Lecture 2: Renewable Energy

Sources
KEMS821 Renewable Energy
Production

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 1

 RENEWABLE ENERGY

’The term “renewable energy resource” is used for energy flows

which are replenished at the same rate as they are “used” ’

—Sørensen, 1979

“Energy [from] sources that are, within a short time frame relative to
the Earth’s natural cycles, sustainable, and include non-carbon
technologies such as solar energy, hydropower, and wind, as well as
carbon-neutral technologies such as biomass.”

—IPCC

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 2

There are four fundamental forms of energy.

Kinetic energy
possessed by any moving object
Incl. thermal energy or heat

Gravitational potential energy

energy associated with the gravitational pull of the Earth (and Sun)

Electrical energy
energy associated with electrical forces which hold together the atoms
and molecules of all materials
Incl. chemical energy; electromagnetic energy; electricity (intermediate
form of electrical energy)

Atomic or nuclear energy

energy bound up in the central nuclei of atoms

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 3

Renewable Energy Sources (RES) or
renewables can be divided into three areas.

Solar energy
available annual energy 3 900 000 000 PJ/year

Planetary energy
available annual energy 94 000 PJ/year

Geothermal energy
available annual energy 996 000 PJ/year

N.B.
Energy stored in wind or rain, which can also be technically
exploited, originate from natural energy conversion.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 4

Exergy is the useful portion of energy that allows
us to do work and perform energy services.
Ref.: doi:10.1016/j.energy.2005.09.006

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 5

The main source of easily accessible
renewable energy is the sun.
On average the rate of
solar radiation
intercepted by the
earth’s surface is
about 8000 times as
large as the average
rate of world primary
energy consumption.

Figure ‘energy paths

that can be tapped to
generate sustainable
electricity’ from the
book by Freris &
Infield.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 6

Solar radiation is available both directly and
indirectly.

Direct solar energy

Directly as solar radiation directly converted into useful energy, for
instance electricity or heat.

Indirect solar energy

Indirectly in the form of power from wind, biomass, hydro, and marine
sources.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 7

Solar thermal signifies the thermal use of solar
energy in general.
Conversion of solar energy to heat
requires a light-absorbing material, or a collector, which is able to
distribute the absorbed radiant energy over internal degrees of freedom
associated with kinetic energy of motion at the molecular level.

Absorption of solar energy

will rise the temperature of the collector or transfer energy to a reservoir,
if the collector is connected to one.

“Passive” system “Active” system

“natural” heat flow paths energy is added (pumps, etc.) to
between collectors and load bring the collector heat gain to the
areas. load areas.

10/09/2013 Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 8

Solar energy may be converted to electricity by
one of two means:

Solar thermal conversion

Conversion of solar radiation to heat that in
turn is added to a thermodynamic cycle to
produce mechanical work or electricity.

Photovoltaic conversion
Direct conversion of the solar radiant-energy
photons to electricity without the benefit of a
thermodynamic cycle or working fluid.
The term ‘photovoltaic’ is derived by combining two words:
the Greek word for light ‘photos’
the name of the electromotive force ‘volt’.

10/09/2013 Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 9

There are two basic types of device currently
used to capture and utilise solar radiation.

Solar thermal collectors,

which are used to heat air, water or
other liquids, depending on the
application.

Photovoltaic (PV) collectors,

which convert sunlight diretly into
electricity.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 10

Non-concentrating solar collectors can
produce temperatures up to about 100°C.

Applications
Heating and cooling of
buildings
Provision of domestic
hot water and industrial
process heat.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 11

Medium-temperature concentrating collectors
such as parabolic troughs / dishes provide
temperatures of 100 - 400°C.

Applications
Process heat
Refrigeration
Electricity production

Figures from Understanding

Renewable Energy Systems
by Volker Quaschning.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 12

Central-receiver types of solar concentrating
collectors can produce temperatures as high
as 2000°C or more.

Applications
Electricity generation
Industrial furnace applications

Figures courtesy of
DOE/NREL

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 13

Besides collector systems that use solar
energy actively, so-called passive use of solar
energy is possible.

Passive solar
building designs
Well-oriented buildings
with intelligently designed glass facades etc.
Conventional energy consumption can be reduced by as much as 75%.
Growing trend towards the use of passive solar in conjuction with BIPV.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 14

Natural processes transform solar energy into
other types of energy that can be utilized by
technical energy converters.

