Fossil fuels provide about 80 % of the global energy demand. IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) says that if we want to limit the global average temperature rise to 2.5-3.0 °C, CO2 emissions must peak within the next year and then decline.
In Europe we are facing two major energy challenges. The first is sustainability as EU’s CO2 emissions will rise if we don’t act now. The second challenge is security of supply as Europe is becoming more dependent on imported fuels.
Energy gets top priority
Previously we used to focus on issues like acid rain whereas we now focus on all the problems that relate to energy; security of supply, climate and competitive energy prices, said Anders Stouge, sector director for the Danish Energy Industries Federation which is part of the Confederation of Danish Industries.
He emphasized that energy plants today have long lives and if we are to use technology to solve energy problems, we must consider the plants’ long lives. In the long term the energy business needs to have well-known terms.
Interim director Henrik Bindslev, Risø DTU, pointed out that the challenges concerning the energy field are now evident and that political awareness is rising. For instance everyone can see that glaciers are drawing back and that you can sail in areas in the polar region today that have been iced over until recently. We know that higher temperatures will have other impacts. Not only do the oceans rise - diseases like malaria and lack of clean water will affect billions of people around the world.
Energy report 6: We must act now in order to fight temperature rises
In spite of our economic growth Denmark is good at keeping energy consumption at a constant level. But can we continue to do so? Head of department Hans Larsen from Risø DTU began his presentation describing how to deal with energy challenges.
Energy Report 6 analyses future options for energy technologies. Besides choosing technology it is just as important to prepare future energy systems for coping with new combinations of technologies. Hans Larsen suggested what to do in the short term and in the long term. In the short term energy savings will help a lot. However, in the long term fossil fuels will still play an important role and the capture and storage of CO2 could be a solution though it is expensive and inefficient at the moment. Read the report here. See the presentations here.
Other technologies were introduced at the conference. The main conclusions and recommendations are:
- Fuel cells are at the entrance to their break-through. They can be used in many applications: replacing oil and gas furnaces in houses, transport and portable equipment.
- Solar cells represent one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies and Germany in particular is far in advance. At Risø DTU we deal with polymer solar cells which are not that efficient but cheap. Denmark could develop an industry within this field if public support is granted for example by deciding that public buildings should be provided with solar cells.
- Second-generation biofuel produced from plant waste could be used for transport and biomass could be used for heating. When it comes to economy and CO2 accounts we need analyses showing how to adapt biomass for the energy system.
- Nuclear power has gained renewed interest as a technology that can reduce CO2 emissions. However, the world’s nuclear power stations are approximately 20-25 years old and close to their pension age.
- Fusion energy is CO2 free like nuclear power. The first commercial fusion power plant may not be in operation before 2045. And at that time the world really needs to save CO2. Fusion energy appears to be a fine solution.
- Geothermal energy and wave power have gained renewed interest and may play a part in the future energy supply.
Coal is here to stay
For director from DTU professor Kim Dam-Johansen it is not a matter of using fossil fuels but rather a matter of how to use them. Denmark is leading the way internationally when it comes to energy efficiency in coal-fired power plants. Research is conducted into technologies for capturing and storing CO2. The promising methods, which are still complicated, are expensive and use much energy.
Increase in urbanization causes huge energy consumption
Managing Director Leif Getreuer, Siemens A/S explained that Siemens follows the megatrends. An important one is urbanization which means increased energy consumption as 80 % of the world’s energy is used in big cities.
Denmark is far-sighted
Graduate of economics Helge Ørsted Pedersen from Ea Energianalyse a/s, paid attention to the fact that the Danish energy policy influenced by the rises in oil prices in the seventies have proven to be very far-sighted even today.
A new energy support programme focuses on development and demonstration
Torkil Bentzen, chairman of the board for the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme (EUDP), said that development and demonstration will be given priority. The programme will begin to work in 2008.
Capital is needed to commercialize new energy technology
Director in Vækstfonden Christian Motzfeldt explained why energy is so important to Vækstfonden.
The energy area is characterized by many already known future technologies. The markets are growing and even though nobody believes in a new company it is hard to kill a promising business. This area calls for some very strong investors who can see the whole potential and who are willing to invest the large sums necessary to move from demonstration to production.
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