituteof increasing nuclear energy in a massive and
fossil fuel in heating homes during winter and coolingeconomic way.   Yours,
them in summer. It's been promoted by the USeMaya.