Energy
One of the main problems of the future will be energy. With fossil fuels running out, we will have to rely on modern, renewable, energy sources. Not only do the energy sources of the future have to produce enough energy. They also have to be “green” energy sources, in order to combat the world wide pollution problem.
The largest energy source of the future will most likely be solar energy. Solar energy has already been available since ancient times. But at this moment it is to expensive and not effective enough to use as a large energy source. In the year 2059 a significant amount more solar energy can be generated in one solar panel, thanks to the invention of new materials. These new materials don’t only generate more solar energy, they also decrease the cost of the solar panels. Thus allowing it to be used as a main energy source by everyone. New ways of storing solar energy will allow the use of solar energy in countries where there is a limited amount of sunshine due to weather conditions.
Another great energy source of the future will be fusion power. Fusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion reactions. In this kind of reaction, two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus and in doing so, release a large amount of energy.
Some of the advantages are:
- It will produce much more energy than any other technology currently in use.
- No greenhouse gasses are produced.
- The fuel required for fusion power, deuterium, is plentiful (some experts estimate that fusion power could supply the world's energy needs for millions of years).
But there are also some disadvantages:
- It is very expensive to build and maintain.
- The waste produced is radioactive. The release of this radioactive waste can be harmful for humans and the environment.
Other renewable energy sources will also be further developed in the future. But I don’t think they will be as significant as solar- and fusion power.
These other energy sources include:
- Biofuel - Tidal power
- Biomass - Wave power
- Geothermal - Wind power
- Hydropower