Powered by RockDr Liam Herringshawlgh865@hotmail.comEarth's Energy Systems

Class 7: Solar-Wind

UK Renewables 1990-2012Hydro, Landfill, Biomass, Solar, Wind

Windy UKWindiest country in Europe

World's 6th largest producer of wind power

Global statsChina ~91 GWUSA ~61 GWGermany ~34 GWSpain ~23 GWIndia ~20 GWUK ~10.5 GW

UK wind statsTurbines:~4300 onshore~7 GW capacity

~1000 offshore~3.6 GW capacity

Produce ~26 TWh(~6m homes)

Increasing powerThursday March 6th 2014

Your Thoughts...Wind Power:Pros & Cons

Solar PowerThe suns energy incident upon the earth in one hour is equivalent to our total annual energy consumption.(Imperial College Solar Network)

Solar Power22% of global electricity by 2050?International Energy Agency

Using the sun1. Solar thermalUsing sunshine for direct heating of buildings or water.

2. Solar photovoltaic:Generating electricity.

3. Solar biomass:Using photosynthesizing organisms to make fuels, chemicals, or building materials.

4. Food:Solar biomass as fuel for ourselves

Getting solar-poweredType 1 Photovoltaics (PV)

Getting solar-poweredType 1 Photovoltaics (PV)

Directly convert solar energy into electricity using a PV cell made of a semiconductor material.

Fastest-growing renewable power source:1.5 GW in 2000; 65 GW in 2011 (IEA)

Solar PowerType 2 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Focus energy from suns rays to heat a receiver to high temperatures.

Heat transformed into mechanical energy (by turbines or other engines) then into electricity.

Solar PowerType 2 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)Solucar complex, Seville, SpainLargest solar complex in Europe1st solar towers in the world

Solar UKSolar potential map

Low but similar to Germany, which has solar power capacity of ~36 GW (Jan 2014)

Solar UKCurrent UK solar power capacity:~2.5 GW

(Massive PV growth in 2011)

20 GW by 2020?

Your Thoughts...Solar Power:Pros & Cons

Raw materialsVidal et al. - Nature Geoscience (2013)

Rare earths & renewablesNeodymium

Very powerful magnet

300kg in one wind turbine

Chinese mines

Perovskites & Photovoltaics85% of PV cells based on crystalline silicon10-20% efficientPerovskites:High charge-carrier mobilityLess energy lost as heatNew semiconductor technologyPerovskite, CaTiO3

Space for wind?Offshore winds strongerShallow sea bed viableDogger Bank: ~7 GW

Space for solar?San Bernandino County, California

A windy, sunny future for the UK?VOTE!

Next week:Reviewing The OptionsNew room: Alcuin College