La biomasse, activité alternative au développement des zones rurales

c) The current solution : energy diversification

If since less than ten years, the planet profits from an offer out of relatively cheap hydrocarbons, the War of the Gulf at the beginning of the Nineties brutally pointed out the need for maintaining an independence energy minimal.

Certain sources of energy actually have to disappear. Thus, according to LP'S Statistical Review^13(*), the world coal reserves will be exhausted from here two hundred and nineteen years, those of gas from here sixty-four years and the crude oil reserves from here only forty and one years. Out, in parallel, the requirements in energies will not cease growing, taking into account the economic and demographic development world (according to an estimate of UNO, we will be eight billion in 2020). In the absence of a revolutionary technological breakthrough, the surplus of the needs will have to be covered by the energy-generating products available on the market : natural gas, renewable coal, oil, nuclear power and energies. The production of current electricity is divided between the nuclear power (35%), solid fuels (27%), natural gas (16%), hydraulics and others (15%) and oil (8%). The new capacities will be characterized by the prevalence of the power stations with gas and by the continuation of the retreat of the power stations supplied with the petroleum products and solid fuels.

It thus appears essential to envisage the diversification of the sources of energy, while being based more on energies known as renewable. However, the hydraulic park is already saturated with Europe and poses enormous problems of infrastructures, whereas the wind one and the solar one, by their intermittent character and their constraint of establishment, seem confined with the statute of auxiliary source.

Remain then the nuclear power, from which the resources profit from a good distribution on the sphere and whose techniques of production, although recent, already proved reliable (in France, 80% of electricity are of origin nuclear) and the other renewable sources of energy like the biomass or geothermics. However, the growth of the nuclear energy appears improbable. Its long-term contribution is dependant on the continuation of the policy of fight against the climatic reheating, of its competitiveness compared to other energies, the public acceptance of this form of energy and a solution to the problem of waste. « The contribution of the nuclear power in the current political circumstances (decisions of disengagement of the die taken by certain Member States) should be limited from here 2020 with the status quo »^14(*). Medium-term, the possible disaffection with regard to the nuclear power could result in a higher utilization ratio of the power stations, however these forecasts could be re-examined thanks to the contribution reinforced with renewable and action on the request.

The development as of these renewable energies is not at the same point for each one of them but a movement of industrial development is with work. The best examples are the wind one, the photovoltaic one or the biocarburants whose actors reached an international industrial dimension. Concerning the Convention countries, Germany is essential clearly as the genuine engine which involves in its wake its European neighbors like Austria or the Netherlands. France and Great Britain, up to now in withdrawal compared to these first countries, should quickly fit in dynamic the more voluntarist.

In addition, the political framework of development of renewable energies in Europe starts firmly to be structured. The objectives posted by the European Union, associated the European directive^15(*) on the access to the electrical supply network of these energies, take part in the reinforcement of this overall favorable context.

The objective defined for the EU in the White Paper of the Commission, is to provide 12% of its rough domestic consumption of energy starting from renewable energies in 2010^16(*). Currently, this share is 5,2%. However, the increase in the primary consumption of energy being faster than that of renewable energies, the share of these last rather tends to decrease since 1997 (Appendix 3).

As, one should not lose sight of the fact as renewable energies will succeed in taking up these many challenges only in one condition : general public must adapt them and regard them as as many real and reliable alternatives. The industrial development is the goal to reach, but the basic element is the adhesion of each citizen to the true project of company which the choice of these energies implies. « Employment can be a vector of integration because renewable energies represent today more than 100.000 employment in Europe »^17(*).

* ¹³document Internet, www.bpamoco.com/worldenergy consulted the 15.04.01

* ¹⁴ Deliver green  for a Community strategy, «  Energy for the future  : renewable sources of energy  », p 31

* ¹⁵ COM (2000) 279 of the 10.05.2000, «Directive one the promotion off electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market», European parliament and Council

* ¹⁶ COM (97) 599 of the 26.11.1997 «  Energy for the future  : renewable sources of energy  »- White Paper establishing a strategy and a Community action plan, European Commission

* ¹⁷ EurObserv' ER, barometers of renewable energies, re-examined Solar systems N°137- 2000, p.60