THURSDAY, FEB 2, 2023: NOTE TO FILE
Module 4-4
Energy Generating Technologies
The design of energy systems is best considered as part of an integrated infrastructure design. Conservation, energy, water, food-growing, building design and transport can be integrated to deliver cost effective, ultra-low energy systems. In Module1 on the Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design we have reviewed a number of approaches to integrated whole systems design. The applications of the principles of industrial ecology to the integration of community infrastructures can help us close loops in energy, waste, and water systems, while reducing energy requirements and increasing the overall efficiency of the system.
The urgency of climate change makes the shift to 100% renewable energy and zero carbon energy systems a survival imperative for our species. We will therefore focus on these technologies. All the generating technologies mentioned do not use any fossil fuels in operations, except perhaps in the transportation of biomass or biofuels. Some may have high-embedded energy in their materials and construction, such as is often the case for hydroelectric projects (especially large scale dams).
Throughout this section, indicative costs per unit of energy generated are shown, but these should be validated for specific projects since they will vary considerably per region, whilst some technologies have improved their relative efficiencies as well as their costs.
By installing over-capacity, offsetting is possible by exporting green power. Thus a windy island can install wind turbines for their own power and export surplus energy to offset unavoidable uses of fossil fuels (eg Samso Island).
American Wind Energy Association
The Danish Wind
The generating technologies generally fall into two categories: Technologies which harness natural forces of weather and tide - with wind, solar and marine as examples; Technologies which employ biological processes, such as biomass, biofuels and anaerobic digestion. A growing trend is the generation of several types of energy from an integrated process, such as a fuel cell delivering heat, electricity and hydrogen from a single system.
Module 4, lesson 5
