New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy -  Nacelle
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Most towers range from 131 – 328 ft. The higher the tower the smaller the turbulence and the greater the wind speed.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Turbines are designed to rotate back and forth to respond to changes in wind direction, to ensure that the motor faces into the wind at all times.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Typically, turbines are erected in groups called,  Wind Parks  or  Wind Farms .
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Depending on the location, whether the winds are typically light or strong, the turbine is engineered to create either low levels or high levels of energy.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy Fastest growing energy sector Though this source provides a small portion of the world’s power needs, its use increased 30% between 2000 & 2004
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy wind power has provided 3.95% of the U.S.’s renewable electricity generation in 2004 – nearly 20 times more than solar power.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy Currently, wind energy production is geographically concentrated; only 5 nations account for 82% of the world’s wind energy output. Germany, Spain, India, Denmark & U.S.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy California and Texas account for 2/3 of the wind power generated in the U.S. Denmark leads all nations in wind power. (Wind farms supply 20% of electrical needs).
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Wind speeds are typically 20% stronger over water than land, with less turbulence. Popularity is increasing at these sites.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Though the costs are greater offshore, the stronger winds generate more electricity and more profit.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Denmark built the first offshore wind farm in 1991. Since, the power output from these farms has increased 43% annually.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – U.S. Wind Projects (Megawatts)
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – U.S. Offshore Projects Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 1. Wind produces no emissions once the necessary equipment is manufactured and installed. 2. More energy efficient than conventional power sources.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 3. Wind turbines can be used on many scales, from a single tower for local use to fields of thousands that supply large regions. 4. landowners can lease their land for wind development.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 5. wind energy involves up-front costs for the construction of turbines and the expansion of infrastructure to allow electricity distribution. Over the lifetime, it only requires maintenance costs.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy - Downsides 1. We have no control over the winds. 2. Good wind resources are not always near population centers that need the energy, so the transmission networks will need to be greatly expanded.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Downsides 3. People generally oppose construction of wind farms too close to residential areas. 4. Turbines are generally located in exposed, conspicuous sites, and many people object to wind farms for aesthetic reasons.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Wind Energy – Downsides 5. Wind turbines are known to pose a threat to flying birds, which can be killed by the rotating blades. (more birds are killed via tall buildings, towers and other human causes)
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is one form of renewable energy that originates not from the sun, but rather from deep within the Earth.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy The radioactive decay of elements among the extremely high pressures deep in the interior of the planet generates heat that rises to the surface through  Magma  (molten rock) and through fissures and cracks.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Deep in these regions, beneath the Earth’s surface, the energy heats groundwater, subsequently, natural spurts of heated water and steam will emerge from below.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy From this we get, Terrestrial geysers and sub-marine hydrothermal vents. As a result of Iceland being formed from this molten rock,  Magma , there exists tremendous geothermal heat in this region.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy As a consequence, Iceland has numerous geysers and volcanoes
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is renewable in principle, but the power plants we build to use this energy may not all be capable of operating indefinitely.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Another reason why geothermal energy may not always be renewable is that patterns of geothermal activity in Earth’s crust shift naturally over time, so an area that produces hot groundwater now, may not always do so.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy can be harnessed directly from geysers at the surface, but most often wells must be drilled down hundreds or thousands of meters toward heated groundwater.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Generally, water at temperatures of 150-370 0  or more is brought to the surface and converted to steam by lowering the pressure in specialized compartments.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy The steam is then used in turning turbines to generate electricity.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Hot groundwater is used to heat, homes, buildings, greenhouses, etc. The thermal energy from either water or solid earth can also be used to drive a heat pump to provide energy.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Use of geothermal power is growing. Though it provides less than 0.5% of the world’s total primary energy, it produces more power than solar and wind combined but a fraction of the power we get from hydropower and biomass.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy in the U.S. provides enough power to supply electricity to over 1.4 million homes.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy At the world’s largest geothermal power plants, the  Geysers  in northern California, generating capacity has declined more than 50% since 1989 as steam pressure has declined.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Energy Japan, China and the U.S. lead the world in use of geothermal power.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Power – Benefits Geothermal power greatly reduces emissions relative to fossil fuels Geothermal sources can release variable amounts of gases dissolved in their water (CO 2 , CH 4 , NH 4 , H 2 S)
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Power – Benefits However, these gases are released in very small quantities. By incorporating the latest filtering technologies, fewer emissions are produced.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Power – Downsides Geothermal sources are not always sustainable the water of many hot springs is laced with salts and minerals that corrode equipment and pollute the air.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Geothermal Power – Downsides These factors shorten the lifespan of plants, increase maintenance costs, and add to pollution. Finally, geothermal energy is limited to areas where the energy can be tapped.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy The potential is there to harness energy from the ocean’s waves, tides and temperature.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power Kinetic energy (movement) exists in the moving waves of the ocean. That energy can be used to power a turbine.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power The wave rises into a chamber.  The rising water forces the air out of the chamber.  The moving air spins a turbine which can turn a generator. When the wave goes down, air flows through the turbine and back into the chamber through doors that are normally closed.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power This is only one type of wave-energy system. Others actually use the up and down motion of the wave to power a piston that moves up and down inside a cylinder. That piston can also turn a generator.  Most wave-energy systems are very small. But, they can be used to power a warning buoy or a small light house.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy - Wave power technology BioWave - based on the swaying motion of sea plants in the presence of ocean waves
