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The Future for Green Energy?

Submitted by Anna M. Gralton PhD on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:26
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In order to predict the future, we need to look to the past. Recent historical trends surrounding green energy can offer some insight into what the future for green energy might look like. The U.S. Department of Energy’s “Renewable Energy Data Book 2008” provides us with historical green energy installation and generation trends.

Trends in Renewable Energy 2000-2007

  • Green energy (excl. hydropower) is only a small segment of the energy market in both the U.S. and globally.
  • Green power installations have almost doubled from 2000 to 2007 worldwide and in the U.S.
  • In 2007 in the U.S., green power (including hydropower) was 10% of installations and almost 9% of generation.
  • From 2000-2007, green energy in the U.S. increased (compounded) 10% per year.
  • The number of renewable electricity installations almost doubled from 2000-2007.
  • From 2006-2007, wind power grew 45% and solar photovoltaic grew 40%.
  • In 2007, 50% of all installed green power was wind energy.
  • From 2000-2007, biomass, geothermal and hydropower generation remained the same.

These past trends do indicate signs of growth, but it seems like there is still a long way to travel.

Clean Energy Investment by the U.S. in 2001-2007

Investment in Clean Energy is  another way of examining how the future of green energy might play out.

  • In 2007, over $13 billion had been invested in green energy projects in the U.S.
  • In 2001, investment in wind power was $250 million. By 2007, it reached $8 billion.
  • In 2001, venture capital investment in green power technology was $30 million, and it reached $2.5 billion in 2007.
  • In 2001, venture capital investment in solar technology was $5 million. In 2007, it hit the $1 billion mark.

                 U.S. Investment in Renewable Energy Projects 2001-2007

Taken from U.S. Department of Energy’s – Renewable Energy Data Book 2008 p.110

The growth in investment is obvious from the above graph. There is no doubt that investment in renewable energy projects has rapidly grown. One example of investment in accelerating green energy technologies is evidenced in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009

Apart from other purposes, this recent bill is designed to “enhance America’s energy independence” (OpenCongress, 2009). The following provides an excerpt from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 (p.62):

For an additional amount for ‘‘Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’’, $18,500,000,000, which shall be used as follows:

(1) $2,000,000,000 shall be for expenses necessary for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration and deployment activities, to accelerate the development of technologies, to include advanced batteries, of which not less than $800,000,000 is for biomass and $400,000,000 is for geothermal technologies.

Are we encouraged by this? Does it go far enough? Some suggest not. It does, however, demonstrate that governments are certainly on the correct path???        

Has this post answered the question – What is the Future for Green Energy? No, not really. Do I know what the future holds for green energy? No, I do not.

I do personally believe, however, that adoption has been too slow; that investment has been too little; and, that we, as a collective global community, do more chin wagging and lip flapping than need be. All at the expense of action. Perhaps we should harness some of the energy from this (i.e. chin wagging and lip flapping) – it would certainly be green and would definitely be substantial. I suppose that’s how we arrived at the insightful saying of “actions speak louder than words”.
 

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Comments

I couldn't agree with Uncle

Submitted by Aviad on Sat, 04/25/2009 - 14:00.

I couldn't agree with Uncle B more.  Just to look back and realize how stupid we were by bindly followng the most idiotic and un developed rules for decades!   For what, or why?  To satisfy individuals and small very specific groups in the society and shove some  unhealthy alternatives to the mass, put some sweatener inside, nice strong coloring, of course, few vitamins, and SELL it 300-400 percent higher than what it costed.  Someone has to earn big time, no?

American people must KNOW the trouth and relinquish their empty feeling of supperiority.  It helps with nothing in the real life but pumping the ego, which eventually, as we see now, exploades in the face of all of us and the rest of the world.
There IS a positive alternative.   I just hope that our recent experience will make us all realize that we need to listen to scientists just a little bit more than old religious leaders.

