I am an energy pragmatist. The discovery of cheap, readily accessible oil has raised the standard of living for millions of people in the last 100 years; though not without cost. Society is intimately linked to its supply of energy. Traditional fossil fuel resources have been linked to respiratory health concerns and, albeit with questions, to climate change.
That leaves the predicament of what to do about the move away from traditional fuels. The demands of the shift encompass a bewildering range of considerations: the need to maintain an accepted standard of living in The Developed World; the desire of the Developing World (and in particular the Asian and BRIC economies) to attain these standards; the environmental impact of the replacement technologies and the impacts of decommissioning the existing infrastructure; the economics of the energy shift; meeting increased energy demand; societal & consumer acceptance; the incentive to change when current marginal influence is so small; the list is almost endless. There is no one solution to the problem of the energy conundrum, nor are there a series of quick solutions. The problem facing society is nuanced and complex.
Distributed energy production, from a wide range of sources will allow the move away from a centralised grid, though electricity will remain the energy transporter of choice for decades, if not centuries, to come. The capability to meet these needs is well within our grasp, though still in need of commitment. Transport, however, poses a more difficult problem. The need for high energy density, mobility and ease of refuelling tie us to liquid fuels. But does it? Technologies now being developed allow the conversion of gaseous fuels to liquid (LNG, LPG, GTL etc) and maybe even, one-day, solid to liquid conversion (liquid coal). There are many solutions on the horizon for the long term, but my own research is founded in meeting the immediate need. I work to solve our immediate problems, and strive to smooth our transition into the ‘green future’. Natural gas combustion is clean, in that, although a fossil fuel, natural gas is much more clean burning than existing fuels. Natural gast is no long term solution, but world proven reserves are at least double those of oil, and natural gas is our best intermediate solution; a technology that allows us to get to a point where we can truly move beyond fossil fuels.
What of hydrogen and fuel cells then? These are technologies which I could discuss for hours, but here suffice it to say “I have my concerns”. The first misnomer to dispel is that hydrogen is an energy source. It is not, it is an energy carrier, just like electricity. So why not use electricity? Sending electrons along a route is much more efficient and easier than compressing highly flammable hydrogen and transporting it as a liquid. Fuels cells? Yes, for everything but transport. The fundamental principles of a fuel cell mean that it likes a constant load and transport applications require anything but. Producing the hydrogen a fuel cells needs is problematic if we discount fossil fuelling to provide the energy to generate the requisite hydrogen. If this problem can be overcome, fuel-cells are the solution to many an energy need. So, the transport alternative to fuel cells? There are several vying for the car, truck, or bus of the future. Plug-in electric, plug-in hybrids and advanced combustion engines (HCCI, hydrogen fulled ICE’s), all offer potential in a field which is yet to have a clear winner emerge.
How do we make all this come to fruition though? Money is, unfortunately, the answer. Firstly, people will not change their consumptions habits unless a direct cost is put on that habit (look at the difference in the size of the average car in Europe and North America for markets which are, respectively, managed by taxation and regulation). Secondly, industry and innovators will not provide solutions unless there is a financial intensive to do so. Economic drivers (coupled with regulation) need to be in place on both ends of the energy chain if society is move beyond the current quagmire and overcome the energy conundrum it currently faces.