Green energy grows more sophisticated each year, as the renewable s industry finds new and
exciting ways to reduce carbon emissions. From wave power to air source heating, there are really
no limits to what technology and science can achieve.
With that in mind, we’ve gathered some of the most exciting feats of renewable energy for you to
marvel at. These technologies are all at different stages of their rollouts – some might be having
their kinks ironed out, while others are tested and ready for deployment. Take a look!
Wave power
Wave power harnesses so much potential for worldwide renewable energy, but up to yet it’s proved
difficult to comprehensively harness and convert that energy in large amounts. It’s for this reason
that wave power stations are quite rare.
Wave power works through the interaction between kinetic energy and water. Waves are created by
wind energy, which we’re sure you’ll know already about – but what you might not know is that it is
this which differentiates wave power from tidal power (the two are often confused with each other).
The difference is that tidal power is derived from underwater equipment that works to capture the
ongoing movements of ocean currents. These currents are powered by gravity and Earth’s rotation,
meaning that although there is plenty of potential for energy generation, it is difficult to rely on and,
as a result, is almost impossible to comprehensively test.
That said, there are a few big players that are engineering wave energy solutions. Because wave
energy works on a round-the-clock basis (unlike solar energy and wind energy), the potential is
massive.
In fact, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers estimates that there is a roundabout potential
of 3.7 terawatts of wave energy, which is almost double that of current worldwide electrical
consumption.
Space-based solar power
The concept of space-based solar power – which, as the name suggests, involves putting solar panels
into orbit around 22,000 miles up in the atmosphere – was first theorised over 40 years ago by the
famed scientist/doctor Peter Glaser. The concept is still in its infancy but has courted the attention
of numerous groups, including NASA, the US Department of Energy, and other major research bodies
from Japan and the Far East.
In early 2018, scientists from the California Institute of Technology created a prototype that comes
the closest to sufficiently harnessing the abundant amount of solar energy in space.
Here’s how the prototype works: it’s made from one single tile with three components.
- The first component is an optical reflector that concentrates the sunlight
- The second component is comprised of standard photo voltaic cells that convert the sunlight
to electricity - The third component is a built-in circuit that then converts the electricity to radio frequency
energy, which can be transmitted through an attached antenna
The incoming radio frequency energy is finally received by earthbound microwave receivers, which
then convert it back to usable electricity.
What is perhaps most impressive is that all of this technology fits into a unit that is the same size as a
large pizza. The tile weighs in at only 1.5 kilograms, reducing the cost of launching it as well as any
maintenance or transport costs.
The story of space-based solar continues, with the whole world watching.
Air source heat technology
Air source heating is actually the most popular form of domestic heating across Scandinavia, with
the UK and parts of the US quickly catching up. Usually placed at the back or to the side of a
property, air source heat pumps work by taking heat from the outside air and boosting its
temperature. It’s not 100% renewable, because it relies on electricity to run (so you need to source
the electricity itself renewably), but the amount of energy it uses compared to the heat produced is
very low, which makes it very efficient!
Air source heat pumps are easy to install and they require minimal maintenance, making them
popular for domestic use. They are even capable of drawing heat from the environment when the
temperature is as low as -15°C. One major advantage for homeowners is that a heat pump system is
fully compatible with existing heat sources, whether that’s radiators, boilers, or an underfloor
heating system.
As homeowners across the world look for more cost-efficient ways of powering their homes, it
becomes increasingly clear that air source heating is the way forward.
Virtual power plant
Many are pinning their hopes of solving the energy crisis on the rollout of VPPs (virtual power
plants), and while its development is still ongoing, it’s easy to see why the support for VPPs is so
strong.
Dubbed “the internet of energy”, a virtual power plant is a digital control system which connects
thousands upon thousands of energy generators, storage systems, and businesses, so that there is
greater management and monitoring of their supply and demand.
The energy sources being monitored could include anything from hot-water systems and battery
storage to air-conditioners and electric-vehicle chargers. The VPP would pool these resources
together and use them like a power station.
For example, if all of these resources were pooled together, you could, in theory, wind down the
energy from Mr. X’s air-conditioning system, turn the dial down on Mrs. Y’s boiler, and turn Mr. Z’s
family battery up to 11 to provide energy for all.
Given that it is still in its early stages, there are drawbacks to the VPP plan. There are issues that
need ironing out, which various research groups are trying to deal with.
Lithium-air batteries
Also known as lithium-oxygen fuel cells, lithium-air batteries have been worked on in laboratories
across the world ever since electric cars hit the market. They were first commercialized back in 1991,
but this was on a small-scale and with very limited availability. It’s expected that lithium-air battery
tech will permeate every industry by 2030, from renewable-energy storage (which many think
should be its primary focus) to smartphones and electric cars.
Research hit a new high with developments from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the
Argonne National Laboratory. Their combined efforts are published in the journal Nature, which
documents their findings. Amin Salehi-Khojin, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial
engineering and co-corresponding author of the journal, said:
“Our lithium-air battery design represents a revolution in the battery community.
“This first demonstration of a true lithium-air battery is an important step toward what we call
‘beyond lithium-ion’ batteries, but we have more work to do in order to commercialize it.”
The design is more lightweight and takes oxygen from the air to react with its lithium (rather than
having to store oxygen ions in the battery itself). The team’s work could help boost the longevity of
electric-car batteries, as well as reduce charge-times for phones and laptops.
A bright future for renewable energy
Scientific inquiry into renewable energy has never been bolder, and with the above developments
there are plenty of things to be excited about – as we’ve covered here. Here’s to the future!
| Author Bio: | Callum Dawson is a writer for Project Air Source, one of the UK’s most-trusted providers of air source heating technology. |
