Energy

Dr Michael McCann

Centre for Sustainable Technologies(Professor Neil J Hewitt)

“Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it

can only be changed from one form to

another.”

How is energy transferred?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBVbV5dpCCA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe_fFFrVl7U

• Energy transfer through heat

• Energy transfer in different forms

Energy transfers

Global state of energy reserves Consequences of energy use UK and Ireland Challenges Renewables Smart systems

Global status of conventional energy sources Oil Gas Coal Nuclear Electricity Overall electricity use

Oil

Oil

Gas

Major gas trade movements

Coal

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energyNuclear energy means the energy of an atomic nucleus, which can be released by fusion or fission or radioactive decay http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rn339v_Q-w

Well controlled-electricity Out of control-disaster

Nuclear energy consumption by region

Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity consumption by region

Three gorges dam in China

What is renewable energy?It comes from resources which are continually replenished on a human timescale such as:

sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat

Primary energy

Consequences

Poverty Environment Security Costs

Poverty

Environment

Global temperature increases

Energy security

Energy investment $22 Trillion!

WHAT MIGHT WE DO IN THE UK & IRELAND?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bmXpEPosc

What is Germany doing?

Drivers for Energy Changes UK has a target to reduce

carbon emissions by 80% by 2050

1.Maintaining a secure energy system

2.Providing affordable energy3.Enabling economic growth4.Limiting impact on the

environment

Challenges for Energy The key challenge is to rapidly decarbonise our energy

supply

Increase the efficiency of buildings, industry and transport

Develop/enhance existing networks/infrastructure to support the changing face of energy

Accelerate the development and deployment of affordable green energy technologies

UK Energy consumption by sector

UK Low Carbon Transition Plan

34% cut in CO2 emissions by 2020 7M homes insulated 1.5M homes generating electricity 40% electricity is low carbon Halving gas imports Reducing car emissions by 40% etc

Technologies? Solar photovoltaics Wind turbines Small scale hydro Solar hot water Ground source heat pumps Air source heat pumps Biomass Micro-chp Wave/Tidal etc

Wind Energy?

Off shore wind farmOn shore wind farm

European offshore wind atlas

Wind Impacts

Forecasting Accuracy

Wind energy can be simulated using CFD technology

Electricity Price

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Trading Period

€/M

Wh

Mean + 1σ Mean - 1σ Max SMP Mean SMP Min SMP

ELECTRIC VEHICLESThe Elephant in the Room?

Vehicles….. Charge electricity/time: 100 miles distance Cost of unit of electricity

10p off-peak 20p peak

If using off-peak electricity, electricity costs equivalent to a tank of petrol: €2 to €5,

Issues to consider…

What is the % of vehicles that use is under 50km (return)? Can battery easily meet most daily needs? But occasional needs for longer journey both actual and

psychological? Plug-in Hybrids Battery Electric Vehicles Battery Exchange Fast Charging of Battery

Fast Charging

Issues with heat management and electrical safety

80% charge (125 km) in 30 minutes

European Standard underway

SMART GRIDSDefinitions etc….

A smart grid uses information and communications technology to gather and act on information of the suppliers and consumers, in an automated fashion to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics, and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity

What is a Smart Grid?

Plug-in hybrid electric cars

Added green power sources

Smart thermostats, appliances and in-home control devices

Real-time and green pricing Signals

High-speed, networked connections

Customer interaction with utility

The Smart House?

Conclusions

Network will change Wind resources Tidal and Wave to come Smart metering an invention of bad policy Can we afford them? Can we afford not to?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ-J91SwP8w

Thanks for your attention