Options for reducing energy demand and supply

The way in which we currently produce and consume energy is responsible for more than half the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases, predominant among them being CO2. The annual emission of CO2 to the atmosphere as a result of our consumption of energy is currently about 6 GtC. Unless major changes occur, this figure may increase to more than 20-30 GtC/y during the next century, but if we seek to limit the risk of climate change it might be necessary to reduce these emissions to less than 3 GtC/y, which might in turn imply a reduction of more than 80% for the Netherlands. The Dutch National Research Programme on Global Air Pollution and Climate Change (NRP) is investigating the potential of and prospects for different options for lessening greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2. Some of the results are presented. They include switching to renewable energy sources, removal of CO2 from power plants by for example options based on coal gasification combined with CO2 recovery, and reducing the amount of waste produced and subsequently burnt or dumped, and treating waste and waste water anaerobically. 2 figs