Renewable Energy is Coming – But Why?

January 23, 2010

PhotobucketThe other day I wrote a post on my Renewable Energy World blog which garnered a number of interesting comments that I thought I’d pass along. I began the post by indicating that important events in the world generally happen because powerful people make them happen, and that these actions tend to be indifferent to the wellbeing of the vast majority of the world’s population. As an example, I cited George W. Bush’s fixation on removing Saddam Hussein from power and how, in the process, the real threat to world peace and our national security that was developing next door in Afghanistan and Pakistan went unnoticed.

I pointed out that, according to this theory, that although the migration to renewable energy will happen – it will occur for reasons that have essentially nothing to do with the health and safety of our planet, of our nation, and of its people. I provided short explanations of what I see the true drivers: peak oil, public outcry, corporate embrace of renewables, the advent of the smart grid, increases in efficiency of mature clean energy technologies, and the maturation of new technologies.

Of 20+/- comments, most were quite positive. But I was amused by a commentor who wrote:

Do you lefties have to be such drama queens and continue to bring up G.W.? Some of us would like to forget his nonsense. It’s not really much different than what the far right did to the Clinton presidency. Besides, is continuing to make RE a political topic really going to help?

The answer, as I told him, is yes, renewable energy is, in its very essence, a political topic — quite independently of whether he or I want it to be.  As I’m fond of saying, the moment you take away the subsidies and force everyone to pay the true cost of the energy they’re producing and consuming, you’ll have ubiquitous clean energy in about 10 minutes.

By Craig Shields | Posted in Renewables - Politics | Tagged , , , | Comment (1)

An Engineer Comments on “Renewable Energy and Basic Physics”

November 21, 2009

PhotobucketMy friend Geoffrey Nicholson comments my post “Renewable Energy and Basic Physics”:

 Craig, I couldn’t agree more.

 Other than geothermal energy, all the other sources of energy available to us originally came from solar energy and with a rather lossy process. Petrochemical from solar growing primordial goo. Hydrokenetic from solar driven convection. Wind from solar convection with a bit of coriolis effect. Water from lightning from solar convection. Wood and alcohol from solar energized green growy things.

Gas turbines can be around 50% efficient burning fuel but, again, how efficient is the production and transportation of the fuel?

Steam turbines a bit more efficient.

Gasoline engines about half as efficient as turbines with Diesels a bit more efficient that gasoline.

Stirling engines are quite efficient but pound for pound don’t produce much work.

Interestingly, hydrogen fueled aircraft could be more efficient than kerosine since the specific weight of hydrogen is less than gas but the design of the aircraft would have to change dramatically since the specific volume of hydrogen is greater. Fat planes would result that would probably fly slower than today’s aircraft. Again, how would the hydrogen be produced?

The idea of collecting solar energy from the upper surfaces of already constructed buildings seems like the least intrusive and most efficient method to utilized light, in my opinion. It doesn’t shade the natural ecosystem and collects/distributes the energy where humans need it.

What do you think?”

To which I respond:

Thanks, Geoff.  Everything you write here is true, as far as I understand.  PV on rooftops makes a great deal of sense.  The costs and coming down, the efficiencies are going up, and the overall engineering is getting increasing clever.  See my post on California-based Solyndra as an example. 

The only piece you’re missing, I feel, is solar thermal / concentrated solar power (CSP) as described at the bottom of the post.

Thanks for writing!

By Craig Shields | Posted in Renewables - Science | Tagged , , , , | Comment (1)

Hydrogen – Back Like a Rash

October 6, 2009

PhotobucketTo my utter astonishment, we in the US and Europe are begieged with renewed interest in hydrogen. I urge readers to arrive at their own understanding of the merits of hydrogen as a carrier of energy. But for those who may be unwilling to go through the process and are looking for a readers’ digest version, here are three simple data points (as usual: the science, the business, and the politics) that clarify what I think everyone ought to know about hydrogen.

