The Energy Crisis in 2050, Global Warming, Renewable Sources of Energy and Types of Geothermal Energy - Essay Example

Essay about Several Topics The Energy Crisis in 2050 The world of 2050 refers to a time of paradoxes and contrasts (Newman 2008). Science and technology have continued to progress in reaction to rising challenges, opportunities and crises. This has shaped fundamental changes in nanotech, biotech, genetics and other related fields. Conversely, a lot of these technologies have been upsetting. They have led to a more terrifying, disordered and unpredictable world that has never been experienced before. Humankind is now at a crisis that will decide its future path for many years to come (McKillop 2005). The crisis determines their survival, collapse or fate of prosperity. Some of the most respected economic, social and political set ups have been twisted on their heads. In a sense, entrepreneurship is still the leading economic model. It is now, however, growing radically in response to resource scarcity, demographic trends, ecological impacts, technology plus a host of other reasons. The continuous consumer tradition that was widespread all through the first world has all but fallen. It is now reinstated by the people’s societal need to preserve resources. Although there are still several wealthy individuals around, money is concentrated in the lessening higher class of people. By 2050, customary free market entrepreneurship is mostly viewed as a wrecked system. In an environmental view, carbon discharges from previous decades remain kept away in storage tanks because of the high carbon tax (Newman 2008). This belated reaction will persist to change climate stability and weather patterns, as will the constant destruction of the earths rainforests, some of which are transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon sources. Almost half of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed (Newman 2008). Global Warming Global warming refers to the increasing normal temperature of the land and oceans as from the late 19th century as well as its estimated prolongation (McKillop 2005). As from the early 20th century, the earths standard ground temperature has gone up by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F). This is with two thirds of the growth happening since 1980. Warming of the atmosphere is clear. Scientists are more than 80% sure that nearly all of it is attributable to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human actions. Such actions are the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation (Newman 2008). These findings are documented by the National Science Academies located in all leading industrialized countries. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) wrote down these findings on climate model projections in the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). This was in 2007. They pointed out that, in the 21st century, the worldwide surface temperature is expected to raise a further 2 to 5.2 °F (1.1 to 2.9 °C) from their lowest emissions state and 4.3 to 11.5 °F (2.4 to 6.4 °C) for their peak (McKillop 2005). The ranges of these approximations started with the use of models with differing compassions to greenhouse gas concentrations. Carbon Dioxide Footprint In the present day, the phrase carbon footprint is regularly used as shorthand for the quantity of carbon, in tones, being produced by an organization or action. The carbon part of the environmental footprint takes a faintly differing approach (Newman 2008). It translates the quantity of carbon dioxide into the quantity of fruitful land and sea area needed to seize carbon dioxide discharges. This shows individuals the demand on the globe that results from burning fossil fuels. Estimating it in this manner gives a few key advantages. On a practical level, the ecological footprint proves to people the way carbon emissions contrast and interrelate with other basics of human demand (Newman 2008). These demands are such as the control of food resources, the magnitudes of creating resources needed to produce the goods people consume and the sizes of land people destroy when they pave it over to erect roads and cities. The carbon footprint is 54% of humankind’s overall ecological footprint, and it is a fast growing module. Humankind’s carbon footprint has gone up 11 times since 1961. Lessening humankind’s carbon footprint is the most vital route people can follow to end overshoot and survive within the means of their globe. Fuel Thermal g(Co2-eq)/MJth Energy Intensity W.hth/W.he Electric g(Co2-eq)/kW.he Conc. Solar Power 40±15# Photovoltaics 0.33 106 Wind power 0.066 21 Geothermal Power 3 TL0–1 and TH91–122 Natural gas cc:68.20 and oc:68.4 cc:577, oc:751, 599 Oil 73 3.40 893 Coal B:91.50–91.72 Br:94.33 and 88 B:2.62–2.85 Br:3.46 and 3.01 B:863–941, Br:1,175 955 Hydroelectricity 0.046 15 Uranium Nuclear WL0.18 and WH0.20 WL60, WH65 Renewable