Posts tagged renewable energy

Human and animal power – The forgotten renewables

Globally, there is still widespread dependence on traditional forms of energy, and human and animal power still contribute a significant proportion of the energy used in the rural areas of developing countries. After biomass, they are the most important energy sources for their populations. On a global scale, the energy contributed by human and animal power is estimated to be twice that of wind power and 13% of hydro, the largest single contributor of the renewable energy sources. This paper therefore argues that human and animal power should be included in the ‘family’ of renewable energy sources of solar, wind, hydro and biomass. There are numerous opportunities to improve the efficiency (and output) of hand, foot and animal-powered equipment. Improvements in these technologies will help to reduce the drudgery and hardship of everyday life of those who do not have access to modern forms of energy.

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2012.04.054

Europe’s drive toward a power system based on renewable energy has gone so far that output will probably need to be cut within months because of oversupply. Network operators are likely to curb solar and wind generation at times of low demand to prevent overloading the region’s 188,000 miles (302,557 kilometers) of power lines, Entso-e, the grid association in Brussels, said last month. Renewable output is poised to almost double to 18 percent by 2020, according to Energy Brainpool GmbH & Co. KG, a consulting firm in Berlin.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014–06–05/europe-faces-green-power-curbs-after-fivefold-expansion-energy.html