Energy System Modeling

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to describe an integrated management model for the energy sector of a country. Energy poses a problem for the world not only for the future, when probably most of the easily accessible sources of petroleum and natural gas would be exhausted, but for today as well. For future industrial growth, future planning, regarding the expansion of the capacity to produce all kinds of energy products and in particular electricity, should be considered. Nuclear power, and fast-breeder reactors in particular, can provide long-run answers to the problem. The development planning for hydroelectricity or any other non-nuclear source of energy should be evaluated in conjunction with the possible net benefit and cost of developing alternative sources of energy. Coal, manufactured gas from coal and manufactured petroleum from coal are the feasible alternatives. Solar energy could be a feasible alternative, but it has to be developed further, along the lines of solar reflectors in outer space as designed in 1987 by the Soviet Union, to make it cost effective. Nuclear power has the advantage of producing massive amounts of electricity; but it depends on natural resources like uranium. Thus, breeder reactors provide the solution as depend on manufactured plutonium from the reactors.