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave Power Technology
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Wave Power Technology
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water temperature Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion  (OTEC) uses the temperature difference that exists between deep and shallow waters — within 20° of the equator in the tropics — to run a heat engine.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Because the oceans are continually heated by the sun and cover nearly 70% of the Earth's surface, this temperature difference contains a vast amount of solar energy which could potentially be tapped for human use.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature The total energy available is one or two orders of magnitude higher than other ocean energy options such as wave power. The small size of the temperature difference makes energy extraction difficult and expensive. Hence, existing OTEC systems have an overall efficiency of only 1 to 3%.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature So, the OTEC approaches are based on this gradient in temperature. In the  Closed Cycle approach , warm surface water is piped into a facility to evaporate chemicals, such as ammonia, that boil at low temperatures.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Closed Cycle Approach These evaporated gases spin turbines to generate electricity. Cold water piped in from ocean depths then condenses the gases so they can be reused.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach Here, the warm surface water is evaporated in a vacuum, and its steam turns the turbines and then is condensed by the cold water.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach Because the water losses its salts as it evaporates, water can be recovered, condensed and sold as desalinized freshwater for drinking or agriculture.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach – Proposed Offshore
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen All the renewable energy sources we have discussed can be used to generate electricity more cleanly than can fossil fuels.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen The one major problem that all of these technologies have is that the energy that they generate  can not be stored  for later use.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen The development of fuel cells and hydrogen fuel show promise to store energy conveniently and in considerable quantities and to produce electricity at least as cleanly and efficiently as renewable energy sources.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen In this system, electricity generated from wind or solar can be used to produce hydrogen and then be stored in fuel cells until it is needed.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen These hydrogen fuel cells can then provide electrical energy to; power vehicles, computers, cell phones, home heating, and other electrically based items.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Fuel cell technology has existed since the 1960’s in NASA’s space flight program.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Hydrogen fuel can be produced from water or from other matter. How can this be done?
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Studies show that hydrogen atoms tend to bind to other molecules, becoming incorporated in everything from water to organic molecules. Hydrogen must be ‘forced’ from the matter or state in which it resides.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen A process called, “electrolysis” involves electricity being used to ‘split’ hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atoms of water molecules.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Electrolysis produces pure hydrogen and does so without emitting the carbon- or nitrogen-based pollutants of fossil fuel combustion.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen It is important, though, that the electricity generated and used in this process of “electrolysis” does not, in itself, produce pollutants.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen – Sources Hydrogen can be obtained from several sources: biomass, water and fossil fuels. Using fossil fuel (CH 4 ) as a source could create emissions of carbon.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen – Fossil Fuel source By using Methane  (CH 4 ), 4 hydrogens would be obtained for every carbon. This means that the ‘greenhouse gas’ carbon would be released in this process.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen  Recent research suggests that if large amounts of hydrogen were purified some amount would eventually ‘leak-out’.  The concern is that this free hydrogen gas could deplete stratospheric ozone and lengthen the atmospheric lifetime of the greenhouse gas methane.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen This then is a concern on the part of some scientists that we first determine if this is a possibility before pursuing this new technology on an expanded scale.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Therefore, once Hydrogen gas has been isolated, it can be used as a fuel to produce electricity within fuel cells. The chemical reaction is just opposite that of electrolysis.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen An oxygen molecule and two hydrogen molecules each split, so that their atoms can bind to form two water molecules 2H 2  + 0 2  ---    2H 2 0
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen Hydrogen gas is allowed into one side of the cell, whose middle consists of two electrodes that sandwich a membrane that only protons can move across.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen One electrode strips the hydrogen gas of its electrons, creating two hydrogen ions that begin moving across the membrane.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen On the other side of the cell, oxygen molecules from the open air are split into their component atoms along the other electrode.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen These oxygen ions soon bind to pairs of hydrogen ions traveling across the membrane, forming molecules of water that are expelled as waste, along with heat.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen While this is occurring, the electrons from the hydrogen atoms have traveled to a device that completes an electric current between the two electrodes.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen The movement of the Hydrogen’s electrons from one electrode to the other creates the output of electricity. http://nano.mtu.edu/images/HydrogenFuelCell.gif
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen and Fuel cell benefits Hydrogen is the most abundant element It is clean and nontoxic to use It produces the fewest greenhouse gases
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Hydrogen and Fuel cell benefits Fuel cells are silent, nonpolluting, and allow energy to be stored in the form of hydrogen. Hydrogen and its use in fuel cells is energy-efficient
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Algae, found as pond scum could be a source of hydrogen for future fuel cells.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Melis, at UC Berekley, found that a particular algae emitted hydrogen when it is deprived of light. He hypothesized that it could be encouraged to produce even more hydrogen.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Green algae, like green plants, photosynthesize. The plant takes in C02 and water and light then converts these to food.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? The by-product from this reaction is  Oxygen . This particular alga, however, has an enzyme that can stop producing Oxygen and start producing  Hydrogen .
