| The three computer entities, Uncle Guhu, | | | | promoted by the US department of energy. The |
| Brother Miki and Bitsy researched | | | | temperature below the surface is relatively |
| alternatives to fossil fuel energy and put | | | | constant throughout the year; the geothermal |
| out an email through eMaya. Fololowing is an | | | | pump warms up the fluid down in the Earth and |
| excerpt from the book 'eMaya' :Â | | | | uses it to heat the home during the cold |
| | | | winter. The same system has an accessory |
| Â Â Â Â Guhu opened the | | | | which provides domestic hot water for bathing |
| conversation. "There is a general belief that | | | | and washing, thus saving substantial energy. |
| most of the fossil fuel, coal, gas and oil, | | | | It's being installed in the US in many homes, |
| is used to make electricity. But that's not | | | | but we could promote the idea around the |
| true. I found from the US Energy Information | | | | world where it snows during the winter and |
| Administration (EIA), there is 15 TWh | | | | save heating fuel." |
| (trillion watt hours) of energy consumed by | | | | |
| the World every hour, of which only 5.5 TWh | | | | Â Â Â "I support the idea." Said |
| are electricity." | | | | Bitsy. "We now know that all these renewable |
| | | | energy sources are very small. They are not |
| Â Â Â Miki couldn't believe it. | | | | going make the slightest dent in the fossil |
| He said, "Then what is the rest for?" | | | | fuel consumption. We need something big. What |
| | | | about solar power?" |
| Â Â Â Guhu replied, "There is a | | | | |
| lot used for making steam in the chemical and | | | | Â Â Â "Solar power is also a |
| food industry, there is a fair amount for | | | | good economical substitute for water heaters |
| making cement, there is a large amount used | | | | in tropical countries for heating domestic |
| in heating homes, some is used in transport | | | | water for the shower in the bathroom. You |
| and most of the rest is used for cooking | | | | need to install rolled sheets on the roof |
| food!" | | | | exposed to sunlight and circulate the heated |
| | | | water down in the taps," replied Miki. |
| Â Â Â Bitsy spontaneously | | | | |
| remarked, "We must therefore, substitute | | | | Â Â Â "That's one use. But the |
| fossil fuel in all these energy requirements | | | | other is more interesting. There is a way to |
| to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. It's | | | | convert the sunlight directly into |
| getting more complicated." | | | | electricity by using what is known as |
| | | | photovoltaic cells or PV in short. The |
| Â Â Â Guhu said, "Electricity is | | | | largest planned PV station is at Victoria, |
| generated from many sources. It's not all | | | | Australia with a capacity of 154 MW to be |
| fossil fuel. They have 16% by nuclear power, | | | | commissioned in phases from 2010 to 2013. It |
| 5.6% by Oil, 19.5% by Natural Gas, 30.5% by | | | | is the World's most advanced PV heliostat |
| coal, and only 18.6 % by renewable sources. | | | | solar concentrator power station. Tracking |
| The fossil fuels together represent the | | | | mirrors will concentrate the sunlight on the |
| majority, i.e. 65.6%!" | | | | large PV cells to generate power. It will |
| | | | reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 400,000 |
| Â Â Â "So the fossil fuels add | | | | tons a year," explained Guhu. |
| up to 13.2 TW; 9.5 TW for other uses and 3.7 | | | | |
| TW for electricity generation. That is 88% of | | | | Â Â Â "But this is nothing |
| 15 TW of the total." Bitsy put the figures | | | | compared to the Palo Verde nuclear reactor in |
| together. | | | | the US, which makes 3,200 MW of power. It |
| | | | saves 8 million tons of greenhouse gases a |
| Â Â Â Miki said, "That means | | | | year! The solar power station looks like a |
| that of the total fossil fuel consumed, 75% | | | | small rose bush in front the big rain tree of |
| is being burnt for other uses and only about | | | | the nuclear power plant. I think there |
| 25% for electricity generation. So in | | | | doesn't seem to be anything better than the |
| promoting renewable energy for power, we are | | | | nuclear power when it comes to saving the gas |
| trying to save what we can from only the | | | | emissions and at the same time to fulfill the |
| one-fourth fraction. I think we must | | | | World's ever increasing appetite for energy!" |
| concentrate on the other sector which takes | | | | Observed Bitsy. |
| up three-fourth of the fossil fuel | | | | |
| consumption." | | | | Â Â Â "Good thinking! You have |
| | | | hit the nail on the head, niece." Guhu |
| Â Â Â Bitsy said the obvious, | | | | complemented her. "We have to concentrate all |
| "We have to convert the source of energy for | | | | our energies in pushing the nuclear power |
| the steam for the industry, home heating, and | | | | fast-forward." |
| cooking food away from fossil fuels if we | | | | |
| want to reduce the fossil fuel consumption." | | | | Â Â Â Miki said, "We have to |
| | | | think of nuclear power station as a |
| Â Â Â Guhu was more rational. | | | | combination of 2 parts: (1) the reactor where |
| "We must leave no stone unturned. We must try | | | | steam is generated and (2) the turbine |
| to promote other sources of electricity as | | | | generator which uses the steam to make |
