CCST9016 Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impact

http://me.hku.hk/bse/CCST9016/

Renewable energy technologies (R.E.T.)

Dr. Sam C. M. Hui

Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
E-mail: cmhui@hku.hk
http://web.hku.hk/~cmhui

Oct 2015

Contents

Overview
Solar Energy
Wind Energy
Biomass Energy
Geothermal Energy
Small Hydropower
Ocean Energy

R.E.T.

Overview
Renewable energy (RE)

Energy that comes from resources which are

continually replenished such as sunlight, wind,
rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat
Derives from the sun or from heat within the earth

Three main types of RE:

Have
significant
social &
ecological
impacts!

1. Traditional biomass
Woodfuels (forests), agricultural by-products and dung burned
for cooking and heating purposes (in developing countries)

2. Hydroelectricity (large hydropower from dams)

3. New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass,
wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels)

Overview
Contribution of RE
For the worlds final energy consumption (2010)
16.7% from renewable resources: 11.4% from
traditional biomass, 3.3% from hydroelectricity and 2%
from new renewables

For the worlds electricity generation

About 16% from hydroelectricity and 3% from new
renewables

Application of RE
Large-scale projects (hydropower, wind farms)
Small-scale (e.g. for rural and remote areas)

Contribution of renewables in total world energy consumption

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy)

Overview
Renewable energy technologies (R.E.T.)
Produce sustainable, clean energy
RE resources exist over wide geographical areas
(unlike oil and coal, which are concentrated in a
limited number of countries)
Energy security and economic benefits

Applied in four distinct areas:

1. Electricity generation
2. Hot water/space heating
3. Motor fuels
4. Rural (off-grid) energy services

Solar Energy
Solar energy can be converted into heat or
electricity using various technologies*
1. Solar thermal (e.g. solar water heating)
Also solar space heating in colder climates

2. Solar photovoltaic (PV)

PV modules made of solar cells (semiconductor
devices); can be connected to form small or large arrays

3. Concentrating solar power (CSP)

Use reflective materials such as mirrors to concentrate
the suns energy to convert it to high-temperature heat
(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar.html)

Solar Energy
1. Solar thermal (solar water heating)
Harness the solar heat to produce hot water
Domestic solar water heating system usually
comprises of solar collectors and a water tank
Types of solar collectors:
(a) Flat-plate
(b) Evacuated-tube
Glass-glass type
Glass-metal type (direct flow-through type and heat-pipe type)

Storage tank and ancillary equipment

(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_wh/solar_wh_to.html)

Examples of solar thermal systems

Flat-plate solar collector

Evacuated-tube solar collector

Heat transfer processes at a flat-plate solar collector

(Source: http://www.volker-quaschning.de/articles/fundamentals4/index.php)

Principle of an evacuated tube collector with heat pipe

(Source: http://dogstarsolar.net/about/solar-evacuated-tubes/)

Schematic diagram of a solar water heating system

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_wh/solar_wh_to.html)

Solar Energy
2. Solar photovoltaic (PV)
Converts the light energy in sunlight into
electricity by means of photoelectric phenomenon
Types of solar cells:
Crystalline silicon cells
Monocrystalline (efficiency: 15%-18%)
Polycrystalline (efficiency: 13%-16%)

Thin layer/film cells

Amorphous silicon (efficiency: 5%-8%)
Copper indium diselenide (CIS) (efficiency: 7.5%-9.5%)
Cadmium telluride (CdTe) (efficiency: 6%-9%)
(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_ph/solar_ph_to.html )

Structure and processes of a solar cell

(Source: http://www.volker-quaschning.de/articles/pv-basics/index.php)

Photovoltaic system on a convention centre rooftop (1 MW)

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Solar Energy
Video: Energy 101: Solar Power (3:24)
http://youtu.be/NDZzAIcCQLQ
An inside look at solar-power technology; breaks
down the different types of solar devices and how
they work, detailing the pros and cons of this
renewable energy source

Video: Photovoltaics: a diverse techno. (4:26)

https://www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov/solar/vide
os/photovoltaics_diverse_technology

Solar Energy
2. Solar photovoltaic (PV) (contd)
Emerging PV technologies

High-concentration PV (by using mirrors/lenses)

SILVER (thin and bifacial moncrystalline)
Organic/polymer PV
Microcrystalline and micromorphous cells
Hybrid HIT (heterojunction w/ intrinsic thin layer) cells
Perovskite solar cells

