written July 2010
The issue of finding energy sources to replace fossil fuels is one of the defining elements of our era. When the historians of future generations look back on these years will they see a time of uninhibited innovation and progress towards novel solutions or one of willful ignorance and complacency fuelled by unwillingness to change established industries?
Humanity is on the cusp of this change and it is up to us to explore every option available wholly and without pre-judgment. It has been proven over and over again that innovations in, at the time for their development, seemingly trivial products and technologies can lead to huge shifts in the way our society behaves as a whole. Examples can be seen in the earliest versions of the internet (1), the internal combustion engine (I.C.E.) (2), the television, the telephone, the radio, or navigation and time-keeping instruments… the list goes on and on. It’s a well-worn hypothetical situation, but if you could tell the average person in America in 1900 how differently their world would look in 50 years, or now 100 years later, in large part because of the development of the I.C.E. powered automobile, that person would likely think you completely insane. Similarly, if we try to predict what fledgling innovation or technology will lead to the next upheaval in our society we can often be very wrong, as marketing and commonly held beliefs or misconceptions will always influence our thinking.
It is crucial to recognize the impossibility of predicting all the future industrial and sociological consequences that can result from even the smallest innovation or discovery. It would be a mistake to discount a technology because it is not perfectly efficient in its current form. If it is possible to do something at all, then it is usually possible to do it more efficiently, given proper resources and time. A common thread in the following list is a need for more research and innovation to make these options competitive with fossil fuels.
The purposes of formatting this as an A-Z list are to show the great number and variety of ways available for us to change, and to highlight the fact that most alternatives only need development to become competitive.
Here are a few ways I think we can start finding alternatives to fossil fuels:
A ir
Using compressed air to store extra power generated by solar panels, wind turbines, tidal screws, etc. can make up for inconsistencies in power generation inherent to those methods. Air moving as wind can generate power in a multitude of ways, and in fact, the “Faster Than the Wind” team has developed a prototype vehicle capable of moving 2.7 times faster than the speed of the wind that is powering it. (3)
B iofuels
The idea of turning waste materials into fuel is very attractive. There are drawbacks due to production efficiency issues, but research and development will help improve this.
C ellular Production
The production of fuels like diesel by plants at a cellular level could become a viable solution, however the process still needs development to become more efficient.
On the other hand, both this type of production and the biofuel type still just mean a way to produce synthetic fossil fuels, they do not offer a true replacement.
D ownsize
Not everything needs to be huge. If we more precisely match power needs to generation capability we can save energy. In this way we could replace fossil fuel users with alternative power sources. This could be applied from personal transportation to power generation sites.
E ffieciency
This is the most important part of energy generation and should be the highest priority when developing an energy generator.
F ocus
Efficient designs are focused in their functionality with a minimum of unnecessary features. Applying this concept to all products would reduce the consumption rate of fossil fuels used in plastics production.
G eothermal Production
Using heat from the earth to produce electricity via steam is renewable and low-impact. The only limiting factor is location.
H ydrogen
Hydrogen powered vehicles are well on their way to becoming a viable alternative. The downsides relate to production and storage, and innovation and development are all that is needed.
I somers, Atomic
Isomers are elements whose nuclei can be made to release energy by firing x-rays at them. This technology is in its early stages still, but as a slow release type of generator it appears to be a possible alternative to traditional batteries.
J ourneyman, of Energy Efficiency
Creating a profession around evaluating, improving, and repairing efficiency enhancement aspects of consumer and commercial products could make drive towards efficiency more prevalent in society and help reduce the overall need for energy.
K ites
Using kites and balloons to gather weather information has been done for a long time, but what other ways can we use them? As recording equipment becomes smaller and lighter, kites and balloons could provide alternatives to traditional traffic helicopters or provide coverage of sporting events.
L ightwieght
Anything that requires power can be made more efficient by removing weight from the right places.
M aterials and Manufacturing
By evaluating the basic materials we start with and use in manufacturing processes and researching all possible alternatives we can find ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels in manufacturing. For example using hardier plant varieties that require less fertilization and watering and using recycled materials that don’t require as much initial processing.
N anotubes
When one end of a microscopic carbon nanotube is coated with a reactive fuel then ignited by a laser a wave of heat moves through the tube and forms a significant electric current. Prototypes show a 100 times greater energy density than lithium-ion batteries and they don’t lose any charge over time. (4)
This is just one of the ways that batteries are improving, and one of the only things holding back all electric vehicles is batteries. While EVs do not completely solve the fossil fuel problem, as the electricity in the batteries must be generated somehow and their manufacturing is somewhat fossil fuel-heavy, removing petroleum products from the power generating process at the end product would be a huge step forward.
O pen Mind
From the end user to the conceptual designer, from the design and manufacture to the consumption and disposal of a product or service, every person involved must keep an open mind to alternative and sustainable ways of doing things.
P rogression
Progression towards less established but more efficient practices instead of relying on established but less efficient methods is essential if we are going to find a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
Q uantum Dots
The most efficient solar cells on the market convert less than 20 percent of the sunlight energy that hits them into electricity, and this type of silicon cell has a theoretical maximum efficiency of around 30 percent. By using nano-scale lead selenide crystals that are able to trap more of the energy and absorb it in the cells researchers at University of Texas are developing cells that could theoretically convert 66 percent of the light that hits them into electricity. (5)
R eduction
Improving the quality and quality control in manufacturing and design will reduce the number of inferior and redundant products that use up unnecessary resources. Supporting companies that have high quality control is a consumer level action that can support this as well.
S olar
The negative aspects of solar power generation relate to efficiency, cost, and inconsistency. The positive aspects of complete sustainability, very low impact, and relative simplicity far outweigh the negative ones. This area needs research and development to overcome its obstacles, but is assuredly part of a viable solution.
T idal Generators
Using the tidal forces from the ocean to generate power has been done for centuries on a relatively small scale, and we should be taking advantage of this to a much greater degree now.
U nderfoot
Piezoelectric generators create power when force is applied to a crystal. All roads, sidewalks, bridges, walkways, residential and commercial indoor areas-essentially all flooring, should be made to take advantage of this property. Imagine a carpet underlay that is soft, insulates, and generates power every time it is walked on.
V alue
For fossil fuels to be replaced, their replacements must fulfill the values that are in place in our society, and our values must change to recognize the need for the replacement.
W ind Power
Wind generated power is sustainable, low impact, simple, and should be utilized to the greatest degree possible. With more efficient batteries and other storage methods being developed all the time, this type of generation is more attractive than ever.
X, Y, Z…
Who knows what discoveries will emerge in the decades to come?