RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Module-1

INTRODUCTION

Introduction: Principles of renewable energy; energy and sustainable development,

fundamentals and social implications. worldwide renewable energy availability, renewable
energy availability in India, brief descriptions on solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy,
wave energy, ocean thermal energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, oil shale.
Introduction to Internet of energy (IOE).

PRINCIPLES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.

The word ‗energy ‘itself is derived from the Greek word ‗en-ergon, which means ‗in-work’
or work content.

Energy plays a very important role in our lives, providing comfort, increasing productivity
and allowing us to live the way we want to. Amount of energy used by a society is an indicator of
its economic growth and development.

A systemic study of various forms of energy & energy transformations is called energy
science.

There is an important principle stating that the total amount of energy in a closed
system remains constant. Energy may change from one form to another, but the total
amount in any closed system remains constant. This principle, known as ‘Conservation
of energy’.

ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
 The aim of sustainable development is for the improvement to be achieved whilst
maintaining the ecological processes on which life depends.

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 Renewable energy sources play a vital role in securing sustainable energy with lower
emissions.
 It is already accepted that renewable energy technologies might significantly cover
the electricity demand and reduce emissions.
 Rapid and global transition to renewable energy technologies to achieve sustainable
growth and avoid catastrophic climate change.
 They favor system decentralization and local solutions that are somewhat
independent of the national network, thus enhancing the flexibility of the system and
providing economic benefits to small isolated populations.
 Renewable energy sources cannot be depleted unlike fossil fuel and uranium
resources.
 Essential Factors for sustainable Developments
i) Public awareness
ii) Information
iii) Environmental education and training
iv) Innovative energy strategies
v) Promoting renewable energy resources
vi) Financing
vii) Monitoring and evaluation tools
 Renewable energy supplies are much more compatible with sustainable development
than are fossil and nuclear fuels, in regard to both resource limitations and
environmental impacts. Consequently almost all national energy plans include four vital
factors for improving or maintaining social benefit from energy:
1) increased harnessing of renewable supplies
2) increased efficiency of supply and end-use
3) reduction in pollution
4) Consideration of lifestyle.

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FUNDAMENTALS AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Definitions

1. Renewable Energy sources –which are obtained from sources that are essentially
inexhaustible. Examples wind, solar, tidal and geo-thermal etc, the most important
feature of renewable energy is that it is very clean and does not pollute the
environment.

2. Non-renewable Energy sources – which are finite, do not get replenished after
their consumption or these sources are exhaustible do not quickly replenished.
Examples fossil fuels, nuclear etc.

Difference between Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable energy sources Non-Renewable energy sources

These energy sources are non-exhaustible. These energy sources are exhaustible.
For Example, solar energy, wind energy, tidal For Example, Fossil fuels, Nuclear energy.
energy etc.
Freely available in nature and Not Freely available in nature and also
environment friendly. not environment friendly.
Renewable resources include sunlight, water, A non-renewable resource includes fossil fuels
wind and also geothermal sources such as hot such as coal and petroleum.
rocks
Initial cost to extract energy sources is more, Initial cost to extract energy sources is less, but
but the maintenance cost is less. the maintenance cost is more.
They are mostly environment friendly and does They are main causes of Pollution.
not cause pollution.

Importance of Non-commercial energy resources:

1. The demand of energy is increasing by leaps & bounds due to rapid

industrialization & population growth, the conventional sources of energy will not be
sufficient to meet the growing demand.

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2. Conventional sources (fossil fuels, nuclear) also cause pollution; there by their use
degrade the environment.
3. Conventional sources are non-renewable & bound to finish oneday.
4. Large hydro-resources affect wild-life, cause deforestation & pose various social
problems, due to construction of big dams.

Advantages of Renewable Energy sources

1. They are renewable in nature.

2. Cause little or no pollution as compared to the conventional sources of energy.
3. Low maintenance cost.
4. Cost saving option in the long run.