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? This enzyme, that allows the alga to produce Hydrogen, known as  hydrogenase , only becomes active when the plant is deprived of light.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Melis’s group wanted to activate the hydrogenase and produce more hydrogen. However, keeping the alga in the “dark” did not elevate hydrogen levels.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? The reason was due to the fact that the alga’s metabolism was slowed during the period of little light. So, the researchers limited the alga’s 0 2  output by putting it on a sulfur-free, bright-light regimen.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Not having sulfur hindered photosynthesis which then limited 0 2  output. This activated hydrogenase and increased hydrogen production.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Since light was available, the alga was metabolically active and released a lot of its by-products. They cultured large amounts of this alga and exposed them to these conditions that favored high levels of hydrogen output.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Their hypothesis was proven correct. Without sulfur or photosynthesis, the algae did not produce Oxygen.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? By not producing Oxygen (anaerobic), the alga began producing hydrogenase. As a result, the plants began releasing amounts of hydrogen that were substantial relative to the size of the algal cultures.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? As this type of research continues, it is possible that we may find, in the future, that photobiological methods will serve as a significant approach for generating  the hydrogen that will be used as the fuel we put into our cars, planes, buses, etc.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Types of Fuel Cells 1.   Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells  2.  Direct Methanol Fuel Cells  3.  Alkaline Fuel Cells  4.  Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells  5.  Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells  6.  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells  7.  Regenerative Fuel Cells
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Fuel cells are classified by the electrolyte they use.  This determines the kind of chemical reactions that take place in the cell, the kind of  catalysts required , the  temperature range  in which the cell operates, and the  fuel required  etc.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells aka:  proton exchange membrane fuel cells Advantages: - deliver high power density - low weight and volume - use a solid polymer as an electrolyte and   porous carbon electrodes containing a    platinum catalyst
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells   Advantages: -  need only hydrogen, ambient 0 2 , and H 2 0 - don’t require corrosive fluids - fueled with pure hydrogen - operate at low temps (~ 80°C/176°F)   - - Low temps allow quick start which    results in less wear & better durability
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells Disadvantages: - requires noble-metal catalyst (platinum) to      separate hydrogen's electrons & protons ($) - platinum is extremely sensitive to CO    poisoning (req something to reduce CO) Note:  exploring platinum/ruthenium catalysts-more resistant to CO.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells Applications: -  primarily for transportation, some stationary      applications - suitable for passenger vehicles, i.e. cars and buses
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Significant barrier    hydrogen storage Most fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) powered by pure hydrogen must store the hydrogen onboard as a compressed gas in pressurized tanks.  The issue is using a low density fuel like hydrogen vs. high density fuel like methanol, ethanol, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, & gasoline (req. larger supply tank) Hydrogen would deliver 300-400 miles Onboard fuel processor needed to reform methanol et. al. to hydrogen. This would increase costs / maintenance and reformer releases C0 2  (a greenhouse gas), but less than a gasoline-powered engine.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Direct Methanol Fuel Cells DMFCs are powered by pure methanol, mixed with steam and fed directly to the fuel cell anode. Advantages: - DMFCs don’t have many of the fuel storage problems of    some fuel cells (methanol has a higher energy density    than hydrogen) - Methanol is easier to transport / supply, uses current    infrastructure, like gasoline
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs) first fuel cell technology developed first type widely used by NASA to produce electrical energy and water onboard spacecraft  use a KOH (potassium hydroxide) solution as the electrolyte can use a variety of non-precious metals as a catalyst at the anode and cathode  High-temp AFCs operate between 100°C - 250°C (212°F - 482°F) newer AFCs operate between - 23°C to 70°C (74°F to 158°F)
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology AFCs
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells Advantages:   - high performance is due to the rate of    the chemical reaction that takes place - 60% efficiency in space applications
