Future Energy

With the escalating oil prices and increased energy demand from developing economies, no single source of energy will replace fossil fuels. Oil has dominated the economic development in the last century, and countries will continue to develop and tap technologies and sources of energy that are most suited to their needs. Future energy sources will be a mix of various alternatives like corn-based ethanol, nuclear generators, and wind turbines. The future brings with it changes, both in what we use and how we use the existing technologies.

Wind generation industry is growing rapidly by nearly 30% a year, according to the Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy Fund. The rate is much faster than other sources of renewable energy like solar and hydropower. Wind-generated energy prices are competitive with fossil fuels today. Solar power accounts for about 0.1% of the world’s energy using photovoltaic cells, and that can grow to 10% over the next 20 to 35 years, according to Guinness. Future energy sources could also come from newer ideas, for example, turning algae into fuel. Researchers in the University of Arkansas are focusing on converting the common algae into renewable energy, which can be used in combustible automobile engines.

Air-borne turbines spinning at high altitudes could send power down through nano-tube cables to generate power in communities. According to NASA, a federal fund is reserved for exploring the high-altitude wind farms as future energy sources.

Biofuel is produced from plants and microbes as a green and renewable energy source. However, new research at the University of California in Los Angeles has led to a discovery of getting the microbes to generate fuel from the proteins instead of using it for their own growth. Researchers at MIT are trying to capture and release solar energy using thermo-chemical technology. Physicists at University of Arizona are finding ways to harvest energy through heat that is generated because of industrialization. Future energy sources will play a prominent role in our energy utilization and the momentum is beginning to gain popularity in today’s world.