Runninghead:TACKLINGFUTUREENERGYCHALLENGE

TacklingtheFutureEnergyChallenge
ShuYiNeoh
ENGL106i
Mrs.Park
March27,2015
PurdueUniversity

Authorsnote
CorrespondenceconcerningthisarticleshouldbeaddressedtoShuYiNeoh,First
YearEngineering,PurdueUniversity,WestLafayette,IN47906.

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Contact:sneoh@purdue.edu
Abstract
This paper emphasizes on renewable energy as the solution to the energy
challenge that lies ahead, and takes into consideration of the types of limitations
renewableenergymayhave.Theenergychallengeaheadisacontinuousbattlemankind
has to face, as the population continues to rise, the energy demand increases, and
technologyadvances.Thereareseveralfactorsthatlimitrenewableenergyinbecoming
themainsourceofenergyformankind,whichincludesgeographicallimitation,basic
commoditieslimitationandgovernanceandpolicylimitations.Thepapercontinuesto
explainsomeofthecurrentsolutionresearchersareworkingtowards.However,asthe
primaryfocusofthispaperisabouthowmankindtacklesenergychallenge,thefocuswas
moreonthelimitationsrenewableenergyhas,inordertoidentifytherootoftheproblem
that may affect renewable energy being the solution mankind chooses to tackle the
energychallenge.
Keywords: energy challenge, green energy, green technology, limitations of
renewableenergy,renewableenergy.

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TacklingtheEnergyChallenge
Introduction
Energy plays a tremendous significant to the progress of mankind. The
advancementintechnology,theeconomicofacountryisalllargelydependentonthe
abilityofmankindinfindingenoughenergytosustainit.IntherecentpapersIwrote,I
managed to conclude that the most realistic approach to tackling the future energy
challengewouldbetoutilizerenewableenergy.Throughinterviewsandfurtherresearch,
Irealizedtherearelimitationsastohoweffectiverenewableenergyis,andIwouldlike
tolookintoitfurtherastohowmuchthiswouldcurbtheprogressofgreenenergyin
curbingtheenergychallengeaheadofhumanity.Thispaperwillexplorefurtherinto
detailsfromtheconclusionsfrommyinterviewreport,askingtheexpertopinionofMr.
Carter,apostgraduatestudentinPurdueUniversity.Myultimategoalofthispaperisto
understandthelimitationsofrenewableenergy,andthedirectionstheresearchershaveto
theseshortcomings.Iwillalsobrieflyunderstandthesolutionsthesciencecommunity
have.
TheUnitedStatesfacesenergyshortages,besidesincreasingenergypricesinthe
future.Generalproduction,importandconsumptiontrends,forecastsin20years,the
UnitedStateswillhavetoimportabout90%ofitsoil.Thecontributionofrenewable
energysources becomes extremelyvitalwiththecurrentprospectofenergyoutlook.
Fossilfuelsarealsothemajorcontributortocarbondioxide.InUnitedStates,thecarbon
dioxideemissionisashighas22%eventhoughthepopulationofUnitedStatesisless
than4%oftheglobalpopulation.Thecurrentrenewableenergysourcesonlyprovide8%

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oftheUnitesStatesneeds,whilefulfillingonly14%ofworlddemand(Pimentel,2002,p.
1111).Whilerenewableenergygenerationremainsthemostlogicalsolutiontothefuture
energydemand,mankindarestillalongwaytofindingthebalanceinhumanpopulation
densityanduseofland,energy,waterandbiologicalresources.
Throughseveralresearches,itisevidentlyclearthatrenewableenergyisthemost
rational approach to tackling the energy challenge that lies ahead. In fact, the
developmentofrenewabletechnology,ifpersistentlydevelopedinthecurrentpace,will
be able to provide energy solution to 50% of the demand, in United States alone
(Pimentel,2002,p.1111). Thepossibilityofrenewableenergyasameanofsolving
energycrisisisthebestshotmankindhastosurviveinthefaceofearthforgenerationsto
come.
LimitationsofRenewableEnergy
As much as renewable energy provides the ultimate solution to the energy
challenge,therearelimitationstotheimplementationofthetechnologyformankind.
Prediction of increase in global energy consumption by 50% is made; by 2030
(Hightower,2008,p.285).Thisincreasenotonlyaffectstheamountofenergygeneration
required,butalsoprovidesstraintowardsthetechnologicalindustry,tofuturedownscale
usageofenergyindevices,whichmayslowdownthedevelopmentoftechnology.
Geographical limitations. Transition to renewable energy alternatives faces
challengesintermsoflandavailability.Byjusttakingintoaccountthecurrentcondition
intheUnitedStates,theprimaryusageoflandliesintheplantationofcropstomakeup
the nutrients needed by the nation, given the increase in size of population, for the

