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%