Water Hydraulics. There are a variety of ways to generate energy from moving water. This prototype of a tidal power plant was built on the island of Islay, Scotland, on a cliff that encloses a column of seawater. As the sea rises and falls, passing air through a turbine, powering a generator. (Martin Bond / SPL) maremotrices could supply systems nearly three-quarters of the current energy needs of the European Community. The potential for mini-hydro is also significant. China has more than 60,000 of these plants in operation, which is only a fifth of the total hydroelectric potential. In the U.S., if the 67,000 existing dams, most of them built for flood control, were used to produce electricity, it would be possible
supplying several million households.
inSpain technically developable additional potential could double the current production, reaching 65 TWh per year, although the environmental and social costs would disproportionate. The proposal does not consider the construction of any new large power, focusing efforts on the rehabilitation of small scale closed, improvement of existing hydroelectric reservoirs that lack it. Such actions would increase annual production by 3 to 4 TWh, with no additional environmental impact to reach 35 TWh in an average year (neither too dry nor particularly wet). The required investments amounting to 200,000 pta. Wind
The conversion of wind energy into electricity is done by means of wind turbines, with sizes ranging from a few watts, to 4,000 kW (4 MW). Currently installed capacity amounts to 7,000 MW, equivalent to seven large nuclear power plants.
in 1997 and is competitive with electricity production of 600 kW wind turbines and in places where the average wind speed exceeds 7 meters per second. It is expected that within a few years also large machines (1 to 2 MW) to become profitable. Non-polluting wind power and its environmental impact is very small compared with other energy sources. Hence the need to accelerate its deployment at all locations favorable, but trying to reduce the potential negative impacts, especially in birds in some locations. The best wind areas in Spain are the following: Canary Islands, the Strait Area, Galician coast and the Ebro valley
reached 2,500 MW by 2005 is ambitious, but technically and economically feasible, given the advantages of energy Wind: reduced environmental impact, renewable resource, regardless of import and positive impact on employment generation. It must develop an industry capable of mass production at competitive costs. Total investments for the period 1998-2005 amounted to 300,000 pta, an amount equal to or less than a 1,000 MWe nuclear plant. The costs of wind are almost competitive with energy Conventional: 150,000 PTA PTA KW installed and 9 kWh.
In the year 2,005 would be feasible to produce 6.3 TWh in Spain, and in the year 2020 could reach 25 TWh. Their goal is to install 10,000 MW in the year 2,020. For the year 2030 has proposed installing the EWEA a total of 100,000 MW in the European Union. The consultancy BTM
APS Consulting predicts that Europe will increase from 4,794 MW now installed some 12,500 in 2002, almost triple in just three years. This increase is due, according to this consultant to environmental reasons, but in other parts of the world such as China or North Africa, there are also bets on wind as an energy generator in the absence of an acceptable power supply network.
Wind power brings together the role of a spectacular growth in recent years also accompanied by a growing interest by companies and regions.
In installations for wind farms have been invested in 1998, almost 80,000 million pesetas, double that in 1997 more than previous twelve, ie, since they started up windmills in 1986. According to the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDEA), there are five hundred companies involved in this sector.
Germany is the great leader in energy Wind: parks designed carefully to avoid problems with local environmental groups, they pay a premium of about 20 pesetas per kilowatt of wind energy transferred to the network, here the price is 11 pesetas, and there are companies interested in moving forward.
Greenpeace says power companies have resisted in the early development of the wind but then, "when they saw that the business, have signed the car." The wind farm at Tarifa, for example, required an investment of 6,000 million pesetas and now bill billion pesetas a year.
Geothermal Geothermal potential English is 600 ktoe per year, as a very conservative estimate of Geological and Mining Institute of Spain. For the year 2005 is to reach the 100 ktoe, which will require an investment of 40,000 million pesetas. Applications would be heating, hot water and greenhouses, not contemplating the production of electricity.
BIOMASS Biomass. Biomass - the vegetation used for energy - can become one of the most important fuels in the future. In the next twenty years could provide one-eighth of global energy budget. A variety of wood and agricultural wastes and energy crops symbolized by the corn field (background: Alex Bartel / SPL) can be transformed to provide a range of transport fuels, or can be burned to generate electricity Dad. An example is the conversion of wood chips in a methane-rich gas. (Left: U.S. Dept. of Energy / SPL) Like fossil fuels, this gas can be burned in power efficient than maximize the energy content of fuel, generating electricity while using waste heat.
The use of biomass is as old as the discovery and use of fire to warm and prepare food using firewood. Even today, biomass is the main source of household energy used by more than 2,500 million people in the Third World.
The combustion of biomass is environmentally benign. In the case of waste incineration, as is being done with the municipal waste in most European and North American cities, combustion pollutants emitted into the atmosphere, some carcinogens such as dioxins. Recycling and reuse of waste will improve the environment, saving significant amounts of energy and raw materials, while attempts to suppress the generation of toxic waste and reduce packaging.
currently in Spain The energy potential of biomass is 37 Mtoe, but that figure includes 19.6 Mtoe of energy crops and 3.8 Mtoe of forest and agricultural residues. Biofuel production and energy use excessive agricultural and forest residues is not desirable, given its impact on biodiversity, soils and the hydrological cycle, without forgetting the most important thing is to produce food, not biofuel for cars private. The goal of reaching 4.2 Mtoe in the 2,005 in practice means double the official consumer biomass. Obtaining biogas from waste digesters reduce livestock methane emissions, and should be promoted, to reduce pollution, to obtain fertilizer and energy. Location
English
Spain will be one of the countries hardest hit by climate change: for the year 2050, according to the Hadley Center, there will be a general increase in temperature (about 2.5 degrees Celsius), more pronounced in summer, precipitation is reduced by 10 percent and soil moisture by 30 percent, and almost all of the 3,000 miles of beaches disappear due to rising sea levels and erosion. Climate change will more wildfires, more erosion and desertification, and more droughts, floods and storm events in the Mediterranean area, such as call drop cold.
significantly decrease agricultural production, as well as hydroelectric production, and our main industry, tourism, sun and sand, will be seriously affected, both by the loss of beaches as temperatures increase in the sending countries. All coastal communities will be affected by rising sea level. Numerous species of fauna and flora could be lost.
Given the consequences of climate change in Spain would wait a belligerent policy by the Administration. Yet this belies the largest of the indifference, if not the most outdated developmentalism, claiming the right to pollute more (an increase of 17% between 1990 and 2010). If all countries bear the arguments defended by the English government, global emissions of greenhouse gases would have to grow by 65 percent for the year 2,000.
The English government's target for CO2 emissions, according to recent projections, up 14% for the year 2000 (258,247 thousands of tons, kt) for 1990 (226 422 kt), and a 24.74% for 2010 (282,440 kt) for 1,990. Between 1990 and 2010 government projections, by sector and for CO2 energy source are as follows: 3% decline in the industry will grow 73% in transport will increase by 42% in services and domestic uses only 5% in the processing sector of the energy (by replacing coal with natural gas). CO2 emissions from energy origin principle is not expected to increase, but it lacks any kind of projections.
The government plans for all greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) increased 11.78% to 2,000, and 20.10% for 2010, in carbon dioxide equivalent, as global warming potential of 100 years. The difference between 20.1% for 2010 and 17% increase under the agreement of the Council of Ministers of the EU's March 1997, means the extra effort you are willing to make the English government. Gaia
December 1997
