Suchergebnisse

Technology can make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. But it can only do so if efforts to develop and deploy advanced energy technologies are redoubled and if technological advances are combined with measures that discourage the emitting of carbon by making it more expensive. Efforts with a near-term focus are needed, but so is work that will only bear fruit years from today. Both are vital. Both must start now and continue over time. Government and industry both have indispensable roles in the task of maximising energy technology's contribution to emissions reduction. This report is a call to action to IEA Member countries to find ways, compatible with their own circumstances, to achieve that end. It reviews a large number of technologies that could prove important in reducing energy-related emissions in both the near and long term. It points out how the availability of advanced energy technology can mitigate the cost of emissions reduction, and it outlines how traditional "barriers" to using new technology can be overcome. It deals directly with the issue of what governments can do in this area and points out where government action is needed. The report builds on two previous IEA reports - Energy Technologies for the 21st Century and IEA/OECD Scoping Study: Energy and Environmental Technologies to Respond to Global Climate Change Concerns.

This paper analyses the question why the South African government intends to procure nuclear energy technology, despite affordable and accessible fossil and renewable energy alternatives. We analyse the social shaping of nuclear energy technology based on the statements of political actors in the public media. We combine a discourse network analysis with qualitative analysis to establish the coalitions in support and opposition of the programme. The central arguments in the debate are cost, safety, job creation, the appropriateness of nuclear energy, emissions reductions, transparency, risks for corruption, and geopolitical influences. The analysis concludes that the nuclear programme is not primarily about generating electricity, as it creates tangible benefits for the coalition of supporters.

There is at present much interest in unconventional sources of natural gas, especially in shale gas which is obtained by hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking'. Boreholes are drilled and then lined with steel tubes so that a mixture of water and sand with small quantities of chemicals – the fracking fluid – can be pumped into them at very high pressure. The sand grains that wedge into the cracks induced in the shale rock by a 'perforating gun' then releases gas which returns up the tubes. In the United Kingdom (UK) exploratory drilling is at an early stage, with licences being issued to drill a limited number of test boreholes around the country. But such activities are already meeting community resistance and controversy. Like all energy technologies it exhibits unwanted 'side-effects'; these simply differ in their level of severity between the various options. Shale gas may make, for example, a contribution to attaining the UK's statutory 'greenhouse gas' emissions targets, but only if appropriate and robust regulations are enforced. The benefits and disadvantages of shale gas fracking are therefore discussed in order to illustrate a 'balance sheet' approach. It is also argued that it is desirable to bring together experts from a range of disciplines in order to carry out energy technology assessments. That should draw on and interact with national and local stakeholders: 'actors' both large and small. Community engagement in a genuinely participative process – where the government is prepared to change course in response to the evidence and public opinion - will consequently be critically important for the adoption of any new energy option that might meet the needs of a low carbon future.

This paper examines, based on certain criteria, the most feasible sustainable energy technology (SET) for rural Bangladesh. The criteria used for the appropriateness of SET for rural Bangladesh are: (a) availability of energy resources, (b) degree of technological complexity of the proposed technology, (c) cost effectiveness, (d) balance between supply of and demand for energy, (e) contribution of the particular energy technology to reducing greenhouse gas emission, and (f) major constraints associated with accepting the recommended technology. The paper describes the theoretical part of the author's Ph.D. thesis where fundamental work has been done. The study applies the criteria to three main energy technologies‐ biomass, solar and wind‐ and finds that none of these technologies are suitable on their own. However, among the three proposed energy technologies, biomass might be the best possible option which can make a positive contribution to alleviate energy poverty in rural Bangladesh. Findings of this study are useful for development policy makers and researchers.

Demonstration projects can be an effective tool in the diffusion of information and the promotion of new technologies and practices. This article provides a review of knowledge to date. It outlines the characteristics of demonstration projects, their goals, methods employed, and the means by which they are evaluated, using energy technology examples. Further, it discusses how the effectiveness of demonstration projects can be maximized and draws conclusions concerning their application and usefulness.

In this paper we study the diffusion of non-hydro renewable energy (NHRE) technologies for electricity generation across 108 developing countries between 1980 and 2010. We use two-stage estimation methods to identify the determinants behind the choice of whether or not to adopt NHRE as well as about the amount of electricity to produce from renewable energy sources. We find that NHRE diffusion accelerates with the implementation of economic and regulatory instruments, higher per capita income and schooling levels, and stable, democratic regimes. In contrast, increasing openness and aid, institutional and strategic policy support programs, growth of electricity consumption, and high fossil fuel production appear to delay NHRE diffusion. Furthermore, we find that a diverse energy mix increases the probability of NHRE adoption. Finally, we find weak support for a positive influence of the Kyoto Protocol on NHRE diffusion and no evidence for any influence resulting from financial sector development.