Renewable energy sources are those that are inexhaustible on a human time scale, and have an unlimited supply. These are namely sources such as solar, water, wind, bio-, and geothermal energy resources. The technologies that harness renewable power are diverse. Understanding these technologies can encourage acceptance of them and can also improve policy: a firm understanding of how these technologies work independently and in a system makes energy planning at the city-wide level much easier.
Of further interest to local governments are developments in smart grids, demand-side management and energy storage that enable the wider adoption of renewable energy and the spread of its inherent benefits.
In this section, insight is provided on renewable energy for local governments so that cities and municipalities interested in pursuing sustainable energy policy will have sufficient information to develop an informed plan. Listed below are general renewable energy technology categories that explain what the resource is and how the technology captures the resource, with an emphasis on information and applications pertinent to local governments and municipalities.
Bio Energy
Bioenergy has many different fuel sources, production processes, and end-use technology. Bioenergy can be broadly separated into the categories biomass (switchgrass, wood chips), biogas (biodigesters, landfill gas), and liquid biofuel (biodiesel, ethanol). Heat and power units can be fueled by bioenergy. Such units can provide district heating and electricity, while also assisting in integrating other renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and water resources. More...
- Iceland Krafla - Asgeir Eggertsson
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy takes advantage of the heat resources in the earth's crust - from a few feet underground to deep in the upper mantle. The deeper, hotter layers are used for electricity production, and more commonly, the lower temperatures found near the surface are used in heating and cooling. Low grade heating has massive potential for reducing energy consumption, which consequently reduces energy costs. Local governments can capitalize on this technology directly and also consider it as a valuable contribution to climate change reduction goals in urban planning. More...
Solar Energy
No matter where you live on the planet, solar energy is an available resource. More energy from the sun falls on the surface of the Earth than all of the energy used by humans combined. Both heat and electrical energy can be captured via solar PV cells, passive solar design in buildings and solar thermal technologies. Solar energy is small scale and easily integrated into buildings. More...
- Freiburg Hydropower Station - City of Freiburg
Water Power
Water power (or hydropower) is the most prevalent renewable energy technology worldwide with the highest installed capacity. Small and medium scaled hydropower is of greater sustainability and has great potential for expansion. However, early investments in large scale hydropower can make significant contributions to renewable energy targets. In addition to hydropower, tidal and wave power are two technologies with upcoming potential. Local governments have a strong role to play in encouraging and assisting in the development of environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable electricity derived from water resources. More...
Wind Energy
Wind is an inexhaustible resource which can be captured with a wind turbine. Today, wind power is one of the most affordable of the renewable energy technologies. In terms of megawatt capacity, it is the fastest growing renewable resource. As of 2008, there has been 121 GW of wind power installed worldwide, up from 74 GW in 2006 (REN21, 2009). More...
Energy Storage
Energy storage has long been used in cars, gadgets, and for providing a steady supply of power. Now storage is being looked to as a tool to support the expansion of renewables. Renewable energy is sometimes only available intermittently. The wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine. Storage offers a solution for the better management of the electricity network. Storage helps match supply and demand, ensuring reliable delivery of renewable power and improved local energy security. Storage challenges the way energy systems are conceived and planned. More...
- Solar panels on roofs - City of Betim
Green Design
Green design is a technique of designing buildings and cities in a way which is harmonious to the natural environment and which utilizes renewable energy sources. The goal of designing a building or city sustainably is to reduce the collective impact of the building's construction and energy usage on the environment. More...
Smart Grids
The Smart Grid allows for two-way flows of energy and information, and allows buildings to not only consume, but to become producers of energy. Today’s electricity grid is mainly designed to flow in one direction from large-scale power plants, far away from the destination, over the course of which a large amount of energy is lost. Utilizing this grid of the future can save local governments quite a lot of energy and money. More...
Not sure what a term means?
View the Renew-ictionary for term definitions.
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário