Energy (Parallel Session)

How will the new energy technologies change our daily lives?

The current intense use of fossil fuels for the generation of energy leads to environmental and long-term sustainability problems. Particularly in Chile, the problem is very relevant: 98% of the oil, 78% of the gas and 84% of the coal used in the country are imported. This creates a constant dependency on international supply, as well as significant vulnerability in terms of energy supply and national security. The resources needed for the production of renewable and environmentally friendly energy –such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal technologies abound in Chile.
Besides the technical and economic challenges, political and social challenges emerge as well, where public acceptance will play an important role in the adoption of the technologies.

This session will include presentations to discuss two aspects of future energy generation:

• The first focus will be on the “big picture” of the different aspects of the transition to renewable energies, and challenges for specific technologies.
• The second aspect will explore the influence on peoples daily lives, like how may the use of resources (like energy) in households change, how buildings may need to adapt, how houses may participate in the energy generation, and if home appliances may get smart enough to help address the future energy challenges.