Course Introduction

This is important so let’s do this:

The course name is: Technologies for Clean & Renewable Energy Production

Lecture One 1: Material

Overview: Topics I’ll be paying attention to:

• Energy – and how it indicates the development levels of countries
• How the world’s energy scenario currently stands
• Needs: clean and renewable energy
  • Routes:
    • Clean energy from fossil fuel
    • Renewable energy sources
• Energy conservation

Interesting line from the Professor that energy is the “currency of civilisation”. He referenced:

Book:

Earth Systems: Processes and Issues, Cambridge  

Univ. Press 1999

GDP (Gross Domestic Product) Per Capita graphed against kW (Kilo-watt of energy )per Capita – per unit of the population.

In 2007: the countries with the highest kW/Capita spend was

• Canada approx. 11.3 kW/Capita
• USA 10.8kW/Capita
• Saudi 7.9 kW/Capita
• Australia 7.8 kW/Capita
• Russia 5.9 kW/Capita (low GDP per Capita – under SA amount)
• Korea 5,8 kW/Capita
• France 5.7 kW/Capita

South Africa earning under $5000 USD GDP per Capita is at just under 4kW/Capita.

India is at $2762 USD/Capita for 0.4kW/Capita.

Energy Efficiency graphed against amount of energy produced $ GDP / million Btu produced;

• These countries lead the way. Despite their overall GCP / Capita they are still able to produce more energy than their counterparts….(In order of efficiency, not complete list).
• Highly Energy efficient: 320 – 480
  • Bangladesh
  • Phillipines
• Moderately efficient: 160-320
  • Vietnam
  • India
  • Columbia
  • Pakistan…etc.
• Highly Inefficient: 0-160
  • Turkey
  • Mexico
  • Egypt
  • Poland
  • Malaysia
  • South Africa

The World Energy Consumption by Energy source: The top most have taken the lead…

• Petroleum and Other Liquids (measured in quadrillion BTU per Year!)
• Coal
• Natural Gas
• Renewables
• Nuclear

What is the need for clean and renewable energy?

• Population growth
• Energy
• Pollution
• Fossil fuels
  • reduced amount
  • degraded quality
  • emissions
• Sustainability

Pollution Levels in some detail:

• Carbon Dioxide – CO2 has increased from 350PPM in 1980’s to 408PPM in 2017
• Sox Gas – increasing
• Nox Gas – increasing
• Methane Gas – increasing
• FYI: PPM stands for Parts Per Million – and is the measurement used for measuring CO2 in the atmosphere alongside the other molecules.

Fossil Fuels – an understanding

• Crude Oil & Coal:
• Problem Statement:
  • Quantity is decreasing
  • Quality is decreasing – High ash content
• Natural gas (NG) is limited

Since the quality of the fossil fuel is no longer optimal, when processed it results in a greater amount of emissions than the previous quality grade. Also if we continue to burn through all our fossil fuel reserves we then forego any future uses for those materials due to our current wants and needs.

Combustion process; The conventional route to produce electricity is that the fossil fuel is burned to produce steam to power the turbines and produce electricity.

• Gasification – oxygen will be used and you can capture CO2
• Oxy-fuel; pure oxygen will be used, easy to capture CO2, reduce use of H2 (Hydrogen)
• Chemical looping – re-iterative use in the combustion process
• Direct Liquification – from coal converted to liquid, cleaner route…
• Crude Oil – vacuum residue is left and can be converted to usable liquid fuels….delayed coking
• Natural Gas – is a global warming gas – cover to syn gas first, can be converted to methanol, cleaner use.

Renewable Energy Methods:

• Solar Energy
• Hydro Energy
• Biomass and Waste
• Tidal and Wave Energy
• Wind Energy
• Thermal Energy

I like what that the professor said here,

“Energy Conservation is nothing but a practice by which we can optimise the use of energy and reduce the wastage of energy.”

When we use renewable energy we reduce our use of fossil fuel energy.

Light

Lightbulb comparisons:

• Normal Bulbs: Has a metal filament which heats up, and displays light once heated.
  • Lifespan 1000 hours – normal bulb.
  • Approx. 150 Watts.
• CFL (Twirly whirly lights): Heated gas on the inside of the twirls produces an ultraviolet light which is then made white by the outside coating of the bulb’s twirls. Neat.
  • Lifespan 8.5 times a normal bulb – so 8500 hours.
  • Approx. 32 Watts.
• LED lights – stands for Light Emitting Diodes.
  • Lifespan 25 times a normal bulb so 25000 hours.
  • Approx. 25 Watts.

Fan Use of Energy

Do you choose an AC DC fan or EC ?

• Choose EC – this technology substantially reduces the amount of energy used from inception.

That’s it. Coffee Break.