Lesson 8 - Energy of the future

The topic discussed in this lesson:

1) Energy and World Change (Past, Present, Future)

Solar Energy

Today's lesson focused on the possible alternate energy sources we could use in place of our current situation. One of the suggestions was to used solar energy. This was an interesting topic as it revolves around something that is currently being used but at the same time being renewed each day.

The video about Germany's implementation of solar energy captured the reality extremely well. It showed that it was indeed possible to implement solar energy in other countries similar to Germany in situation. It emphasized that for a country to truly be run by renewable energy there must be incentives for the people involved. For example, in Germany people who install solar panels are paid for the energy they capture. This results in a discounted or sometimes free bill with extra money. These kinds of incentives can mobilize a movement towards renewable energy. Thus, it can be said that with the promise of money people will jump on to the band wagon of making a renewable state.

However, I felt that the video illustrated people in a very po

or light. It indicates that people will mostly only do things when there is some benefit for them. This mentality is not beneficial for the future of renewable energy. It suggests that renewable energy can only grow when incentives are given to people.

Wind Power

Another form of renewable energy discussed was on the wind turbine. This was also fascinating as we had a guess speaker working in this area that talked a bit about his work. It was interesting to here about the use of wind turbines throughout the world and how something as basic as wind could be converted to energy.

Also, the scope for this type of technology is huge as they can be built out in the ocean and, so, do not interfere with land space. This is beneficial as land space does not decrease and people can still use it for housing and other institutions. Also, it's important to note that these turbines are not used widely but the market continues to grow.

Conclusion

As a whole, I found this lesson to be the most interesting so far because I find renewable energy a beneficial technology for our future. I would have like to have more time to discuss this topic because of the scope it has for the future.

rating: 10/10