PV systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perovskite_solar_cell

Standalone vs Grid-connected (or grid-tied)

(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_ph/solar_ph_to.html )

A standalone PV system supplying DC and AC loads

d.c. = direct current

a.c. = alternating current

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_ph/solar_ph_to.html)

Grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/gen/grid/grid_int.html)

Hydrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine systems

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/solar_ph/solar_ph_to.html)

Solar Energy
3. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
A large-scale solar thermal-electric technology
Makes use of mirrors to convert the suns energy
into high-temperature heat
Main types of CSP technologies:
(a) Trough System
(b) Dish/Engine system
(c) Power Tower

Small concentrating solar devices, e.g. solar oven

(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/other_st/other_st_to.html)

Solar Energy
Video: Energy 101: Concentrating Solar
Power (2:16)
https://www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov/solar/vide
os/energy_101_concentrating_solar_power
From towers to dishes to linear mirrors to troughs,
concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies reflect
and collect solar heat to generate electricity. A single
CSP plant can generate enough power for about 90,000
homes. This video explains what CSP is, how it works,
and how systems like parabolic troughs produce
renewable power.

Concentrating Solar Power Tower Plant

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Concentrating solar tower system in California (10 MW)

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Solar Dish/Engine Power Plant

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Linear Concentrating Solar Power Plant

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Linear Fresnel Power Plant

(Source: www.eeremultimedia.energy.gov)

Solar Energy
Environmental impacts

Land use (land degradation and habitat loss)

Water use (manufacture of components, cooling)
Hazardous materials (e.g. PV cell manufacture)
Life-cycle global warming emissions
(manufacture, transport, installation, maintenance,
decommissioning)
Visual impact/intrusion on aesthetics
Effect on ecosystem, flora and fauna (for CSP)
(See also: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-solar-power.html)

Solar Energy
Other solar technologies:
Solar space heating
Active solar space heating
Passive solar space heating

Solar cooling
Solar absorption cooling (evaporate the refrigerant)
Solar adsorption cooling (regenerates the silica gel in
adsorption chiller)

Solar lighting (e.g. light pipe)

Sunlight concentrating or transmission
(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/solar/other_st/other_st_to.html )

Wind Energy
Wind
Air movement due to the variation in solar
radiation absorption on different parts of the earth
and the dynamic effects from the earths rotation
Considered an indirect form of solar energy
Examples of wind energy:

Wind turbines to make electrical power

Windmills for mechanical power
Wind pumps for water pumping or drainage
Sails to propel ships

Examples of wind turbines

Horizontal-axis wind turbines

Small wind turbines

Vertical-axis wind turbines

Wind farm (off-shore)

Wind Energy
Wind turbines
Large ones: several hundred kW to a few MW
Small ones: up to tens of kW
Offshore wind farms: planting wind turbines on
the seabed

Wind farms
Consist of many individual wind turbines which
are connected to the electric power transmission
network
(See also: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/wind/wind.html)

Large wind turbine installation and operation

Wind speed
will affect
the output
power of
wind turbine

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/wind/large/large_to.html )

Small wind turbine installation and operation

Furling is one
method of
preventing
a wind
turbine from
spinning too
quickly simply
by turning the
blades away
from the
direction of the
wind

(Source: http://re.emsd.gov.hk/english/wind/small/small_to.html)

Wind Energy
Video: Energy 101: Wind Power (2:14)
http://youtu.be/niZ_cvu9Fts
Our animated correspondent Little Lee Patrick
Sullivan explains how the wind can be used to
generate power, including where wind comes
from, its history as a power source, how wind
farms generate electricity and what's likely to be
the first major offshore wind project in the U.S.

Wind Energy
Video: Energy 101: Wind Turbines - 2014
Update (3:16)
http://youtu.be/EYYHfMCw-FI
See how wind turbines generate clean electricity
from the power of wind. The video highlights the
basic principles at work in wind turbines, and
illustrates how the various components work to
capture and convert wind energy to electricity.

