Energy of the future: reality and fantasy. Alternative energy sources. alternative energy

03.08.2019

Alternative energy is energy, the source of which is different from those that we are used to using (coal, gas, nuclear fuel, oil, etc.); more often used in the context of the limited availability of fossil fuels and the presence of such emissions of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Alternative energy is a relatively new industry (since there was no need to look for something less efficient, but cleaner than coal, for example) does not find a wide number of supporters, but the transition to it is inevitable. When we find ways to produce a large amount of electricity (rather, store it), use hydrogen and other elements, efficient solar or thermonuclear energy to replace the usual sources, the world will change beyond recognition.

Since 2006, the Chinese city of Hefei has been developing an "artificial sun" to simulate the process of nuclear fusion, with the help of which the present generates energy. To obtain an alternative and limitless source of energy, scientists heat the plasma to record temperatures inside a special chamber called a tokamak. In November, researchers managed to heat the plasma to a temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius, and now it became known that the Chinese "Sun" will be fully completed in 2019.

Alternative energy is a set of promising methods of obtaining energy, which are not as widespread as traditional ones, but are of interest because of the profitability of their use with a low risk of causing harm to the environment.

alternative energy- a set of promising methods of obtaining energy, which are not as widespread as traditional ones, but are of interest due to the profitability of their use with a low risk of causing harm to the environment.

Alternative energy source- a method, device or structure that allows you to obtain electrical energy (or other required type of energy) and replaces traditional energy sources operating on oil, produced natural gas and coal.

Types of alternative energy: solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, wave energy, gradient-temperature energy, shape memory effect, tidal energy, geothermal energy.

Solar energy- conversion of solar energy into electricity by photovoltaic and thermodynamic methods. For the photoelectric method, photoelectric converters (PECs) are used with direct conversion of the energy of light quanta (photons) into electricity.

Thermodynamic installations, converting the energy of the sun first into heat, and then into mechanical and then into electrical energy, contain a "solar boiler", a turbine and a generator. However, solar radiation falling on the Earth has a number of characteristic features: low energy flux density, daily and seasonal cyclicity, and dependence on weather conditions. Therefore, changes in thermal conditions can introduce serious restrictions on the operation of the system. Such a system should have a storage device to exclude random fluctuations in operating modes or to ensure the necessary change in energy production over time. When designing solar power plants, it is necessary to correctly assess the meteorological factors.

Geothermal energy- a method of generating electricity by converting the internal heat of the Earth (energy of hot steam-water sources) into electrical energy.

This method of generating electricity is based on the fact that the temperature of rocks increases with depth, and at the level of 2–3 km from the Earth's surface, it exceeds 100 ° C. There are several schemes for generating electricity at a geothermal power plant.

Direct scheme: natural steam is sent through pipes to turbines connected to electric generators. Indirect scheme: steam is preliminarily (before entering the turbines) cleaned of gases that cause pipe destruction. Mixed scheme: raw steam enters the turbines, and then gases not dissolved in it are removed from the water formed as a result of condensation.

The cost of the "fuel" of such a power plant is determined by the cost of producing wells and the steam collection system and is relatively low. At the same time, the cost of the power plant itself is not high, since it does not have a furnace, boiler plant and chimney.

The disadvantages of geothermal electrical installations include the possibility of local subsidence of soils and the awakening of seismic activity. And gases escaping from the ground may contain toxic substances. In addition, certain geological conditions are required for the construction of a geothermal power plant.

Wind power Is a branch of energy that specializes in the use of wind energy (kinetic energy of air masses in the atmosphere).

A wind farm is an installation that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy. It consists of a wind turbine, an electric current generator, an automatic device for controlling the operation of a wind turbine and a generator, facilities for their installation and maintenance.

To obtain wind energy, different designs are used: multi-blade "daisies"; propellers like airplane propellers; vertical rotors, etc.

