Renewable Energy Workshop CDAE-106 Intro Gary Flomenhoft

Peak Oil

CLIMATE CHANGE

WORLD ENERGY Fossil Fuel: 75.9% Nuclear: 5.7% Renewable: 18.4%

Net Energy

DIRECT-GAIN Large south facing windows that let in the sunlight. Thermal mass is used to absorb the radiation. At night the absorbed heat is radiated back into the living space.

CDAE 170 Solar Building Strategies PV system design Dec. 1, 2003 Gary Flomenhoft BSME, MAPP, CEE Research Associate Gund Institute, SNR

Collectors-Flat Plate

Collectors-Evacuated tube

Installation

Offgrid-24V Inverter-batteries-generator

Photoelectric Effect A picture of an typical silicon PV cell Now a short video:

CZOCHRALSKI PROCESS This is the process of creating an ingot. A small single silicon rod (seed) is placed in an inert gas at high temps. When the seed is rotated up and out silicon adheres to it to form an ingot.

EVERGREEN-STRING RIBBON

NONOSOLAR: paint-on

CELLS -> MODULES Wafers 5 inches square and.012 inches thick are sliced from the ingot. They are then processed into cells and soldered together to achieve the desired voltage. Cells arrayed in series are called modules.

MANUFACTURERS Sharp Electronics Corporation Sanyo bp Solar Shell Sunwise Uni-Solar AstroPower

POLYCRYSTALLINE SOLAR PANELS “Energy of the Future”

Thin Film History Developed in 1980 Applied to calculators, watches and other portable low-watt appliances Expanded to larger appliances as efficiency rate increased

Cost by Brand Unisolar 21 watt= $ Shell 20 watt= $ Isofoton 165 watt= $ research shows that on average thin cell costs $5 per watt

Solar Charge Controllers Alison Ray and Scott Hamshaw

Solar Trackers Getting the most out of your PV panels

What is an Inverter? An inverter is an electrical circuit capable of turning DC power into AC power, while at the same time regulating the voltage, current, and frequency of the signal

Batteries?

Micro-Hydro site 15 kw of power Servicing 25 homes $30,000

Turbines: Reaction or Impulse

Impulse-type Turbine High-head use- (Vertical drop > 10m) High pressure (PSI)

Harris DC Hydro systems

Inside of Micro Turbine 4 inch diameter impulse turbine Creates 200 watts of power Cost $1440

Impulse Turbines Pelton: High head (>10ft), low flow Turgo: Medium head (>4ft) Crossflow: Low head, high flow

Stream engine top Stream engine bottom Impulse machines-Stream engine -$1895

PF-175

PF-175-$950 (plus shipping from India)

14KW Canyon Industries Pelton

Reaction-type Turbine Low-head situations (high flow/ low PSI)

Reaction-type Turbine-Propellor Low-head situations (high flow/ low PSI)

REACTION TURBINES Francis Kaplan or propellor

Reaction machine installation

LH (Low head)-1000 reaction machine-$1895

Reaction-type Turbine-Kaplan Low-head situations (high flow/ low PSI)

Wind Turbines

Biomass: In Vermont VT Energy Consumption Sources Nuclear 36% System 14% Hydro Quebec 35% Oil 2% Gas 1% Other Renewable 5% Small Hydro 7% Since 1984, Vermont has met all increase in energy demands(a total of 125 Mw) by renewable in-state sources: -40 Mw Small Hydro -73 Mw McNeil/Rygate (Biomass Plants) -6 Mw Searsburg Wind Farm EPA Landfill Incentive Program

Kinds of Biomass- traditional Trees- Wood has been used as a source of energy throughout human history and today the most commonly used form or biomass. Today there are still many people in third world countries using it to provide heat and energy. There are also ‘purpose grown’ tree farms which are specifically grown to produce wood for energy in larger developed countries.

More traditional Biomass types Straw is used similarly too wood, it is burned and used to make heat and energy Animal Dung- Poop is often used as a source of heat and energy

More non-traditional Biomass Landfill gas- The gas emitted from landfills is very rich in methane, it is collected and used to generate power in small scale power plants.

Gasohol Ethanol Alcohol generated by fermenting sugar cane or corn is combined with gas and used to power cars…mmm…tasty gasohol.

Biodiesel Biodiesel is made from: vegetable oil alcohol (20-30%) sodium/potassium hydroxide (2-3%)

Geothermal Heat Pumps A geothermal heat pump system consists of pipes buried in the shallow ground near the building, a heat exchanger, and ductwork into the building. In winter, heat from the relatively warmer ground goes through the heat exchanger into the house. In summer, hot air from the house is pulled through the heat exchanger into the relatively cooler ground. Heat removed during the summer can be used as no-cost energy to heat water.

Seasonal GHP’s

Geysers Water at bottom of container is under great pressure and will not boil until temperature is above 100 o C When boiling begins, a great amount of pressure is released, causing the water to boil rapidly. Steam-driven water, under great pressure, rushes up to the neck, and sprays steam into the air