Faculty of Engineering University of Kragujevac

Module: Industrial engineering

Master academy studies
Subject: English 2
School year: 2022/2023

Seminar paper
Is it better to use renewable or non-renewable energy sources and why?

Student: Teacher:
Nikola Popović 361/2022 NedaVidaković Miletić

Kragujevac, 2023
Abstract

Renewable energy is energy sources that can be replenished over the course of time. Non-
renewable energy is energy that will not be replenished over a long period of time (it can take up
to 300-360 million years to recreate). Renewable energy sources come from natural elements
such as wind, water, the sun and even plant matter. There will always be wind blowing, sun
shining and water flowing, regardless of how much of each resource we use to produce
energy. Nonrenewable energy sources, on the other hand, are only available in fixed amounts.

Key words: renewable energy, non-renewable energy, engineering, energy

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Non-renewable energy sources........................................................................................................1
Renewable energy sources...............................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Literature..........................................................................................................................................9
Introduction
Let's start from the question, what is energy? At its simplest, energy represents the ability to do
work. We live in a world of energy and practically everything that surrounds us is based on the
use of some kind of energy. The basic forms of energy are accumulated and transient energy, and
until now known natural processes and phenomena can be explained with several forms of
energy according to the following definitions: kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy,
gravity, elasticity, electromagnetism, chemical energy, nuclear energy and mass. The main
sources of energy found in nature are: solar energy - photosynthesis, evaporation, water and air
flow, earth energy - geothermal and gravity energy - the result of the gravitational force of the
sun, moon and earth is the creation of tides. When we talk about natural, that is, primary forms of
energy, we can divide them into renewable and non-renewable, considering the time possibility
of their exhaustion. The epithet renewable, these sources owe to the fact that energy is consumed
in an amount that does not exceed the rate at which it is created in nature. Reserves of renewable
energy sources are often estimated to be exploited over a period of several million years. This
makes a fundamental difference from non-renewable sources whose reserves are estimated at
several tens or hundreds of years and their creation lasted incomparably longer [1].

Non-renewable energy sources

Non-renewable energy sources are those sources that are not renewed or are renewed but the
renewal process is too slow to be expected as significant new annual yields of those energy
sources. They are often identified with fossil energy sources, in addition to fossil fuels, they also
refer to nuclear raw materials such as uranium and thorium, which are also non-renewable. Non-
renewable energy sources are:

 Coal
 oil
 natural gas
 oil and oil scrips
 peat and
 nuclear raw materials[2]

With the industrial revolution came the massive use of fossil fuels, and the biomass that was
used until then, as a fuel, could not offer the same amount of energy that was required. All of
humanity's activities, from individuals to corporations, are dependent on fossil fuels. The global
population's need for energy is increasing day by day, as is the dependence on non-renewable

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energy sources. Generally, non-renewable energy sources are cheaper than renewable ones, but
sometimes there are exceptions. Electricity is a form of final energy on which our civilization is
completely dependent, and the largest part of electricity is still produced from non-renewable
energy sources, coal in the first place, then natural gas and finally nuclear energy [2]. Three
dominant ways to produce electricity from fossil sources:

 Gas turbine
 Steam turbine
 Combined with a cycle
When we talk about the production of high power, the simplest and also the cheapest way to
produce electricity from non-renewable energy sources is with the help of a gas turbine. Gas
turbines began to be developed at the beginning of the 20th century, and for the production of
electricity they began to be used sporadically since the 1930s. At the beginning of the 40s of the
last century, it became a profitable and popular machine for the production of electricity. The
power of gas turbines ranges from 500 kW to 250 MW. The components of a gas turbine are the
compressor, the combustion chamber and the turbine. The gas turbine works according to the
Brayton cycle, i.e.: atmospheric air is compressed, heat is supplied to it and then it expands,
during which mechanical work is taken away during the expansion and used partly to start the
compressor and mostly to perform useful work to start the generator [2].

Figure 1. Physical appearance of the gas turbine [2]

Steam turbines are one of the most flexible and oldest devices for converting water vapor energy
into mechanical work, they work according to the Rankine cycle. The steam energy, which

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depends on the pressure and temperature of the steam, is converted in the steam turbine,
indirectly, into mechanical work. The first stage of energy conversion is the expansion of steam,
then in the second stage the kinetic energy of the steam is used to start the turbine rotor and
create torque on its blades. This conversion of the kinetic energy of the oara gives the rotor of a
steam turbine the high angular velocity that is a characteristic of such turbines. The advantages
of this technology are high overall efficiency, the plants can use any fuel, they can meet the
needs for thermal energy at more desired temperatures, the technology is known and has been on
the market for a long time [2].

