Renewable energy resources

Renewable energy resources

Introduction:-

In this my blog, we will have to study and analyze the complete range of sources for renewable energy and its requirement for current economic situation globally. In this subject we will have to study about the power from various resources for renewable energy for example wind, sun, water, Biomass and other energy from wastes.

Except tidal and geothermal energy, all other form of sources for renewable energies will be secured by sunlight. Let us take an example the creation of wind. Surface of earth will not be heated evenly by Solar heating and thus it will cause the wind. Water cycle is also related with sunlight and this water will be collected for generating electricity with the help of hydro-power unit. Bio fuels are also grown –up with the help of sunlight.

Tides are produces due to the gravitational pull in between moon and sun.

Geothermal energies are also considered as renewable source of energies as geothermal energies are produced due to radioactive –decay in the core of earth

Renewable energy resources are those types of resources for energy that could not be run out. In actual there are two categories of resources for energy production.

Renewable energy resources –

These types’ resources exist in nature and could not be finish because these types of resources are replenished continuously with the help of natural- process.

Non Renewable energy resources-

These types of energy resources are concerned with such resources those are in finite quantity and will require a lot of time to form and could be run out in few days.

Let us divide above resources in Renewable energy resources and Non renewable energy resources on the basis of concept that we have studied above.

Renewable energy resources:-

• Wind
• Sun
• Biomass
• Water
• Natural Gas

Above mentioned resources will be available in nature and could not be made via any techniques. Renewable energy resources are, hence, called as green energy resources because these resources are environmental friendly also.

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Non Renewable energy resources:-

While if we consider other resources, as mentioned in figure, are not available in nature but also they will be made by some process and will be run out in few days. Non renewable energy resources are not environmental friendly.

Let us think that why we called as “Renewable energy”. We must understand the meaning of saying renewable energy and once we will look the below mentioned three point, we will come to know the meaning of “Renewable energy”.

• When source of energy could not be run out as in case of Sun.
• When sources of energy are not responsible to produce compounds of carbon
• When sources of energy are environmental friendly
• When sources of energy are available naturally.

Let us discuss the various types of Renewable energy-

• Wind energy
• Hydro power
• Photovoltaic energy
• Solar energy
• Tidal /Wave action
• Biomass
• Geothermal energy
• Fuel-Cell

Let us discuss the energy requirements for various in current situation and projected energy requirements:-

 

Let us discuss, as mentioned in following figure, production of electrical energy from Renewable energy resources and Capacity of production of electrical energy from various units of renewable energy :-

 

Let us also discuss utilization of energy in US:-

 

 

Advantage and disadvantage of resources for renewable energy–

Let us discuss the advantage of renewable resources for producing electricity

• Fuel cost will be much lower
• Require very less time for planning and executing or constructing renewable energy unit as compared to non renewable energy unit
• Renewable sources of energy will not produce any carbon compounds ,while all conventional sources of energy produce carbon compounds during combustion
• Maintenance cost will also

We have discussed the advantage of using renewable energy sources, we must aware also about the disadvantage of these renewable energy resources

• Quantities of generating electricity via renewable energy sources will be lower as compared to convention sources
• Reliability of energy supply via renewable sources is also one important factor
• Renewable energy sources depends on weather conditions for generating electricity or power
• Wind turbine will require suitable speed of wind to rotate the turbine
• Hydro power unit will require to fill the dam via rain water
• Solar energy unit will require clear sunshine to absorb suitable heat to produce.

 

Requirement and importance of Renewable energy resources:-

There is lot of importance of renewable energy resources as mentioned following

Renewable energy resources such as Sun, Wind, Tidal, Wave action, geothermal technology, hydro power and biomass all are available in nature and could be converted in to useful energy without affecting our environment. Renewable energy resources requires less time and price as compared to conventional energy resources

Let us discuss various aspects that shows the importance of renewable energies sources

• Environmental benefit- as we have already discussed that renewable source of energies are not responsible to produce the carbon compounds during the generation of energy or power
• Energy secured from renewable sources is infinite as these sources are freely available in nature and will not run out as in case of conventional energy sources. conventional energy sources are in finite quantities and will require a lot of time to be form and will be run out in few days
• Economical growth – as we are aware that renewable source of energy are much cheaper as compared to conventional sources, it is concluded that renewable source of energies will play a vital role to improve the economic condition of any country.
• Energy security- During 1970, oil supplies were disturbed in India and India was dependent on supply of oil from foreign countries instead of reducing the consumption of such energies. Renewable sources of energies have ability to make a country self dependent in respect of energy requirement.

It was concluded by various sector energy experts that in current situation we are not using suitable percentage of available renewable -energies but also we are using very negligible percentage of the available renewable energy. If we can use only smaller portion of available sun energy, we will have energy more than requirement to satisfy the demand of energy globally.

It must be note down that by using renewable source of energy; we are not only avoiding dependency on conventional source of energies but also we are also saving our environment for our next generation. In current situation we normally focus on energy from Sun, Wind and water.

 

Development of Renewable source of energy:-

Renewable energy was much promoted by government of china. When renewable energy rules and regulations were passed, at the same time government of china has decided to fix a target for renewable energy production and application and government of china has decided to contribute renewable energy at least ten percentage of total consumption of energy . Government of china has decided to achieve this target up to year 2020. In current situation government of china is contributing renewable energy only one percentage of total energy consumption in order to fill the demand of energy in the country.

