crampon altoids: Renewable energy can lead Lithuania towards ...

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Renewable energy can lead Lithuania towards ... - Nuclear News

Opinion: Will renewable energy sources lead towards energy security??Lithuania Tribune,?Inga Sapronaityt??, 14 June 13,?All countries should give high priority to the development of renewable energy sources (RES) and their effective use. ?Alternative energy is one of the ways to establish new jobs, develop a ?green? economy and reduce?greenhouse gas emissions.

Lithuania should also focus on the development of RES and increase its energy independence, since it is still highly dependent on Russia for this. Effective use of RES could increase reliable energy supplies and comply with the environmental requirements of the EU??.

Since Lithuania does not have major sources of fossil fuels (except probable shale gas), the only way to increase energy security and independence is development of ?renewable energy sources.

The key factors preventing from this development include:

Low prices of organic fuel (oil and gas) until 2006. Renewable energy sources could not compete with conventional sources, except ?in rural areas where ?timber were the cheapest fuel.;

The inherited district heating network in the cities was adapted to use only fuel oil or gas. Modernisation of this field of the economy is very expensive.

Renewable energy sources are most effectively used in small systems yet there is still lack of local qualified staff and competent authorities.

A sceptical attitude toward renewable energy sources has prevailed in society and among politicians for a long time, ?preventing legal and economic incentives.

During the recent decade the situation has changed significantly. Positive changes toward RES (especially in the heating sector) were determined by the restructuring of the sector such as separation of manufacturer and supplier.

Privatisation providing for the emergence of smaller energy producers using RES has also had a sizeable effect, together with increased global organic fuel prices. This has changed the attitude of society and politicians towards renewable energy sources??..

So far the main renewable energy sources in Lithuania were conventional sources used for energy needs, i.e. timber, wood-processing industries waste and hydro-energy. Only during the last five years energy produced by wind power plants has acquired more relevance, as well as bio-fuel used in transport.

According to the National Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy Sources, logs and wood waste, straw and other agricultural and industrial waste account for approximately 90 per cent in the balance of renewable energy sources. Another 10 per cent consist of biofuel, hydro-energy, wind and geothermal energy.http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/41337/opinion-will-renewable-energy-sources-lead-towards-energy-security-201341337/