Redação - Português e Inglês - IME 2002

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Renewable Energy

The sun is the source of all life on Earth and provides us with almost all the energy we use. Fossil fuels, such as gas, oil and coal are simply stored solar energy: the product of photosynthesis millions of years ago; while the renewable energy sources (solar, wind, tidal, wave, biomass, and hydro) are all the direct result of the sun’s energy.
More energy arrives at the earth’s surface in an hour than is consumed in the world in a whole year. Even in cloudy northern countries like Britain there is more than enough solar energy for our needs. The total falling on Britain every year is more than one hundred times greater than all the energy used.
This energy can be used to heat buildings either directly (passive solar energy) or by use of solar collectors (active solar energy). The sun is also responsible for rain, which can be harnessed as hydro-power. Falling or flowing water generates 25% of the world’s electricity. Waves are the result of winds over the ocean and the ways of harnessing this new source of energy are being developed at present, while the complex interaction of earth, moon and the sun results in the tides, which can also be used to produce electricity.
The official view in Britain is that renewable sources of energy such as these will be unable to provide more than a small proportion of our needs until well into the next century. But such pessimistic predictions are directly linked to the lack of money for research and development. We need to develop many of the more promising renewable energy options now if we are to ensure that the world has enough energy to take us through to the new century.