Department of International Relations and European Studies1 Renewable Energy Sources and Modern Technologies doc. PhDr. Tomáš Vlček, Ph.D. tomas.vlcek@mail.muni.cz Department of International Relations and European Studies2 Contents ̶ Renewable Energy Policies ̶ Solar Energy ̶ Wind Energy ̶ Geothermal Energy ̶ Hydroenergy ̶ Biomass ̶ Smartgrids ̶ Virtual Power Plants ̶ Storage of Electricity ̶ Fuel Cells and Hydrogen ̶ Nuclar Fusion Department of International Relations and European Studies3 Renewable Energy Policies ̶ The oldest energy sector on Earth vs. new wave of development ̶ New sector, probably the most dynamic one Why? Department of International Relations and European Studies4 Renewable Energy Policies ̶ The sector responds to the global trend of combating climate change, protecting the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decrease imports of energy resources especially after 1989. ̶ Rapid growth in consumption of energy resources ̶ Interdependence in the relationship with foreign suppliers ̶ Contradictory an effort to retain as much autonomy from foreign countries using nuclear power, domestic coal and, increasingly, renewable energy ̶ First symptoms caused by lack of coal ̶ Probable end of the hydrocarbon age in the 21 Century (exhaustion of coal, oil and natural gas) ̶ Fighting the climate change ̶ Emissions reduction efforts ̶ UN and EU commitments to those organizations ̶ The process of liberalization of the electricity market ̶ Rising energy costs Department of International Relations and European Studies5 Renewable Energy Policies ̶ Natural energy that does not have a limited supply. Renewable energy can be used again and again, and will never run out. ̶ Any energy resource that is naturally regenerated over a short time scale and derived directly from the sun (such as thermal, photochemical, and photoelectric), indirectly from the sun (such as wind, hydropower, and photosynthetic energy stored in biomass), or from other natural movements and mechanisms of the environment (such as geothermal and tidal energy). Renewable energy does not include energy resources derived from fossil fuels, waste products from fossil sources, or waste products from inorganic sources. ̶ Any naturally occurring, theoretically inexhaustible source of energy, as biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave, and hydroelectric power, that is not derived from fossil or nuclear fuel. ̶ Renewable energy is from an energy resource that is replaced by a natural process at a rate that is equal to or faster than the rate at which that resource is being consumed. Renewable energy is a subset of sustainable energy. Department of International Relations and European Studies6 Renewable Energy Policies ̶ Two attitudes to REP: ̶ Low-carbon economy ̶ a priori does not reject various fossil energy sources ̶ the aim is to adapt the existing economy to low-carbon principle as much as possible, i.e. minimum production of CO2 as the main greenhouse gas ̶ this approach does not exclude (on the contrary - supports) the use and development of nuclear energy as an emission-free source ̶ renewables may have different meanings, but they are always more or less complementary to the primary sources ̶ Environmental ̶ focuses on the word "renewable" and refuses basically any fossil fuel ̶ the target is complete transition to renewable energy ̶ there are currently many limits for complete transition to renewable energy, such as the condition of human knowledge and technology, technical aspects and financial costs Department of International Relations and European Studies7 Renewable Energy Sources ̶ Who do you think are the top countries in renewable energy generation? Department of International Relations and European Studies8 Renewable Energy Sources ̶ Who do you think are the top countries in renewable energy generation? Department of International Relations and European Studies9 Renewable Energy Sources ̶ What sources of RES do you know? Department of International Relations and European Studies10 Renewable Energy Sources Department of International Relations and European Studies11 Renewable Energy Sources ̶ Libor Krajíček ̶ late 1960s, geographer at Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague ̶ creation of a scheme that shows the distribution of raw materials and resources independent of human activity and only resulting from what our planet and the surrounding universe provide Department of International Relations and European Studies12 Renewable Energy Sources ̶ solar energy - formally exhaustible, but 9-21 billion years are inexhaustible from the perspective of humans ̶ Hydroenergy, tidal energy - water is exhaustible and non-renewable (a mere carrier of energy, not a source, an intermediary between gravity and electricity; gravity is inexhaustible) ̶ biomass - exhaustible but renewable independent of human activity ̶ wind – inexhaustible, product of climate and rotations of Earth ̶ geothermal energy – inexhaustible, product of Earth‘s