Article Title: The Rise of Renewable Energy
Author: Daniel Kammen
Keypoints:
- Because economic growth continues to boost the demand for energy - more coal for powering new factories, more oil for fueling new cars, more natural gas for heating new homes - carbon emissions will keep climbing despite the introduction of more energy-efficient vehicles, buildings and appliances
- To counter the alarming trend of global warming, the U.S. and other countries must make a major commitment to developing renewable energy sources that generate little or no carbon
- Renewable energy technologies were suddenly and briefly fashionable three decades ago in response to the oil embargoes of the 1970s, but the interest and support were not sustained
- Recent years show dramatic improvements in the performance and affordability of solar cells, wind turbines and biofuels - ethanol and other fuels derived from plants - have paved the way for mass commercialization
- Renewable sources promise to enhance America’s energy security by reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels from other nations
- This new source of energy will require a long-term investment of scientific, economic and political resources. Policymakers and ordinary citizens must demand action and challenge one another to hasten the transition
- Solar Cells (photovoltaics) use semiconductor materials to convert sunlight into electric current. They now provide just a tiny slice of the world’s electricity: their global generating capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) is only 0.15 percent of the total generating capacity from all sources
- Sunlight could potentially supply 5,000 times as much energy as the world currently consumes. And thanks to technology improvements, cost declines and favorable policies in many states and nations, the annual production of photovoltaics has increased by more than 25 percent a year for the past decade and by a remarkable 45 percent in 2005
- The cells manufactured last year added 1,727 MW to worldwide generating capacity, with 833 MW made in Japan, 353 MW in Germany and 153 MW in the U.S.
Summary:
In this article, the author discusses the idea of how renewable energy has gone from our last choice of option to our top priority. The subject at hand has become more advertised through different countries in several regions of of the because of the fact that the human consumption for oil is becoming less available and more costly. New ideas such as solar panels, solar cells, or better known as photovoltaics and biofuels are different methods of new energy can be provided to many across the globe in a search for a new sustainable dependency. Countries like Kenya are beginning to use small solar grids to supply small amounts of energy needed to light up their homes, or just turn on the TV for a couple of hours. The source known as biofuel has been taken into consideration, but is one the energy sources being argues with its overall energy efficiency and is still worked upon for further improvement.
In this article, the author discusses the idea of how renewable energy has gone from our last choice of option to our top priority. The subject at hand has become more advertised through different countries in several regions of of the because of the fact that the human consumption for oil is becoming less available and more costly. New ideas such as solar panels, solar cells, or better known as photovoltaics and biofuels are different methods of new energy can be provided to many across the globe in a search for a new sustainable dependency. Countries like Kenya are beginning to use small solar grids to supply small amounts of energy needed to light up their homes, or just turn on the TV for a couple of hours. The source known as biofuel has been taken into consideration, but is one the energy sources being argues with its overall energy efficiency and is still worked upon for further improvement.
My thoughts:
Reading this article made me realize how important looking for solutions at the short amount of time he have to look for answers is crucial. The amount of time we have to make up the damages is barely progressing and is almost impossible and for the amount of knowledge we have to this day is also not enough to push us forward towards in reality saving ourselves and finding that solution. The only way to change the way our government works is looking for better alternatives for the benefit of the entire community.
Reading this article made me realize how important looking for solutions at the short amount of time he have to look for answers is crucial. The amount of time we have to make up the damages is barely progressing and is almost impossible and for the amount of knowledge we have to this day is also not enough to push us forward towards in reality saving ourselves and finding that solution. The only way to change the way our government works is looking for better alternatives for the benefit of the entire community.
So what?Renewable energy gives hope for a greener future.
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Says who?The author, Daniel Kammen
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What if?What if cold fusion was successful creating almost unlimited energy?
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This reminds me of...This reminds me of the sun energy in Spider-Man 2
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