Where Do We Go From Here

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Where Do We Go From Here?

• John Anasis
• ECE 510 Sustainable Energy
• Spring Term 2008

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• We have seen many potential options for
  sustainable energy.
• New technologies (solar, tidal, etc.).
• Institutions (e.g. regional trading partnerships
  for biofuels).
• Financial (e.g. PSU renewable energy credits)
• Complimentary actions (e.g. planting trees)

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• There is no one size fits all solution
• The needs of rapidly industrializing China are
  different than those of rural Bhutan.
• Energy options and viable technologies are
  different in Alaska and Kansas.

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• Each country or region must develop a vision for
  its energy future and the associated plans and
  policies to move towards that vision.
• This must be a sustained, long-term effort.
• Ideally, the policies and plans provide the guide
  that enables technological innovation and market
  forces to achieve the vision.

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• To develop the vision, a society must make
  certain fundamental decisions.
• These decisions will have significant long-term
  implications.
• In particular, they drive investment decisions
  and determine environmental and social impacts.

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• Some examples
• Should the electric power system be based on the
  large central station paradigm or on distributed
  generation?
• The answer to this question will drive the types
  of technologies pursued for power generation, the
  need for transmission lines and pipelines, and
  building codes for homes and businesses.

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• Examples (Cont.)
• Should the transportation system be designed
  around private automobiles or trains/mass transit
  as the primary means of moving people?
• The answer to this question drives the investment
  in highways vs rail systems, the layout of
  cities, the types of transportation fuels that
  might be used, and what types of fueling stations
  are required.

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• Finally, it is very important that the vision
  include a clear appreciation of the timeline
  required to achieve it and what needs to be done
  in the interim.
• For example, the vision may call for trains to be
  the main mode of transportation for trips of less
  than 1000 miles, but people will still have to
  rely on their cars for a period of time until the
  necessary infrastructure is in place.