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells Disadvantages:   - easily poisoned by CO 2  therefore fuel must be purified    which is a costly process - Duration of operation is ~8,000 hrs. must exceed      40,000 hrs to be economic - material durability issue is the most significant obstacle in commercializing this fuel cell technology.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells -  liquid phosphoric acid is the electrolyte (in a Teflon-   bonded silicon carbide matrix - contains a platinum catalyst
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells - “first generation" fuel cell -  most mature cell types; over 200 units in use  Applications:   - stationary power generation - used to power large vehicles, i.e. city buses
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells Advantages: -  more tolerant of impurities in fossil fuels; "poisoned" by    C02  that binds to platinum catalyst at the anode,      decreasing  fuel cell's efficiency.  - 85% efficient when used for the co-generation of      electricity and heat Disadvantages: - less powerful than other fuel cells, given the same weight and volume therefore, these fuel cells are typically large   and heavy - expensive, require platinum catalyst increases cost of the    fuel cell ($4,000 - $4,500 /kilowatt) to operate
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells   Applications: - MCFCs currently being developed for natural gas and coal-based power plants for electrical utility, industrial, and military applications - MCFCs are high-temp fuel cells, use electrolyte of molten carbonate salt mixture in a porous, chemically inert ceramic lithium aluminum oxide (LiAlO2) matrix  Advantages: - Since they operate at high temps (650°C / 1,200°F) non-precious metals are used as catalysts at the anode and cathode, reducing costs
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: - Improved efficiency & significant cost reductions over   phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) - MCFCs approach 60% efficiency, > than 37-42%      efficiencies of PAFC plant - When waste heat is captured & used, overall fuel   efficiencies can reach 85%
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: - MCFCs don't req external  reformer to convert  fuels to hydrogen - at high temps, MCFCs can  convert fuel to hydrogen  within the fuel cell itself  This is called,  “ internal reforming” it reduces costs Not prone to C0 2  or CO poisoning
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology   Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: -  can even use carbon oxides as fuel (i.e. fuels w/gases made   from coal). Could be capable of internal reforming of coal if resistant to sulfur and particulates Disadvantages: - MCFC durability - high temps cause electrolyte to corrode   and breakdown, decreasing cell life Note:  exploring corrosion-resistant materials for components as well as fuel cell designs that increase cell life without decreasing performance
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells -  SOFCs use a hard, non-porous ceramic compound as the electrolyte. Since electrolyte is solid, the cells do not have to be constructed in the plate-like configuration like other fuel cell types - 50-60% efficiency @ converting fuel to electricity - with a design to capture & use system's waste heat   (co-generation) efficiency could top 80-85%
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Advantages: - SOFCs operate at high temps (1,000°C/1,830°F)  - this removes the need for precious-metal   catalyst (reduces cost) and allows SOFCs to   reform fuels internally - SOFCs are a sulfur-resistant fuel cell - not poisoned by CO, therefore SOFCs can use   gases made from coal.
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology  Regenerative Fuel Cells - RFCs produce electricity from hydrogen and oxygen  - heat and water are byproducts (just like other fuel   cells) - RFCs use electricity from Sun or some other source   to divide the excess water into oxygen & hydrogen   fuel  -  "electrolysis"
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
New Renewable Energy Alternatives Fuel Cell Technology  Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Alternative Energy

  • 1.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy - Nacelle
  • 2.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Most towers range from 131 – 328 ft. The higher the tower the smaller the turbulence and the greater the wind speed.
  • 3.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Turbines are designed to rotate back and forth to respond to changes in wind direction, to ensure that the motor faces into the wind at all times.
  • 4.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Typically, turbines are erected in groups called, Wind Parks or Wind Farms .
  • 5.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Turbines Depending on the location, whether the winds are typically light or strong, the turbine is engineered to create either low levels or high levels of energy.
  • 6.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy Fastest growing energy sector Though this source provides a small portion of the world’s power needs, its use increased 30% between 2000 & 2004
  • 7.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy wind power has provided 3.95% of the U.S.’s renewable electricity generation in 2004 – nearly 20 times more than solar power.
  • 8.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy Currently, wind energy production is geographically concentrated; only 5 nations account for 82% of the world’s wind energy output. Germany, Spain, India, Denmark & U.S.