Disadvantages of Renewable Energy sources

1. Initial setup cost is higher.

2. Energy cannot be extracted 24/7, year round, because some days will be windier than
the others, on some days sun will shine brighter.
3. Energy has to be stored.
4. Geographic locations can be challenging.
Energy sources

There are five ultimate primary sources of useful energy:

1. The Sun.
2. The motion and gravitational potential of the Sun, Moon and Earth.
3. Geothermal energy from cooling, chemical reactions and radioactive decay in the Earth.
4. Human-induced nuclear reactions.
5. Chemical reactions from mineral sources.

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Social implications

 Due to environment-friendly and less emission of gases from renewable energy, it is

considered as sustainable energy; also supported for the society from each dimensions
like economic, social and environmental.
 Renewable energy resources have an ability to complete the world’s energy demand,
protect the environment, and provide energy security.
 It is believed that after 2050, 50% of global energy supply will be generated using
renewable energy resources; the magnitude of renewable energy sources is 140 times
the worldwide annual energy consumption.
 Social benefits can be achieved by renewable energy systems: local employment, better
health, job opportunities, and consumer choice.
 The influence of modern science and technology ensures that there are
considerable improvements to older technologies, and subsequently standards of
living can be expected to rise, especially in rural and previously less developed
sectors.
 Renewable energy offers energy access in areas where grid extension is expensive
or physically difficult.

Renewable Energy Availability In worldwide

Renewable electricity generation increase by technology, country and region, 2020-2021

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Renewable electricity generation increase by technology, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021

Figure: Renewable Energy Worldwide

Renewable Energy Availability In India

 The installed Renewable energy capacity (including large hydro) has increased from 76.37
GW in March 2014 to 159.95 GW in May 2022, i.e. an increase of around 109.4%.
 As of 31st August 2022, Renewable energy sources, including large hydropower, have a
combined installed capacity of 163 GW.
 The following is the installed capacity for Renewables:
 Wind power: 41.2 GW
 Solar Power: 59.34 GW

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 Biomass /Co-generation: 10.2 GW

 Small Hydro Power: 4.88 GW
 Waste To Energy: 0.47 GW
 Large Hydro: 46.85 GW
 India has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of the nation’s economy by less than
45% by the end of the decade, achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed by 2030.
 India has been ranked amongst top 5 countries in the world, and the best among the G20
countries, based on its Climate Change performance.

SOLAR ENERGY
 Sunlight is one of our planet’s most abundant and freely available energy resources. The
amount of solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface in one hour is more than the
planet’s total energy requirements for a whole year.
 Solar energy is a very large, inexhaustible source of energy. The power from the Sun
intercepted by the earth is approximately 1.8×10 11 MW which is many thousands of time
larger than the present consumption rate on the earth of all commercial energy sources.
 Solar energy is received in the form of radiation, can be converted directly or indirectly
into other forms of energy, such as heat & electricity.
 Harnessed by converting solar energy directly into electrical energy using solar cells.

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Photovoltaic (PV) or Solar Cell:

 It is a device that converts solar energy into electric current using the photoelectric effect.
 Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels, composed of number of solar cells
containing photovoltaic material. Photovoltaic are made up of semiconductors & it
converts solarradiation into direct current electricity.

 Photo-voltaic cell is made up of semi-conductor materials like silicon one layer has n-type
silicon and another layer has P-type silicon and interface between n-type and p-type
silicon is called p-n junction.
 In a p-n junction semi-conductor material, electrons from n-side tend to move towards P-
siderapidly combine with large number of holes concentration.
 Similarly holes from P-side tend to move towards n-side rapidly combine with large
number of electron concentration, this charge distribution across the junction gives rise to
electrical field.
 When a P-n junction semi-conductor material exposed to the sunlight some of the solar
photons will have a tendency to dislodge free-electrons from its fixed position in the
material.
 Ejected free-electrons tend to move towards p-side and this flow negatively charged
electrons constitute an electric current.

Advantages of solar energy

 Solar energy is inexhaustible and most abundant source of energy available freely in
nature.

