Decisions on the way to the future energy market

The transition to new energy systems, and in this connection the obligatory restructuring of the energy market, will take at last 30 years, as completely new techniques will have to be developed. The energy demand is at present on the increase and will be saturated in about 80 years' time. Recommendations regarding the primary energies to be used in the FRG in the future came to the effect that the import of liquid fossil fuels should be decreased and the money thus saved be spent on further developing the use of nuclear energy combined with inland coal and on the creation of new jobs resulting from this. New en ergy systems which are to be considered: a) nuclear district heating in the form of chemically bound energy, b) coal gasification, c) short-distance supply with hot water, and d) the release of the secondary energy carrier hydrogen by means of the at present still hypothetical thermolysis of water. The real problems resulting from the use of nuclear energy are waste disposal, nuclear fusion, and nuclear fuel supply. Some energy centers located over the whole of the FRG could be in a position to solve these problems in an optimal way. The article ends by going into the question of when a new energy system will be introduced. (GG/LN)