Rolf DISCH

Issue / The Energy Debate

Often in the news and the subject of many controversies, energy, particularly electrical energy, has long since become essential to modern lifestyles. Although it makes life easier for anyone who has access to it, too often it is produced using technologies that are not environmentally friendly. The effects of energy production on nature are frequently unforeseen, unsuspected and pernicious.

Technological advances have now made it possible to consider using alternative methods to produce electricity, ones which are less damaging to the environment than nuclear energy, fossil fuels or even hydroelectric power stations. Although in the past these may have been thought of as veritable miracles, before their hidden problems became known, some of these energy sources are now at the centre of major social and political debates.