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Non-nuclear and non-fossil energy resources and their possibilities for future power generation

  • It must be stressed that the assessment of the exploitation possibilities of the energy resources discussed in this paper requires further studies. With this proviso, the situation can be provisionally summarised as follows: The total potential of known geothermal steam sources is only 64 GW. Geothermal energy could therefore only make a significant contribution to covering the worldwide power needs if we succeed in exploiting dry geothermal reservoirs. Exploitation of tidal energy is limited to a few geographically favourable locations. The power generation potential at these locations is only about 64 GW. An important drawback of tidal power is discontinuous power generation. Large scale exploitation of wind, wave and glacier energy, and of ocean heat, requires solution of a number of technological problems. The environmental effects of exploitation of these energy resources are to some extent of a qualitatively different nature from those of operation of fossil-fuel-fired and of nuclear power plants. The scanty knowledge in this area often results in these effects being underestimated. In any case, however, it would be deliberately misleading to postulate that any form of power generation is possible without some detrimental effects on the environment. It may be stated in conclusion that, owing to their small potential or to the as yet insufficiently advanced technological development, none of the energy resources discussed in this paper can make a significant contribution to the solution of middle-term energy supply problems, i.e., to a rapid replacement of mineral oil and natural gas.

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Metadaten
Author:Michael Meliß, Dieter Oesterwind, Alfred Voß
DOI:https://doi.org/10.18419/opus-8093
ISSN:0932-3902
Parent Title (German):Kerntechnik
Publisher:De Gruyter
Place of publication:Berlin
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Year of Completion:1975
Date of the Publication (Server):2013/08/07
Volume:17
Issue:7
First Page:301
Last Page:306
Note:
Printausg. in der Bibliothek vorhanden: 63 ZS 010-1975
Link:http://elib.uni-stuttgart.de/opus/volltexte/2013/8083/pdf/vos17.pdf
Zugriffsart:weltweit
Institutes:FH Aachen / Fachbereich Energietechnik
collections:Verlag / De Gruyter