Sources of Energy Renewable energy refers to the energy which originates from natural resources like sunlight, tides, rain, wind, and geothermal heat (Chiras 2011). These factors are naturally restocked after their usage. About 16% of the world’s overall energy use originates from renewable forms of energy. About 10% originates from customary biomass. Biomass is mainly applied in heating and 3.4% to hydroelectricity production. New renewable forms of energy, small hydro, wind, modern biomass, solar, bio fuels and geothermal cater for another 3% and are rising particularly fast (Chiras 2011). The contribution of renewable forms of energy in electricity generation is almost 19%, with 16% of the world’s electricity originating from hydroelectricity and 3% from new and renewable forms of energy. Some of the mainstream forms of renewable forms of energy are wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy, bio fuel, biomass and solar energy. Wind power can be applied in driving wind turbines. Wind turbines power rates from around 600 kW to 5 MW. Turbines with an assured production of 1.5–3 MW have grown to be the most preferred source of energy in commercial use. The power productivity of a turbine is the task of the wind’s velocity, so as wind speed goes up power production also goes up significantly. Hydroelectric power is a phrase kept for large-scale hydroelectric dams. Energy in water can be harnessed and used. Water is almost 800 times denser than air. A slowly flowing stream of water, or sensible sea swell, can produce significant amounts of energy (Chiras 2011). Solar power refers to the energy resulting from the sun through solar radiation. Solar powered electrical creation counts on PV systems and heat engines. A fractional list of other solar applications includes cooling through solar architecture, space heating, day lighting, solar cooking and solar hot water. It also includes high temperature procedures for industrial activities (Chiras 2011). Geothermal Geothermal refers to the thermal energy created and amassed in the earth (Newman 2008). Thermal energy refers to the energy that dictates the temperature of substances. Earths geothermal energy originates from radioactive decay of mineral deposits (80%) and the original creation of the planet (20%) (Newman 2008). The geothermal slope refers to the distinction in temperature amid the center of the earth and its surface. It drives a constant transmission of thermal power in the form of high temperature to the exterior of the earth from its core. At the centre, of the earth, thermal energy is produced by radioactive decay and temperatures may go over 5000 Fahrenheit degrees, 9000 degrees Celsius. Heat transmits from the core to adjacent cooler rock. The high pressure and temperature leads to the melting of some rocks, setting magma convection upward because it weighs less than the solid rock. The magma heats water and rocks in the crust, occasionally up to 370 degrees Celsius, 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Geothermal energy was applied in bathing at hot springs as from the Paleolithic period and for space heating as from the prehistoric Roman times. Now it is better known for electricity production. Globally, almost 10,715 megawatts (MW) of geothermal energy are used in 24 nations (Newman 2008). Further 28 gigawatts of direct geothermal heating faculty are set up for space heating, district heating, industrial processes, spas, agricultural applications and desalination. Types of Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy can be classified into two main types of energy. The energy can be applied directly, as hot water or heat, or it can be used as a means of producing electricity. As expected, hot water has been known to be a spring of power for many centuries. Individuals have applied hot water in heating buildings or hot springs for bathing and medical treatment. Hot water can also be applied in aquaculture, agriculture, industries and many other applications. Geothermal energy can also produce electricity. Geothermal electricity is becoming vital. In 1999, around 10000 megawatts (MG) of electricity were produced by around 250 geothermal power plants around the globe. These power plants were located in 24 nations. Majority of these power plants were found in developing states. In the same year, leading states like America produced almost 3000 megawatts (MG) of geothermal energy. Geothermal energy puts to use the geothermal heat of the earth to create free electricity and heat. This form of energy is relevant because the interior of the earth is hotter than its surface. In the majority of the geothermal power plants, engineers can dig down into the earth surface to reach geothermal storage points. They afterwards use the steaming water or geothermal heating systems to power their generators to produce electricity. Scientists have come up with techniques to find geothermal water. When they