Escola Secundária de Loulé
Carbon dioxide emissions are one of our major concerns in actuality since it is the major responsible for global warming.
Human effort is now applied in developing alternatives that do not emit CO2 into the atmosphere, since climatic changes - namely temperature rise - are now being perceived at a global scale.
Human effort is now applied in developing alternatives that do not emit CO2 into the atmosphere, since climatic changes - namely temperature rise - are now being perceived at a global scale.
CO2 Emissions in 2000 (Credit: New Scientist)
This problem is so severe that Kyoto’s protocol, signed in 1997 by nearly all countries around the World – one exception was the - has deliberated the need of a drastic drop on CO2 emissions. The evolutions developed until now by modification of traditional combustion motors (Diesel or gasoline) are insufficient to guarantee the success of the protocol.
Hydroelectric energy. (a) A dam at Chança stream at Guadiana river. (b) Turbines.
On the follow up of what was agreed in Kyoto, Portugal assumed the European compromise to guarantee that in 2010, at least 39% of the national consumption of electricity will be provided by renewable sources. Thermoelectric production using coal and/or fuel-oil is still the major electricity source, but this would represent a huge advance.
This ambitious goal implied that renewable energies are no longer viewed as a simple curiosity, only with marginal contributions within the energy sector.
The reasons that support Portugal ’s decision are the fact that alternative energy sources are the only endogenous sources this country possesses and they have a decentralized distribution that may contribute to general development of the country.
This ambitious goal implied that renewable energies are no longer viewed as a simple curiosity, only with marginal contributions within the energy sector.
The reasons that support Portugal ’s decision are the fact that alternative energy sources are the only endogenous sources this country possesses and they have a decentralized distribution that may contribute to general development of the country.
Brinches photovoltaic power plant (Source: http://engenhariacivil.wordpress.com )
Portugal has defined its strategy based on the following vectors:
•Huge increase in eolic energy production which means passing from the 290 MW in 2002 to 3.750 MW in 2010;
•Increase up to 150 MW of photovoltaic power in 2010;
•Build new hydroelectric power plants up to a total of 800 MW, increasing hydroelectric contribution to around 4.950 MW;
•Investment in 550 MW from other renewable energy sources (biomass, biogas, urban solid waste, waves and the Sun).
In 2004, Portugal already possessed a significant amount of hydroelectric power installed (aprox. 4.150 MW), that associated to the contribution of other forms of renewable energy are now responsible for about 35% of the national consumption.
Many investments have been made and our now presenting results. Recently at Brinches (Serpa) the worlds 2nd biggest photovoltaic power plant has started its production using 52.000 photovoltaic panels that guarantee a production of 11 MW. An even bigger photovoltaic power plant is now being ended at Amareleja (Moura) that will be the biggest in the world with a 62 MW production. The total amount of installed photovoltaic power at the end of 2007 will be 97 MW.
Eolic energy production has also received a major increase.
Still more investment is needed. Nonetheless, one may consider that though the established goal for 2010 was very ambitious it seems Portugal might be on the way to fulfill it.
•Huge increase in eolic energy production which means passing from the 290 MW in 2002 to 3.750 MW in 2010;
•Increase up to 150 MW of photovoltaic power in 2010;
•Build new hydroelectric power plants up to a total of 800 MW, increasing hydroelectric contribution to around 4.950 MW;
•Investment in 550 MW from other renewable energy sources (biomass, biogas, urban solid waste, waves and the Sun).
In 2004, Portugal already possessed a significant amount of hydroelectric power installed (aprox. 4.150 MW), that associated to the contribution of other forms of renewable energy are now responsible for about 35% of the national consumption.
Many investments have been made and our now presenting results. Recently at Brinches (Serpa) the worlds 2nd biggest photovoltaic power plant has started its production using 52.000 photovoltaic panels that guarantee a production of 11 MW. An even bigger photovoltaic power plant is now being ended at Amareleja (Moura) that will be the biggest in the world with a 62 MW production. The total amount of installed photovoltaic power at the end of 2007 will be 97 MW.
Eolic energy production has also received a major increase.
Still more investment is needed. Nonetheless, one may consider that though the established goal for 2010 was very ambitious it seems Portugal might be on the way to fulfill it.
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