A conversation with the American Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, about the futuristic batteries and the "small and strange" bacteria that will pave the way for the United States to independence in the field of energy
Is energy independence a useful goal?
The pursuit of independence in the field of energy is certainly a useful goal. The good news is that three and a half years ago we imported about 60% of the oil we use, now the import rate is about 45% and it seems that the trend continues and a further decrease is expected. In the field of electricity production, we are already independent to a considerable extent, although some of the electricity comes from Canada.
We also see a stabilization, and even a decrease, in fuel consumption for transportation due to the transition to more economical vehicles. We see more diversity in energy sources for transportation. It has already been proven that it makes more sense to use liquefied natural gas for trucks carrying cargo over long distances. Private companies invest hundreds of millions of dollars in natural gas infrastructure. If you build a gas station every 320 kilometers along the highway, you can capture a considerable market segment, up to half of the market, and heavy trucks consume about 20% of the transportation energy in the US.
Does this mean we have given up on the fight against climate change?
no, not at all. All this fits perfectly with the fight against climate change. Natural gas is an excellent fuel for the transition phase. It emits half [of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by burning coal]. We still have to find a way to capture the emitted carbon, and we have to achieve this by the middle of this century regardless of the main resource [coal, oil or natural gas].
Renewable energy is becoming cheaper. As early as this decade, wind and solar energy may be as cheap as any other new form of energy. The cost of solar energy has already tripled in the last four years, and we believe it will further halve in the next ten years.
In transportation, we expect to see a mix of electricity and next-generation innovations in the field of biofuels and efficiency improvements. If there are breakthroughs, the picture can change beyond recognition.
Where do you think such breakthroughs will come from?
The breakthroughs in physics will be in the field of materials. Battery manufacturer Envia has announced a battery with an energy density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram. This is at least twice the previous record. There are still some testing steps it needs to go through. We are investing in other battery manufacturers that will improve this result twofold.
Biofuels are somewhat marginalized only because they compete with oil. Early studies funded by the Ministry of Energy are looking at bacteria that can be fed simple sugars and get diesel. Another company uses photosynthetic bacteria and replaces their entire genomes and metabolic pathways. [The bacterium] produces long hydrocarbon chains, which are building blocks that are easy to make diesel fuel from. The energy efficiency of the process is 5% to 10% and in contrast the efficiency of a normal plant is only 15%. These are small and strange bacteria, or yeast. In the last XNUMX years I became interested in this area of biology. I follow what happens there with great interest. It's almost science fiction.
What did you learn about how the government should finance companies dealing with new energy sources?
In industries where technology changes rapidly, you must be very careful when assisting with applications. Some things happened so fast that no one expected them. For example, the price of photovoltaic cells dropped by 80% in [recent years] and by 40% in another year. Prices have stabilized now.
It is very important that the US maintains its place in this technological field [of photovoltaic cells]. We invented many of these things [such as the modern solar cell] - and there are many examples of this. We can still win the competition.
When I entered the field I knew very well that unexpected things could happen. [Technological] advantages may go down the drain. The world is very competitive. For example, we invented the plane, lost the lead, then regained the lead.
We are still very strong competitors when it comes to high-tech production, including most of the new forms of energy. We have to consider where to compete, but in most competitions we can, and should, win.
7 תגובות
Imagine if they monitored the birth for 2 generations
And the population of the earth will decrease by half.
How many problems will be solved by themselves?
In the meantime, the Chinese and the Negroes are taking over the world, you can see them in every hole in Europe.
Can you just stop multiplying without limit? It puts in a pathetic and false light the notion that man is a divine and eternal being. Because the way it looks, it breeds like a mouse.
Lakes and reservoirs can be used to place photovoltaic cells without harming nature.
Also in Lake Kinneret
And give up this amazing reserve?, a lovely corner for nature and life...
It seems to me that we should not give up nature so easily, we should respect it and take care of it because it is part of us.
If they already set up solariol stations in the desert, they have plenty of that too
Americans should give up Yellowstone Park and turn it into a geothermal power plant. This park has the potential to supply all the energy of the USA until the end of time.
They have enough nature reserves. Let them give up one in favor of XNUMX percent green energy.
Instead of talking about technological developments for the benefit of all mankind, David Baylo is still wrong and sees the United States as a separate part whose job it is to rule the world.
The solutions we are looking for in the field of technology, economy, society and medicine will not help and will not be solved, new mechanisms will not help and everything we do will collapse before our eyes.
The only solution we should be looking for is to understand that we are no longer separate people in separate countries and that we must compete with the "little" that exists.
There is enough for everyone in the whole world and we have the ability to produce and obtain what we need more of.
We must change our thinking and realize that we are one world, that each of us is responsible for the other and embrace cooperation and mutual guarantee over more meaningless competitions.