locate their storage points, they dig down into them creating oil wells. The steaming water travels up the dug well to the earth’s surface. There, it can be gathered and harnessed for various applications. Types of Pipes and Cost Pipes can be found in several sizes and types. They can be classified into three clusters with accordance to the material used in their manufacturing (Hart 2010). The first ones are metallic pipes such as steel pipes, CI pipes and GI pipes. The second ones are cementing pipes such as asbestos cement (AC) pipes, cement pipes and cement concrete pipes. The third group is the plastic pipes such as Polythene Pipes, low density pipes and Un-plasticized PVC (UPVC) pipes (Hart 2010). Cast Iron (CI) pipes are used for water distribution. They are well structured to ease pressure and can resist external weight because of their width. The pipes are uninvolved in constructing, joining and arranging. This is a picture of a CI pipe. A 10-ft extent of 4-inch hub less CI pipe can be acquired for about $58 (Hart 2010). Steel pipes are widely used for water distribution. They are best appropriate as lengthy distance pipe lines of high pressure and give suitable performance when in service. Cementing pipes are familiar for their high corrosive resistance. Asbestos Cement (AC) pipes are light in heaviness and simple in lying out and carrying. They have a smooth internal surface and are not disturbed by rust or corrosion. Un-plasticized PVC (UPVC) pipes are extremely rigid pipes. Below is a picture of PVC pipes. A 10-ft extent of 4-inch PVC costs only $18.4 (Hart 2010). What are Hydronics Hydronics refers to the application of water as a heat transferring means in heating and cooling systems (Siegenthaler 2011). Some of the earliest and most ordinary models are hot-water and steam radiators. Historically, in significant commercial structures such as campus facilities and high buildings, a hydronic system included both a heated and a chilled water loop. They offer both air conditioning and heating. Cooling and chiller towers can be applied separately or together as a way to offer water cooling, as boilers heat up water. A new innovation is the chiller boiler system. It gives a well-organized structure of HVAC for smaller commercial spaces and homes (Siegenthaler 2011). Recent systems put to use heated water instead of steam. This opens up the system to the likelihood of also applying chilled water to offer air conditioning. In nearly all water systems, the water is distributed by means of various circulator pumps. This is in marked distinction to steam systems where the inbuilt pressure of the steam is enough to dispense the steam to various points in the structure. A system may be separated into specific heating areas using either many circulator pumps or a sole pump and electrically controlled zone valves (Siegenthaler 2011). Heat Pump A heat pump refers to a device or machine that conveys thermal energy from one location to another (Hohman 2011). The location that the heat is obtained from refers to as the source. The source is normally at a low temperature. The location to which the heat is transported to is referred to as the sink or heat sink. The heat sink is normally at a high temperature. Therefore, heat pumps move thermal energy opposite to the course that it usually flows. Compressor-compelled air freezers and conditioners are examples of heat pumps. The phrase heat pump implies devices not devoted to refrigeration. During the functioning, of a heat pump, some of the thermal energy should be changed into another form of energy, before re-emerging as heat in the heat sink (Hohman 2011). The heat pump applies mechanical energy, or some supply of thermodynamic energy. This supply is of a much higher-temperature heat source changing heat to lower temperatures to achieve the preferred convey of thermal energy from source to sink. When heat pumps are applied in giving heating, it is because less power is needed than directly using electricity or fuel to create heat. The heat pump use thermal energy from the surroundings for part of the conveyed heat, increasing the effectiveness of the procedure. Such heat pumps, which always provide heating of spaces, are instituted in climates that never, or hardly ever, need cooling (Hohman 2011). References Chiras, D 2011, The homeowners guide to renewable energy: achieving energy independence through solar, wind, biomass, and hydropower, New Society Publishers, Toronto. Hart, CL 2010, Pipe layout helps: for the pipefitter and welder, Construction Trades Press, North Carolina. Hohman, J 2011, HVACR 401: Heat pumps (HVACR 401 specialty series), Delmar Cengage Learning, Stamford. McKillop, A 2005, The final energy crisis, Pluto Press, London. Newman, S 2008, The final energy crisis, Pluto Press, London. Siegenthaler, J 2011, Modern hydronic heating: for residential and light commercial buildings, Delmar Cengage Learning, Stamford. Read More