practical and moral outcomes with renewable energy
TRANSCRIPT
PRACTICAL AND MORAL OUTCOMES
with Renewable Energy
Energising the future:
Redcliffe College and JRI
12 February 2011
John Twidell
AMSET Centre
Why practical?
Because…
nothing…
lives
moves
communicates
is heated
or is made...
…without a supply of energy
Without supplies of energy, there is……..
economic...
commercial...
domestic...
biological...
….death
…. the context is sustainability
…. the enrichment of global society
…. safeguarding future generations
…. ecological integration
…. minimum pollution
…. energy security
…. i.e. stewardship
Why moral?
Because…
So…………
.… choice of energy supply is both
practical and moral
…. for governments, institutions, commerce,
schools, churches
…. for your home and mine
Definition
• Renewable Energy is energy from…
…the natural and persistent currents of
energy in the environment
…..e.g. sunshine, wind, rainfall
• “Green Energy” • intrinsically non-polluting
Just think about it…
Using renewable energy makes us part of natural ecology; we divert energy already passing by and return it to the environment.
We are not using mined materials that are intrinsically antagonistic to ecology and leave a legacy of pollution and harm.
Solar worldwide
radiation per person Geothermal
heat
Gravitational
potential
Reflected 8,000 kW Absorbed 20,000 kW
absorbed
as heat
water evaporation,
rain & hydro flow
wind,
waves
photosynthesis
(plants, crops)
tides
heat
Per capita renewable energy: kilowatt continuous/person on Earth
solar equivalent of 20,000 one-bar heaters for each man, woman and child
13,000 kW
7,000 kW
50 kW
5 kW
500 kW
0.2 kW
radiation to
outer space
The Sun provides more energy to the Earth in one hour than the world population uses in one year. Efficient UK needs <4 kW/person
So there is no shortage of renewable energy…
….if we have available technologies to harness it…
…. for heat, fuels and electricity
Solar
radiation Geothermal
heat
Gravitational
potential
Solar water heaters,
Solar buildings
Concentrator power
Hydro-electricity;
very large (GW) to
very small (100 W)
Wind turbines,
Wave power
Fuel wood, biomass
biodiesel, bioethanol,
wastes
Tidal range power;
e.g. Severn estuary
& Tidal stream power
Heat pumps
Renewable energy technologies
Photovoltaic
solar cells
Of which the BIG THREE are:
solar
biomass
wind
There is no habited place without at least 2 of these 3
as significant resources
Renewable energy technologies for
heat, electricity and transport fuels
• solar buildings • solar water heating • solar thermal electricity • solar cell photovoltaic
electricity • concentrator solar
thermal power • solar driers • solar refrigeration • hydroelectricity • micro-hydro • wind turbines • wave power
• biomass crops
• pyrolysis
• biofuel oils
• biogas
• sewage gas
• urban waste
• geothermal heat
• ground-source heat pumps
• tidal range power
• tidal stream power
• fuel cells
each of these technologies is being improved by modern science….
• Photovoltaics by solid-state physics, nanotechnology, mechanisms of photosynthesis…..
• Wind turbines by composite materials, multi-pole generators, power electronics, frequency domain control, micrositing….
• Solar buildings by thermal modeling, advanced glazing, heat recovery, insulating aerosols….
• Solar water heating by selective surfaces, stratified tanks….
• Biofuels by biochemical lignin and waste processing
• Etc….
WWF Worldwide Report Feb 2011 “100% Renewable Energy by 2050”
Quote: This is “a scenario
that it is technically possible to
achieve almost 100%
renewable energy sources
within four decades”
WWF reasons for „100% renewables‟
• 1.4 billion have no electricity now
• Oil and gas running out
• Climate chance already a reality (e.g. 37% species „committed to extinction‟) so rapidly reduce fossil CO2
• Hence dramatically reduce coal
• Nuclear is unethical and expensive
• More efficient use of energy easily possible
• Already in 2009: > 50% European & US new power capacity from renewables
• Encouraging growth in all renewables
• Reducing meat consumption increases crop-land
• Biofuel from wastes and „constrained‟ biomass crops, hence allowing adequate food production
WWF scenar I o
with
electric
vehicles
Renewables now……. significant growth worldwide
Top down
• EU 20% all energy, renewables by 2020
• UK legal commitment for 90% reduction in fossil-carbon by 2050
• Global carbon trading slowly happening
• China committed to renewables and energy efficiency, much manufacture
• Economies adapting
Bottom up
• Feed-in tariffs for microgeneration in majority of industrialised countries; growth follows
• Trade skills training
• Lifestyles adapting
REN21 : World Status Report 2010 www.ren21.net/Resources/
N.B. Total global energy use little changed 2008/20010; nuclear decreasing, fossil-fuels static, renewables increasing
BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2010
Global electricity
Wind power
Solar photovoltaic electricity
Solar water heating
Vehicle biofuels
Business investment is vital
Global investment
PEW Bloomberg 2009 report
Growth rate and total of operating renewables in year 2009:
REN21 Global Status Report
• grid solar PV .......53 %/y total 22GW
• wind power …………32 %/y total 159GW
• solar hot water … 21 %/y total 180GWth
• geothermal power ..4 %/y total 11GW
• hydropower ……………3 %/y total 980GW
• ethanol fuel …………10 %/y
• biodiesel ………………9 %/y
World employment
photovoltaic
solar cell
electricity.
3 kW max
solar
water
heater
Solar energy chez John and Mary Twidell, midland UK.
Annual production ~ 50% electricity and ~ 50% hot water Solar water heater installed 1997, payback by 2005. PV installed 2003, payback ~2030
cooking
house boiler
for radiators,
heating & hot
water
enclosed wood-stove
dry wood store
local wood fuel;
domestic heating
you are all invited
pellet stove
Conclusions: renewables …
• proven technologies
• most are in the market place
• credit for environmental and sustainable
benefits
• favoured by world, European, national &
local policies
• but still much to do