 It is an environmental clean source of energy.

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 Since solar energy can be converted into other forms of energy, it can be used for
wide range of applications.

Disadvantages of solar energy

 The availability of solar energy varies with time and weather conditions.

 Collection of solar energy is a difficult problem. Hence special components are

required to collect the solar energy.

WIND ENERGY

 Energy of wind can be economically used for the generation of electricity.

 Winds are caused from 2 main factors:
o Heating & cooling of the atmosphere which generates convection currents. Heating
is caused by the absorption of solar energy on the Earth‘s surface & in the
atmosphere.
o The rotation of the Earth with respect to atmosphere & its motion around the
sun

 The energy available in the wind over the Earth‘s surface is estimated to be1.6×107 MW
 Wind energy which is an indirect source of solar energy conversion can be utilized to run
wind mill, which in turn drives a generator to produce electricity.
 The combination of wind turbine & generator is sometimes referred as an AERO-
GENERATOR.

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 Wind possesses energy by virtue of its motion. There are 3 factors determine the
output from a wind energy converter,
o The wind speed,
o The cross section of wind swept by rotor &
o The overall conversion efficiency of the rotor, transmission system & generator

 The power in the wind can be computed by using the concept of kinetics. The wind
mill works on the principle of converting kinetic energy of the wind to mechanical
energy.

Kinetic energy =k.E=½mv2

But m = ρAv

Available wind Power =Pa = 1/8 ρπD2V3 Watts

Advantages of wind energy.

 Wind is freely available in nature and environmental friendly.

 Renewable energy resources.

 Cheap source for power generation.

 A good method of supplying energy to remote areas.

Disadvantage of wind energy

 The wind energy available in dilute form, hence bigger size energy conversion machines
are required.

 Wind energy systems are noisy in operation.

 High initial and maintenance cost.

TIDAL ENERGY

 Tide or wave is periodic rise and fall of water level of the sea. Tides occur due to the
attraction of sea water by the moon.

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 Tides contain large amount of potential energy which is used for power generation. When
the water is above the mean sea level, it is called flood tide. When the water level is below
the mean level it is called ebb tide.
 The arrangement of this system is shown in figure. The ocean tides rise and fall and water
can be stored during the rise period and it can be discharged during fall. A dam is
constructed separating the tidal basin from the sea and a difference in water level is
obtained between the basin and sea.
 During high tide period, water flows from the sea into the tidal basin through the water
turbine. The height of tide is above that of tidal basin. Hence the turbine unit operates
and generates power, as it is directly coupled to a generator.
 By using reversible water turbine, which can run continuously, both during high tide and
low tide, turbine is coupled to generator.
 Potential energy of the water stored in the basin as well as energy during high tide, is
used to drive the turbine which is coupled to the generator to generate electricity.
 The potential in ocean tides resource is estimated as 550 billion KWh/year [120,000 MW]
power.

Advantages of Tidal Energy

 Environment-friendly

 A highly predictable energy source

 High energy density

 Operational and maintenance costs are low

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Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

 High tidal power plant construction costs

 Location limits

 The variable intensity of sea waves

HYDROPOWER

 Hydroelectric power plants convert the hydraulic potential energy from water into
electrical energy. Such plants are suitable were water with suitable head are available.
 This is achieved by converting the potential or kinetic energy of a water source to produce
power.
 Hydroelectric power plants are usually located in dams that impound rivers, thereby
raising the level of the water behind the dam and creating as high a head as is feasible.
 A hydroelectric power station basically works by using a turbine that rotates when it
is driven by a waterfall. The most efficient way to produce electricity in a hydroelectric
power station is to build it at the base of a dam, in order to control the flow of water
through the turbine in a stable way.

