Concepts about Renewable Energy: Perception and Practice.

By,
Dr.Ashok Rao, Visiting Prof.IIM Bangalore
Former Head, Network project, CEDT, IISc, Bangalore

ashokrao.mys@gmail.com

Outline of Presentation
In Two parts Part-1: Concepts, Dimensions and Dynamics of Energy. Renewables as a choice & attitude Part-2: India (III World) Centric views, and handling challenges for supply of Energy

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

ENERGY:A key dimension in sustainable development What is Energy? Why Energy? In what ways and scale? Energy Sources and Nature Historical Perspective Dimensions and Dynamics of energy Sustainability Solutions References and Reading

Renewables:

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

What is Energy ?
Does Work Cooks food Keeps things moving Keeps people warm ( and cool Too)  Used for Communication and Transport  Economic and Social empowerment  Well it also causes Immense Side effects

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

Why energy ?
Food : growing, processing Life styles Shelter : material and creating Clothing: growing, processing Gainful employment : cottage or home industry, entertainment

The biggest Impact On and By Life Style: - Energy- Global Warming SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

Goods and material : SERVICES. Transport People : fast & reliable. Events : people & materials ; WAR !!
Large : corporation, multinationals.

Wealth creation

Co-operatives : farm, cloths, labor Domestic: comfortable homes productive homes (gender) SOHO Social & economic empowerment: Time, energy gain for humans

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF IN WHAT WAYS & SCALE ? SUBTLE WAY`S

ENERGY

: Human ,plants & plants are alive Human & related activities even sleeping !

AMAZING WAY`S : Rainfall, weather ,floods , Hurricanes, water & carbon cycle ,seasons ! Tsunami, Soil !!! WHAT SCALE : Microbes, atomic level Solar System, Cosmic Level. SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

ENERGY IS THE BASIS FOR LIFE

Note : not energy pre-se ; but during interaction & transformation (of life and thus development).

ENERGY FACILITATES LIFE Energy is the greatest EMP(OW)ERER of all Not ICT as we are aimlessly driving our life and academic SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

ENERGY Forms

SOURCES Potential

&

NATURE

: Blazing sun, stored water. Geothermal NOW.

Kinetic Biological Chemical

: Flowing water , blowing wind. : Photosynthesis. : Gasoline, wood, coal, nuclear.

Bio-chemical : Sugar cane , beet , potato! HYDROGEN SSPS : the next Generation Fuel. Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

TRANSFORMATION AND CONVERSION Potential Chemical kinetic kinetic DEC

Source 1 Direct energy conversion(DEC) Indirect energy conversion(IDEC) Source 2

End use

IDEC
Source k

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES Pump/Motor Solar cell Wood stoves IC/EC engines Wind mills
Energy in another (more useful) Form/nature

Energy in one form or nature

FUELS Bio Mass, Coal, Petroleum, Sun, Wind, Muscle power, alcohol. Hybrid of these. SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

HISTORY
BIO MASS : Wood burning, cooking, keeping warm, metallurgy ( Hunter-Gatherer, nomadic and uncertain) MUSCLE POWER : Agriculture, water lifting, commerce, horse, bullocks (The settlers, culture and hope) WIND POWER : Transport, Trade & Commerce, wars & conquests (Commerce and conquests, Trade and Comm.) HYDRO POWER : Water wheels, grinding (Comfort, mobility, drive towards QoL, art, literature)) COAL : Steam power, Industrial revolution, mass & cheap transport.(Amazing scale up, Colonization, VOILENCE, automation, Railways & natural resource exploitation ) SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF 19th Century GASOLINE :

ENERGY

Personal vehicle, road transport Aero planes wars & wars!

ELECTRICITY : Clean, easy to transport, amazing devices. LARGE SCALE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS LARGE SCALE DESTRUCTION OF RAIN FORESTS LARGE POPULATION LEADING UNSUSTAINABLE (high QoL) LIFESTYLES and encouraging others also to do so LED TO, IS INCREASING & UNLIKELY TO HALT GREEN HOUSE EFFECT, GLOBAL WARMING OZONE DEPLETION IS NEW [ CFC, UV Factor etc ] SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

NUCLEAR OPTION

Weapon proliferation! WASTE & its handling Unsafe & Expensive operation (Decommissioning)

Note: The most positive aspect of Nuclear Energy is Zero Green house gas emission. This being marketed aggressively in its favor by Nuclear Lobby everywhere

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF ENERGY
NON RENEWABLE COAL PETROLEUM

ENERGY

Renewable Bio Mass, Wind-water, Nuclear, Solar, Hydrogen.