Wind farms are very cheap to manufacture, but their capacity is small and their operation depends on the weather. In addition, they are very noisy, so large wind farms even have to be turned off at night. In addition, wind farms interfere with air traffic and even radio waves. The use of wind power plants causes a local weakening of the force of air flows, which interferes with the ventilation of industrial areas and even affects the climate. Finally, the use of wind farms requires huge areas, much more than other types of power generators.

Wave energy- a method of obtaining electrical energy by converting the potential energy of waves into kinetic energy of pulsations and forming pulsations into a unidirectional force that rotates the shaft of an electric generator.

Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has a much higher power density. So, the average power of the seas and oceans, as a rule, exceeds 15 kW / m. With a wave height of 2 m, the power reaches 80 kW / m. That is, when developing the surface of the oceans, there can be no shortage of energy. Only a part of the wave power can be used in mechanical and electrical energy, but for water the conversion factor is higher than for air - up to 85 percent.

Tidal energy, like other types of alternative energy, is a renewable energy source.

Power plants of this type use tidal energy to generate electricity. For the construction of the simplest tidal power plant (TES), a pool is needed - a bay blocked by a dam or a river mouth. The dam has culverts and hydraulic turbines that rotate the generator.

At high tide, water enters the pool. When the water levels in the basin and the sea become equal, the culverts are closed. With the onset of low tide, the water level in the sea decreases, and when the pressure becomes sufficient, the turbines and electric generators connected to it begin to work, and the water from the pool gradually leaves.

It is considered economically feasible to build tidal power plants in areas with tidal fluctuations in sea level of at least 4 m. The design capacity of a tidal power plant depends on the nature of the tide in the area where the station is being built, on the volume and area of the tidal basin, and on the number of turbines installed in the dam body.

The disadvantage of tidal power plants is that they are built only on the shores of the seas and oceans; moreover, they do not develop very high power, and there are tides only twice a day. And even they are not environmentally friendly. They disrupt the normal exchange of salt and fresh water and thus the living conditions of marine life. They also affect the climate, since they change the energy potential of sea waters, their speed and territory of movement.

Gradient temperature energy... This method of energy production is based on temperature differences. It is not very widespread. With its help, it is possible to generate a fairly large amount of energy at a moderate cost of electricity production.

Most of the gradient-temperature power plants are located on the seashore and use seawater to operate. The world's oceans absorb almost 70% of the solar energy falling to the Earth. The temperature difference between cold waters at a depth of several hundred meters and warm waters on the ocean surface is a huge source of energy, estimated at 20-40 thousand TW, of which only 4 TW can be practically used.

At the same time, marine thermal power plants, built on the difference in sea water temperatures, contribute to the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide, heating and lowering the pressure of deep waters and cooling surface waters. And these processes cannot but affect the climate, flora and fauna of the region.

Biomass energy... When biomass decays (manure, dead organisms, plants), biogas with a high methane content is released, which is used for heating, power generation, etc.

There are enterprises (pigsties and cowsheds, etc.) that provide themselves with electricity and heat due to the fact that they have several large "vats", where large masses of animal manure are dumped. In these sealed tanks, manure rots, and the released gas goes to the needs of the farm.

Another advantage of this type of energy is that as a result of the use of wet manure for energy production, a dry residue remains from the manure, which is an excellent fertilizer for fields.

Also, fast-growing algae and some types of organic waste (stalks of corn, cane, etc.) can be used as biofuel.

The shape memory effect is a physical phenomenon first discovered by Soviet scientists Kurdyumov and Khondros in 1949.

The shape memory effect is observed in special alloys and consists in the fact that parts from them restore their initial shape after deformation under thermal action. When restoring the original shape, work can be performed that significantly exceeds that which was spent on deformation in the cold state. Thus, alloys generate a significant amount of heat (energy) when they are restored to their original shape.

