State-of-the-art technology for renewable energy in China
Photovoltaic cells ŠTotal
However effienciently they may be used, fossil energy sources, i.e. coal, gas and oil reserves, will not last forever. Renewable energy sources like Biomass energy from stalks, firewood and organic waste, solar and wind energy, as well as geothermal energy and tidal energy at the shores of the oceans are becoming increasingly important to guarantee a long-term sustainable development.
According to Chinese government figures, new and renewable energy abound in China. Until now only 10% of the total hydro and wind energy is exploited, for solar, geothermal and tidal energy less than 1% of the potential energy is currently generated in China. Biomass energies, however, already today are occupying 70% of domestic energy consumption in the countryside and 50 per cent of the total energy consumption in China.
To make most of these prospects of new, everlasting and non-polluting energy sources, state-of-the-art technology is needed. Wind turbines are not only for herdsmen in Inner Mongolia to create electricity to watch TV in far-off places, Biomass can not only generate heat in peasants stoves. Total, leader in biofuels is producing ethanol, ethyl-tertio-butyl-ether (ETBE) and esters which improve the performance of motor fuels and heating oil. By combining fossil and non-fossil energy sources, the emissions of carbon monoxide are greatly reduced. These technologies will also help China to exploit the renewable energy sources better and more economical, to reduce pollution and waste levels.
worldwide
Sustainable technologies in energy production
From the smokestacks of early industrialisation, energy production has been connected to pollution. To hand our world over to the next generations, we must diminish pollution created by energy production, especially with the level of energy consumption rising steadily.
Pollution comes not only from burning coal in power plants or petrol in cars. Also in bringing up energy sources like oil sustainable technologies have a field to work on. An oilfield can generate up to 3 barrels of water for every barrel oil extracted. Over the life of an oilfield, more than 25% of capital and operating expenditure can be taken up by waste water management. Companies like Total use now ways of Oil-Water separation through compact equipment located down-hole to minimise the waste-water production as well as to reduce costs. Water-purification processes can also be used to make produced water fit for irrigation of salt-tolerant crops or for shrimp farming.
After extraction oil is processed in refineries. Here the negative effects of emissions of Nitrogen and Sulphur oxides have to be targeted. It is quite possible, as was proven in Total plants in Europe, to reduce emissions by up to 75% with modern innovative processes. This is an example of what is seens as one of the major targets of sustainable technologies: "Minimising our environmental footprint", meaning to decrease to amount of changes to the environment due to human activity.
Sight of a biological river, allowing the study of pollution by industrial wastes ŠAtofina/Marco Dufour
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This is the most common definition. It was reached by the "Brundtland Commission" under the leadership of Gro Harlem Brundtland in 1987.
"Sustainable development involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity. Companies aiming for sustainability need to perform not against a single, financial bottom line but against the triple bottom line."
This is a definition by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Coal:
Coal formed by the coalification of terrestrial plants, particularly the trees of the Carboniferous System. Its quality varies according to the content of ash, impurities, and volatile matter.
Coal accounts for 26% of worldwide primary energy consumption. Production stands at 2.35 Gtoe/year. With 500 Gtoe proven reserves, at the current level of consumption, reserves should last for 200 years.
Wind Energy:
In earlier times, windmills used to produce mechanical energy, primarily for grinding grain. Today, wind turbines transform wind energy into mechanical energy for conversion to electrical energy. Today's wind turbines can generate over 1 MW of power each.
In 2002, worldwide installed capacity was 30,000 MW, of which 22,000 MW are in Europe.
Like all renewable energies, Wind Energy is inexhaustible
Biomass:
Biomass consists of organic matter from land and aquatic plants and animals. The most traditional form of biomass energy is wood used for heating or cooking. Today biomass is used to make biofuels even from "noble" products like grain, sugar cane and oil seeds. Biogas and organic wastes are also considered to be part of biomass.
Firewood is estimated to generate 1 Gtoe/year, or 10% of the global energy balance. Modern applications are increasing steadily. In France, wood energy amounts to 8 million toe/year, and biofuels are used for 1% of France's fuel consumption.
Like all renewable energies, Biomass is inexhaustible.