core ̶ coal, gas, uranium, oil etc. - exhaustible and non-renewable Department of International Relations and European Studies13 Solar Energy The Amount of Solar Energy in the Czech Republic which Stroke a Square Meter of Surface Bent at an Angle of 40° Southwards (Wh/m2/day) I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Rok Praha 1228 2027 3034 4149 4846 4644 4930 4577 3475 2729 1140 833 3141 Brno 1247 2111 3163 4262 4953 4877 5211 4774 3679 2918 1309 872 3288 Plzeň 1238 2087 3036 4147 4755 4618 4975 4604 3587 2735 1182 828 3155 Ostrava 1321 2138 2990 3890 4689 4556 4916 4471 3370 2858 1372 976 3135 Břeclav 1343 2204 3315 4429 5046 5100 5411 4925 3990 2975 1441 935 3433 Aš 1255 2215 2941 4180 4662 4431 4837 4459 3544 2639 1327 840 3115 Ústí n. L. 1231 2080 2956 4063 4788 4507 4751 4405 3365 2677 1207 841 3078 Source: European Commission - Joint Research Centre, n.d. 3,288 Wh/m2/day = 137 Wh/m2/hour = 137 W/m2 * 0,15 = 20,55 W/m2 * 24 * 365 = 180018 Wh/m2/year = 180 kWh/m2/year Yearly production of a square meter of solar panels in Brno is approximately 180 kWh. Department of International Relations and European Studies14 Solar Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies15 Solar Energy PS20, Abengoa, Spain (20 MWe, 44 GWh) Molten salt is heated to 565 ºC, pumped to a steam generating system to drive turbines that are coupled with generators which produce electricity Department of International Relations and European Studies16 Ivanpah I, II, III Solar Electric Generating System, Ivanpah, California, USA (123 + 133 + 133 MWe) Department of International Relations and European Studies17 Solar Energy Ashalim Power Station, Negev Desert, Israel (259 MWe) Department of International Relations and European Studies18 Solar Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies19 Wind Energy ̶ produce electricity by utilizing the flux of air ̶ the flux of air spins propeller blades, which then spin electrical power generator ̶ wind power plants for their operating require a region with an average speed of wind between 6 and 25 m/s ̶ all wind turbines are designed for a maximum wind speed, called the survival speed ̶ in conventional wind turbines, the blades spin a shaft that is connected through a gearbox to the generator ̶ gearless wind turbines get rid of the gearbox completely, problem is weight and rare elements used for permanent magnets Department of International Relations and European Studies20 Wind Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies21 Unconventional Wind Turbines Department of International Relations and European Studies22 Geothermal Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies23 Geothermal Energy ̶ geothermal gradient is the rate of increasing temperature with respect to increasing depth in the Earth's interior ̶ it is about 25–30 °C/km of depth near the surface in most of the world Department of International Relations and European Studies24 Hydroenergy ̶ Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by hydropower, i.e., the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy. ̶ Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no direct waste. Small scale hydro or micro-hydro power has been an increasingly popular alternative energy source, especially in remote areas where other power sources are not viable. Small scale hydro power systems can be installed in small rivers or streams with little or no discernible environmental effect or disruption to fish migration. ̶ Most small scale hydro power systems make no use of a dam or major water diversion, but rather use water wheels to generate energy. This was approximately 19% of the world’s electricity (up from 16% in 2003), and accounted for over 63% of electricity from renewable sources. ̶ There are several types of hydroelectricity power production facilities: ̶ Falling Water ̶ Flowing Water ̶ Pumping Storage Systems ̶ Tidal Energy Systems ̶ Wave Energy Systems Department of International Relations and European Studies25 Hydroenergy – Falling Water Department of International Relations and European Studies26 Hydroenergy – Falling Water Department of International Relations and European Studies27 Hydroenergy – Flowing Water Department of International Relations and European Studies28 Hydroenergy – Pumping Storage System Department of International Relations and European Studies29 Hydroenergy – Pumping Storage System Department of International Relations and European Studies30 Hydroenergy – Tidal Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies31 Hydroenergy – Tidal Energy Department of International Relations and European Studies32 Hydroenergy – Wave Energy Systems Department of International Relations and European Studies33 Biomass ̶ Developed countries: a renewable source of energy, neutral emissions ̶ Developing countries: the source of 90% of the daily energy consumption for 2.5 billion people ̶ Fuel and energy: ̶ Incineration - direct, indirect (biogas), indirect parallel (steam) ̶ The thermal decomposition (pyrolysis) - solid and liquid fuels (charcoal, pyrolysis oil, 16 MJ / kg) ̶ Gasification - oxidation at high temperatures, 5-20 MJ / m3 ̶ Esterification, hydrogenation ̶ Biochemical transformation - fermentation, digestion (biogas, 18-29 MJ / m3) Department of International Relations and European Studies34 Biomass ̶ Generation I ̶ Ethanol – easier combustion but lowe calorific value (by 25-30 %) ̶ Generation II ̶ Fast growing trees ̶ plants that can be grown more than once in one place ̶ Generation III ̶ Marine plants: algae - 80% lipids ̶ yield up to 30% greater than in oilseed GJ/ha Barley 34 – 50 Wheat 59 – 67 Corn 63 – 71 Sugar beet 138 – 146 Sugarcane 147 - 167 Department of International Relations and European Studies35 Biomass Department of International Relations and European Studies36 Smartgrids ̶ „A smart grid is a modernized electrical grid that uses analogue or digital information and communications technology to gather and act on information, such as information about the behaviours of suppliers and consumers, in an automated fashion to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics, and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity. “ (U.S. Department of Energy.) ̶ Goals: ̶ More efficient use of energy ̶ Limitation of crisis situations in the network ̶ Integration of alternative sources ̶ Integration of new appliances ̶ Providing online information about the price of electricity and the subsequent management of the network Department of International Relations and European Studies37 Smartgrids Department of International Relations and European Studies38 Smartgrids ̶ Critique: ̶ High pressure on both the supply (joining the production units to the so-called virtual power plants) and demand (consumers programming appliances for time or cost) ̶ Ensuring a sufficient number of actors ̶ Investment costs for operators and traders (benefits tends to rest with customers) ̶ The modernization of the electricity grid ̶ The potential to monitor and susceptibility to abuse the technology by thieves ̶ Privacy protection ̶ Relinquishing control over the use of electricity in favor of the operator Department of International Relations and European Studies39 Virtual Power Plant Department of International Relations and European Studies40 Storage of Electricity ̶ Storage could: ̶ Help in wiring RES ̶ Efficient use of existing resources (plants today are used on average about 55% of the time) ̶ Increase the reliability of electricity supply (US 79 billion losses annually due to network outages) ̶ Reduce the need for new power plants ̶ Reduce the need for additional transport capacity ̶ Electricity storage would reduce price volatility of fossil fuels and transport capacity ̶ Reduce the dependency on weather Current System With Storage Costs Costs Capacity Capacity Startup Speed Capacity Variablity Department of International Relations and European Studies41 Storage of Electricity ̶ Possibilities: ̶ Electromechanical (flywheels, compressed air, pumping hydro stations…) ̶ Eletrochemical (fuel cells, batteries) ̶ Chemical (hydrogen, biofuels, power-to-gas) ̶ Thermal ̶ Etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_storage Department of International Relations and European Studies42 Storage of Electricity - Electromechanical Department of International Relations and European Studies43 Storage of Electricity - Electromechanical Department of International Relations and European Studies44 Storage of Electricity - Electromechanical ̶ Dinorwig, Wales Department of International Relations and European Studies45 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical ̶ Fuel Cells ̶ A fuel cell is an electrochemical device directly converting chemical energy of fuel and oxidant into electrical energy ̶ The principle has been known since the mid-19th century, their commercial deployment is still at the planning stage ̶ They are an alternative to the current small and medium sources of fossil fuels; gas engines, dieselaggregates, gas microturbines, small cogeneration units, it is counted with their deployment in the automotive industry ̶ In the future, it should replace the larger electricity supply units. It can be used also as a replacement for batteries and accumulators ̶ For some special applications (space projects, undersea research) they are already widely used (1960s Apollo and Gemini) ̶ Today cca 60 companies manufacturing fuel cells (32 in USA, 7 Canada, 6 GB, 5 India, 2 Singapur, 1 international) + car companies Department of International Relations and European Studies46 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical Anode Reaction: 2H2 + 2O2− → 2H2O + 4e− Cathode Reaction: O2 + 4e– → 2O2− Overall Cell Reaction: 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O Department of International Relations and European Studies47 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical ̶ Advantages: ̶ High efficiency power conversion due to direct conversion of chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy (total efficiency in automobiles 50-60%) ̶ Modular concept - the possibility to construct fuel cells in a wide range of performances with nearly the same efficiency. ̶ The possibility of using a variety of gaseous fuels (after adjustments) ̶ Almost silent operation due to the absence of moving parts (except the accompanying equipment - blowers, compressors, ...). ̶ Low wear ̶ Efficiency for power plant electricity production is 40-45% Department of International Relations and European Studies48 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical ̶ Disadvantages: ̶ High investment costs ̶ Still too low service life ̶ The effectiveness decreases with time ̶ The necessity of continuously removing fumes from chemical reactions whose quantity depends on the size of the current drawn (for H2-O2 cells pumping out of water or water vapor, other cells oxidation products) ̶ Commissioning (PEM operating temperature is 70-85 C, it may take a few minutes and the cell must be warmed up to operating temperature, likely from an external source) ̶ Industrial production of hydrogen Department of International Relations and European Studies49 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical Hydrogen is produced in large thermal decomposition of methane (natural gas) at 1000 °C. CH4 → C + 2 H2 In the future, the production of hydrogen using nuclear energy is likely, either thermochemically (high temperatures) or by means of electric current (nuclear power plants could then be used at the times, when demand is low). Steam reforming Electrolysis High-temperature electrolysis Reforming reaction: CH4 + H2O → CO + 3H2 2H2O → 2H2 + O2 CO conversion: CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 Effectivity 80 % Effectivity 80-92 % Effectivity up to 45 % Department of International Relations and European Studies50 Storage of Electricity - Electrochemical Honda FCX Clarity Fuel CellToyota Mirai Fuel Cell Sedan 12/2014 in Japan; 8/2015 in USA; 6/2016 in EU Barcelona, Hydrogen buses Hyundai ix35 FCEV Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Alstom Coradia iLint Department of International Relations and European Studies51 Storage of Electricity - Chemical ̶ Power-to-gas (P2G) ̶ technology that converts electrical power to a gas fuel, typically electrical power from wind turbines ̶ electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen by means of electrolysis ̶ hydrogen is either used directly or combined with CO2 and converted to methane (or eventually to LPG) or converted to biogas ̶ overall efficiency around 40% Falkenhagen, Brandenburg, Germany Department of International Relations and European Studies52 Nuclear Fusion ̶ A process, during which lighter atomic nuclei are fused and energy is released ̶ The Sun: 15 M °C ̶ 1H + 1H => He + energy ̶ Hydrogen consumption: 600 Mt/s Department of International Relations and European Studies53 Nuclear Fusion ̶ one-off nuclear fusion reaction is not difficult to recall ̶ it is difficult to keep it in the reactor for a longer time and ensure a positive balance of energy obtained to energy delivered ̶ fusion reactor, unlike fission reactors, is basically safe, cannot explode and leaves almost no radioactive residues ̶ troubles are rather of opposite nature - it is the problem to hold the fusion reaction stable for a period of time ̶ the most simple reaction is a synthesis of deuterium and tritium: 150 M°C 2H (D) + 3H (T) => He + n + energy ̶ "fuel" is considered to be a mixture of deuterium and tritium ̶ when merging takes place, helium arises and high-energy neutrons are released ̶ the advantage is that these neutrons penetrate deeply into the material of the inner wall of the reactor so that it is technically easier to divert the heat recovery ̶ the disadvantage is that the material of the reactor becomes radioactive Department of International Relations and European Studies54 Nuclear Fusion Possible Fuel Combinations Deuterium-Tritium (0.1 billion ˚C, most probable) Deuterium-Helium 3 (fuel not radioactive, Helium 3 only on Moon) Deuterium-Deuterium (1-10 billion ˚C) Proton-Proton (occurs only in the Sun) Fusion reactor fuel cycle Department of International Relations and European Studies55 Nuclear Fusion ̶ Jamie Edwards, thirteen year old schoolboy at Priory Academy in the British Penwortham is the youngest person in history who was able to induce nuclear fusion Department of International Relations and European Studies56 Nuclear Fusion ̶ one of the ways to achieve nuclear fusion is the tokamak, a device that prevents contact with the plasma with the wall of the chamber by a magnetic field ̶ тороидальная камера с магнитными катушками (Thoroid Chamber in Magnetic Coils), TOKAMAK Department of International Relations and European Studies57 Nuclear Fusion ̶ the idea of tokamak was born in the 1950s by Igor Tamm and Andrei Sakharov ̶ the international project ITER in Cadarache, France, is the most advance Department of International Relations and European Studies58 Thank you for your attention.