Renewables
and Green Energy
Dave Elliott
The Energy and Climate crisisWhatever we do about using energy more
efficiently, and even if we can stabilise the global population, we will need new
energy sources to replace fossil fuels - not just because they will run out, but also
because using them up will impose huge climate change costs on society.
We need new clean, green energy technology
The UK is very well placed- we have enviable renewable energy sources
Potential % of overall UK electricity supply in 2050
Onshore wind 8-11%
Offshore wind 18-23%
Wave/Tidal 12-14%
Biomass 9-11%
PV solar 6-8%
TOTAL 53-67%
Based on overall likely level of supply of 400-500 TWh in 2050
Source: DTI/Carbon Trust ‘Renewables Innovation Review’ 2004
Offshore wind, tidal, wave- the UK has the world’s best resources
MCT Seaflow tidal current turbine
SeaFlow Marine Current Turbine farm
Building offshore renewables at Burntisland Fabrications in Scotland
Lunar Energy Tidal farm
Severn Barrage8.6GW
Severn Tidal Fence
1.3GW
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.Tidal Lagoon
Big stuff- new review of Severn options
We can also use solar energy
..and biomass energy crops
£/MWh Frontier Economics 2008
Costs of electricity by 2020
pence/kWh
On Land wind 1.5 - 2.5Offshore wind 2 - 3Energy crops 2.5- 4Wave and tidal power 3 - 6
PV Solar 10 - 16Gas CCGT 2 - 2.3Large CHP/cogeneration under 2pMicro CHP 2.3 - 3.5Coal (IGCC) 3 – 3.5Nuclear 3 - 4
Source: PIU Energy Review
Economics- prices for most renewables look likely to fall significantly- below that for fossil
and nuclear
UK Cabinet Office PIU study, 2003
Long term cost trends
Airtricity North Sea Supergird - linking in off-shore wind farms
10GW initial stage now planned
EU-ME-NA grid network linking up wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass projects, with CSP solar in desert areas also proving 15 % of energy
Its not just a UK issue - it’s global
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Focused solar ‘Power Tower’
Germany- 23 GW of wind, 2GW PV In 2008 it got 14.2% of its electricity, and 8.6% of its final energy from renewables. Target: 30% of electricity by 2020
USA- 20 GW of wind In 2008, 29 GW(e) of (non-hydro) renewables+77GW hydro- ~10% of total US energy generation capacity. Target: 10% of electricity by 2010. 25% by 2025.
China 7.7% of energy from renewables in 2005. Targets: 10% by 2010, 15% by 2020 Wind target- 20GW by 2020, possibly more (100GW?)
International Sustainable Energy Organisation www.uniseo.org/energygraph.html
Energy Watch ‘high’ scenario- 4,45GW of (non hydro) renewables globally by 2030-
30% share of final total energy demand,
62% of global electricity (Energy Watch 2008)
We don’t need Nuclear * Can’t contribute short term: ~10 years to plan/build
* or long term: reserves of high grade uranium limited
In the meantime, creates further problems with:
* Accidental leaks and emissions
* Long term disposal of active wastes
* Proliferation of bomb making capacity and materials
* Potential Terrorist attacks
Renewables - mostly faster, cleaner, safer, cheaper, with no emissions or
wastes,no proliferation or terrorist threats, and no fuel resource depletion worries
The accident at Chernobyl plant in the Ukraine led to many EU countries backing off from nuclear power
Conventional coal fired power plant- carbon dioxide gas released up chimney stack
Waste heat pumped out as steam from cooling towers ~30% efficiency
..and we have to get rid of these
Brimsdown CCGT Power Plant -
400 MW of electricity 50% efficiency
Combined Cycle Gas TurbineThese are better..
Brimsdown CCGT - The Fancoil Unit
400MW of waste heat
..but not much
Combined Heat and Power - up to 80% efficient
Loft Insulation
High efficiency Windows Compact Fluorescent Lamps
Domestic Energy
Efficiency
Cavity wall filling
We also need to avoid
energy waste
So there is plenty to do…And we need the push hard to make it happen
The TUC has called for a ‘just transition to a greener economy',
It says that ‘while countries such as Germany, Denmark and Spain are creating thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in revenue by actively supporting green businesses, the UK is lagging behind’.
The TUC report 'A Green and Fair Future', urges the Government to work more closely with employers and unions to start implementing policies that will allow the UK to become a world leader in the new green economy. And it’s new report ‘Unlocking Green Enterprise: A Low Carbon Strategy for the UK Economy’, spells out what’s needed in more detail
But it has to be done right - as well as quickly
There is no shortage of ideas -and investing in them will create of lot of new jobs
Jobs in windpower in the UKRenewables Advisory Board forecasts
Green energy jobsThere could be 160,000 people employed in the UK renewable energy industry by 2020- according to BERR
250,000 are already employed in Germany and this is expected to rise to 400,000 by 2020
US President Obama has allocated $168 billion to green energy technologies in his Feb 2009 economic rescue plan - which is designed to create 3.5 million jobs
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
But the UK has not yet really started to exploit its huge renewable resource- though others have
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UK 1.3%
Next : EU targets for 2020
Austria 34%Denmark 30% Finland 38%Latvia 42% Portugal 31%Sweden 49%
UK 15%.. still a way to go
40%