  • 9.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy California and Texas account for 2/3 of the wind power generated in the U.S. Denmark leads all nations in wind power. (Wind farms supply 20% of electrical needs).
  • 10.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Wind speeds are typically 20% stronger over water than land, with less turbulence. Popularity is increasing at these sites.
  • 11.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Though the costs are greater offshore, the stronger winds generate more electricity and more profit.
  • 12.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Offshore Sites Denmark built the first offshore wind farm in 1991. Since, the power output from these farms has increased 43% annually.
  • 13.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – U.S. Wind Projects (Megawatts)
  • 14.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – U.S. Offshore Projects Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts
  • 15.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 1. Wind produces no emissions once the necessary equipment is manufactured and installed. 2. More energy efficient than conventional power sources.
  • 16.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 3. Wind turbines can be used on many scales, from a single tower for local use to fields of thousands that supply large regions. 4. landowners can lease their land for wind development.
  • 17.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Benefits 5. wind energy involves up-front costs for the construction of turbines and the expansion of infrastructure to allow electricity distribution. Over the lifetime, it only requires maintenance costs.
  • 18.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy - Downsides 1. We have no control over the winds. 2. Good wind resources are not always near population centers that need the energy, so the transmission networks will need to be greatly expanded.
  • 19.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Downsides 3. People generally oppose construction of wind farms too close to residential areas. 4. Turbines are generally located in exposed, conspicuous sites, and many people object to wind farms for aesthetic reasons.
  • 20.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Wind Energy – Downsides 5. Wind turbines are known to pose a threat to flying birds, which can be killed by the rotating blades. (more birds are killed via tall buildings, towers and other human causes)
  • 21.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is one form of renewable energy that originates not from the sun, but rather from deep within the Earth.
  • 22.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy The radioactive decay of elements among the extremely high pressures deep in the interior of the planet generates heat that rises to the surface through Magma (molten rock) and through fissures and cracks.
  • 23.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Deep in these regions, beneath the Earth’s surface, the energy heats groundwater, subsequently, natural spurts of heated water and steam will emerge from below.
  • 24.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy From this we get, Terrestrial geysers and sub-marine hydrothermal vents. As a result of Iceland being formed from this molten rock, Magma , there exists tremendous geothermal heat in this region.
  • 25.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy As a consequence, Iceland has numerous geysers and volcanoes
  • 26.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is renewable in principle, but the power plants we build to use this energy may not all be capable of operating indefinitely.
  • 27.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Another reason why geothermal energy may not always be renewable is that patterns of geothermal activity in Earth’s crust shift naturally over time, so an area that produces hot groundwater now, may not always do so.
  • 28.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy can be harnessed directly from geysers at the surface, but most often wells must be drilled down hundreds or thousands of meters toward heated groundwater.
  • 29.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Generally, water at temperatures of 150-370 0 or more is brought to the surface and converted to steam by lowering the pressure in specialized compartments.
  • 30.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy The steam is then used in turning turbines to generate electricity.
  • 31.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Hot groundwater is used to heat, homes, buildings, greenhouses, etc. The thermal energy from either water or solid earth can also be used to drive a heat pump to provide energy.
  • 32.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Use of geothermal power is growing. Though it provides less than 0.5% of the world’s total primary energy, it produces more power than solar and wind combined but a fraction of the power we get from hydropower and biomass.
  • 33.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy in the U.S. provides enough power to supply electricity to over 1.4 million homes.
  • 34.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy At the world’s largest geothermal power plants, the Geysers in northern California, generating capacity has declined more than 50% since 1989 as steam pressure has declined.
  • 35.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Energy Japan, China and the U.S. lead the world in use of geothermal power.
  • 36.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Power – Benefits Geothermal power greatly reduces emissions relative to fossil fuels Geothermal sources can release variable amounts of gases dissolved in their water (CO 2 , CH 4 , NH 4 , H 2 S)
  • 37.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Power – Benefits However, these gases are released in very small quantities. By incorporating the latest filtering technologies, fewer emissions are produced.
  • 38.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Power – Downsides Geothermal sources are not always sustainable the water of many hot springs is laced with salts and minerals that corrode equipment and pollute the air.
  • 39.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Geothermal Power – Downsides These factors shorten the lifespan of plants, increase maintenance costs, and add to pollution. Finally, geothermal energy is limited to areas where the energy can be tapped.
  • 40.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy The potential is there to harness energy from the ocean’s waves, tides and temperature.
  • 41.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power Kinetic energy (movement) exists in the moving waves of the ocean. That energy can be used to power a turbine.
