Entwicklungen nach Fukushima - ESB-Radler

Energy is one of the essential inputs to economic and social development. Studies have
shown that the share of overall energy in use, provided by modern fuels and electricity, is
strongly correlated with per-capita income, life expectancy, literacy, and other indicators of
human development.
Geothermal Energy – Power beneath
our feet
By Matthias Jung (MBA 2009)
As Kenneth Medlock, a fellow in energy and resource
economics at the Rice University in Texas, has analyzed,
“access to energy and the services it can provide
has allowed us to do things more quickly. It has led to
massive increases in productivity. If for some reason
there’s an inability to continue to expand generation
capabilities, it will choke development.” A recent visit
to North Korea has showed me appallingly how far a
nation can be thrown back in development if there is
not sufficient energy for mobility, electricity, industrial
and agricultural production.
It is not only since the Fukushima nuclear disaster and
the subsequent economic crisis of the Japanese economy
that the link between energy supply and economic
growth has become such evident. For Asia’s rapid economic
development the availability of inexpensive energy
has always been an enabling yet limiting force.
More people, fast growing cities, and an exploding industry
have created an escalating demand for energy
across Asia. A demand that exceeds supply year after
year despite efforts to increase power generation in
many countries. This energy shortfall forces countries
to rely on more expensive imports and represents the
main threat to energy security.
With coal, oil and gas still powering the region in large
measure, the question is how to close the energy gap
while meeting climate change commitments? Experts
say clean renewable energy coupled with improved
Installed geothermal power generation capacity by country (in GW)
source: siemens energy
22 Schwerpunkt Erneuerbare Energien – Entwicklungen nach Fukushima