Where will we turn when fossil fuels run out?
From powering our cars and planes to manufacturing our flat screen TVs and computers, our modern lifestyles are fuelled by energy.
1,000 tonnes of CO2 produced every second
According to the Carnegie Institute the world is currently dumping some 1,000 tonnes of CO2 a second into the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has outlined a number of global warming scenarios, with “best estimates” for average temperature change ranging from 0.6 to 4.0 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. In addition, reserves of coal and oil are also finite.
Are we facing a global energy crisis?
In 2009, the UK Energy Research Centre said that there is a ‘significant risk’ of a peak in oil happening before 2020.
If this happens, it could spark a global energy crisis as oil prices soar on a scale never seen before.
China power on with coal
Coal produces 41% of the world’s electricity, and the US Energy Information Administration has estimated that at current rates of production, existing reserves could last for 132 years. However, that prediction may change as coal consumption seems to be increasing around the world. In China alone, coal-fired power stations produce 81% of the country’s electricity.
“The big coal clean up”
Coal is also enjoying a renaissance as a ‘clean energy’ source, thanks to new technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS).
CCS ‘scrubs’ out CO2 before it is released from coal-fired power stations and stores it deep underground, often in disused oil or gas fields.
It is a relatively untested technology and, although it could increase energy use during the capturing process, making it more expensive than conventional coal-fired power stations, it could also reduce a plant’s CO2 emissions by 80 -90%.
Britain has already fully committed to the technology. In 2009, the Government announced that coal-fired power stations could only be built with CCS.
What’s the future for UK energy?
A Department for Energy and Climate Change spokesperson said: “To have a secure energy supply, it needs to come from a diverse range of sources. That means we need to make use of clean coal, renewables and new nuclear in a way which is cost effective and takes into account the impact on the local environment.” As fossil fuels deplete, greater investment in low-carbon technologies, such as electric cars, will also become more prevalent.
Key facts
- Energy consumption is for a significant cause of CO2 emissions – at present around 30 billion tonnes comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas
- According to Government plans, by 2020, 40% of electricity will be from low-carbon sources, like renewables, nuclear and clean coal
- Global energy demand is forecast to increase by around 44% between 2006 and 2030
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