Alexander Pushkin once wrote: “And when I write within my room or lampless, read – then, sunk in slumber…” Fortunately, in 2021, the oil lamp is not needed, and neither is the candle, because there is electricity. But scientists are confident that this will not always be the case. Gas, coal and oil will not last forever, and sooner or later the Earth’s reserves will run out. What will replace our usual sources of energy?
It seems impossible to replace oil, because not only fuel is made from it, but also other products that we use every day. Refined petroleum products are everywhere, from construction to food and pharmaceuticals.
Coal and gas are natural fuels that we use for heating. They cannot be abandoned, because our country’s climate does not allow us to walk around in shorts and T-shirts all year round. Accordingly, there is only one way out – to look for alternative energy sources.
Scientists relied on nuclear power. They said it could replace most energy sources. But the Chernobyl disaster has cast doubt on the opinion of scientists.
Second to atoms, water was seen as a substitute for hydrocarbons: hydroelectric power plants could be an excellent source of energy. But there was a flaw as well: the construction of hydroelectric power plants requires at least water sources, and they are not available everywhere. Accordingly, a very limited number of people would be able to enjoy the benefits of hydroelectric power plants.
Today, one of the most promising areas of power generation is wind power. This type of clean energy generation does not require certain natural phenomena (water, volcanoes, etc.) and can be used in any country.
Also, one of the promising areas is bioenergy. Manure, landfills, sawdust and shavings can produce about 300 million MWh annually. The level of real utilization does not exceed 10%.
Well, solar power is probably the most popular energy option worldwide. For example, the volume of solar generation in Germany has reached 30 GW. With the help of solar energy, it is easy to heat homes, even in the most severe frosts. To do this, we only need high-quality solar panels, which will accumulate energy. In this case, Ukraine will be able to completely abandon using natural gas for households.