(Source: http://bertmaes.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/part-1-green-technology-wind-turbines-and-cnc/)

Wind Energy
Advantages of wind power
Plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean,
produces no greenhouse gas emissions during
operation and uses little land, no fuel required
Technology is robust & mature

Economics of wind energy

The monetary cost per unit of wind energy
produced is similar to the cost for new coal and
natural gas installations
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power)

Wind Energy
Environmental impacts

Noise produced by the rotor blades

Aesthetic (visual) impacts
Birds and bats having been killed by the rotors
Electromagnetic interference (w/ radar & telecom)

Supply and transport issues

Wind power is intermittent (need storage/backup)
Good wind sites are often in remote locations
May compete with other uses for the land

Biomass Energy
Biomass
Biological material from living, or recently living
organisms, e.g. plants or plant-derived materials
Can be used directly or indirectly (e.g. converted
into biofuel)
Biomass can be converted to energy by:
1. Thermal conversion (e.g. direct combustion)
2. Chemical conversion (e.g. biofuel/biodiesel)
3. Biochemical conversion (e.g. anaerobic digestion)
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass)

Biomass Energy
Biomass energy or bioenergy
Using wood, residues (forestry, agricultural,
industrial, commercial/domestic), energy crops
Energy from waste incineration or digestion
Landfil gas, biogas and biofuel

Carbon
Cycle

Examples of bioenergy applications

(modern biomass)
Fuel state
Biogas

Application
Supplementing mains supply (grid-connected)

Biogas

Cooking and lighting (household-scale digesters),

motive power for small industry and electric needs
(with gas engine)
Transport fuel and mechanical power, particularly
for agriculture; heating and electricity generation;
some rural cooking fuel

Liquid biofuel

Solid biomass

Cooking and lighting (direct combustion), motive

power for small industry and electric needs (with
electric motor)

Strengths and weaknesses of bioenergy systems

Strengths

Weaknesses

Conversion technologies available in

a wide range of power levels at
different levels of technological
complexity
Fuel production and conversion
technology indigenous in developing
countries
Production can produce more jobs
than other renewable energy systems
of a comparable size
Conversion can be to gaseous, liquid
or solid fuel
Environmental impact low (overall
no increase in carbon dioxide)
compared with conventional energy
sources

Production can create land use

competition
Often large areas of land are required
(usually low energy density)
Production can have high fertilizer and
water requirements
May require complex management
system to ensure constant supply of
resource, which is often bulky adding
complexity to handling, transport and
storage
Resource production may be variable
depending on local climatic/weather
effects, i.e. drought
Likely to be uneven resource
production throughout the year

Biomass Energy
Potential benefits
Absorb and recycle CO2 from the atmosphere by
the photosynthesis
May be carbon neutral (its use as fuel will
release only that much CO2 which had been
captured recently by its biomass growth)
May have lower carbon emissions than fossil fuels
Biomass removals reduce wildfire hazard and
severity in forestry, and help waste management
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass)

Biomass Energy
Environmental impacts
Air pollution (from biomass combustion)
Water use (cooling water for biomass power plant;
water for energy crops)
Land use (e.g. for energy crops) and land/habitat
degradation (over-harvesting of forests/residues)
Life-cycle global warming emissions (growing,
harvesting, transporting, burning or gasifying)
Affect the nitrogen cycle and nutrient flow
(See also: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-biomass-forelectricity.html)

Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy = the heat from the earth
Deep in the earth or near the earths surface

Typical geothermal applications:

Direct use: produce heat directly from hot water
within the earth
Electricity production: Generate electricity from
the earths heat
Geothermal heat pumps: Use shallow ground to
heat & cool buildings (ground-source heat pump)
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy)

Major components of a geothermal power plant

(Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/heating/)

Working principle of a geothermal energy system

Enhanced geothermal system (EGS) with hot dry rock (HDR)

Legend
1: Reservoir
2: Pump house
3: Heat exchanger
4: Turbine hall
5: Production well
6: Injection well
7: Hot water to district heating
8: Porous sediments
9: Observation well
10: Crystalline bedrock
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy)

Geothermal Energy
Video: Energy 101: Geothermal Heat Pumps
(2:32)
http://youtu.be/y_ZGBhy48YI
An energy-efficient heating and cooling
alternative, the geothermal heat pump system
moves heat from the ground to a building (or from
a building to the ground) through a series of
flexible pipe loops containing water. This video
explores the benefits Geothermal and the science
behind how it all comes together.