Non-traditional energy sources include the energy of the sun, wind, as well as that which is produced by human muscular efforts. Find out the details below.

Alternative energy sources are a variety of promising methods of obtaining and transferring the received electricity. Moreover, such energy sources are renewable and bring minimal harm to the environment. These energy sources include solar panels and solar power plants.

They, in turn, are divided into 3 types of energy production with the help of:

Photocells;
Solar panels;
Combined options.

It is popular to use mirror systems that heat water to high temperatures, resulting in steam, which, passing through a pipe system, turns a turbine. Windmills and wind farms generate current from wind energy, which turns special blades connected to generators.

Popular use of the energy of the waves, as well as the ebb and flow.

Experiments have shown that such power plants are capable of generating about 15 kW, which is significantly superior in power to solar and wind power plants.

From geothermal springs, hot water is widely used to generate electricity. It is interesting to use kinetic energy in some rooms, for example, in sports halls, where the moving parts of the simulators are connected by means of rods to generators, which, as a result of the movement of people, generate electricity.

Unconventional energy sources: methods of obtaining

Unconventional sources of energy supply are, first of all, obtaining electricity using wind, sunlight, energy of waves of ebbs and flows, as well as using geothermal waters. But besides that, there are other ways using biomass and other methods.

Namely:

Getting electricity from biomass. This technology implies the production of biogas from waste, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide. Some experimental installations (humidifier from Michael) process manure, straw, which makes it possible to obtain 10–12 m 3 of methane from 1 ton of material.
Getting electricity in a thermal way. Converting thermal energy into electricity by heating some interconnected semiconductors consisting of thermoelements and cooling others. As a result of the temperature difference, an electric current is produced.
Hydrogen cell. This is a device that allows to obtain a sufficiently large amount of a hydrogen-oxygen mixture from ordinary water by means of electrolysis. At the same time, the cost of producing hydrogen is minimal. But such production of electricity is still only at the stage of experiments.

Another type of generating electricity is a special device called a Stirling engine. There is a gas or liquid inside a special cylinder with a piston. With external heating, the volume of liquid or gas increases, the piston moves and forces the generator to work in turn. Further, the gas or liquid, passing through the pipe system, is cooled and moves the piston back. This is a rather crude description, but it gives an idea of how this engine works.

Alternative energy options

In the modern world, due to some limitation of natural resources of heat and electricity, some people use alternative energy sources. One of the main directions of alternative energy is the search and use of non-traditional types and sources.

Sources with which you can get electricity:

Are renewable;
They can successfully replace traditional ones;
Constantly improving, developing and researching.

Equipping high-power piezoelectric elements of turnstiles in the metro and at railway stations allows, when stepping on special plates, to generate electricity from the pressure of human weight. Such operating installations have been installed as an experiment in some cities in China and Japan.

Green energy - biogas production, which can subsequently be used to heat houses from seaweed. It has been established that up to 150,000 m 3 of gas can be obtained from 1 hectare of water surface occupied by green algae. Using the energy of dormant volcanoes, water is pumped into the volcano, under the influence of heat and high temperatures, turns into steam, which flows through special pipes to the turbine and turns it. Currently, there are only 2 such experimental installations in the world. The use of waste water with the help of special cells, which contain special bacteria that oxidize organic matter, leads to the production of electrons and, as a result, electricity during chemical processes.

Home Energy Sources: Options

In connection with the rise in energy tariffs, many people are beginning to think not only about saving energy, but also about additional energy sources. Some people prefer to do it yourself, and some prefer some kind of ready-made solutions to which certain options may apply.

Namely:

Installation of solar panels on glass, which have high transparency, so that they can be placed even in multi-storey buildings. But at the same time, their efficiency even in sunny clear weather does not exceed 10%.
To illuminate some areas of the room, LEDs and LED lamps are used on small batteries connected to a solar panel. It is enough to charge the battery during the day, so the battery can be illuminated in the evening.
Installation of traditional solar panels that allow you to charge batteries and from them, through the inverter, partially power household appliances and lamps. It is also possible to generate hot water during the warmer months by installing a vacuum pump and a heat collector on the roof.