It was concluded that there will be huge demand of energy, raw materials and food in china and India due to its big population of about 2.5 billion. These two countries, China and India, are dependent on Coal, fossil fuels to full fill the demand of energy and these two countries are using much coal and fossil fuels and contributing the carbon compounds in environment and leading to Global warming

Let us discuss the development of Renewable energy in India:-

There is tremendous development in the generation of power in India. If we consider during the Independence time or approximate sixty years ago, there were installed power unit of approximate 1300 MW production capacity. At the end of month of March-2007, total production capacity of power was 1, 44,520 MW and this production capacity were achieved through various areas such as Thermal, Nuclear and Hydro. This capacity of producing power was achieved through various funds such as Central sector, Private sectors and state sectors. After generating this much production capacity, it was observed the power shortage of eleven percentages.

 

According to energy experts this shortage of power might be minimize if there is proper energy management system and approximate forty percentages of energy could be saved.

If we consider the costing of generating power of 1 MW of new production unit, it will be approximate Rs.40 million. But if same amount of money i.e. 40 million is invested in process of conservation method of energy then it can increase capacity of production by 3 MW.

 

In order to full fill the energy demand, it was concluded to promote the renewable energy application and this programme was handed over to Ministry of Non-Conventional Sources of energy.

Simultaneously in order to promote power production, Private sector- investments in renewable sources of energy were also increased because too much dependency on the utilization of resources of fossil-fuel such as oil & coal, in order to meet the demand of power in country, was not suitable for the long time due to finite availability of such resources of energy as well as the dangerous impact over the ecology and environment.

Hence, importance was given to renewable sources of energy (RSE) not only in India but also throughout the world…

The main sectors under renewable sources of energy (RSE) are as mentioned following:-

• Hydro Power
• Wind Power
• Solar Power
• Bio-mass Power
• Ocean energy
• Energy from waste

 

 

 

 

 

Solar energy:-

Solar energy created due to thermonuclear fusion reactions that occur in the sun. It must be noted that earth receives energy more than 1000 times of consumption of energy. If 140 x 140 mile parcel land in Arizona is covered via solar cells then it will have ability to full fill the electricity demand of United States.

In United States, solar energy utilization is only one percentage of total consumed renewable energy.

Sun light indicates the complete electromagnetic -radiation or we may say visible light, ultraviolet, infrared, radio waves and x-rays.

The surface of earth, actual, receives approximates 47% of the complete solar energy that are reaching the Earth.  Hence we consider this percentage of solar energy as useful energy. Following figure shows

• Electromagnetic –radiation
• Solar energy reaching earth surface
• Compounds of solar radiation are as mentioned in figure

 

 

Advantage and disadvantage of solar energy:-

Advantages:-

• All radioactive polluting by-products generated due to thermo-nuclear reactions and various chemicals will not reach over the surface of earth, but also only pure radiant -energy reaches over the surface of Earth.
• Solar energy that reaches the earth will be incredible.  It was concluded that approximate sunshine of 30 days reaching the Earth will have the energy equivalent to the complete planet’s fossil fuels (used and unused).
• Available freely in nature without threat of being run out
• Environmental friendly
• Could be converted in to useful energy with little effort and little cost of operation and maintenance

Disadvantages:-

• Earth surface will not receive sun shine on continuous basis because Sun will not shine continuously.
• Solar energy is a source of energy of diffuse source type. Hence in order to harness the sun energy, we have to concentrate it into a quantity and then we can utilize the energy of sun in terms of electricity and heat.
• Not reliable as compare to conventional sources because sun energy can only be possible to secure during day time and with condition that weather is good for sun shine.

 

Case study:-

Let us discuss some case study

1. University of Delaware

Challenge:-

University of Delaware was intended to make a significant solar PV system for generating electricity, but they were restricted by the costing structure of such a big installation. It was concluded to select standard Solar as they were offering a turnkey solution that includes design, finance, construction, maintenance & operations at a price that should be lower as compared to the current costing of electricity- rate for University of Delaware. University of Delaware will have responsibilities for Standard Solar unit designing, installation, operation and maintenance.

A crucial challenge for this solar system project was the selection of suitable sites for installation. Field House of University of Delaware was selected for this project because field house has barrel-shaped roof and this roof was good for solar system installation. But later some technical problems were observed during deep study about technical feasibility of the selected sites and some engineering work carried out with considering safety points and other factors

 

Solution:-

In respect of the above mentioned challenges, Standard Solar was confident to make the vision or aim of the 2009- Class in reality by proper planning and providing the finance, suitable design, and proper execution of the process of installation. Standard solar full fill the dream of class 2009 by providing sustainable energy at a rate which was competitive for a lot of years

 

 

 

Result:-

UD’s system was expected to produce around 1,035 MWh (megawatt hours) of electricity every year and it was observed great reduction in emission of carbon dioxide on annual basis. The reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide will be equivalent of reducing the utilization of 93,363 gallons of gasoline per year.

 

Application of solar energy:-

Let us discuss the application of solar energy in heating the water.

There are two processes for heating the water

• Passive
• Active

In above both process there will be a flat plate collector that will absorb the energy of sun for heating the water. The water will be circulated throughout the closed system via convection currents. Hot water tanks will be utilized as storage tank.

 

 

 

 

Let us discuss first heating the water via Active system:–

There will be antifreeze unit in active system in order to avoid the freezing of liquid during the situation when outside temperature drops below the point of freezing.

Heating Living Spaces via passive heating process:-

We will say that building is correctly designed if it is suitable to act as a collector and storage unit for solar energy. It might be achieved via three important elements: Collection, insulation & storage.If there is suitable insulation on outside walls, Floors, roof and windows are also designed in such way that it will reduce the loss of heat.

 

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