Energy and the Climate Crisis

The Climate Crisis

I’m sure that most, if not all of us, agree that climate change, due to man-made carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, is the single most serious challenge facing the world today. 

July 2021 Eastern Belgium

So what is the best way of tackling the problem of a global rising energy demand and demand for electricity in particular, at the same time as limiting or even reducing to zero, the emission of man-made greenhouse gases? 

This is a complicated and wide ranging subject and addressing it has resulted in over 10,000 words so, in order to help its digestibility for the reader, it has been published in four parts.

Part 1 – The Role of Renewable Energy

The first article, will critically review the options available for zero carbon energy production using renewables.  

Part 2 -Energy storage

In part 2 the need for backup power is explained when renewable outputs fall and sufficient energy storage is not available.  Various means of storing energy are considered and discussed. 

Part 3 - Nuclear Power and the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

In order to give some background before dealing with more recent designs in part 4, in this article the most common types of nuclear reactors currently in service are discussed and their disadvantages highlighted.

Part 4 – Safer Nuclear Power Using Molten Salt andThorium Reactors

The fourth part will expand on the opportunities offered by some more recent nuclear technologies, for much cheaper and safer nuclear power from reactors.  These also generate much less waste, or can even burn waste from earlier generations of reactors.