In the last few years, awareness and worries about the exhaustion of
natural resources are increasing, but this fact is still very much
discussed about its analytical measurement, and therefore not yet
demonstrated. However, what has been demonstrated is that the 6 billion
inhabitants of the Earth move every kind of goods and wares around the
world at about 8 tons per capita, which means about 50 billion tons per
year. This is the same amount as is moved yearly by natural forces, such
as winds, eruptions, earthquakes, rain.
Since the Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005 an
investment on rational use of energy, savings and efficiency is the main
premise supporting the development of new energy sources needed to meet
the target of the KP and UNFCCC. If energy consumption decreases,
renewable sources could cover a significant part of the demand of energy
(in particular electricity), if consumption remains uselessly high
because inefficient and less energy-consuming (acting also on final
uses), renewable energy would become a reality, a feasible method even
in these sectors. With investments being equal (today all in the sector
of generation from fossil sources), if there were parallel researches on
how to reduce consumption and wastes considerably (at least 35%) and on
power plants from renewable sources, there would be also a reduction of
gas emissions, without any negative influence on development.
New technologies (and new "energy products") will play a crucial role in
the development of a market of "sustainable energy products" that should
grow in a competitive way (cost-effective) to stand against the
challenge of change.