  • 42.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power
  • 43.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power The wave rises into a chamber. The rising water forces the air out of the chamber. The moving air spins a turbine which can turn a generator. When the wave goes down, air flows through the turbine and back into the chamber through doors that are normally closed.
  • 44.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power
  • 45.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power This is only one type of wave-energy system. Others actually use the up and down motion of the wave to power a piston that moves up and down inside a cylinder. That piston can also turn a generator. Most wave-energy systems are very small. But, they can be used to power a warning buoy or a small light house.
  • 46.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
  • 47.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy - Wave power technology BioWave - based on the swaying motion of sea plants in the presence of ocean waves
  • 48.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
  • 49.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave power technology
  • 50.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave Power Technology
  • 51.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Wave Power Technology
  • 52.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water temperature Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the temperature difference that exists between deep and shallow waters — within 20° of the equator in the tropics — to run a heat engine.
  • 53.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature
  • 54.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Because the oceans are continually heated by the sun and cover nearly 70% of the Earth's surface, this temperature difference contains a vast amount of solar energy which could potentially be tapped for human use.
  • 55.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature The total energy available is one or two orders of magnitude higher than other ocean energy options such as wave power. The small size of the temperature difference makes energy extraction difficult and expensive. Hence, existing OTEC systems have an overall efficiency of only 1 to 3%.
  • 56.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature So, the OTEC approaches are based on this gradient in temperature. In the Closed Cycle approach , warm surface water is piped into a facility to evaporate chemicals, such as ammonia, that boil at low temperatures.
  • 57.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Closed Cycle Approach These evaporated gases spin turbines to generate electricity. Cold water piped in from ocean depths then condenses the gases so they can be reused.
  • 58.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature
  • 59.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach Here, the warm surface water is evaporated in a vacuum, and its steam turns the turbines and then is condensed by the cold water.
  • 60.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach Because the water losses its salts as it evaporates, water can be recovered, condensed and sold as desalinized freshwater for drinking or agriculture.
  • 61.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach
  • 62.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Ocean Energy – Water Temperature Open Cycle Approach – Proposed Offshore
  • 63.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen All the renewable energy sources we have discussed can be used to generate electricity more cleanly than can fossil fuels.
  • 64.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen The one major problem that all of these technologies have is that the energy that they generate can not be stored for later use.
  • 65.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen The development of fuel cells and hydrogen fuel show promise to store energy conveniently and in considerable quantities and to produce electricity at least as cleanly and efficiently as renewable energy sources.
  • 66.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen In this system, electricity generated from wind or solar can be used to produce hydrogen and then be stored in fuel cells until it is needed.
  • 67.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen These hydrogen fuel cells can then provide electrical energy to; power vehicles, computers, cell phones, home heating, and other electrically based items.
  • 68.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Fuel cell technology has existed since the 1960’s in NASA’s space flight program.
  • 69.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Hydrogen fuel can be produced from water or from other matter. How can this be done?
  • 70.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Studies show that hydrogen atoms tend to bind to other molecules, becoming incorporated in everything from water to organic molecules. Hydrogen must be ‘forced’ from the matter or state in which it resides.
  • 71.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen A process called, “electrolysis” involves electricity being used to ‘split’ hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atoms of water molecules.
  • 72.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Electrolysis produces pure hydrogen and does so without emitting the carbon- or nitrogen-based pollutants of fossil fuel combustion.
  • 73.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen It is important, though, that the electricity generated and used in this process of “electrolysis” does not, in itself, produce pollutants.
  • 74.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen – Sources Hydrogen can be obtained from several sources: biomass, water and fossil fuels. Using fossil fuel (CH 4 ) as a source could create emissions of carbon.
  • 75.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen – Fossil Fuel source By using Methane (CH 4 ), 4 hydrogens would be obtained for every carbon. This means that the ‘greenhouse gas’ carbon would be released in this process.
  • 76.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Recent research suggests that if large amounts of hydrogen were purified some amount would eventually ‘leak-out’. The concern is that this free hydrogen gas could deplete stratospheric ozone and lengthen the atmospheric lifetime of the greenhouse gas methane.
  • 77.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen This then is a concern on the part of some scientists that we first determine if this is a possibility before pursuing this new technology on an expanded scale.
  • 78.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Therefore, once Hydrogen gas has been isolated, it can be used as a fuel to produce electricity within fuel cells. The chemical reaction is just opposite that of electrolysis.
  • 79.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen An oxygen molecule and two hydrogen molecules each split, so that their atoms can bind to form two water molecules 2H 2 + 0 2 ---  2H 2 0
  • 80.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen
  • 81.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen Hydrogen gas is allowed into one side of the cell, whose middle consists of two electrodes that sandwich a membrane that only protons can move across.
