Improving existing approaches remains an important option given the
relatively low current efficiencies and unwanted bi-products including
carbon dioxide. Hence the recent optimism with the improved manufacture
of photovoltaic cells or with carbon capture
Substitution of new and renewable resources in existing methods e.g.
the use of bio ethanol from corn in place of fossil derived oil
New concepts for power generation e.g. the electrokinetic or thermopile
effects or the re-appraisal of methods previously uneconomic or unfeasible
e.g. geothermal methods in Alaska or photovoltaic cells everywhere
This
focus is spawning new academic centres e.g. in the UK, ICEPT, the Imperial
College Centre for Energy Policy and Technology which are important in
themselves and in advising governments. Furthermore, whilst historically,
power generation has been very centralised there is now growing interest
in decentralised approaches in both the commercial and domestic markets,
driven by technology and access to it.
For
example US company Nanosolar state “Our mission is very simple:
A Solar Panel on Every Building® -- so that buildings everywhere will
be hybrid energy buildings, synergistically switching between clean locally-produced
solar energy (used during peak-time electricity usage hours just when
electricity is the most valuable) and grid-delivered backend power (delivered
in the evening or whenever the solar resources are not available).”
Such possibilities become even more attractive with developments like
that on King Island (between Australia and Tasmania) where new battery
technology has now enabled the wind farm to provide consistent power.
Such new “rechargeable” battery technology is scalable and
sustainable and removes the argument of unreliability from many renewable
sources.