Figure 2. Physical appearance of a three-stage steam turbine [2]

The combined cycle is an attempt to increase the low efficiency of gas and steam turbines by
connecting the Brayton cycle with the Rankine cycle. Given that the by-product of gas turbine
operation is exhaust gases of high temperature and high energy potential, which results in a
maximum efficiency of the gas turbine of only 40%. By intercepting those gases, it is possible to
take away their heat in a device called a boiler utilizator and transfer it to water. After that,
everything starts to look like a classic Rankine cycle. The result of this application is an
efficiency that can reach up to 63%, which is a very high result for the process of converting the
chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy. The price of such plants is significantly higher
than the price of plants that work without a steam turbine[2].

A thermal power plant is a facility in which chemical or nuclear fuels (coal, uranium, oil, gas...)
are converted into thermal energy, then the thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy
with the help of a turbine, which is used to start an electrical energy generator. How does it
work? Power plants are usually built along large rivers, in places where there is water, but so that
they are not far from coal mines. At a coal mine, whether it is open or closed, coal is mined
which is transported by rail to the warehouse, prepared, crushed and then fed into large furnaces.
These stoves heat large boilers which are actually nothing more than large boilers for heating
water. Thanks to the burning of coal, the water in them turns into steam, and when it goes
through the whole cycle, the steam is cooled by cold water from the river and turns into water
again. The whole process is not overly efficient - in the end, only about 30 percent of the energy
from coal is converted into electricity. But it is still much, much more efficient and cheaper than

3
most other ways to generate electricity. Because of this, thermal power plants are widespread
even though they are more polluting of the air than all other power plants, including nuclear ones
[3].

Figure 3. Thermal power plant [3]

Renewable energy sources

Renewable forms of energy are:

 Water power, (energy of watercourses, sea currents and waves, tides),

 Biomass (and biogas, including wood and waste),
 Solar radiation energy,
 Wind Energy
 Earth's internal heat (geothermal energy)
 Tidal energy and
 Wave energy [4]

The development of renewable energy sources, especially wind, water, solar and biomass, is
important for several reasons:

 these energy sources have a very important role in reducing the emission of carbon
dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. This also represents an important part of the policy of
the European Union,
 increasing the share of renewable energy sources increases the energy sustainability of a
country's system. At the same time, it helps to improve the security of energy supply and
thus reduces the dependence on the import of energy raw materials as well as electricity,
 in due time, renewable energy sources are expected to become economically competitive
with conventional energy sources [4].

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Economic competitiveness is already demonstrated by several technologies, especially wind
energy, small hydropower plants, energy from biomass and solar energy. The main problem for
the installation of new plants is their initial price, because it raises the price of the obtained
energy in the first years even to the level of complete unprofitability compared to other
commercially available energy sources. We must emphasize that a large share in the production
of energy from renewable sources is the environmental awareness of the population as well as
the political will to invest in facilities for the production of "clean" energy. Today, new energy
sources produce only a small part of the world's total energy. That share should be significantly
increased in the future because there are fewer and fewer non-renewable sources of energy and
their reserves are running out, and also their harmful influence has become more and more
pronounced in the last few years. The sun, without which there is no life on our planet, gives the
Earth several thousand times more energy than humanity manages to consume at the current
stage of development. Everything speaks in favor of the fact that renewable sources can and must
start to be used better and that if we work smart we don't have to worry about energy after fossil
fuels [4].

Again, we have to start from the nearest and most important star. Most of the technologies of
renewable energy sources are directly or indirectly powered by the Sun. The Earth's hydrosphere,
i.e. water, absorbs most of the incoming radiation. Quantitatively, the highest amount of
radiation is absorbed at a low latitude in the area around the equator, but through winds and sea
currents, this energy is dispersed throughout the planet. Solar energy is indispensable for the
distribution of precipitation as well as for the cultivation of plants that are needed for the
production of biofuels. The flow of renewable energy includes natural phenomena such as:
sunlight, wind, waves, geothermal heat as the International Energy Agency explains:
"Renewable energy is obtained from natural processes that are constantly renewed. In its various
forms, it is obtained directly from the Sun or from heat generated deep within the Earth. It also
includes electricity and heat obtained from sources such as sunlight, wind, ocean, hydro, biomass
and geothermal energy, and biofuels and hydrogen obtained from renewable sources." Each of
these renewable sources has unique characteristics that affect how and where were used [5].

Of all renewable energy sources, wind energy is the fastest growing source. As with other
sources, there are positives and negatives here - when it comes to negatives, the main problem is
efficiency. Research in Great Britain, which has over 250 wind farms, shows that many of them
produce less than 20% of the maximum possible output, while two wind farms produce barely
10% of the maximum possible output. The largest such power plant on UK soil achieved only
18.7% of maximum design efficiency. It should be emphasized that the acceptable norm for wind
power plants is between 25 and 30%. Such results speak in favor of the opponents of the use of
wind energy, and on the other hand, experts claim that the results vary from year to year and
therefore must be taken with appropriate caution. Despite the fact that wind energy is always
relatively expensive compared to the use of fossil fuels, this has not stopped the development of
the wind energy industry. The wind has enormous power, which we occasionally see through its

5
distinct destructive power, and in a longer period, the wind can shape the terrain or cause erosion
in some areas. Man has made the wind an ally, starting with sea voyages, and the first written
records speak of a windmill built in Persia in 947. It is believed that windmills were used in
China and Japan as early as 3000 years ago [6].

