On the Physics and Economics of Renewable Electric Energy Sources : part I Utilization

• Increasingly, environmental concerns have led to the installation of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) despite the fact that they are recognized as expensive. Innovative efforts within the area are beset by difficulties [1] Grubb 1994, where improvements in cost effectiveness of total energy conversion systems are often insignificant and misdirected. We have investigated how RETs can be evaluated, in terms of economy and engineering solutions, by studying the fundamental physics of renewable energy sources and how it matches with the RETs. This match is described by the "Degree of Utilization". The findings indicate that new innovations should focus on possible full loading hours, since RETs that are correctly matched to their energy source generate a higher amount of electric energy and become more competitive. In cases where this aspect has been ignored, leading to relatively small degrees of utilization, it can be understood as an engineering mismatch between installed power, converted energy, and the fundamental physics of the renewable energy sources. Since there is a strong and possibly biased support for so-called mature RETs and already existing solutions, a clarification of how fundamental physical laws affect the cost of investment and payback of investment is needed. The present paper is part I out of 11 and if focuses on the difference between power and energy and the physics of different energy sources and their utilization.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Energisystem (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Energy Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Degree of utilization

Engineering

Economy

Electric Power and Energy

Renewable Electric Energy

RET

Electrical engineering, electronics and photonics

Elektroteknik, elektronik och fotonik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)