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As world Governments prepare to agree targets for reducing global warming gases at Copenhagen, the UK Government is taking a lead with proposals for the implementation of efficient and renewable energy technologies. A recent consultation document by the UK’s electricity suppliers shows how they can make a major contribution. Fuel Cell Power illustrates the role of all types of fuel cells, combined with renewable energy technologies in the provision of a flexible, cost effective, low carbon energy infrastructure.
Earlier this year the Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG), comprised of the National Grid, electricity suppliers, OFGEM and the Government, prepared proposals for meeting the Government’s climate change and renewable energy targets for 2020. Their Gone Green scenario envisages 36% electricity from renewable sources by 2020, which should enable the UK to meet the EU target for 15% of all its energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. The National Grid issued a consultation document on this subject entitled Operating the Electricity Transmission Networks in 2020. By 2020 the projected increase in electricity demand is expected to be largely offset by electricity generated off grid. There will be a small reduction in the use of fossil fuels, a tenfold increase in the UK’s large scale wind power, but only a small increase in other forms of renewable energy. The 36% projected contribution of renewable energy by 2020 would be approximately 147TWh, broken down as follows: on and offshore wind 98TWh: biomass 18TWh: hydro 6 TWh: tidal and wave 6 TWh: and other sources including CHP and solar PV 19TWh. For comparison, the 2008 UK sales of electricity totalled 328 Terawatt hours (1TWh is 103 gigawatt hours (GWh) or 109 kilowatt hours).
This is unbalanced, as most investment will be going to the global energy industries for large scale wind farms and very little for innovative energy technologies. Given more backing, the UK energy industry could make a cost effective contribution to meeting targets for reducing global warming gases. The Government’s recent publication entitled The UK Low Carbon Industrial Strategy recognizes that there are often market failures associated with innovation investment, especially in the low carbon sector, where key innovations may involve entirely new technological approaches, such as in vehicle propulsion or energy generation.
It is good that electricity suppliers will be utilizing gas powered micro CHP fuel cells, starting from 2011, but hydrogen and fuel cells are not mentioned in Operating 2020 as future electrical generation and storage options. Fuel Cell Power believes that there is huge potential for efficient hydrogen fuel cell CHP systems powered by wind energy collectors, solar power or waste.
Advantages of local generation with hydrogen storage
Operating 2020 points out that the growth of embedded wind farms is making electricity network management more difficult. The short term operating reserve requirement (STORR) will have to be increased from 4GW to about 10GW in 2020, mainly to provide back up for wind farms, with a smaller addition to allow for larger coal and nuclear power plants. The cost of STORR is projected to be up to £400 million per year. Operating 2020 says that embedded generation could also change electricity demand at peak. Fuel Cell Power believes that the use of hydrogen and fuel cells would increase off-peak demand and help to contain future increases in peak demand. The high electricity to heat ratio of fuel cells will make them eminently suitable for use in future well insulated buildings and help to meet the Foresight Committee’s recommendations for more local, distributed energy.
Given initial ‘pump priming’ a variety of small scale energy saving and renewable technologies will come to market and systems could be rapidly deployed. It is estimated that micro-generation could save up to £1bn by 2020 in network investment. On the other hand, Operating 2020 indicates that due to high demand, the cost of large wind turbines is going up.
Wider spread of technologies
A variety of indigenous, renewable energy sources could contribute heat as well as electricity, and surpluses may be stored as fuel for transport. Energy from municipal, agricultural and forestry waste has great potential. At present about 8% of the UK’s domestic waste provides electricity for 250,000 homes. Burning is an inefficient means of generating energy from waste, but fuel cell systems could provide double the energy from the same primary energy source. This technology would also be more widely accepted, as the gasification process and electrochemical conversion of energy significantly reduce harmful emissions. The organic residues would not be destroyed, but could be used as fertilizer. Apart from the new sources of waste being produced every year, there is a tremendous energy store already locked up in existing landfill sites. New technology is being developed which will simplify the gasification of agricultural and forestry waste.
Several different designs of wind energy collectors are under development, which could operate efficiently in the turbulent air conditions experienced in urban areas. The cost of solar photovoltaic systems is coming down, particularly when incorporated in new buildings. There is also great potential for low head hydro systems. The availability of hydrogen storage would make it more economic to install intermittent renewable energy technologies.
Electric vehicles balance electricity demand
Operating 2020 envisages that 1.5 million battery powered vehicles will usually be recharged outside peak hours and reduce the cost of balancing the load on the grid. Fuel Cell Power believes that there will equally be a role for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, both for personal mobility and to power a clean, efficient, integrated public transport system. As fuel cells are significantly lighter than batteries, they are more energy efficient for longer journeys than batteries. When the vehicles are not in operation, fuel cells could contribute electricity to the grid, thereby reducing the investment required to meet periods of peak demand.
Funding local energy technologies
The National Grid and electricity supply companies should work with local communities to invest in renewable energy systems. Every year up to £1billion will be provided by electricity consumers under the Renewable Obligation (RO), mainly for wind farms. There will be increasing costs for balancing the system, estimated at up to £400 million per year by 2020. If 20% of this funding were allocated to the development and implementation of local energy generation and storage this would help to smooth peak generation and ensure better utilization of capital. It would enable communities, businesses and individuals to purchase their own tried and tested generators of heat and power, thereby increasing investment in energy saving and renewable technologies. Independent teams of engineers and scientists would work with representatives of communities and potential users in every region of the UK.
At present gas powered micro CHP fuel cell systems would not benefit from feed in tariffs (FIT), which only apply to renewable energy. Hydrogen fuel cells would not usually be eligible either, unless they contributed to the grid. Financial incentives are needed for all technologies which help to meet Government targets for reducing global warming gases.
Fuel cells are already widely utilized for back up and uninterrupted power supplies, as they are reliable, clean, quiet and efficient in operation. Larger fuel cells, increasingly powered by renewable energy, are providing onsite electricity, heat and cooling. A zero emission hydrogen powered transport system would balance the load on the grid as wind farms generate more intermittent supplies. A comprehensive programme to develop and deploy innovative technologies would ensure a more flexible energy infrastructure, which could adapt to future changing requirements. It would engage the public, stimulate competition and encourage the renewal of the UK energy industry.
Fuel Cell Power
August 2009 |