Geothermal heat pumps

Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heat_pump

Geothermal Energy
Environmental impacts

Water quality and use (contamination; cooling)

Air emissions (e.g. for open-loop systems)
Thermal pollution
Land use (esp. for sensitive ecological areas)
Subsidence (extracting geothermal fluids can
cause the land to sink)
Life-cycle global warming emissions (e.g. for
plant construction and surrounding infrastructure)
(See also: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-geothermalenergy.html)

Small Hydropower
Hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small
community or industrial plant
A capacity up to about 10 MW total
In mountain areas or river streams (e.g. in China,
Japan, USA and India)
Have a relatively low environmental impact
compared to large hydropower
Suitable for remote areas & developing countries
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_hydro)

Classification of hydro-power size

Large-hydro

More than 100 MW and usually feeding into a large

electricity grid

Medium-hydro

10 or 20 MW to 100 MW -- usually feeding into a grid

Small-hydro

1 MW to 10 MW or 20 MW -- definitions vary, Europe

tends to use 10 MW as a maximum, China uses 20 MW and
Brazil 30 MW. Usually feeding onto a grid

Mini-hydro

100 kW to 1 MW -- either stand alone schemes or more

often feeding into a grid

Micro-hydro

5 kW to 100 kW -- usually provide power for a small

community or rural industry in remote areas away from the
grid

Pico-hydro

50 W to 5 kW -- usually for remote rural communities and

individual households. Applications include battery
charging or food processing

How a small hydropower system works

(run-of-the-river)
System Components:
A water conveyance, which is a
channel, pipeline, or
pressurized pipeline (penstock)
that delivers the water
A turbine, pump, or
waterwheel, which transforms
the energy of flowing water into
rotational energy
An alternator or generator,
which transforms the rotational
energy into electricity
A regulator, which controls the
generator
Wiring, which delivers the
electricity
Video: Small Hydro Power (3:41), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o541UQcTbpI
(Source: http://www.eere.energy.gov/basics/renewable_energy/microhydropower.html)

Small hydro system (example)

A low-head micro-hydro
installation

Strengths and weaknesses of small hydropower systems

Strengths

Weaknesses

Technology is relatively simple and

robust with lifetimes of over 30 years
without major investment
Overall costs can, in many cases,
undercut all other alternatives
Automatic operation with low
maintenance requirements
No fuel required (no additional costs
for fuel nor delivery logistics)
Environmental impact low compared
with conventional energy sources
Power is available at a fairly constant
rate and at all times, subject to water
resource availability
The technology can be adapted for
manufacture/use in developing
countries

Very site-specific technology (requires

a suitable site relatively close to the
location where the new power is
needed)
For small hydro systems using small
streams the maximum power is limited
and cannot expand if the need grows
Droughts and changes in local water
and land use can affect power output
Although power output is generally
more predictable it may fall to very low
levels or even zero during the dry
season
High capital/initial investment costs
Engineering skills required may be
unavailable/expensive to obtain locally

Small Hydropower
Environmental impacts
Land use & habitat deterioration (for the
equipment, power lines & flooding land)
Wildlife impacts (on water flow & aquatic
ecosystems) during and after construction
Life-cycle global warming emissions (installation,
operation and dismantling)
Visual and noise impacts

(See also: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-hydroelectric-power.html)

Ocean Energy
Oceans cover > 70% of Earths surface and
are the worlds largest solar collectors
The ocean can produce 3 types of energy:
Thermal energy from the suns heat (ocean thermal
energy conversion, OTEC)
Mechanical energy from the tides and waves

A barrage (dam): convert tidal energy into electricity

Channel systems: funnel the waves into reservoirs
Float systems that drive hydraulic pumps
Oscillating water column systems: that use the waves to
compress air within a container

Salinity gradient energy from osmosis process

(See also: Energy 101: Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy (3:00) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir4XngHcohM)

Ocean thermal energy

conversion (OTEC)

(Source: http://www.energybandgap.com/power-generation/harvesting-energy-from-the-ocean/)

Tidal energy

Wave energy (surface)

Wave terminator device

(Source: www.mywindpowersystem.com )

Wave current (deep sea)

Ocean Energy
Many are still in the experimental stages or in
the early stages of deployment
Potential environmental impacts:
Could compete with other uses (e.g. fishing and
shipping) & cause damage to marine life/ habitats
Could cause changes in hydrology and salinity that
negatively impact animal and plant life
Life-cycle global warming emissions (for
equipment installation and operation)
(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_energy)

Further Reading
Renewable energy - Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy

HK RE Net
http://re.emsd.gov.hk

Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy

Technologies [Union of Concerned Scientists]
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energychoices/renewable-energy/environmental-impactsof.html