Confrontation with the energy problem

Almost one in four people live without power worldwide. Without electricity, these people are at a disadvantage in nearly every aspect of their lives. Having electricity it's the ability to study at night, get an education and many more things. That's why we need to confront with this big problem with the lack of energy and to take some needed measures to solve that problem through raising the students' level of awareness about the energy in the world, because the all life on earth depends on the energy. 

We had a really interesting opportunity to talk about the energy with an expert Delce Maksimovski. It was a really great conversation. And we had a chance to learn so many things about energy. We thank him for his time and for giving us many information about energy.

Thinkquest Team : Where does the biggest part of energy in our country come from?

Delce Maksimovaski: In our country, the energy we use is produced here and a little part of it is imported from the neighboring countries. There are used non-renewable resources for producing energy (83% coal and 17% petroleum jelly and water), but the biggest part of the energy in our country comes from the coal (there is coal lignite in our country with 4 500 kilograms calories. Most of the lignite is situated in the mine Suvodol, Bitola and in Oslomej, Kičevo). In perspective, new reserves of lignite are discovered in the village Brod, Gneotino, Bitola. We have reserves of lignite and coal for the next 20-25 years. These sources are about to be wasted. That’s why our country has to do some changes in the use of the renewable resources of energy. Considering that we live in a country which is not enough financially powerful to make some technical changes, for now most important thing is people to become aware of this problem and to change their habits regarding the efficient usage of energy and protection of the environment.

Thinkquest Team : What does our country need to take over to solve the problem with lack of energy?

Delce Maksimovski : There are some ways for solving the problem with lack of energy:
-Construction of hydropower plants (13% coverage) and construction of mini hydropower plants from the type of the hydropower plant Pesočan;
-Construction of windmills;
-Construction of solar collectors (Macedonia belongs in the ideal geographical area for utilization of the solar energy, 40-45⁰ north latitude);
-Construction of the gas main - South Stream, a proposed gas pipeline which is going to transport Russian natural gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and further to Greece, Italy and Austria. That’s why it is inquiring in Sveti Nicole, Ovče Pole for finding and exploitation of petroleum and natural gas.
-There are large quantities and great attendance of uranium in Macedonia, especially in Selečka Mountain and in the villages Kokre and Kalem. It can be used for atomic energy, but we are proponents for construction of nuclear power from safety reasons.
-Utilization of the lorandite which was first discovered in the mine Alshar, Kavadarci, on the mountain Kozhuv. It is known that the lorandite absorbs the sunlight and it transforms it into energy. Many military analysts believe that the Macedonian Phalanx of Alexander III Macedonian was using the lorandite on their shields. That’s how Alexander the Great blinded the opponent, with the solar energy, and that’s why the Macedonian Phalanx was always bringing the victory to Alexander III Macedonian. The lorandite is the mineral that only Macedonia can give it to the world! We need to take some steps for its exploitation.
-With the Vardar Valley project (it is worked out a project in which there are 7 levels of height difference on which it is planned construction of 7 hydropower plants and ponds. With that Macedonia is going to get a lot energy from hydro potential, drinking-water, irrigation, water transport etc. In perspective, Vardar Valley complements the Moravian Valley in Serbia through which if they will be realized with water transport, the Mediterranean Sea will connect with the North Sea).

Thinkquest Team : What other universal informations about energy in Macedonia and in the world you can tell us?
Delce Maksimovski : For Macedonia, it is important to know about Kokino too. At first Macedonians from ancient times were using the energy. The coal was used in Ancient Macedonia, and in days of yore the solar energy was appreciated a lot by the Ancient Macedonians too. A typical example for that is the 3 900 years old megalithic observatory Kokino where the Ancient Macedonians appreciated the length of the day through the use of solar energy. But, for the world, I can tell you about Nicola Tesla, one of the biggest scientists who foreseed that if the energy isn’t using rational, the human population will confront with energy lack. Because of those reasons he had finished a project for construction of huge mega hydropower plants on the Niagara Falls and on the Victoria Falls. With that project the whole human population, 3 500 000 people, that time would use free electricity from the energy.

Thinkquest Team : Thank you for your time. We had a really great opportunity to learn about all of these interesting things about energy. Thank you.

Delce Maksimovski : Thank you too for asking me these questions and for having that interest to learn something more about energy.