Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Source of Energy from Photovoltaics and Fuel Cells

Abstract

Several definitions of sustainable development have been put forth, including the following common one: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. A recent World Energy Council (WEC) study found that without any change in our current practice, the world energy demand in 2020 would be 50 to 80% higher than 1990 levels. According to a recent U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) report, annual energy demand will increase from a current capacity of 363 million kilowatts to 750 million kilowatts by 2020. The world's energy consumption today is estimated to 22 billion kWh per year, 53 billion kWh by 2020. Such ever increasing demand could place significant strain on the current energy infrastructure and potentially damage world environmental health by CO, CO2, 502, NOx effluent gas emissions and global warming. Achieving solutions to environmental problems that we face today requires long-term potential actions Jiff sustainable development. In this regard, renewable energy resources appear to he the one of the most efficient and effective solutions since the intimate relationship between renewable energy and sustainable development. More rational use of energy is an important bridge to help transition from today's fossil fuel dominated world to a world powered by non polluting fuels and advanced technologies such as photovoltaics (PV) and fuel cells (FC). This paper discusses the potential for such integrated systems in the stationary and portable power market in response to the critical need for a cleaner energy technology. Anticipated patterns of future energy use and consequent environmental impacts (acid precipitation, ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect or global warming) are comprehensively discussed in this paper. Throughout the paper several issues relating to renewable energies, environment and sustainable development are examined from both current and future perspectives.