Development of new alternative energy sources for sustainable energy supply

Abstract

It has been established that the needs of mankind in fuel are growing every day. The full energy balance of the countries of the European Union is analyzed and the place and share of alternative energy sources are determined. It is determined that trends in the development of society require the adoption of new, non-traditional solutions that can quickly increase the efficiency of using alternative energy sources, solve the problem of insufficient energy capacity, reduce the harmful impact on the environment and carry out modernization in the shortest possible time and at the lowest cost. The main reasons for this are the expected depletion of fossil fuel reserves, the rapid rise in prices for it, incomplete use and low efficiency, as well as the harmful impact on the environment. The problems of the energy sector of economy are determined. The use of alternative energy sources by EU countries is evaluated, which saves billions of euros on gas purchases. It is proved that despite the rapid changes in demand and oil prices, the tendency to increase the consumption of fuel and energy resources will continue, although the distribution of consumption by industries and countries may change somewhat. A review of theoretical approaches to defining the essence of the concept of «alternative energy» is made and the author's definition of this economic category is provided. Each type of alternative energy sources is characterized, their advantages and disadvantages, which positively or negatively affect the energy sector of the economy and the economy as a whole, are outlined. The problematic issues of using alternative energy sources in modern conditions of management are outlined. It is noted that in recent years, the cost of building small hydropower plants has been significantly simplified by simplifying their design and operation, standardizing design solutions, unifying equipment and full automation of HPP operation, as well as through the use of new materials and finished products. It is proposed to use new unconventional energy technologies that we have explored and can lead the world towards a sustainable energy supply.