Energy sources for the future - gas hydrates, geothermal, or hydrogen fuel cells?

At present the world is dependent on oil and coal but these energy resources are finite and once they are depleted there has to be a different source to meet the increasing global energy needs. According to OPEC, it is expected that the current world oil and gas resources are likely to last just another 80 years but if new discoveries are made they should stretch into the next century. Supplies of coal are more abundant than oil and are thought to exist well into the next century. Once the fossil fuels run out which dominant energy sources are likely to take over? This article examines 3 countries, Iceland, Kenya and India who are all heavily exploring or already utilizing alternative energy forms as a major supply source for their country.

There is vast investigation taking place into an array of possible alternative energy sources. In this article hydrogen, geothermal and gas hydrates are featured.

Hydrogen fuel cells in Iceland

Hydrogen is generated through splitting water molecules into its two component parts, hydrogen and oxygen. Its attraction is obvious, not only is water in abundance covering 70% of the worlds surface but hydrogen is the most common element that exists. When energy is required the hydrogen and oxygen are released into a fuel cell where they rejoin making the harmless byproduct water. Fuel cells are now being used in a few isolated regions in the world. One of the problems of the fuel cell is efficient storage as once the water is initially split, the state of the molecules changes from liquid to gas and thus take up a much larger area. Storing hydrogen is also potentially hazardous so safety measures are another significant consideration.

The worlds first fuel cell car was released by the innovative Japanese car manufacturers Toyota Motor and Honda Motor in December 2003. Japan is one of the nations with goals to introduce Fuel-Cell Vehicles (FCV) relatively quickly into the automobile market. As well as the initial high cost of producing the cars, other problems lie in creating a fueling infrastructure for the FCVs such as is available for cars. Hydrogen fuelling stations not only need to be created but carefully managed. A strong movement in California is supporting the introduction of hydrogen-cell cars in the US but the real breakthroughs lie in the small country of Iceland.

At the end of April, Iceland opened a filling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles as part of a project to eventually phase out traditional vehicles and replace them with hydrogen fuel cell transportation. Although cars hope to be introduced in the near future, the first emphasis is on hydrogen fuel cell buses which are able to travel for 125 miles before refuelling. There are three DaimlerChrysler hydrogen-powered buses in the new fleet. The cost of the project is approximately $7.7 million dollars with Royal Dutch Shell, DaimlerChrysler, Icelandic New Energy, Norsk Hydro and the European Union contributing funds to the project.
Source: PlanetSave.com

Iceland has a good track record with alternative fuels. At present 90% of its electricity is being produced from geothermal energy which is abundant in the volcanic nation. In a report by the WWF and the Iceland Nature Conservation Association in May, it was suggested that within 35 years, hydrogen could be the sole fuel for Iceland's transport system including boats. Hydrogen would be created from renewable resources water from the hydropower Icelandic systems and wind from offshore facilities. Hydrogen would be processed locally overnight at hydrogen stations so distribution costs would be low.

The possibility of hydrogen-fuel technology replacing fossil fuels has been embraced in principle by many countries. However scientists in California have recently argued that if hydrogen replaced fossil fuels entirely in every power station and car, the accidental leakage of hydrogen could lead to greater damage of the ozone layer. The scientists at Cal Tech do admit that it is difficult to predict the effects of hydrogen and that soil could play a dominant role absorbing the hydrogen which would minimise any atmospheric damage. Further research is welcomed by the scientists.
Source: PlanetSave.com

Hot rocks an energy option in Kenya

The East African Geothermal Energy Week was held in Kenya from April 7th to April 11th 2003. In brought together 220 individuals including energy experts, scientists, engineers, universities, the private sector and research institutes. The aims of the conference were to both explore some of the commercial opportunities for geothermal energy alongside solving some of the technical and financial barriers preventing the full-scale development of geothermal energy in East Africa. The conference highlighted the large potential of geothermal energy in the region, encompassing opportunities in a number of countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritea, Kenya, and Uganda. This article focuses on the potential of the industry in Kenya.

Geothermal exploration began in 1956 in Kenya. The first geothermal unit of 15MW Capacity was commissioned in 1981 in the Olkaria fields which lie in the west of Kenya. There are now three power stations in this region, Olkaria I, II, and III. Out of 103 wells that have been drilled in Kenya, 97 of them are currently in Olkaria although there are 13 other prospective areas for geothermal energy.

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) owns 84% of the electric power generated in Kenya. At present there are four main sources of energy, the largest being hydropower which generates 59.2% of Kenya's electricity. Conventional thermal energy makes up 35% of the electricity and geothermal constitutes 5.8% and wind power 0.1%. However only 9% of the population of Kenya have access to electricity. The geothermal capacity of energy in Kenya is estimated by KenGen to be 2,000 MW, making it potentially the most significant electricity resource in the nation.

Geothermal energy is energy stored in fissures in rocks underground in the form of hot water, steam or hot dry rocks. It is extracted relatively simply by drilling wells between 100 and 4,500 metres into the Earth. The most effective way to use geothermal energy is directly either in industrial processes or to heat buildings. It can also be used indirectly to turn electricity turbines but the capabilities of the energy are much less for this method. There are two major forms of geothermal heat, low and high temperature. Only high temperature resources are used for electricity, low energy resources can be used for ground source heat pumps.

There are a few environmental concerns to using geothermal power and these include thermal pollution and gas emissions such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and radon. Carbon dioxide is emitted but it is a very low proportion compared to that expelled when burning fossil fuels. There is also technology that allows such emissions to be re-injected back into the well to prevent environmental impact.

Some of the major benefits to Kenya of using geothermal energy include,

• Its abundance
• If managed carefully the geothermal energy process is renewable
• It is not affected by droughts like hydropower or to market fluctuations like other energy alternatives.
• Its availability is consistently high
  Source: BCSE

At present Kenya produces 45 megawatts of electricity from hot rocks. The action plan devised from the East African Geothermal Energy Week aims to generate 1000 megawatts of electricity by 2020, enough to meet the needs of several million people.

For further information on the potential of Kenya's geothermal energy, visit the Business Council for Sustainable Energy Website

Gas hydrates in India

Gas hydrates have an outercasing ice-crystalline structure which is made up of water molecules. Inside the solid structure are gases such as hydrocarbons. Hydrates range in color from white, the most common form, to yellow, orange and red. They are potentially a very important energy source because they can be used without refining as they are already in pure form. There are vast quantities of gas hydrates in the ocean bed, almost twice that of worldwide petroleum deposits. One major problem that exists with gas hydrates is that the technology has not yet been developed to transport gas hydrates effectively on to land. Gas hydrates decompose when they are removed from a high pressure and low temperature environment.

India is one of the countries at the forefront of developing gas hydrates as abundant resources have been highlighted around the continental margins. India and Russia signed an agreement in November 2002 to undertake a joint project to research and develop the technologies needed to harness gas hydrates.

The race for the replacement of oil and gas continues, it remains to be seen which alternative energy source will become the world's dominant player.

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Sources/Further Information

Iceland opens hydrogen filling station - PlanetSave.com
Iceland leads way to new economy - PlanetSave.com
Hydrogen Cell - PlanetSave.com
Hot rocks in Kenya
UNEP Press Release
UNEP Geothermal Energy
Department of Oceanography, Texas A & M University

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