In the near future there will some changes in technology and our lives. For example, today more and more renewable energy sources are being used instead fossil fuels to generate energy. In 2020, solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric dams may become more common in the future. As the world population increases, the demand for energy has increased and new methods of obtaining energy would need to be developed. Non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) will eventually become depleted. Furthermore, they are a major cause of the greenhouse effect which causes global warming. This means we would need to look for more renewable energy sources that are much more efficient and friendly to the environment. In fact we already have them as I said earlier, but these still have some disadvantages. First of all, they are expensive and some do not produce enough electricity.
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| Image showing how Greenhouse Effect can cause global warming |
Solar Panels
Solar panels are renewable energy sources which use the light from the sun and convert into electricity. As long as the sun shines solar panels would be able to continue generating electricity unlike fossil fuels. However, they only generate electricity during the day because that is when there sunlight. Currently, today's solar panels mostly absorb infrared light to produce electricity. In the future though, new advances in technology will give us more efficient solar panels that can use all spectra of electromagnetic radiation to generate electricity. This means more electricity can made without damaging the environment. Below is a short clip of Dr Michio Kaku a theoretical physicist who will explain how discovery of new materials may pave the way for better more advanced solar panels.
Fusion Reactors
Another energy resource that would probably be used in the future is fusion reactors, where electricity is generated through a nuclear fusion reaction. They have major advantages over other energy resources. Compared to fission reactors which use nuclear fission to produce electricity, fusion reactors which will use sufficient sources of fuel such as hydrogen. Furthermore, these reactors will not leak radiation above normal background levels and will generate less radioactive waste than fission reactors used today. The fusion reactor will use the same nuclear reaction that occurs inside stars like our sun which means a significant amount of energy can be generated. It will also be a clean and sustainable energy resource.
Advantages
Advantages
- It is a renewable energy resource. The fuel used in the fusion reactors like deuterium and tritium which are isotopes of hydrogen are virtually inexhaustible.
- It does not give off harmful gases into the atmosphere like fossil fuels which contribute to global warming. Fusion reactors only emit helium a gas that is already plentiful in the atmosphere.
- Fusion reactors are safe and have no problems over nuclear waste which is a major concern with the use of fission reactors.
- Currently scientist have not been able to contain a fusion reaction for a long enough period of time to generate enough energy.
- Due to a failure to reach a breakthrough in fusion power many countries are phasing out research in nuclear fusion.
Other Energy Resources of the Future
- Tidal Power
- Wind Energy
- Wave Power
- Hydroelectricity
- Geothermal Power
- Biomass
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