Special Focus: POWER-GEN
and domestic consumption that would previously have been discarded as waste can now be reused as fuel for power. T e use of biogas is rising, and technology manufacturers are responding accordingly with solutions around gasifi cation and pyrolysis, where the fuel is heated with little or no oxygen to produce ‘syngas’. T e latter can be used to generate energy, or as a feedstock for producing methane, chemicals, biofuels, or hydrogen.
T
he need for a more sustainable approach to energy management and tighter integration is being driven by the global trend of urbanisation.
Moves towards a decarbonised energy sector and a green society requires new approaches, new products and new skills.
T e signifi cant carbon and energy benefi ts of converting waste to energy (WtE) has seen plants established as an essential part of both the waste management and energy supply network. T ere are now more than 450 WtE plants in operation across Europe, with countries such as France, Germany, and Italy leading the way. Frost & Sullivan analysts predict that global revenues in WtE plants will reach US$29 billion by 2016. Harnessing energy from waste has many benefi ts. It helps nations reduce their dependency on energy imports, and contributes towards reducing carbon emissions and meeting renewable energy targets. Crucially, these types of technologies have a steady and controllable output – i.e. ‘baseload’ power – when used for electricity generation.
Baseload power remains a necessity given that the energy derived from renewables, such as wind and solar radiation, shows a high degree of volatility. T e need for a more sustainable
approach to energy management and tighter integration is being driven by the global trend of urbanisation. In 2010 more people lived in cities than in rural areas for the fi rst time in history, and by 2025 it is estimated that about 60% of the world’s population (4.6 billion people) will live in urban areas. T is poses serious challenges for planners who need to re- think how they provide basic city services to residents.
Storage technologies A viable and cost-eff ective energy storage mechanism would help manage the peaks and troughs of demand, and would therefore become a potential game changer in the integration of renewables. Although storage technologies are developing fast, they have yet to attain a level that would make them commercially viable. Storing energy in the form of heat is one option that holds great potential. T e concept is to store surplus electricity on a sunny or windy day by heating up water, and either storing it in that form or using it to heat or chill buildings. T e latter can be achieved using thermally activated absorption chillers, adsorption chillers, or desiccant dehumidifi cation systems. T e ability to store the electricity generated by renewable energy in suffi cient quantities and at a cost that makes commercial sense would open the door to an even greater penetration of renewable energy sourced power than is currently technically feasible.
The carbon question Carbon capture and storage (CCS) may have received a fair amount of negative press, but the fact remains it is a necessity, given that both coal- and gas-fi red plants will be required for the foreseeable future to provide base-load or instant power when needed. T e European Commission sees CCS, or carbon capture and reuse (CCR), as an important tool for energy policy. In Europe, the UK has two pilot projects operating at commercial scale, while the
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