Development of Alternate Energy Sources

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Description

Alternative energy is defined to be fuelled in ways that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment. Some of the latest concepts in this sector include:
1. Algae fuel
2. Biomass briquettes
3. Biogas digestion
4. Biological Hydrogen Production
5. Floating wind farms
6. Hydrogen economy
7. Fuel Cells

The hydrogen economy is one of the promising of delivering energy using hydrogen. Hydrogen lobbyists promote hydrogen as potential fuel for transportation energy requirements. It can also be used for the energy needs of buildings and portable electronics. Free hydrogen does not occur naturally in quantity, and thus it must be generated by electrolysis of water or another method, the most economical source currently being hydrocarbons. Hydrogen production is a large and growing industry. Globally, some 50 million metric tons of hydrogen, equal to about 170 million tons of oil equivalent, were produced in 2004. The growth rate is around 10% per year. Within the United States, 2004 production was about 11 million metric tons (MMT), an average power flow of 48 gigawatts. (For comparison, the average electric production in 2003 was some 442 gigawatts.) As of 2005, the economic value of all hydrogen produced worldwide is about $135 billion per year.

Enablers:

1. R&D investment
2. Legal requirements to reduce green house gases
3. Public voice
4. Corporate involvement
5. Green finance
6. Media focus

Inhibitors:

1. Cheap oil and gas
2. Nuclear power

Paradigms:

Security is becoming a major influence on the way international flow of goods and services is realised. The ability to meet regulatory demands and standards regarding (port)security is crucial is the ability to grow international trade

Experts:

1. 2.

Timing:

The timing started after 9/11/2001. Security regulation has been rolled out since and is forcing all fields of international transportation to commit to complex

Web Resources

1. The Future of Nuclear Power
2. Future of Nuclear Power
3. The Nuclear Option
4. Nuclear Energy
5. Is nuclear power the future? Obama calls for more plants
6. World Nuclear Power Reactors & Uranium Requirements