The science: Hydrogen in its pure form is rare, because it combines so readily with other substances, releasing energy in the process.  It can be burned (combining it with oxygen to form water) or used in a fuel cell, (i.e., pulling the electron off and moving it through a separate electrical path from its proton, again, ultimately combining with oxygen). But energy is required to create this pure hydrogen such that we can then harvest useful work from these processes. And the mechanisms by which hydrogen is generated (e.g., electrolysis) and then the energy is gathered from burning or fuel cells are three times less efficient than the standard mechanisms by which electrical energy is generated, stored in batteries, and then converted back into useful work through electric motors.

The business: It is true that civilization will face issues in building out the electrical grid to provide ultimately a complete network of convenient and safe charging stations for electric vehicles. But the electrical grid has a 130-year headstart on whatever delivery mechanism is proposed to serve up hydrogen over the enormity (3.5+ million squares miles) of a place like the United States. In addition to being far more efficient, electrical energy is already available in the vast majority of homes and work places.

The politics: In my opinion, the idea that we should take an inefficient carrier of energy and use to to create “hydrogen highways” could only have come from someone who really doesn’t want alternative fuels ever to see the light of day, and is disguising this malice in a not-too-clever way.  And those of you who have seen “Who Killed The Electric Car” will recognize that this is hardly an original idea. 

Not too long ago, it appeared that the powers of reason and decency had made their case effectively, and this distraction had been shelved; in fact, Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s DoE defunded hydrogen at the federal level earlier this year. But it’s back with a vengeance. For example, California, while teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, is subsidizing the hydrogen highway with public funds.

And ask yourself why this is happening, and who will be delivering this hydrogen (assuming it ever happens). ExxonMobil and Chevron. Hey, guys: You make $10 billion in profit each quarter. If you really want this to happen, do you mind paying for it yourselves? How dare you ask the taxpayers to pay for this folly, when you and only you will profit from it — on the off chance that it ever happens?

There you have it, the 1-2-3 of hydrogen energy.  If only it were that easy to make it go away.

By Craig Shields | Posted in Renewables - Science | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Solar Tour

August 20, 2009

PhotobucketI just got off the phone with a man I think of as “one of the good guys.” Jim Riggins, retired from the Air Force, now volunteers to “spread the gospel” of the National Solar Tour, through his work at its local chapter, the Central Coast Solar Tour.

What is a solar tour, you ask? The National Solar Tour, part of the non-profit American Solar Energy Society (ASES), is the largest grassroots solar event in the nation. In 2008 almost 140,000 attendees visited over 5,000 buildings in 3,000 communities across the country. In each state, homeowners, business owners, and building owners who are using solar energy to generate electric power and heat showcase their building to the public, educating large number of people on exactly what solar energy can do for them. For many people, this is the first step on an investigation and a learning experience that will take them through what Jim calls “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of solar power.

For California’s Central Coast, the solar tour is October 3, from 10 AM – 3 PM.

I asked about the standards in efficiency today, and what Jim sees on the horizon. Polycrystalline and monocrystalline are starting to come into their own at 14% – 18%. Thin film technologies offer only 9% – 10% efficiency, but are accompanied by lower production cost and lighter construction, and are thus relevant for those with roofs that may be oddly shaped or unable to handle heavier weight. Still in the lab, but looking very promising are multichromatic systems that absorb solar energy at various wavelengths, and have achieved efficiencies over 40%. The trade-offs, however, are based on the fact that the materials required (cadmium, germanium, etc.) are a bit exotic – certainly not as common as silicon.

Jim says that the confluence of the a progressive administration, financial incentives that are in place, high energy prices, and consumer awareness create an environment that is most favorable to alternative energy since the OPEC embargoes of the 1970s. R&D is “alive and kicking.” And more fundamentally, solar panels are on the shelf now; they’re as common to roofers as shingles or insulation.

Alternative energy is a true national security issue, Jim believes. So why did the George W. Bush administration – ostensibly so concerned about national security — do essentially nothing in this area? Jim explains his theory, which happens to match mine: it’s business. The folks that controlled the purse strings were the people who profited from drilling oil and mining coal. The current administration puts long-term health and safety issues first.

We can only hope.

By Craig Shields | Posted in Photo-voltaics | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)