 

Future for Green Energies

Submitted by Uncle B (not verified) on Sat, 04/25/2009 - 12:27.
Bio-diesel, from Algae, combined with high compression Euro Diesels can save America today! They can reduce foreign oil imports instantaneously and are 40% more efficient, that is to say 40% less polluting than their gasoline counter-parts - but you can't even get this idea off the comment pages of the net! To further understand, SEE: "The University of New Hampshire is exploring ways of forced production of algae for biodiesel that is yielding 10,000 gallons per acre and uses salty water. Their calculations show that a tiny area of the Sonoran desert in New Mexico (about 9%) is enough area to produce all of the transportation fuel in the U.S. using their production techniques. Already, one company is experimenting with algae production stations at a power plant to capture the CO2 from the exhaust and use it to make algae for biodiesel” http://www.itsgood4.us/biodiesel.htm

But no one does anything! They are waiting for the Chinese to build the diesel cars, grow the algae and give them the works for a few sawbucks? Why should they?

Next, consider the wise decision of the Canadian government to legalize Hemp farms! SEE: "Last word on Hemp in Canada, Canadian government site for the truth!" http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/highlights/2008/0803hemp_e.html Soon, scrub land not in production will be growing Hemp fiber for American paper products, and a superior extremely recyclable fiber for this product too! Soon. pressed hemp-board from Canada will replace wallboard made from Tropical Rain forest trees, and if seeds grow, oil and petrochemical replacement oils as well as bio-diesel of the highest grade will flow! All the while, Yankee Doodle, head up his ass, as usual, drives Corvette cars getting 8 mpg, and cries because his economy dies, and his credit rating is shrinking? And won't repeal 1930's laws designed to pervert a nation to cotton fiber, by rich industrialists? SEE: http://www.boingboing.net/2004/10/13/monsanto-stole-paten.html to better understand how the overly legalistic vulture capitalist American businessman treats his fellow man - Is he really a superior breed, or just another Nazi about to fall on hard times? Good will? From these conceited, arrogant self-amusing, jerk off bastards? not likely!

Sweden, not so pompous, egomaniac, and arrogant, not syrupy gooeyed in entitlement and delusions of grandeur, and more pressed for survival without four page glossy colored ads to tell them how, have managed some green, SEE: "SvenskBiogas, which produces, distributes and sells biogas for transportation in eastern Sweden. Each year the company takes 50,000 tons of a stomach-churning mixture of slaughterhouse waste, human waste and seized alcohol and turns it into clean-burning biogas." See: http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____14363.aspx

Even little, poor, backwards, out of style, socialist Norway sees the light before the Arrogant Yankee Doodle! SEE: “Free, friendly and non-fossil – biomethane from human waste will soon power public transport in Oslo, the capital city of Norway.” http://ecoworldly.com/2009/01/29/human-sewage-to-power-buses-in-norway/

The humble American back-yard mechancic have wrought miracles even the mighty Arrogant well-heeled GM executives couldn't pull off, to save their company! SEE: Jonathan Goodwin of H-Line Conversions will perform the Lincoln Mark IV’s transformation.

The electric-biodiesel vehicle is expected to achieve around 100 miles per gallon. http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/12/04/transportation-tuesday-neil-youngs-classic-hybrid/ So sad the state of America today, G d give us hope that Detroit City can find mending and your solace in greening of the ruins of a vulture capitalism's century of rule, and mend the minds of the drunken, self-medicating souls with community veggie plots and fair treatment, away from the exploiting slavery of the money-man and his ruinous ways.

Green is part of the answer, that is certain, legalizing pot, a humane treatment for the sick animals of this capitalist democracy, another green answer to crime and disease, "The Man" disallows, protecting profits of a drug empire that feeds his own steak, caviar and fine wines while we eat shit at Mickey D's!

Homework?

Submitted by Anna M. Gralton PhD on Fri, 03/27/2009 - 20:25.

Hi TPWard,

Is this homework? More like quite a large research project??? Anyway, I will break up my replies because just like fossil fuel, I have a finite amount of time :)

I will talk about the BIOMASS comment/question:

In the post I cited the Renewable Energy Data Book 2008 as saying that biomass, geothermal and hydropower energy generation had remained relatively constant from 2000-2007. The book also says between 2000 and 2007 corn ethanol almost quadrupled and biodiesel production increased 225 times.

