Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).
In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, such as wood-burning. Hydroelectricity was the next largest renewable source, providing 3%, followed by solar hot water/heating, which contributed 1.3%. Modern technologies, such as geothermal energy, wind power, solar power, and ocean energy together provided some 0.8% of final energy consumption.
Climate change concerns and high oil prices, peak oil and increasing government support are driving increasing renewable energy legislation, incentives and commercialization. European Union leaders reached an agreement in principle in March 2007 that 20 percent of their nations' energy should be produced from renewable fuels by 2020, as part of its drive to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, blamed in part for global warming.
For decades, Portugal basically ignored the infinite possibilities offered by its geographical conditions for producing clean energy. But the country is now among those that are putting the strongest emphasis on alternative energy sources.
The most abundant sunlight in Europe, strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean to the west, strong flowing rivers and huge ocean waves have long been disregarded in this South European country, which has chosen instead to pour a large part of its revenues into paying its bulky oil bill. Portugal is one of the countries in the 27-member European Union (EU) with the most ambitious alternative energy goals, having set a target for 45 percent of its electricity to be produced from alternative sources by 2015.
In 2001, the Portuguese government launched a new energy policy instrument – the E4 Programme (Energy Efficiency and Endogenous Energies), consisting of a set of multiple, diversified measures aimed at promoting a consistent, integrated approach to energy supply and demand. By promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy (endogenous) sources, the programme seeks to upgrade the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy and to modernize the country’s social fabric, while preserving the environment by reducing gas emissions, especially the carbon dioxide responsible for climate change. While in the past 5 years the main priorities were focused on the introduction of natural gas (aiming at progressively replacing oil and coal in the energy balance) and liberalization of the energy market (by opening this former state-owned sector to competition and private investment), the emphasis for the next 8-10 years will be put on energy efficiency (supply and demand sides) and use of endogenous (renewable) energy.
Wave energy is essentially stored, concentrated wind energy, the waves being created by the progressive transfer of energy from the wind as it blows over the surface of the water. Wave energy could play a major part in the world’s efforts to combat climate change. Moreover, offshore wave energy is probably one of the most environmentally benign forms of electricity generation with a minimal visual impact from the shore.
The world's first commercial wave farm opened in 2008 at the Aguçadora Wave Park near Póvoa de Varzim, north of Oporto in Portugal. It uses three Scottish-made Pelamis P-750 machines with a total installed capacity of 2.25MW of energy produced by ocean waves, which is brought ashore by a submarine cable, feeding directly into the national distribution grid controlled by the state-run Energias de Portugal (EDP) company. The amount of energy produced is still modest, but highly significant as it involves the first power plant in the world to use waves as a source of renewable energy, which has an unpredictable future development potential as regards alternative energy sources. A second phase of the project has been planned to increase the installed capacity to 21MW using a further 25 Pelamis machines. The Aguçadora wave farm provides electricity to 1,500 homes and once fully operational could provide electricity to 350,000 homes.
Wave energy is essentially stored, concentrated wind energy, the waves being created by the progressive transfer of energy from the wind as it blows over the surface of the water. Wave energy could play a major part in the world’s efforts to combat climate change. Moreover, offshore wave energy is probably one of the most environmentally benign forms of electricity generation with a minimal visual impact from the shore.
The world's first commercial wave farm opened in 2008 at the Aguçadora Wave Park near Póvoa de Varzim, north of Oporto in Portugal. It uses three Scottish-made Pelamis P-750 machines with a total installed capacity of 2.25MW of energy produced by ocean waves, which is brought ashore by a submarine cable, feeding directly into the national distribution grid controlled by the state-run Energias de Portugal (EDP) company. The amount of energy produced is still modest, but highly significant as it involves the first power plant in the world to use waves as a source of renewable energy, which has an unpredictable future development potential as regards alternative energy sources. A second phase of the project has been planned to increase the installed capacity to 21MW using a further 25 Pelamis machines. The Aguçadora wave farm provides electricity to 1,500 homes and once fully operational could provide electricity to 350,000 homes.
With more than 800 kilometers of coastline, Portugal is well placed to benefit from wave power as part of European Union's (EU) target to achieve 20 per cent of its energy consumption by green, renewable sources by 2020. Portugal achieved the EU's 2020 target three years ago. Some energy experts predict that Portugal will be able to source 20% of its energy needs from the sea.The installation of wave farms would also provide many employment opportunities in construction, operations and maintenance.
Matteo Orzi
matteo.orzi@gmail.com
Matteo Orzi
matteo.orzi@gmail.com
(artigo de opinião)
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