  • 82.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen One electrode strips the hydrogen gas of its electrons, creating two hydrogen ions that begin moving across the membrane.
  • 83.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen On the other side of the cell, oxygen molecules from the open air are split into their component atoms along the other electrode.
  • 84.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen These oxygen ions soon bind to pairs of hydrogen ions traveling across the membrane, forming molecules of water that are expelled as waste, along with heat.
  • 85.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen While this is occurring, the electrons from the hydrogen atoms have traveled to a device that completes an electric current between the two electrodes.
  • 86.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen The movement of the Hydrogen’s electrons from one electrode to the other creates the output of electricity. http://nano.mtu.edu/images/HydrogenFuelCell.gif
  • 87.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen
  • 88.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen and Fuel cell benefits Hydrogen is the most abundant element It is clean and nontoxic to use It produces the fewest greenhouse gases
  • 89.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Hydrogen and Fuel cell benefits Fuel cells are silent, nonpolluting, and allow energy to be stored in the form of hydrogen. Hydrogen and its use in fuel cells is energy-efficient
  • 90.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Algae, found as pond scum could be a source of hydrogen for future fuel cells.
  • 91.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Melis, at UC Berekley, found that a particular algae emitted hydrogen when it is deprived of light. He hypothesized that it could be encouraged to produce even more hydrogen.
  • 92.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Green algae, like green plants, photosynthesize. The plant takes in C02 and water and light then converts these to food.
  • 93.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? The by-product from this reaction is Oxygen . This particular alga, however, has an enzyme that can stop producing Oxygen and start producing Hydrogen .
  • 94.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? This enzyme, that allows the alga to produce Hydrogen, known as hydrogenase , only becomes active when the plant is deprived of light.
  • 95.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Melis’s group wanted to activate the hydrogenase and produce more hydrogen. However, keeping the alga in the “dark” did not elevate hydrogen levels.
  • 96.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? The reason was due to the fact that the alga’s metabolism was slowed during the period of little light. So, the researchers limited the alga’s 0 2 output by putting it on a sulfur-free, bright-light regimen.
  • 97.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Not having sulfur hindered photosynthesis which then limited 0 2 output. This activated hydrogenase and increased hydrogen production.
  • 98.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Since light was available, the alga was metabolically active and released a lot of its by-products. They cultured large amounts of this alga and exposed them to these conditions that favored high levels of hydrogen output.
  • 99.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? Their hypothesis was proven correct. Without sulfur or photosynthesis, the algae did not produce Oxygen.
  • 100.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? By not producing Oxygen (anaerobic), the alga began producing hydrogenase. As a result, the plants began releasing amounts of hydrogen that were substantial relative to the size of the algal cultures.
  • 101.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Algae – Hydrogen fuel source? As this type of research continues, it is possible that we may find, in the future, that photobiological methods will serve as a significant approach for generating the hydrogen that will be used as the fuel we put into our cars, planes, buses, etc.
  • 102.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Types of Fuel Cells 1. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells 2. Direct Methanol Fuel Cells 3. Alkaline Fuel Cells 4. Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells 5. Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells 6. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells 7. Regenerative Fuel Cells
  • 103.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Fuel cells are classified by the electrolyte they use. This determines the kind of chemical reactions that take place in the cell, the kind of catalysts required , the temperature range in which the cell operates, and the fuel required etc.
  • 104.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells aka: proton exchange membrane fuel cells Advantages: - deliver high power density - low weight and volume - use a solid polymer as an electrolyte and porous carbon electrodes containing a platinum catalyst
  • 105.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells Advantages: - need only hydrogen, ambient 0 2 , and H 2 0 - don’t require corrosive fluids - fueled with pure hydrogen - operate at low temps (~ 80°C/176°F) - - Low temps allow quick start which results in less wear & better durability
  • 106.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells Disadvantages: - requires noble-metal catalyst (platinum) to separate hydrogen's electrons & protons ($) - platinum is extremely sensitive to CO poisoning (req something to reduce CO) Note: exploring platinum/ruthenium catalysts-more resistant to CO.
  • 107.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells
  • 108.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells Applications: - primarily for transportation, some stationary applications - suitable for passenger vehicles, i.e. cars and buses
  • 109.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Significant barrier  hydrogen storage Most fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) powered by pure hydrogen must store the hydrogen onboard as a compressed gas in pressurized tanks. The issue is using a low density fuel like hydrogen vs. high density fuel like methanol, ethanol, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, & gasoline (req. larger supply tank) Hydrogen would deliver 300-400 miles Onboard fuel processor needed to reform methanol et. al. to hydrogen. This would increase costs / maintenance and reformer releases C0 2 (a greenhouse gas), but less than a gasoline-powered engine.
