Wave and Tidal Energy R&D Exciting
foggy | January 13, 2010
Over the weekend I treated myself to a perusal of articles about alternative energy. When I came to wave/tidal energy, I was amazed at the abundance and innovativeness of the devices employed. The Research and Development department is seemingly overbalanced with the number of Universities participating in the programs.
Digressing a bit, when one looks at the global map and all the tiny islands strewn all around, it seems so easy relating the two-Wave energy and making the islands self sufficient in their energy demands. Just garland all the islands with all the alternative energy available, and lo they have it made!
But there is tremendous disparity.The feverish activity of testing machines on one hand and the actual implementation of the whole project on the other;seems like a lone surfer testing his craft against a wave of tsunami proportions, but in slow motion. For indubitably there are a variety of surveys to be carried out, including ecological impact and coastal studies, feasibility reports to be completed both for short and long term plans and lots more on the research side, before getting to the red tape that awaits each plan, at the commercial side.
Till then one can only dream of the coastline becoming self -sufficient, with energy running its towns,marinas, tourist resorts, beaches, and oceanariums. Coastal experimental LAB stations would run completely on wave/tidal energy at site. The bigger the island the better the prospects of energy supply being more than sufficient for feeding the National Grid, from the surplus obtained all. Did I hear anybody say motor cars run on electricity?
The enthusiasm of the research workers should be a lesson to those University students who go out to become the government man or the politician or the businessman. What happens when they go out there. Why does their enthusiasm die! Or does it mean to derive excitement and joy with discovery and being innovative is only the privilege of the world of the scientist!
Look at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen – a debacle. Because some folk were not enthusiastic or willing to accommodate change.We have reached a critical point. We need to be flexible, ready to switch to a better alternative; our multifarious, complex, fast life will come to a standstill globally, once the fossil fuels deplete to a non-sustainable level. We have no time to hum and haw, no time to wait to be offered alternative solutions ready on a platter.
Now the government’s role should be to get ready to choose and implement the changeover. For this it must form a (task? no it is a rigid word) evaluating force, with people who know the research and development side thoroughly,as well as the requirements of their cities, and the power plants which will have to give up the old and run the new, and most important of all the citizens. Is the new setup going to be affordable, efficient, sustainable and workable for the above three parties (government, power plants, energy consumers) together? It is only fair to assume that people living on the coastal side should opt for offshore alternative energy producing units.
The layman ought to be fully aware of the new technology. It is like the audience and the Rockstar band, the more sensitive and receptive the audience, the more highly exquisite the peak of rapport, between the performers and their audience, result-worthwhile performance!
Similarly the more aware the citizenry is of the technical work going on for their use, the more the rapport between them and the agencies. Result-satisfying service! University students are in a cul de sac. They should make their work generally known to the folk. Work sush as this ought to be in a layman friendly exposure to information. Once we know, through all the media we are so fortunate to have at hand-a gift of the new millenium; our choices will add demand to the equation’ s supply "potential", which is already swelling up speedily. It will give direction and acceleration to the supply component. These things take time to know like who to ask and how to reap the maximum benefits from the service offered. So it is best to gather knowledge as the developments progress.
Otherwise just look over your shoulder, how many people got thrown off when computers came along with the humungous internet racing forward. Even with appreciable knowledge many people are forced to give up as they cannot keep pace with the new products taking over. One does not know what could impede the process of implementation. The mindset of people has to be groomed towards accepting any new alternative. As it is so many people suffer from phobias. Like Kainolophobia (fear of newness), Technophobia (luddite) (fear of technology); Ergophobia(fear of work or functioning). So for our own safety, proper utilization of a new product and awareness of our rights, financial compensation notwithstanding, we have to act now.
Foggy is a GP and interested in writing poetry and finding solutions for environmental problems.
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