Sustainable Technologies: Life in the Future

CEBU, Philippines — By the year 2030, according to a United Nations estimate, 60 percent of the planet’s population will have home in an urban area. Effectively, cities are humanity’s future. Now, the question is – are people preparing themselves enough for that future?

The cities of the world at the present generate 75 percent of the planet’s carbon emissions and account for 60 to 80 percent of energy consumption. That makes the humans’ future home very unsustainable. A smarter model for development is clearly needed, according to the website www.sustainabilitydegrees.com.

All over the world, the website indicates, sustainability experts are looking at innovative ways to build (and maintain) cities, including: Green Construction, using recycled construction materials, green roofs for stormwater management, buildings that generate at least as much renewable energy as they use, natural ventilation systems, etc.; and Next-Generation Infrastructures, like sustainable urban drainage systems, xeriscaping (low-irrigation landscaping), renewable energy sources such as biogas created from sewage, etc.; and Sustainable Transport Systems, like public trains and buses that run on renewable fuels, coordinated bike paths and walkways, increased access to transport, tolls for private vehicle use, etc.

Sustainable technologies have come a long way in the past few decades, driven by environmental awareness and the rising costs of fossil fuels. The www.sustainabilitydegrees.com website cites a number of these green technologies:

Nanotechnology. This tiny technology has applications in clean energy, greenhouse gas management, green manufacturing and sustainable living. In India, for example, researchers are using composite nanoparticles to destroy contaminants such as bacteria and microbes in drinking water.

Next-Generation Nuclear Power. Next-generation nuclear power encompasses low-carbon ideas such as advanced fission reactors, fusion-fission hybrids and pure hydrogen fusion. Nuclear scientists continue to try to improve the inefficiencies of fission (for example, pursuing less waste and better uranium conversion rates) and remain hopeful about fusion, conducting research through projects such as the International Thermonuclear Reactor Experiment or ITER.

Biofuels. Biofuels include ethanol and biodiesels produced from oils and fats, as well as solid fuels made from non-food feedstocks, manure, waste materials and algae. The U.S. Energy Department has issued goals to produce cost-competitive, drop-in biofuels by last year and algae biofuels by 2022.

Bioplastics.  Current forms of bioplastics include starch-based PLA and PHA plastics. As oil supplies dwindle, many industries, such as the automobile and electronics industries, may look to ecoplastics as low-carbon alternatives. Over 5,000 bioplastics processing companies are reportedly expected to be in operation by 2020.

Smart Monitoring and Predictive Analytics.  Monitoring and analytics can help increase efficiency in energy consumption, water use and green manufacturing. Companies can use sensors to detect faults (such as leaks in water supply networks) and predictive modeling to maximize resources (such as precision irrigation systems).

Tidal Energy. Tidal energy may have a strong future if investors are interested. Unlike wind or sunshine, tides are fabulously predictable. The city of Swansea in the United Kingdom is planning a 240-megawatt tidal power plant that would generate over 400 gigawatt hours of electricity per year – enough to power approximately 121,000 homes.

Sustainable energy looks very promising for all. But certain roadblocks presently hamper the speed of its development. These obstacles include: costs of production, dull investment initiative, seeming disinterest of governments, and public perception of unreliability.

Many new technologies, such as biofuels and bioplastics, still require sizable amounts of energy and resources. Due to its novelty, investors are still quite hesitant to pour in capital. And, in general, governments are reluctant to commit substantial public funding for up-and-coming technologies.

On the part of the general public, widespread information on the long-term viability of sustainable technologies is necessary for everyone to appreciate the benefits. Beyond the initial high cost and the presently sketchy reliability, sustainable technologies may just save the earth from impending doom. It is a challenge that the human race must face. (FREEMAN)