Types of Global Water Cycle

indirect energy
Evaporation
Precipitation
Water flow
Melting of snow
Wave movements
Ocean currents
Biomass production
Heating of Earth’s surface and the
atmosphere
Wind. Figure from Understanding Renewable
Energy Systems by Volker Quaschning.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 15

Hydro-electric power is currently easily the
largest of the Renewable Energy Sources.

One of the most mature RE technologies

About 160 EJ is stored in rivers and seas, which is equivalent to
roughly 40 % of the global energy demand, of which about
one-quater is technically exploited (Europe well exploited).

Controversial
Hydro-electric power plants
have a negative impact on
nature and local conditions.

Figure from Understanding

Renewable Energy Systems by
Volker Quaschning/Source: Itaipu
Binacional (2003).

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 16

Bioenergy is mankind's oldest
source of energy.

Humans have been using biomass as

an energy source for many thousands
of years.

Wood was the most important

material for heating and cooking for
a long time until it was superseded
by coal, crude oil and natural gas.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 17

Bioenergy is arguably the one truly Renewable
Energy Resource

Renewable energy resource

Each new crop or harvest represents a partial renewal of its resource
base. (Wood fuel is a RES if “consumption rate” ≤ “renewal rate”.)

Major World Energy Source

’Biomass’ from plants is one of the major world fuel sources (about 9
% of the global primary energy use, 2001)

Biofuels
Interest in biofuels – ethanol and biodiesel – is at an all-time high.

N.B.
Stored bioenergy can be used on demand!

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 18

The history of wind power goes
back many centuries.
Irrigation, land draining, grain
milling, transportation, etc.

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 19

Wind energy capacity has grown rapidly
since 1990, doupling every 3 ½ years.

Historical power source

More than 100 years ago, wind power had a dominant role in the
energy supply of many countries (mechanical power).

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 20

21
The ocean tides are the direct consequences
of the gravitational interaction between the
Earth, Moon and Sun.

Planetary energy
The different celestial bodies,
in particular our moon,
exchange mutual forces with
Earth. The motion of the
celestial bodies results in
continuously varying forces at
any specific point on the
Earth’s surface.

Figure from
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/tides.html
Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 22
There are two basic approaches to tidal energy
exploitation.

Tidal Barrage
Exploiting the cyclic rise and fall of
the sea level through extrainment.

Foto (right): La Rance tidal scheme by Michel

Coupard / Stillpictures

Tidal Stream Generators

Harnessing local tidal currents by
turbines.

Picture (left): Marine Current Turbines Ltd’s

concept in Whittaker et al. (2003).

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 23

Geothermal energy is contained as thermal
energy in the Earth’s interior.

The origin of this thermal energy?

- gravitational contraction of the earth when it was formed.
- heat from the decay of the small quantities of radioactive materials
contained within earth’s core.

What is the problem?

In the Earth’s interior, temperatures are somewhere between 3000°C
and 10,000°C. Despite the fact that this heat is present in huge,
practically inexhaustible quantities, it is unevenly distributed, seldom
concentrated, and often at depths too great to be exploited industrially.

Not strictly renewable?

If steam or hot water are extracted at a greater rate than heat is
replenished from surrounding forks, a geothermal size will cool down
after a number of years and become exhausted.
Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 24
Geothermal power stations can utilize
geothermal heat and convert it into electricity
and/or feed it into district heating systems.

Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in Yellowstone (left) and the
geothermal power plant at the Geysers near Calistoga, California
(right). (Courtesy of DOE/NREL)
Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 25
GLOBAL USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
SOURCES

“The contribution of renewable energy sources to the global

primary energy supply was 12,7% in 2005.”

—IEA, Key World Energy Statistics 2007

26
Renewable energy supplies 18% of the
World’s final energy consumption.

Renewables:
Traditional biomass
Large hydro
“new” renewables

Source:
REN21, Renewables 2007
– Global status report

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 27

Renewable energy comprises about 5% of
global power generating capacity and supplies
about 3,4% of global electricity production.

Source:
REN21, Renewables 2007
– Global status report

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 28

Global renewable energy capacity grew at rates
of 15-30 % annually during 2002-2006.

Source:
REN21, Renewables 2007
– Global status report

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 29

Source: REN21, Renewables 2007 – Global status report

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 30

In early 2007, the
EC adopted new
binding targets for
2020, including 20
percent of final
energy and 10
percent of
transport fuels.

Source:
REN21, Renewables 2007
– Global status report

Source: Jussi Maunuksela (2012) 31