Unfortunately, residents living in urban areas have a limited choice of additional energy sources, in contrast to those who live in country houses. In a private house, there are much more opportunities to make an autonomous power supply. And also make autonomous independent heating systems for a country house or in the country.

Heating for a private house: alternative energy sources

Wind power is among the most common ways to generate electricity. It is enough to put a high mast with moving blades connected to a generator near a country house in order to receive electric current and charge the batteries.

To obtain heat, you can use heat pumps, when using them, you can take heat from almost anywhere:

Air;
Water;
Earth.

The principle of their operation is the same as in a refrigerator, only when air or water is pumped through a pump, heat is obtained. Homemade designs are in no way inferior to industrial ones. At home, you can independently make such structures by yourself, it is enough to find drawings and make a wind turbine to get cheap electricity literally out of thin air. There are other types and possibilities of obtaining electricity and heating for a private house.

It is effective to use an ordinary generator, especially in the northern regions of Russia, since, with a lack of sunlight, the panels are simply useless.

The same applies to thermal convectors, which are designed to heat water. It is somewhat easier to use a biofuel boiler to generate heat; pressed sawdust, pellets, including those made from straw and peat, are used as material for the furnace. But such biofuel boilers are somewhat more expensive than gas-fired ones.

DIY current and heat: alternative energy for home

Free electricity for an apartment or a private house has always been of interest to people, since in recent years, tariffs for heating and electricity are only growing. And in order to save money, many people try to find options for obtaining heat and energy for free. To do this, they make different systems, including trying to invent an eternal source, and come up with unusual and new ways of obtaining current and heat.

Relative free energy (DIY solar panel assembly):

You can buy solar panel parts in China;
Collect everything yourself;
As a rule, an assembly diagram is included with each kit.
All this allows you to independently assemble a panel and a power supply circuit, in particular an apartment or a private house.

Fuel-free free energy is obtained from electromagnetic waves - any oscillations can be converted into electricity. True, the efficiency of such circuits is very low, but, nevertheless, with the help of specially made devices, you can charge phones and other small household appliances.

However, charging will take quite a long time.

To obtain heat, some craftsmen use methane, which in turn is obtained from animal manure and other waste. A properly designed system is a good option for generating heat and heating your home, and for cooking.

Sun and wind as alternative forms of energy

An alternative to obtaining both heat and electricity is relevant for many people. Small solar energy is the use of solar cells based on silicon, the amount of energy received depends on the number of batteries, the latitude of the house or other premises.

An interesting technology for generating energy using generators, it is enough to connect a charge controller to the generator, and connect the entire circuit with batteries, so you can get a sufficient amount of energy.

The use of special thermoelectric converters of heat energy into electricity, in other words, the use of a semiconductor thermocouple, is actual. One part of the steam heats up, the second cools down, as a result of which free electricity is generated, which can be used in everyday life. It can be used as energy generation for children, it is enough to connect a swing with a dynamo on the playground in order to receive a small percentage of electricity, which can be used to illuminate the playground.

Free DIY electricity (video)

An alternator or, more simply, a power supply generator is by far the most common way to obtain electrical energy. But, despite this, there are many opportunities for generating electricity using alternative sources around the globe.

In recent years, alternative energy has become the subject of intense interest and fierce discussions. Threatened by climate change and the fact that global average temperatures continue to rise every year, the quest to find forms of energy that will reduce dependence on fossil fuels, coal and other polluting processes has naturally grown.

While most of the concepts are not new, it is only over the past few decades that this issue has finally become relevant. With advances in technology and manufacturing, the cost of most forms of alternative energy has dropped while efficiency has increased. What is alternative energy, if we speak in simple and understandable words, and what is the probability that it will become the main one?

