The Open Talent session on "The fossil resources crisis and the energy transition to renewables", with Carles Riba Romeva will take place in the Conference Hall of the Faculty of Mathematics and Statistics of the UPC (c/Pau Gargallo 5, Barcelona) at 7 pm on Tuesday 30 September, 2014.
During his lecture, he will discuss the challenges and benefits of transition from the current system based on non-renewable energies to a system of renewable, clean and inexhaustible energies. Non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels and uranium) are finite, limited and pollutant, although at present they account for 83% of the world's energy system. At the current increasing rate of consumption, these resources will have been completely exhausted by the year 2060.
The alternative is renewable energies (water, wind, solar and biomass). Although they are more complex to manage, they are a source that is inexhaustible on the human time scale.
Riba will explain how making the transition to renewables is cheaper in the long term than not making it, and also ensures the future energy supply. This transition is especially vital for Southern Europe, Spain and Catalonia.
THE SPEAKER
Carles Riba is a doctor of industrial engineering and has been a lecturer at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) since 1971. He was mayor of Sant Joan Despí and vice-president of the Barcelona Metropolitan Corporation between 1979 and 1983. During his teaching career, he has worked for over 30 years on encouraging collaboration between universities and business, during which time he has undertaken more than 150 real projects, especially in the area of machinery and industrial equipment.
He has written numerous articles in specialist journals, around fifteen technical books and has participated as an author in about 20 patents.
In 1999, he founded and became the director of the Center for Industrial Equipment Design at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (CDEI-UPC) as part of the Government of Catalonia's Technological Innovation Network project. He subsequently proposed the creation of CEQUIP, the Foundation of Capital Goods Manufacturers, and represents the UPC on its governing body.
In 2012, his book "Recursos energéticos y crisis. El fin de 200 años irrepetibles" [Energy Resources and Crisis. The end of 200 unrepeatable years], led to the creation of the association CMES (Collective for a new Sustainable Energy and Social Model), of which he is president.
This event is open and admission is free. To attend this event, please confirm your attendance using the form "I WILL ATTEND" below. Places are limited.