 The power available from falling water can be calculated from the flow rate &
density of water, the height of fall & the local acceleration due to gravity.
P=ρ*Q*g*h

Where, P – Power in Watts

ρ –density of water in Kg/m3
Q- Flow in m3/sec
g- Acceleration due to gravity
h- Height difference between inlet & outlet

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Advantages of Hydro Power

1. Water is natural resources, it is energy available at free of cost.

2. Environment friendly source of energy.
3. Electricity can be generated constantly.

Disadvantages of Hydro Power

1. Dependent on the large quantity of water availability.

2. It is expensive to build the dam.
3. Finding suitable site for the plant is very difficult.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

 Geothermal technology extracts the heat found within the subsurface of the
earth, which can be used directly converted into electricity.
 Most Geothermal energy produces low grade heat at about 50-70˚c which can be used
directly for thermal applications.
 Hot geothermal water & or steam is used to operate the turbines directly.

 At a geothermal power plant, wells are drilled 1 or 2 miles deep into the Earth to
pumpsteam or hot water to the surface.
 Hot water is pumped from deep underground through a well under high pressure.

 When the water reaches the surface, the pressure is dropped, which causes the
waterto turn into steam.
 The steam spins a turbine, which is connected to a generator that produces electricity.

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 The steam cools off in a cooling tower and condenses back to water.

 The cooled water is pumped back into the Earth to begin the process again.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy

 Geothermal Energy Sourcing Is Good for the Environment

 High Efficiency of Geothermal Systems

 Little to No Geothermal System Maintenance

Disadvantages Geothermal Energy

 High Investment Costs for Geothermal System

 Possibility of Depletion of Geothermal Sources

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION

 The ocean and seas constitute about 70% of the earth’s surface area and hence they
represent a large storage reservoir of the solar energy.

 When solar radiations fall on the sea water, the most of solar heat absorption takes place
at the surface just below the water. About 95% heat energy takes place within 6 m depth.
 Since warm water is lighter compared to cold water as no convection currents are set and
the deep water in the ocean remains cool.

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 The reservoir of surface water may be considered a heat source and the reservoir of cold
water (1 km below) is considered a heat sink.
 The concept of ocean thermal energy conversion is based on the utilization of
temperature difference between the heat source and the sink in a heat engine to generate
power.

 The warm water from the surface of the sea is circulated through a heat exchanger with
help of a pump.
 In the heat exchanger, the heat of sea water is absorbed by Freon and Freon vapors are
generated at high pressure.
 This vapor drives the turbine to drive it and a coupled generator with it.
 The Freon vapor from the turbine condensed in a condenser with the help of cold water.
 The Freon condensate is pumped again into the heat exchanger and the complete cycle is
repeated.
 The temperature difference present in the ocean is utilized in a heat engine to generate
power. This is called OTEC. Since the temperature difference is very small, even in the
tropical region, OTEC systems have very low efficiencies and very high capital costs.

Advantages of OTEC
1. Ocean is an infinite heat reservoir which receives solar incidence throughout the year.
2. Energy is freely available.
Disadvantage of OTEC
1. Efficiency is very low, about 2.5%, as compared to 30-40% efficiency for conventional power
plants.
2. Capital cost is very high.

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WAVE ENERGY

 Ocean wave energy, or just simply Wave Energy, is another type of ocean based
renewable energy source that uses the power of the waves to generate electricity.
 Wave energy has a lot of potential. Oceans cover 71% of the Earth, so it's very accessible.
 Wave power converts the periodic up-and-down movement of the oceans waves into
electricity by placing equipment on the surface of the oceans that captures the energy
produced by the wave movement and converts this mechanical energy into electrical
power.
 As the wind passes over the surface of the oceans, a portion of the winds kinetic energy is
transferred to the water below, generating waves.
 The kinetic energy of the wave turns a turbine attached to a generator, which produces
electricity.
 However, the open oceans can be a stormy and violent environment, resulting in the
wave energy machines being destroyed by the very energy they were designed to
capture.

Wave Energy Advantages

1. Renewable
2. Environment Friendly
3. Abundant and Widely Available
4. Low Operational Cost and less Maintenance Issues

Wave Energy Disadvantages

1. Suitable to Certain Locations

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2. The power extraction system is exposed to occasional extreme stormy conditions.

