Nuclear Energy to Shale Gas to Renewable Energy

To me, it seems like the future of Energy will evolve in 3 steps. This future also seems following the Indian Government‘s direction.

STEP 1

Immediate energy needs of the World would be solved through Nuclear Energy. This is because by now we have reasonable experience in Nuclear Energy Generations. Apart from increased ability in better generation of nuclear energy, the World has also learnt from costly errors in using the Nuclear Energy from experience in Chernobyl, Fukushima.

Nuclear Energy can produce high quantity of energy at lower levels of environmental impacts. Thus, there is lower risk of the technology being adopted worldwide.

“We need a lot of energy, and we need it fast, and it seems for now that an aggressive push toward safe, efficient and low-carbon nuclear power is the only dominant strategy that can kill both these birds with one stone.” – From Nuclear vs renewables: A tale of disparities By Ashutosh Jogalekar.

STEP 2

As technology for extraction and processing of Shale Gas improves, it will be adopted more widely across the world.

Two factors will lead this revolution.

The first factor is that since this approach is being led by America, the rest will anyway follow this approach.

The second factor is that there is abundance of sources of natural gas available world-wide. This will give a natural motivation to try to obtain as much as possible self-dependence from this source.

India is very excited with the discovery of natural gas in the Krishna-Godavari Basin. The Government is so bullish about this that they have not tried to control this sector and have included a private partner in Reliance Industries.

“As a result of the shale revolution, the Earth can now provide us with about 250 years worth of gas supplies,” Nigel Lawson, former British chancellor of the exchequer

PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts oil prices could fall 40 per cent, thanks to new oil projects on the horizon, from deepwater drilling in Brazil to China’s plans to develop its own shale-oil reserves. – Welcome to the golden age of shale gas by Tamsin McMahon

Today the biggest trend affecting global energy markets is the explosive growth of shale natural gas — something that virtually no one thought was even viable 20 years ago. – Five Truths About Our Energy Future By Bryan Walsh

STEP 3

Ultimately, the only sustainable source will be from renewable sources of energy. As there are both technical and economic challenges in the adoption of these sources of energy, the World will continue enhancing technology in this sector. There is enough time available for adequate mastery for harnessing this source of energy as there are enough alternatives available for a decent amount of time. We could also find catalysts in this direction from knowledge collected from outside our Earth through our various explorations in the Solar System.

A 2000 piece in Foreign Affairs magazine by Richard Rhodes and Dennis Beller pointed out the toxic metals – substances which unlike radioactive isotopes have an infinite half-life – that the solar power industry generates. Wind power also has similar deep-seated issues, including usage of vast tracts of land and destruction of bird life. – Nuclear vs renewables: A tale of disparities By Ashutosh Jogalekar