Pictures of the Future      Spring 2008

Trends: Light at the End of the Tunnel
The world’s population is growing—as is its thirst for energy, which is increasingly being quenched, especially in emerging markets, by streams of coal. But solutions are in sight. Emissions can be cleaned and CO₂ can be sequestered. Efficiency can stretch supplies and cut pollution. And new, renewable energy technologies are right around the corner
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Facts and Forecasts: Why Renewable Energy is Needed
Economic development and population growth in many emerging markets are causing the global demand for energy to increase rapidly. In the World Energy Outlook from 2007, the International Energy Agency forecast that global consumption of energy will rise by over 50 % by 2030 if current policies are maintained
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Renewable Resources: Energy for Developing Countries
The boom in renewable energy sources is benefiting developing countries, especially in remote areas not connected to power grids. It is also leading to environmental projects in large emerging markets such as India and China
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Interview: Why China Wants to Conserve Energy
Economist and China expert Prof. Andreas Oberheitmann, director of the Research Center for International Environmental Policy, on China's efforts in environmental protection
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Coal-Fired Power in China: Olympic Efficiencies
Generating capacity has long been regarded as the Achilles heel of China’s boom. But thanks to new technology from Siemens, power generation there is becoming increasingly efficient, environmentally compatible, and sustainable
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Coal Plant Water Without Cooling: Fit for the Australian Desert
In Australia’s Kogan Creek, Siemens has built a coal-fired power plant that requires very little cooling water and is therefore ideal for use in arid regions
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Clean Tech in California: Saving Our Planet for Tomorrow
Of all the technology challenges we will face in our lifetimes, none will be bigger than the one represented by climate change. Today, California is a leader in providing answers to this threat
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Interview: Prescriptions for a Threatened Planet
Physics Nobel laureate Dr. Steven Chu on technologies against global warming
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Interview: How California is Cutting Carbon Emissions
Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Chairman of the California Energy Commission on the task of policies in environmental protection
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Siemens School Competitions: Getting Excited about Science
Each year, pioneering ideas from the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and  technology are honored in Siemens school competitions
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Building Automation: Buildings with Brains
High energy consumption in buildings is not only wasteful, but relatively easy to overcome. A growing focus on automation is helping to achieve substantial savings
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Turbine Materials: Preparing for a Fiery Future
To achieve 50 % efficiency and cut environmental impact, tomorrow‘s coal-fired power plants will use hotter steam. Testing turbine materials at hellish temperatures and centrifugal forces is part of the picture
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CO₂ Separation: Coal’s Cleaner Outlook
Coal will continue to be a cornerstone of energy supply for years to come. New technologies are being developed to rid power plant flue gases of CO₂, thus vastly diminishing the environmental impact of our most abundant fossil fuel
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CO₂ Sequestration: Testing Eternal Incarceration
Emissions from coal-fired power plants must become cleaner—which means removing their CO₂ content. The best place to store it permanently is deep underground
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Interview: A Key Transitional Technology
Professor Reinhard Hüttl, the scientific director of the GeoForschungs-Zentrum in Potsdam, on the underground sequestration of CO₂
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Deep Water Oil and Gas: Pumping from the Floor
The oil and gas industry plans to build production facilities on the ocean floor. Siemens engineers are helping it to achieve this ambitious goal
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Floating Wind Farms: Tapping an Ocean of Wind
StatoilHydro and Siemens are developing the world’s first floating wind turbine—opening the door to harvesting the power of the wind on the high seas
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Gas and CO₂ Compression: Tapping Remote Fields
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is becoming a desirable source of energy. Siemens has moved into this booming market, supplying huge compressors for liquefaction and CO₂ separation as well as high-power electric motors for the first all-electric LNG plant
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Power Transmission: Smarter and Safer Grids
Intelligent network technology helps to integrate renewable energy sources into the grid. It can also smooth fluctuations in supply and demand by using automatic network control processes and financial incentives
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UN Emission Certificates: India’s New Light
In India, Osram is offering free energy-saving lamps in exchange for incandescent bulbs. In doing so, it has become the first lighting manufacturer to participate in the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism
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Computers and Energy: Low-Carbon Surfing
Internet usage plays a significant role in global CO₂ emissions. New strategies for making computers, servers and server farms more efficient are in the pipeline
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IT Solutions for Power Generation: Optimized Planning
Siemens provides solutions for optimal operational planning at large power plants and for decentralized energy generation. Software helps plant operators make the right decisions and plan daily operations
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In Brief
Developments, contacts, links, literature
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