The energy and the subsidies from nature

Sources of electric energy Electric energy is not found in the environment as such, but it must be generated through different industries. The main sources of energy on our planet are fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear energy and hydro power. At the beginning, in Romania, electric energy industry was based on hydro energy (the first power plant was a hydroelectric one) and on mineral fossil fuels (used in power plants). Later, nuclear power plant appeared.

Modern hydroelectric power plants replaced the ancient water mills used for more than 2000 years. Hydroelectric complex were constructed on main waterways and included large dams providing high water fall. Porţile de Fier hydroelectric power plant Plants using coal, oil and natural gas (fossil fuels) for electricity generation are the most common in Romania. Onesti thermal power plant

Cernavoda nuclear power plant is unique in Romania Currently there are 2 reactors operating, producing together about 18% of electricity consumed in the country. Electric energy produced is cheaper than the one produced in thermal power plants, air pollution is lower, but it requires some safety measures. Sandwich de protectie

UN declared 2012 the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL Next year Rio +20 Summit could be a major opportunity to define a global approach for universal access to energy. We have free energy. Can we use it?

In a report of the International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE) it is specified: Oil and coal will end at once, the problem of the firewood wouldn’t exist once civilization had finished to exploit a great deal of forests and atomic energy, the one in which our parents put their hopes, will become a deadly threat to our descendants through its risks and the unavoidable waste. “… wind, sun and water are the most important sources of sustainable energy”.

Sun wasn’t worshiped for nothing in ancient times Calculations have shown that solar energy reaching the Earth in 40 minutes should be enough to cover the entire civilized world energy needs for one year. We only have to capture and use it. And, of course, to have the will to do that. Solar energy can be used in many ways grouped in two main categories: -production of domestic hot water and indoor spaces heating (these are the fields where solar energy finds its widest application in the present); -electric energy generation

In Romania, the richest areas in solar radiation are in the south, south-east and in the centre of the country and annual solar radiation in these regions is 1700KW/m2. From this point of view, Romania is a favored country, enjoying over 276 days of sunshine per year.

We should use the benefit of a simple wind blow Another source of energy is supplied by surface air currents. Theoretically, it was determined that these currents annually spread 200 times higher energy than the world’s needs. Very high wind turbines are needed in order to capture this wind energy. In the South of Romania, in Dobrogea region, along the coast line, experts estimate that wind power can easily be transformed in electricity using wind turbines.

Geothermal energy Another source of energy is the geothermal one, which can be exploited especially in resorts. Geothermal power plants use heat to turn water into vapors, the produced steam pressing a turbine that produces electricity. Romania has the third geothermal potential in Europe after Italy and Greece. The richest geothermal resources in Romania can be found at Tuşnad Bai where five springs have temperatures above 100 ° C.

The biomass as energy source Biomass energy comes mostly from solids such as wood chips, sawdust, some household waste, but also from liquid elements and from detergents coming from cooking wood in stationery industry. In the town of Vatra Dornei, there is a power station, the largest of its kind in Romania, which uses biomass (sawdust and other wood waste). It provides heat for about one third of the town and leads to a significant reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels.

Ethanol and biogas from waste Converting biomass into alcohol could serve as fuel to supplement and even replace gasoline and diesel. The methanol produced by the distillation of wood and forestry waste is considered an alternative fuel used in transports and industry. In addition to alcohols biogas is added, more specific the gas form of the biomass. This gas with a pretty low calorific power, containing mostly methane, is made from organic materials such as sewage or manure.

Danube Delta wind turbines, solar panels in Dobrogea region and micro hydro powers in the Carpathian area are some of the options that Romania has to produce cheaper energy without polluting the environment. Thank you !