  • 110.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Direct Methanol Fuel Cells DMFCs are powered by pure methanol, mixed with steam and fed directly to the fuel cell anode. Advantages: - DMFCs don’t have many of the fuel storage problems of some fuel cells (methanol has a higher energy density than hydrogen) - Methanol is easier to transport / supply, uses current infrastructure, like gasoline
  • 111.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs) first fuel cell technology developed first type widely used by NASA to produce electrical energy and water onboard spacecraft use a KOH (potassium hydroxide) solution as the electrolyte can use a variety of non-precious metals as a catalyst at the anode and cathode High-temp AFCs operate between 100°C - 250°C (212°F - 482°F) newer AFCs operate between - 23°C to 70°C (74°F to 158°F)
  • 112.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology AFCs
  • 113.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells Advantages: - high performance is due to the rate of the chemical reaction that takes place - 60% efficiency in space applications
  • 114.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Alkaline Fuel Cells Disadvantages: - easily poisoned by CO 2 therefore fuel must be purified which is a costly process - Duration of operation is ~8,000 hrs. must exceed 40,000 hrs to be economic - material durability issue is the most significant obstacle in commercializing this fuel cell technology.
  • 115.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells - liquid phosphoric acid is the electrolyte (in a Teflon- bonded silicon carbide matrix - contains a platinum catalyst
  • 116.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells - “first generation" fuel cell - most mature cell types; over 200 units in use Applications: - stationary power generation - used to power large vehicles, i.e. city buses
  • 117.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells Advantages: - more tolerant of impurities in fossil fuels; "poisoned" by C02 that binds to platinum catalyst at the anode, decreasing fuel cell's efficiency. - 85% efficient when used for the co-generation of electricity and heat Disadvantages: - less powerful than other fuel cells, given the same weight and volume therefore, these fuel cells are typically large and heavy - expensive, require platinum catalyst increases cost of the fuel cell ($4,000 - $4,500 /kilowatt) to operate
  • 118.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Applications: - MCFCs currently being developed for natural gas and coal-based power plants for electrical utility, industrial, and military applications - MCFCs are high-temp fuel cells, use electrolyte of molten carbonate salt mixture in a porous, chemically inert ceramic lithium aluminum oxide (LiAlO2) matrix Advantages: - Since they operate at high temps (650°C / 1,200°F) non-precious metals are used as catalysts at the anode and cathode, reducing costs
  • 119.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: - Improved efficiency & significant cost reductions over phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) - MCFCs approach 60% efficiency, > than 37-42% efficiencies of PAFC plant - When waste heat is captured & used, overall fuel efficiencies can reach 85%
  • 120.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: - MCFCs don't req external reformer to convert fuels to hydrogen - at high temps, MCFCs can convert fuel to hydrogen within the fuel cell itself This is called, “ internal reforming” it reduces costs Not prone to C0 2 or CO poisoning
  • 121.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells Advantages: - can even use carbon oxides as fuel (i.e. fuels w/gases made from coal). Could be capable of internal reforming of coal if resistant to sulfur and particulates Disadvantages: - MCFC durability - high temps cause electrolyte to corrode and breakdown, decreasing cell life Note: exploring corrosion-resistant materials for components as well as fuel cell designs that increase cell life without decreasing performance
  • 122.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Solid Oxide Fuel Cells - SOFCs use a hard, non-porous ceramic compound as the electrolyte. Since electrolyte is solid, the cells do not have to be constructed in the plate-like configuration like other fuel cell types - 50-60% efficiency @ converting fuel to electricity - with a design to capture & use system's waste heat (co-generation) efficiency could top 80-85%
  • 123.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Advantages: - SOFCs operate at high temps (1,000°C/1,830°F) - this removes the need for precious-metal catalyst (reduces cost) and allows SOFCs to reform fuels internally - SOFCs are a sulfur-resistant fuel cell - not poisoned by CO, therefore SOFCs can use gases made from coal.
  • 124.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Regenerative Fuel Cells - RFCs produce electricity from hydrogen and oxygen - heat and water are byproducts (just like other fuel cells) - RFCs use electricity from Sun or some other source to divide the excess water into oxygen & hydrogen fuel - "electrolysis"
  • 125.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
  • 126.
    New Renewable EnergyAlternatives Fuel Cell Technology Solid Oxide Fuel Cells