Figure 4. Windturbine [6]

Only when we became aware of the serious danger of climate change caused by ourselves and
when a significant reduction in fossil fuel reserves was evident, did we remember to look to the
sky, about thirty years ago. Solar radiation, that is, the energy of solar radiation, is the largest and
at the same time a completely clean source of energy. The sun is directly or indirectly the source
of almost all available energy on Earth - this energy comes from nuclear reactions in its center
where the temperature reaches 15 million. °C. These reactions represent fusion, in which the
fusion of hydrogen atoms creates helium, with the release of a large amount of energy [7]. Direct
use of the Sun's energy can be done in the following ways:

 Using solar panels or collectors - solar energy is converted into heat in this way and is
used in most cases to heat water.
 Concentrating solar energy - directing solar radiation using a mirror field to a single point
where a liquid is heated to a high temperature. This heated liquid is used to produce
electricity. This is the basic mode of operation in today's solar power plants.
 Solar cells - converting solar energy directly into electricity [7].

6
 Figure 5. Solar panels [7]

Hydropower is the most important renewable energy source. It is renewable thanks to solar
energy that constantly maintains the hydrological cycle. At the same time, it is the only source
that is economically competitive with nuclear energy and fossil fuels. Of course, the use of water
energy has certain limitations, which primarily relate to the fact that it is necessary to have a lot
of running water, preferably throughout the year. Changes in the water level are solved by
building dams and storage lakes, which increases the cost of the hydroelectric power plant and
raises the level of groundwater in the area and changes the biological Figure. Data indicate that
around one quarter of the planet's hydropower potential has been used. The largest unused part is
located in underdeveloped countries, which also has its good side. Since the need for energy will
grow, it will be able to use this huge natural resource [8].

Figure 6. Hydro power plant [8]

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There are three basic types of hydropower plants:

 Flow-through - they do not have or have a very small accumulation - the kinetic energy
of the water is directly used to run the turbines. They are the easiest to build and have
very little impact on the environment. The downside is that they depend on the current
water flow.
 Accumulation - these hydropower plants represent the most common way of obtaining
electricity from water energy. They are made by blocking the river and stopping the flow
with a dam. This leads to the creation of an accumulation lake upstream of the dam,
which contains large amounts of water. This water is a reservoir of energy and can be
used for other purposes such as irrigation and fishing.
 Reversible - it is similar in construction to the storage hydroelectric power plant, but has
large pumps that return water to the storage lake in times of low electricity consumption,
and in times of increased energy demand release water from the storage and produce
electricity [8].

Conclusion
The survival of the next generations depends on how and in what way we treat energy. Easily
usable energy is not in abundance and it is increasingly expensive and difficult to access,
regardless of the fact that energy is all around us. For this reason, it is the duty of all of us, who
live on this planet, to save energy. Progress has also been made in reducing the impact of
hydropower on fish habitats and migration. Some hydroelectric plants use catch-and-retrieve
programs to collect fish, transport them past the dam, and release them. When the advantages
and disadvantages are added up, it is certain that obtaining electricity from the power of water
and the sun will continue to grow. For hydro systems, one such strategy is better land use
planning around river basins upstream of dams. By protecting the natural environment in the
river basins, erosion can be better controlled, which can then help reduce air pollution by
greenhouse gases from the reservoir, as there will be less decaying organic material in the water.
It is expected that the negative impact of solar energy will decrease with the development of
technology. For example, in the last 10-15 years, the amount of material used for silicon cells has
been reduced by 62 percent, thanks to increased efficiency and thinner designs. This reduction
means that less energy is spent on silicon processing during the manufacturing process.

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Literature
[1] Internet page: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/what-is-energy/, What is energy? US
Energy administration 2022

[2] D. Končalović, Energija i održivi razvoj za inženjere, Faculty of Engineering Unuversity of

Kragujevac, Kragujevac 2020

[3] Internet page: https://www.thermodyneboilers.com/components-working-thermal-power-

plant/, Components of Thermal Power Plant & Working Explanation, Thermodyne engineering
systems, 2021

[4] Internet page: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy, What is

renewable energy?, United Nations; Climate Action, 2020

[5] Internet page: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/renewable-energy-clean-facts, Renewable

Energy: The Clean Facts, Lora Shinn, 2018

[6] Internet page: https://www.windsystemsmag.com/fundamentals-of-wind-turbines/,

Fundamentals of Wind Turbines, Jane Marie Andrew, 2019

[7] Internet page: https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy, Solar energy, S. Ashok

2023

[8] Internet page: https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/types-hydropower-plants, Types of

Hydropower plants, Office of energy efficiency & renewable energy, 2019