3. High Costs
4. Difficult To Transmit

BIOMASS ENERGY

 Biomass energy is a renewable and sustainable source of energy derived from organic
matter and can be used to generate electricity and other forms of power.
 Common materials that can be used to develop biomass fuel include manure, forest
debris, scrap lumber, mulch, sewage, certain crops and some kinds of waste residue.
 Biomass is a renewable energy because it contains the energy which comes from the sun.
Biomass is basically an organic material made from plants and animals. Through the
process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll present in plants absorbs the energy from the sun
by converting the carbon dioxide present in air and water from the ground into
carbohydrates. When these plants are burned, the same energy is released into the air
they captured from the sun.
H2O + CO2 CH2O + O2
CH2O + O2 CO2 + H2O + 112 Kcal/mole
 Biomass in itself contains chemical energy. So, when you burn wood which is a biomass
fuel, the chemical energy inside releases as heat. It can also be used to produce steam
which can further be used to generate electricity.
 To use biomass energy, the initial biomass maybe transformed by chemical or biological
processes to produce intermediate bio-fuels such as methane, producer gas, ethanol &
charcoal etc.
 The pollutant emissions from combustion of biomass are usually lower than fossil fuels.
ADVANTAGES
1. It is renewable source.

2. The energy storage is an in-built feature of it.

3. It is an indigenous source requiring little or no foreign exchange.

4. The forestry & agricultural industries that supply feed stocks also provide substantial
economic development opportunities in rural areas

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DISADVANTAGES
1. It’s comparatively inefficient to fossil fuel
2. Combustion of biomass requires a lot of space
3. Leads to environmental degradation

OIL SHALE:
 Oil shale [a sedimentary rock] refers to a finely textured rock mixed with a solid organic
material called kerogen.
 The process of extracting shale oil is much more difficult than the process of extracting
liquid crude oil from conventional wells.
 Oil shale must be first extracted from the ground with either underground or surface-
mining methods.
 After the process of extraction is complete, oil shale undergoes a process known
as retorting. During retorting, the shale containing the oil undergoes a process
of pyrolysis to convert the oil into a liquid that can be removed more easily. This
pyrolysis
- which takes place in a vessel known as a retort - is simply a process of exposing the rock
to high temperatures without oxygen being present. This results in a chemical change in
the rock.
 When crushed, it can be burnt directly [like coal] & hasa heating value ranging from 2000
to 17,000 KJ/Kg. It is used in this manner for generating electricity & supplying heat.
 Oil shale is utilized as a fuel for thermal power-plants, burning it (like coal) to drive
steam turbines.

Advantages
1. It reduces the energy dependence:
2. It can be used instead of coal which is more contaminant than oil Shale
3. It has the power of improve the economic indicators.

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Disadvantages
1. Its production is highly costly:
2. It is a resource which quickens the global warming:
3. It may pollute the water sources

Internet of energy (IOE)

 Internet of Energy (IOE) is a technological term that refers to the upgrading and
automating of electricity infrastructures for energy producers and manufacturers.
 This allows energy production to move forward more efficiently and cleanly with the least
amount of waste. The term is derived from the increasingly prominent market for Internet
of Things (IoT) technology.
 Benefits of using IOE include increased efficiencies, significant cost savings, and a
reduction in the wastage of energy.
 Adding IOE technology to the process can also lead to the installation of smart grid
technology. Smart grid technology allows users to integrate communication systems,
control power and electrical flow, measure usage, monitor the health of their systems, and
automate their power systems among other things. Smart grids allow users to make better
business decisions and to make forecasts for the future.
 Uses of IOE can be found in a variety of different applications. An example of IOE
technology includes utilizing smart sensors which are common among other
IoT technology applications. This allows IoE-facilitated mechanics such as power
monitoring, distributed storage, and renewable energy integration.
 The IOE includes energy infrastructure in energy production and delivery by using
artificial intelligence (AI) at power plants and power delivery systems.

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