Obviously, some controversy remains as to what “alternative energy” means and to what the phrase can be applied. On the one hand, this term can be attributed to forms of energy that do not lead to an increase in the carbon footprint of mankind. Therefore, it can include nuclear facilities, hydroelectric power plants, and even natural gas and "clean coal".

On the other hand, the term is also used to refer to what is currently considered unconventional energy methods - solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and other recent additions. This classification excludes energy production methods such as hydroelectric power plants, which have existed for more than a hundred years and are quite common in some regions of the world.

Another factor is that alternative energy sources must be “clean” and not produce harmful pollutants. As noted, this most often implies carbon dioxide, but it can also apply to other emissions - carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and others. According to these parameters, nuclear energy is not considered an alternative source of energy, since it produces radioactive waste, which is highly toxic and must be stored appropriately.

In all cases, however, the term is used to refer to the types of energy that will replace fossil fuels and coal as the predominant form of energy production in the coming decade.

Types of alternative energy sources
Strictly speaking, there are many types of alternative energy. Again, the definitions come to a standstill here, because in the past, "alternative energy" was called methods, the use of which was not considered basic or reasonable. But if you take the definition in a broad sense, it will include some or all of these points:

Hydropower. This is the energy generated by hydroelectric dams when falling and flowing water (in rivers, canals, waterfalls) passes through a device that turns turbines and generates electricity.

Nuclear power. Energy that is produced during delayed fission reactions. Uranium rods or other radioactive elements heat water, turning it into steam, and the steam turns turbines to generate electricity.

Energy that is received directly from the Sun; (usually composed of silicon wafers arranged in large arrays) convert the sun's rays directly into electrical energy. In some cases, the heat generated by sunlight is also used to generate electricity, this is known as solar thermal energy.

Wind energy. Energy generated by the air flow; giant wind turbines are driven by the wind and generate electricity.

Geothermal energy. This energy is generated by heat and steam generated by geological activity in the earth's crust. In most cases, pipes are placed in the ground above geologically active zones, passing steam through turbines, thus generating electricity.

Energy of the tides. Tidal currents along coastlines can also be used to generate electricity. The daily change in ebb and flow causes water to flow back and forth through the turbines. Electricity is generated and transferred to onshore power plants.

Biomass. This applies to fuels that are obtained from plants and biological sources - ethanol, glucose, algae, fungi, bacteria. They could replace gasoline as a fuel source.

Hydrogen. Energy derived from processes involving hydrogen gas. These include catalytic converters, in which water molecules are broken apart and reunited during electrolysis; hydrogen fuel cells, in which gas is used to power an internal combustion engine or to rotate a heated turbine; or nuclear fusion, in which hydrogen atoms fuse under controlled conditions, releasing an incredible amount of energy.

Alternative and renewable energy sources
In many cases, alternative energy sources are also renewable. However, these terms are not completely interchangeable as many forms of alternative energy sources rely on a limited resource. For example, nuclear power relies on uranium or other heavy elements that must be mined first.

At the same time, wind, solar, tidal, geothermal and hydroelectric power rely on sources that are fully renewable. The sun's rays are the most abundant source of energy of all and, although limited by weather and time of day, is inexhaustible from an industrial point of view. The wind also does not go anywhere, thanks to changes in pressure in our atmosphere and the rotation of the Earth.

Development
Currently, alternative energy is still experiencing its youth. But this picture is rapidly changing under the influence of processes of political pressure, global environmental disasters (droughts, famines, floods) and improvements in renewable energy technologies.

For example, as of 2015, the world's energy needs were still primarily met by coal (41.3%) and natural gas (21.7%). Hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power accounted for 16.3% and 10.6%, respectively, while “renewable energy sources” (solar, wind, biomass, etc.) - only 5.7%.