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adequate supply of essential nutrients and diverse diet (Pimentel, 2002, p. 1117).
Pimentel suggested that Renewable energy technologies could, if developed and
implemented,providenearly50%ofUSenergyneeds;thiscouldrequireabout17%of
USlandresources.(p.1111).Suchalargedemandofspacewillaffectallaspectoflife
onearth.Besideslimitationoflandarea,thelocationofthegenerationofgreenenergyis
alsoahugeproblem.Windturbines,solarpanelinstallationaregeographicaldependent.
Windenergyrequiresalargeplotofland,typicallyinasecludedareafarawayfromthe
households.Transportingenergybecomesanadditionalproblem.
Basic commodity limitations. Water plays a huge role in the everyday life.
Humansneedwatertosurvive,andtogeneratehydropower.Although75%ofthefaceof
earthconsistsofwater,averylimitedpercentageoffreshwaterisavailableasthesource
ofwaterformankind.AccordingtoHightower(2008),Theenergysectorwillfinditself
incompetitionwithotherusers.(p.286). Waterislargelyimportanttoothersectors
includingdrinkingwatersupplies,agriculture,energyproductionandgeneration,mining
and industry, which also require large quantities of water. With prediction of the
possibilityofhydropowercontributingto60billionkWhperyearfromtheexistingdam
inUnitedStates(Pimentel,2002,p.1111),itisproventhatwaterisagreatsourceof
energy.However,theabilitytosupplyenoughdrinkingwaterandstillbeabletogenerate
large amount of energy is extremely difficult. Building dams will also affect the
ecosystemoftheenvironmentaroundthedam.Besidestheecosystem,thedamslargely
affect other physiochemical factors, such as water temperature and chemicals.

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Accumulation of sediments will also affect the efficiency of the dams in generating
electricity,whilecausingothermajorenvironmentalproblems(p.1112).
Governanceandpolicylimitations.Takingwaterastheprimarystudycase,
thereisaneedtooptimizetheusageofwater,asitisinextremescarcity.Furthermore,it
isimportanttohaveregulations,policiesandinfrastructuredevelopmentinmanaging
water, a major resource of energy generation and many other industrial functions.
However, the United States government has an extremely flawed water management
system. There are several instances where the water policies or regulations are
contradictory, which in turn discourages coherent approached to water management,
which is very much needed in times of pressure now. Instead of focusing on the
availabilityoffreshwatersupplies,itisequallynecessarytofocusonavailability,quality
andefficientusageofallwaterresources,inordertomeetthefuturedemand.Department
ofenergybeingawareofthepotentialofwateraffectingenergygeneration,shouldbe
consideringonhowenergyandwaterdevelopmentiscarefullyconsideredsothateach
resourcesisusedtothefullestpotential(Hightower,2008,p.286).
SolutionstoLimitationsofRenewableEnergy.
An industrial revolution is needed to make energy affordable, accessible, and
sustainable.Althoughtheusageofrenewableenergyisintherise,noncarbonemitting
sourcesofenergyremainedlargelyconstantforthepasttwodecades,whichisaserious
problem.Insteadofusingpetroleum,usenaturalgasfortransportation,alternativeliquid
fuels.Anotheralternativetothecurrentliquidtransportationfuelsincludethegeneration
ofethanolusingyeast,acompletelygreenwayofproducingliquidfuelascomparedto

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thecurrentusageofpetroleum.Inanotherwords,anincreaseofbiofuelsavailableinthe
market,usingcropsthatgrowonamuchfasterpace,togeneratealargeamountoffuelin
ashortspanoftimeisagoodmethod.Asformeansofgenerationofenergy,thearticle
mentionedthatthemaingoalofgenerationofenergythroughsolarshouldfocus on
increasingtheefficiencyofthesolarpanels,aswellasreducingtheproductioncostof
solar panels. In terms of grid energy storage, the efficiency of the transmission and
distributionofelectricityshouldbeimprovedontominimizethelossofenergyinthe
process. According to Chu, The most inexpensive method to store electricity for
mediumandlongtermistousepumpedhydroelectricandcompressedair.However,
geographical constraints warrant alternative approaches. New electrochemical and
modularandlowcostfabricatedcompressedairsystemsarepromising.(p.302).
Conclusion
Althoughrenewableenergytechnologiesconfirmsallthesemethodsareableto
providethealternativestotheenergyusagepopulationsarecurrentlyrelyingon,United
Stateshavetoworkonitsimplementationofrenewableenergy.Variouscombinationsof
renewableenergytechnologiescanreducethecurrentenvironmentalimpactsassociated
totheusageoffossilfuelsinenergygeneration(Pimentel,2002,p.1118).Itisimperative
thatthegovernmentcommitsthemselvestothetransitionoffossilfuelstotherenewable
energygeneration.Forthefutureofhumanslargelyaffectedbytheincreasingrelianceon
batterypowereddevices,cloudtechnologyandglobalInternetphenomenon,generating
energyinacleanwaybecomesmoreimportantthanever.

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References
Chu,S.,Majumdar,A.(2012).OpportunitiesAndChallengesForASustainableEnergy
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Hightower,M.,Pierce,S.(2008).TheEnergyChallenge.Nature.(285286)
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Pimental,D.,Herz,M.,Glickstein,M.,Zimmerman,M.,Allen,R.,Becker,K.,
(2002).RenewableEnergy:CurrentAndPotentialIssues.Bioscience.(1111
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