Risø has just concluded a three day international energy conference, with 140 participating energy experts from all over the world. The conclusion was clear: The world is facing a huge energy challenge, but we can meet the challenge if we go into action now. A huge challenge
It is a huge challenge to provide energy enough for the international community of the future, especially when developing countries' enormous demand for modern energy is taken into consideration. Without a new course the world’s energy consumption will grow with at least 60% over the next 20 years. The challenge is not reduced by the fact that energy consumption goes hand in hand with economic growth.
Security of supply is yet again in focus as the world’s energy resources are very unevenly distributed and furthermore connected with the conditions in the international political climate.
Energy research throughout the world has been downgraded during the past years. Now some countries have earmarked more funds to energy research. The challenge can be to attract more students and scientists to the energy sector.
Every imaginable tool must be employed in order to succeed
At the conference Burt Metz, chairman of IPPC’s working group III, went over the climate change panel’s latest report. The report concludes that it is possible to stabilize the atmosphere’s CO2 content of approx. 500 ppm, corresponding to a temperature rise of 2 – 3 degrees. This can be achieved without jeopardizing the global economic development.
The conference agreed that the world must put several agents into play, e.g. wind, solar, wave, nuclear, fuel cells, fossil fuels as well as capture and storage of CO2 from fossil fuels. The most important task is to increase the share of renewable energy. In some countries, e.g. China, the development goes in the opposite direction. Though the production of renewable energy has increased, it does not follow the increase in energy consumption hence the share of renewable energy has dropped in China. The conference agreed that a CO2 price of 50 Euro or more pr. ton would stimulate the right development.
One road to increased security of supply is to use local resources, e.g. biomass, to energy production. This is not unproblematic, however, as biomass serves as food as well. Therefore increased demand for biomass for energy purposes might lead to increased food prices, which could turn out to be a problem for developing countries’ inhabitants.
It is necessary to develop efficient technologies for capture and storage of CO2 from fossil fuels. Today these technologies are expensive and not very efficient. The potential is huge however. Storage of CO2 could cut 1/3 of Europe’s CO2 emission. Actions are not only needed in industrialized countries, the potential for reducing CO2 emission in developing countries is large.
The problem child is the transport sector which is rapidly growing throughout the world. This creates an urgent need for efficiency and for use of fuels based on renewable energy, e.g. ethanol and hydrogen from renewable energy sources.
Energy systems need to be developed to contain more renewable energy as well as more local production plants, so called distributed energy systems.
Recommendations
The conference recommends immediate action in order to secure the climate of the future. CO2 emissions must be reduced as quickly as possible. The longer we wait the harder and more expensive it becomes. Time is the biggest problem. The conference agreed that before the end of this century CO2 emissions must be reduced to close to zero.
It is important to draw up new international agreements about CO2 reducing means. The necessary technologies either have been developed or are well on the way, but the international community needs to develop the necessary policy in the energy sector.
International cooperation on research, development and use of renewable energy systems is necessary, both to introduce more renewable energy into the energy systems and to use the energy more efficient.
The potential in constructing low-energy buildings and lower energy consumption in private households is huge, e.g. through development and introduction of more energy economic appliances and lighting systems. IEA executive Richard Bradley compared the potential to low hanging fruit ready to be picked.
The conference participants agreed that the financial sector must be an active player and create new financing possibilities within the energy sector, e.g. through opening up for loans to energy investments and repayment with reached energy savings.
It is important to realize that there is not just one optimal solution to energy for sustainable development. Every country must find its own way based on local possibilities as regards expertise, industry and available energy resources. |