This has changed a lot since 2013, when global consumption of oil, coal and natural gas was 31.1%, 28.9% and 21.4%, respectively. Nuclear and hydropower accounted for 4.8% and 2.45%, while renewables accounted for just 1.2%.

In addition, there has been an increase in the number of international agreements to curb the use of fossil fuels and the development of alternative energy sources. For example, the Directive on Renewable Energy, signed by the European Union in 2009, which set targets for the use of renewable energy for all member states by 2020.

At its core, this agreement implies that the EU will meet at least 20% of its total energy needs with renewable energy by 2020 and at least 10% of transport fuels. In November 2016, the European Commission revised these targets and set already 27% of the minimum renewable energy consumption by 2030.

Some countries have become leaders in the development of alternative energy. For example, in Denmark wind energy provides up to 140% of the country's electricity needs; the surplus is shipped to neighboring countries, Germany and Sweden.

Iceland, thanks to its location in the North Atlantic and its active volcanoes, reached 100% dependence on renewable energy sources already in 2012 through a combination of hydropower and geothermal energy. In 2016, Germany adopted a policy to phase out its dependence on oil and nuclear power.

The long term prospects for alternative energy are extremely positive. According to a 2014 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), photovoltaic solar energy and solar thermal energy will account for 27% of global demand by 2050, making it the largest source of energy. Perhaps thanks to advances in fusion, fossil fuels will be hopelessly obsolete by 2050.

When people talk about alternative energy, they usually mean installations for the production of electricity from renewable sources - sunlight and wind. In this case, the statistics exclude stations using the force of sea and ocean tides, as well as geothermal power plants. Although, these energy sources are also renewable. However, they are traditional and have been used on an industrial scale for many years.

The idea of harnessing the power of wind and solar energy to generate electricity is quite attractive. After all, this will eliminate the use of fuel. Even the usual landscape will have to change. Pipes of thermal power plants and nuclear sarcophagi will disappear. Many countries will no longer be permanently dependent on fossil fuel purchases. After all, the sun and wind are everywhere on Earth.

But will such energy be able to supplant the traditional one? Optimists believe this will happen. Pessimists have a different view of the problem.

Worldwide statistics show that the growth of investments in alternative energy has been decreasing since 2012... There is even a decline in absolute numbers. The decline on a global scale was mainly due to the United States of America, Western European countries. It could not even be compensated for by the growth of Japanese and Chinese investments.

Perhaps the statistics are somewhat distorted, because in practice, point producers of alternative energy cannot be taken into account - individual solar panels on the roofs of residential buildings, wind turbines serving individual farms. And according to experts, they account for about a third of all alternative energy.

Germany is rightly considered the leader in the production of electricity from renewable sources. In many ways, its energy sector is a kind of testing ground for the development of promising models. The installed capacity of its wind and solar generation is 80 GW. 40 percent of the capacity belongs to individuals, about 10 - to farmers. And only half - to companies and the state.

Approximately every twelfth German citizen owns an alternative power plant. Roughly the same figures characterize Italy and Spain. Solar power plants are connected to a common grid, so their owners produce and consume electricity at the same time.

In previous years, consumers could receive alternative energy only in sunny weather, but at present, the use of entire complexes is actively expanding, in which solar batteries are supplemented with batteries - traditional lead or modern lithium. Thus, it becomes possible to accumulate excess energy in order to use it later in the dark or in bad weather.

Experts estimate that such a combination allows the average European family, which is four people, to save 60 percent of the electricity consumed. A 30% savings will be provided directly by solar panels, and another thirty batteries.

The savings are significant, but the cost of such energy is very high. A six kWh battery costs an average of 5,000 euros. If you add installation, maintenance, taxes and other costs, a six kWh installation will cost between ten and twenty thousand euros. Now Germany has an electricity tariff of about 25 cents. Therefore, the payback period for an alternative single-family unit will be around thirty years.