The problem is limited words in such a post, and because the webinar has mostly been directed at electricity generation, I focused upon this. 

Anyhow, I went right to the source (EERE Information Center, U.S. Department of Energy) and asked for an explanation. Let me just say that firstly I always try and get stats from Government reports as, in this case, they usually can back up their findings and summaries. It might not be the case in some unilateral decisions, but I have faith in their intelligence and information for this report. They replied with this answer within a couple of days. I am sure it will straighten out the confusion. 

I believe the short answer to your question concerning the role of biomass in energy production is that one of the quotes you mention concerns electrical generation while the other refers to gasoline displacement, two very different uses of biomass. Biomass itself refers to a large variety of feedstocks and end products, and you can learn more about our program at http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/. You may learn more about vehicle fuels at the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center at: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/. Also the Office of Planning, Budget, and Analysis (PBA) conducts analyses and collects and disseminates data relating to renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and the related technologies and produces our databooks. You may contact them through their website at http://www.eere.energy.gov/ba/pba/contacts.html

I hope this answer helps TPWard.

As for the Zimbabwe sitatuation you mention TPWard, I really cannot comment on that. I have no knowledge of this. Except to say from an economic point of view, it is true that it is dangerous for economies to put all their eggs in one basket. It is like a micro-scale investment portfolio for an individual. We need to diversify in case the world drops out of one type of investment and we are still left with something. What else can I say? I have no knowledge of the biomass issue in Zimbabwe. 

All I can say is the Geothermal blog/comment is in the pipeline :)

Signing off ... a time-poor citizen of the world.

 

I think geothermal is not

Submitted by cristele on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 23:16.

I think geothermal is not necessarily using geysers and volcanos, but using the property of the earth: the pipes are plugged in deep in the ground so that in winter, the water for the heater is kept warm, and in summer, kept cold to refresh your house. THis is a major componant of "passive heating/cooling" housing.

 

Unexplored areas

Submitted by TPWard on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 14:05.

I'm really surprised that biomass and geothermal use have remained flat in that period of time!  I have some thoughts on each, actually.

  • Biomass -
    • Doesn't this include veggie-oil vehicles and the like?  I've seen more such cars on the road, so either my observation is skewed or other areas of biomass energy are dropping.  Any ideas? 
    • I also heard an interesting story on NPR about the push for biomass production in Africa, and how Zimbabwe is slow to accept the trend.  It seems they're concerned that this will promote yet another single-source economy that is entirely based on volative world commodity markets, and they're not convinced it will help the country or the continent much.  Surprisingly I couldn't find any reference to the story on NPR.org, or I would have linked to it.  Any thoughts about that?
  • Geothermal -  I find this idea fascinating and slightly mystifying.  Would you be willing to do a post on how this all works?  I understand that it taps into the heat of the planet, but does that mean drilling into active volcanoes?  What sort of impact does geothermal technology have at production sites?  Will it be able to use our existing transmission system?  Does it need a grid at all, or can it be produced on site?  Other than the usual economic barriers, is there anything else that's holding back our progress in this area, like some political pressure from a strange quarter or a technological hurdle not yet overcome?

I didn't mean to give you homework, but I am definitely interested if you have more to say on this!

 

Yep! I say green and greedy

Submitted by cristele on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 13:58.

Yep! I say green and greedy need to work together! :-)

 

For me it seems that the

Submitted by Aviad on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 10:12.

For me it seems that the future of green energy is very bright. Not because all people and governments are awesome and very aware and conscious, but because first, we do not have a choice, second it is a good path to invest in. As we know, people's greediness will make them do anything, but really, anything, event investingin green energy. for example, many green websites on the web are owned by big corporations who surf on the wave of the green revolution. Do you think they care thatmuch? Threy are sill working with the exact same morals and behaviors like they were before the crisis. Anyways, I belive that we are on the way to have the energy greener and greener and with people who care and government who listens, we will have a tremendous change with the quality of our life very soon.
Aviad

 

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