| demand for energy is increasing by leaps and | | | | electricity. We could promote the idea of |
| bounds. If we don't address the issue, they | | | | setting up only the first part near the |
| will take the easy route out and put up more | | | | chemical and food industry and supply them |
| and more coal based thermal power plants. If | | | | the steam for heating for the process |
| it is not stemmed, coal will show a marked | | | | requirements. This will avoid burning of |
| increase in usage." | | | | fossil fuels and save the emissions." |
| | | | |
| Â Â Â Miki said, "Among the | | | | Â Â Â "That's brilliant. But |
| renewable energy sources, the largest is | | | | I'll go a step further," said Bitsy and |
| hydro power. It is the electricity generated | | | | continued, "the existing coal and gas based |
| when the water stored in a dammed reservoir | | | | thermal power stations also have the two |
| is sent down a pipe called penstock to the | | | | stages, one to make steam and other to use |
| turbine located at a lower altitude which | | | | the steam to drive the turbines. They can |
| produces the power. As the reservoir gets | | | | shut down the first stage and procure the |
| filled by rain every year, the power source | | | | steam from a nuclear station to drive their |
| is inexhaustible. All the best sites have | | | | turbines. Thus the greenhouse gas emissions |
| been exploited in the developed countries | | | | from the existing power stations could also |
| long ago. There is however good prospects in | | | | be saved." |
| China and the Indian sub-continent." | | | | |
| | | | Â Â Â "I can foresee that cheap |
| Â Â Â Bitsy added, "But there is | | | | electricity will even make the cement kilns |
| now a great awareness of the environmental | | | | shift from coal to electric heating," said |
| damage a dam could do. Besides, the | | | | Miki. |
| displacement of the population from the land | | | | |
| which may go under water when the dam is | | | | Â Â Â "Yes nothing is |
| filled is also an impediment to building new | | | | impossible. The steel making furnace is |
| big projects. But there is scope for smaller | | | | already electric, so why not cement?" added |
| projects called 'Mini Hydel' to be | | | | Guhu. |
| established with smaller water capacities | | | | |
| befitting the environment." | | | | Â Â Â "I can clearly see some |
| | | | light as how to grapple this gigantic |
| Â Â Â Guhu pointed out, "Now | | | | problem. Three fourth of fossil fuel is burnt |
| they have a new concept of water power in the | | | | for heat and only one fourth for electricity. |
| form of small do-it-yourself kits. The people | | | | The renewable forms of electricity generation |
| living in houses near a flowing stream can | | | | cannot help to reduce the larger component of |
| put up a small waterwheel to generate power | | | | the fossil fuel consumption. Only nuclear |
| for their home. I think there is sufficient | | | | reactors can provide both steam and |
| momentum in this field and we will see it | | | | electricity without adding to the greenhouse |
| grow in the future. China is doing it. Why | | | | gases. The only answer which eMaya can tell |
| not elsewhere in the World? Why not on the | | | | the World for reducing emissions on |
| Mississippi river? We have got to promote | | | | substantial scale is therefore, 'Nuclear |
| that." | | | | Power'." Guhu concluded. Bitsy got eMaya to |
| | | | enlighten the World! |
| Â Â Â Miki asked, "Talking of | | | | |
| water based generation, what about wave and | | | | Â Â Â Â "Hi Friends of |
| tidal power from the sea? It could be useful | | | | CoolWorld, |
| to those living on the coast." | | | | |
| | | | Â Â Â This is eMaya. I bring you |
| Â Â Â Bitsy said, "Sure there | | | | a perspective of the energy consumption of |
| are some ways to tap this power and its being | | | | the World.As much as 85% of the energy |
| done. But the wind from the sea seems to have | | | | requirements of the World are met through |
| a bigger potential." | | | | fossil fuels, the balance from nuclear and |
| | | | renewable sources. The wind power industry |
| Â Â Â Guhu added, "Not only from | | | | has shown good promise thanks to the cash |
| the sea, but wind energy is also being tapped | | | | flow from Carbon Credits and now generates 2% |
| inland by erecting wind turbines at a rapid | | | | of the total electric power! Other sources |
| pace. The growth of this source has speeded | | | | like mini hydel, solar, and geothermal have |
| up as it qualifies for Carbon Credit | | | | developed momentum for growth. |
| Certificates. The added cash has given a big | | | | |
| boost to wind power. From just 10,000 MW in | | | | Â Â Â But 65% of the energy |
| 2000, the capacity has shot up ten times to | | | | consumed by the World is as heat and only 35% |
| 100,000 MW in 2008! It's poised to double | | | | as electricity. The only way to save fossil |
| every 4 years!" | | | | fuels substantially is go for nuclear energy, |
| | | | which can create steam as well as electricity |
| Â Â Â Miki said, "The geothermal | | | | to meet bulk of the energy demand. We have to |
| power could be very useful to substitute | | | | study the method of increasing nuclear energy |
| fossil fuel in heating homes during winter | | | | in a massive and economic way.  |
| and cooling them in summer. It's been | | | | Â Yours, eMaya. |