It is clear that no battery will last that long. But this is only true for today's technology. According to experts, the cost of both storage batteries and solar panels will decrease, while electricity tariffs will increase. This is the vision of the owners of many companies, in particular Google. It is this company that is the leader in investments in the development of alternative energy in the United States. To highlight this fact, solar panels have been installed in the parking lot at its central office.

In Western Europe, some smelters and cement producers say they are ready to partially use solar energy in the near future.

A number of experts predict a sharp decline in demand for traditional types of energy and the disappearance of nuclear energy in the foreseeable future. Probably, American energy companies also listen to such assessments. So, in recent years in the United States, the commission that regulates nuclear energy has not approved any of the nuclear power plant projects.

However, with all the bright prospects, alternative energy poses questions to which there are no clear answers yet. One of the main problems is that the development of the industry is mainly taking place with colossal government support. It is the uncertainty as to whether this situation will continue in the coming years, and caused the drop in investor interest in the United States, which was written about earlier. The same picture is observed in Italy, where the government has cut green tariffs in order to reduce the budget deficit.

Germany produces about a quarter of all electricity from alternative sources and even exports it. The problem is that this energy has priority for entering the market. And this is already discriminating against traditional suppliers, infringing on their economic interests. The state subsidizes production using alternative technology, but the money for the subsidies is taken by raising tariffs. Approximately 20% of the cost of electricity for the Germans is an overpayment.

The more green electricity is produced, the more difficult it is for traditional energy companies to survive. Their business in Germany is already under threat. Large energy producers, investing in alternative generation, themselves fell into their own trap. A large share of green electricity has already brought down wholesale prices.

Solar panels, wind installations cannot provide energy on cloudy days, in the absence of wind, therefore, it is still unrealistic to abandon thermal power plants, but due to the priority of alternative electricity, the generating capacities of CHPs are forced to stand idle in sunny weather and on windy days, and this increases the cost their own generation and affects consumers.

Arguing about alternative electricity, justifying its economy in the future, usually operate only on the cost of the installations themselves. But in order for the entire energy system to work, and the consumer receives electricity without interruptions, it is necessary to keep ready traditional capacities, which, as a result, will be loaded only to a fifth of their generating capacities, and this is an additional cost. Plus, it is necessary to radically modernize the power grid, to make it “smart” in order to ensure the flow of electricity in it based on new principles. All this requires a multi-billion dollar investment, and it is not yet clear at the expense of whom they will undertake.

In the press, alternative energy is presented as an almost problem-free industry that promises to get cheap and environmentally friendly electricity in the future, but serious business understands the risks associated with it. State support is not a very reliable source of funding; it is risky to bet on it. Such a "spring" can dry up at any moment.

And there is one more significant problem. Solar and wind installations require the alienation of vast areas of land. If for the conditions of the United States this is not a big problem, then Western Europe is densely populated. Therefore, large projects related to alternative energy are not yet implemented.

Energy companies, seeking to minimize risk, invest together with various funds, including pension and insurance companies. But even in Germany, all ongoing projects are not large-scale, but small-scale. There is still no experience in the creation and long-term operation of large generating capacities in the world.

While the problems of alternative energy, its risks are discussed mainly by experts, and therefore do not seem relevant to society. Energy, like any other complex, branched and well-established system, has great inertia. And only years of development of any new trend can move it from its place. For this reason, most likely, the development of alternative energy will still take place with state support and have a maximum-favored-nation treatment.

The green lobby in the USA is becoming more and more active. Even serious researchers are betting on alternative energy. So, according to a report from Stanford University, the state of New York by 2030 can fully meet the needs for electricity from solar and wind installations. At the same time, the report indicates that if they are correctly located across the state, then there is no need to maintain operable thermal generating capacities in reserve. True, the authors of the report do not propose to completely abandon traditional power engineering.

Alternative energy has ceased to be exotic, it really exists. It is clear that as it develops, the number of problems associated with it will only increase.