Need for Renewable Energy

Environmentalists sounding death bell for end of fossil fuels from the world are frantically searching for alternative sources of energy. The cause of worry is understandable as on one hand conventional energy, whether from coal, oil or nuclear source have become major pollutants today on earth and on other hand, no single alternate source which can sustain our future power requirements is yet to be fully functional. Scientists and Engineers are making all out efforts to crystallize concepts and develop new technologies for renewable sources, which appears to be the logical alternative for today's fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Though RENEWABLE ENERGY , be it solar energy, wind energy, ocean energy, hydro power, biomass, hydrogen or geothermal energy is in abundance and inexhaustible, but cost of setting up infrastructure is prohibitive and hence not cost effective for widespread usage. Considering such limitations in present day technology, we need to earnestly think about other ways of producing clean green energy, as perfecting present technology for future needs could take anywhere around 20 years minimum.

Apart from Renewable Energy in its physical realm, the concept of producing energy from Hydrogen is theoretically possible, but the technology is in its early stage. Though Hydrogen is most common element in nature, its always found in combination with other elements. Only once it can be separated, can hydrogen be used as fuel for consumption or to generate electricity.

Basically energy from Hydrogen can be got by chemical reaction of fossil fuels usually known as Methane or alternatively via electrolysis of water as in the case of hydro power. Hydrogen as fuel can also be produced from innovative use of suns energy on landfill gas through sunlight focusing mirrors , where catalytic reactors convert methane, carbon dioxide and water into hydrogen. It can also be generated from energy supplied in heat form and electricity through high-temperature electrolysis (HTE). Besides the above predominant ways hydrogen can also be produced through Thermochemical processes as demonstrated in laboratories.

However, for "Hydrogen Economy" to become reality, technology needs to be transferred from laboratories to commercial production where issues relating to cost, storage, safety and environment concerns must be first taken care off before we can fully adopt it as another viable renewable source of energy for reducing greenhouse gasses in terms of 2005 Kyoto Protocol.