In the Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University of which I am currently affiliated to, at all possible, all the faculty members consisted of engineers, scientists and economists should be working together in building a new path for our future based on more sustainable technology and resources. Most of us, regardless of study backgrounds and research expertise, works towards something that will continue to provide our descendents with the abundant energy that has helped transform the livelihood of human beings throughout the world. Ironically, are we really sure that we are doing the “right thing” for our world?
Anyway, “sustainable energy” is one of those vague terms that could mean different things to different people. It is often used as a “green”, a catchy phrase for all things related to energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, all with a positive environmental overtone. There are various definitions for sustainable development but to simplify it, sustainable development could be defined as “the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Anon, 1987). In this report, of which the topic is broad and what I write might be contradict to what I do (I may sound like I am not one of the people working in the renewable energy field, particularly in producing biofuel from biomass), I just wish to deliver a broader view towards our efforts in searching the so-called “sustainable energy” for the future.
The concept of sustainable development does not imply absolute limits but limitations imposed by the present state of technology and social organization on environmental resources and by the ability of the biosphere to absorb the effects of human activities. When we discuss about sustainability of our modern society, environmental issues would always be a dominant issue and consideration. For development, environmental issues are usually been taken for granted and continuation of the use of fossil fuels as means to produce energy is set to multiple challenges. The depletion of fossil fuel reserves, global warming, other environmental concern, geopolitical and military conflicts for energy resources and significant fuel price rise indicate an unsustainable situation (Asif and Muneer, 2007).
Experts have different view on how long coal, oil and gas will last and estimation vary from decades to a few centuries. But it is generally agreed that these fossil fuels will deplete someday so are not considered sustainable. In addition, the experts also differ on how long uranium can supply our current generation of nuclear rectors.
Renewable energy sources are often considered to be sustainable as they use resources such as water, wind and sunlight that are, to all intents and purposes, inexhaustible. Some included biomass into the list and many of us say that these are the only truly sustainable energy sources.
The main issue is not all the so-called "renewable sources" are themselves sustainable. Biofuels such as ethanol made from food crops like sugarcane and corn are no longer considered sustainable because of the competing need for the land on which the feedstock grows. Biodiesel, if to be produced extensively from edible oils like the current practice, will definitely increase the edible oils price, risking food conflicts mostly to third world countries and poor ones. Woody biomass, still faces the technological challenges in producing maximum output of sugars from cellulose and hemicelluloses, before it could be separated from its impurities and fermented to bioethanol. Gigantic hydropower relying on water flow from a particular river may also not be sustainable, jeopardizing large scale of area, while contributing to deforestation and increasing risk for extreme accident. Climate change may dry up rivers or change their course and leave the hydro system stranded.
In addition, most renewable sources including wind, tidal wave and solar photovoltaic are too variable to meet our continuous power demands unless being combined with the conventional resources (fossil fuels and nuclear) to fill in the gaps. Geothermal energy is said to be promising but some researchers argue that a geothermal mine would be sustainable only if we are taking the energy out of the ground at the same rate as the earth is replacing it (Nicholson, 2009). So we might have to treat geothermal heat more like fossil fuels. Most of them are also prohibitively expensive. Without further technology developments, such as huge cost effective, sustainable electricity storage systems, our energy system will not be sustainable today with or without renewable energy.
How about nuclear energy? Could it be considered as “sustainable”? According to the World Nuclear Association, today’s generation of nuclear reactors use an average of 175 tonnes a year of uranium per GW. These reactors are largely using the uranium in a “once-through” cycle where less than 1 per cent of the uranium is actually used to generate energy.
According to the International Energy Agency, because nuclear reactors use relatively little fuel most of the cost in generating nuclear energy is in the planning, construction and decommissioning of the power station not in the fuel. Small contries like Malaysia which currently eyes on utilizing nuclear power in the near future should consider on how the supply of uranium could be available constantly and the huge capital cost for its construction on top of societal objections and waste issues. Although a significant increase in the price of uranium has a much lower impact on the price of electricity, energy security is still a main issue. The newer generation fast breeder reactors burn up all the uranium so they can extract much more energy from uranium than traditional once-through reactors. For now, fast breeder nuclear reactors could be the candidate for sustainable energy we are looking for. But to anti-nuclear groups, this will all be bad news.
To date, all researches focusing on energy around the world including the one we are doing in the Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University had successfully fulfilled all the necessary functional prerequisites as a paradigm to make the world a better place to stay. However, no matter how great the latest sustainable energy technology being invented to secure the sustainability of the rapidly growing community, I am still in a concrete view of stating that the most important thing we should develop among us is self-awareness of which, being the key issue in energy utilization.
It is pointless to talk and preach about reducing fossil fuel consumption and energy preservation when we ourselves prefer to drive a car to the convenience store situated a few blocks away to buy a cigarette pack and keep polluting the world and our lungs instead of using our legs on the ground or on pedals. Anyhow, we still have to continue our research journey to find the suitable sustainable energy for the future in accordance to our specialized field, but without generating awareness among the community now, our generation will continue in making the same mistake and none of the technology, system or policy in the world could prevent a negative outcome when awareness itself does not exists in our society.
References
Anon. Our common future. World commission on environment and development.
Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1987.
Asif M, Muneer T. Energy supply, its demand and security issues for developed and
emerging economies. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2007; 11:1388-
1413.
Nicholson M. Energy in a changing climate. Rosenberg publisher; 2009.
World Nuclear Association. Accessed from http://www.world-nuclear.org/ on 30th October 2009.
International Energy Agency. Accessed from http://www.iea.org/publications/free_new_Desc.asp?PUBS_ID=1472 on 30th October 2009.
Parts of this article have been submitted for the author's report for the subject Advance Seminar on Socio-Environmental Energy Science.