CAUTION Scale, choice & secondary factors decide SUSTAINABILITY

ENERGY used
Keeping warm, Cooking food, Trade, Small Economic activity [ A ]

[ A ] + large scale Trade + commerce Corporations, Devices Empowerment [B ] 17th 19th 20% nonrenewable

[ A ]+[ B ]+ Higher quality of life; Device Centered Existence Electricity Dominant TRANSPORT ! 20th & beyond >90% nonrenewable

Up to 17th century 100% renewable

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY
Green house effect Population Per capita income HIGH CARBON FOOT PRINT.

15th

19th

20th

SUN IS THE SOURCE OF ALL ENERGY -Historically, culturally and anthropologically

 Hindus, Egyptians and Mayans: SUN God ! Prominent

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

Dimensions and Dynamics of Energy CLEAN : At source and during combustion VERY POLLUTION : Exploration Transport Processing Storing ABUNDANT : Ideally Forever NOT NECESSARILY : Not possible Not viable Not Done SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF CHEAP : Free RELIABLE : High (100%)

ENERGY HARDLY : Hidden costs CONDITIONAL RELIABILITY : Gulf region and its politics

EQUITABLE : For all

VERY UNDEMOCRATIC : Urban & Ist World yes

III World & Villages bad EASY TO HARNESS & USE : Simple and Efficient devices VARIOUS DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY Ist World : yes III World : no, Villages worse SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

SUN ( Solar Thermal & Photo voltaic ) appears best amongst ALL. Bio Mass next, Wind & Hydro are more site specific. (all are anyways indirectly from SUN)
Life style, Size, Night time activities (BPO, ITES) , Scale, Reliability, Economic policy, Social policies all influence
TO MAKE A RIGHT CHOICE AT RIGHT PLACE is SUBSTAINABILITY SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

SUSTAINABILITY
Ecological Issue : Green House effect
Ozone depletion

Choice of Source

Economic Issue : Policy & choice of Technology & Scale of economics Social & Ethical issues : Life styles, Food habits, Human rights, Rights of others, Gender, Quality of Life ,consumerism Political : Energy- I st World and Energy- III World Undemocratic norms to sustain interests EX: USA & Saudi Arabia, now Venezuela SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

SOLUTIONS
Simple life styles : Minimal needs Low energy life Bicycle /Walk Policies :

 

Less processed & low on food chain items Notion & Models for Development Quality of life Equitable energy at minimum level Tax on Non Renewable Differential Tariff on high energy demands SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

3-R and 3-W Strategies

R : Reduce R : Renewables R : Reuse Schumacher : W : Waste less W : Waste Recycling W : Waste to wealth

References &

Reading

Small is Beautiful.

Edward Goldsmith : The Great U Turn. Ivan Illich : Deschooling society & Tools of conviviality. Gaviotas : A Village to Reinvent Earth. Mohamed Yunus: Creating a world without Poverty.

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
IS THE HEAT ON ?

ENERGY

CO2

Long wave radiation

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

Plastic foam others cleaning agents refrigerants Propellant gases Deforestation

Fossil fuels(oil, coal, gas)

WHAT CAUSES THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT ? SSPS : Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

ENERGY

WORLD CO2 - EMMISSION Energy in Industry Energy in transport Use of CFCs Agriculture Energy in Homes, Business Deforestation Others 25% 18% 17% 15% 14% 8% 3%

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

Environmental consequences of the various energy sources

Global/ regional Coal Oil Peat Household waste Hydropower Wind-power Forest energy tree-stumps Energy forest arable land Forest energy residues Straw Energy crops arable land Solar heat Solar electricity Energy efficiency In production: HF, PH3, etc Sound / noise local Water/sea Fauna Vegetation Area Aesthetic comments

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

RENEWABLE

ENERGY

Minor or no environmental consequences

Some environment consequences

Major environmental consequences

The table shows a comparison of the environmental consequences of various energy sources. Environmental consequences include production, extraction, distribution, and consumption.

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF ENERGY Population growth

Social system

Economic system

Ecological system
If we are going to promote development that is meaningful and future oriented. We must first recognize the interaction between ecological systems, population growth, and the preconditions for social and economical development.

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO

CONCEPTS OF

RENEWABLE

ENERGY

Japan is thanking ten years ahead, while the Americans are preoccupied with the profit they can get in ten minutes. In that way they can never compete with us Akio Morita Founder of Sony ISRAEL INVESTS HEAVILY TO BECOME ENERGY-INDEPENDENT 75% of all households in Israel domestic water with rooftop solar collectors. The same figure for Jordan is 45%. Financial Times(2000)

SSPS :

Dr.ASHOK RAO