Are we ready to flip the switch on clean energy?

David Wood

Professor, Schulich School of Engineering

Viola Birss

Professor, Department of Chemistry

Mishka Lysack

Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Work

June 8, 2017

Viola Birss

World leader in the area of electrochemistry at surfaces and interfaces, and in nanomaterials development for a wide range of clean energy applications

Professor in UCalgary'sDepartment of Chemistry

Mishka Lysack

Research focuses on the connections between a healthy environment, renewable energy and a sustainable economy, as well as links between community, social health and well-being

Associate professor in UCalgary's Faculty of Social Work

David Wood

Professor of renewable energy since 2010

Director of the Wind Energy Institute of Canada

Main research in wind turbine aerodynamics

Other research in solar and wind resource assessment, RE for developing countries

http://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/electricity_generation.pdf

Electricity generation in Canada

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/EnergyFactBook_2016_17_En.pdf

Electricity prices

https://www.hydro.mb.ca/regulatory_affairs/energy_rates/electricity/utility_rate_comp.shtml#analysis

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/average-electricity-prices-kwh.html

Canada has nearly the cheapest electricity in the world and the greatest fraction from renewable energy

Price in US c/kilowatt-hour

Wind energy

Currently the cheapest form of renewable energy

Main problems are:• Intermittent production

• Bird and bat deaths

• Noise

Research areas:• Improving efficiency and cost effectiveness as wind turbines

get larger

• Control and protection at high winds

• Asset management of wind farms

• Integrating renewable energy with storage

http://www.city-data.com/forum/green-living/2540299-rationalizations-wind-turbines-beautiful-vs-whats-7.html

Wind energy

Renewable energy in developing countries

10

A small hydro power system in Nepal Wind solar village electrification system

Research areas and tasks:• Improve efficiency, reduce

cost• Capacity building through

teaching and technology exchange

Electrochemical technologies for clean

energy conversion and storage

11

Large-Scale Storage of Electricity is a Challenge

Electrochemical

Electrical energy storage systems

Pumped Hydro

Compressed Air

Flywheels

Secondary Batteries

Flow Batteries

H2, CO, CO2

(Fuel Cells/Electrolysis)

Capacitors

Superconducting Magnetic Coils

Heat Storage

Mechanical Electrical

Chemical Thermal

• Our main focus is on electrochemical technologies & capacitors

• Fuel cells cleanly convert fuels to electricity (no particulates, SOx, NOx)

• Electrolysis cells have unique advantages, as they can use CO2

ELECTROLYTE

CATHODE (+)

ANODE (-)

(oxidation)

(reduction)

Steam

Unreacted fuelCO2

Heat

electrons

O2-

CH4, CO, H2, alcohols,biogas, diesel, etc.

Air, O2

Solid oxide fuel cells: Clean & efficient power generation

• Clean• Efficient• Modular • mW-MW• Quiet

Solid oxide electrolysis cells:Power to fuels (e.g. CO2 splitting)

Wind turbines

excess generation

Electricity storage

(Electrolysis)

Inject H2O or CO2/H2O

Store H2 or Syngas

peak demand

Electricity generation

(Fuel Cell)

Inject H2 or Syngas

Store CO2Solar Panels

Reversible

gas

storage

Reversible solid oxide fuel cells (RSOFCs) for energy storage & CO2 splitting

Single unit operating in both SOFC and SOEC mode (700-1000 oC).

Cathode (Ni-YSZ)

Electrolyte (YSZ)

Anode (LSM-YSZ)

Anode (Ni-YSZ)

Electrolyte(YSZ)

Cathode (LSM-YSZ)

Power

H2O + CO2

e-

e-

O2- O2-

H2 + CO (Fuel)

O2 (Air)

Load Power

e-

e-

H2O + 2e- H2 + O2-

CO2 + 2e- CO + O2-

O2- ½ O2 + 2e- ½ O2 + 2e- O2-

H2 + O2- H2O + 2e-CO + O2- CO2 + 2e-

SOEC mode‘energy storage’

SOFC mode‘energy production’

The Birss Group has developed some very promising catalysts:

• Low cost, durable (e.g., sulfur tolerant)

• Highly active/stable for both CO2 & O2 evolution/reduction

• Scale-up & prototype testing currently underway

V. Birss, B. Molero-Sánchez, P. Addo and M. Chen, High performance oxygen and fuel electrode for reversible solid oxide fuel

cell applications, CA 2,893,153; priority date May 05, 2015; US 15/169,506; priority date May 05, 2015l; M. Chen, S. Paulson,

V. Thangadurai and V. Birss, J Power Sources, 2013, 236, 68-79.

Calgary Advanced Energy Storage &

Conversion Research Technologies

(CAESR-Tech)

Reversible gas

storage

Fuel cells &

electrolysis

cells

Batteriescapacitors

Electrochemical

remediation

Electrochemical

Sensors

Integration Electricity

management

LCAModelling

Alberta’s plans are to run the grid 30% on renewables by 2030

18 research groups

Acknowledgements

Many of the slides, graphs, and other material were originally developed and gathered by Guy Dauncey & Anna Leidreiter.

My thanks for their kind permission to use their slides and material.

2050 Energiewende targets

The energy transition follows a transparent, long-term strategy with specific targets.

Sou

rce

: Fed

eral

Go

vern

men

t20

10,

BM

U/B

MW

i 20

14

, BM

Wi 2

01

5,

AG

EE-S

tat

20

14, A

GEB

201

5, B

MW

i 20

16

Speaker

Climate

Renewable Energies

Energy Efficiency

% gross final energy consumption

% gross electricity consumption

% primary energy consumption (vs. 2008)

final energy productivity (vs. 2008)

building renovation

% greenhouse gas reduction (vs. 1990)

2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2050

+2.1% p.a. (2008-2050)

doubling of renovation rate: 1% 2% p.a.

-40-55

-70 -80 to -95

35 40 to 4550 65

8055 to 60

1830

4560

-20

-50

13,7%

32.6% (2015)

- 7.3 %(2015)

1.7% p.a.

~1% p.a.

-27%

Achieved 2014

1.7%% transport energy consumption (vs. 2008)

-10 -40

Building Canada’s new energy economy

1) Engaging participation of Canadians as empowered new stakeholders or energy citizens (energieburger) in a new energy system with innovative business models in an inclusive policy approach

Building Canada’s new energyeconomy

2) Renewable energy and energy efficiency as a tool for job creation, economic development, and climate protection

Employment Impacts of renewable energy sources

Employment Impacts of alternative energy sources

Job creation per $1 million in output

Energy source Direct job creation per $1

million in output (# of jobs)

Indirect job creation per $1

million in output (# of jobs)

Direct and indirect job

creation per $1 million I output

(# of jobs)

Direct and indirect job

creation relative to oil (%

difference)

Fossil Fuels

Oil and gas 0.8 2.9 3.7 -

Coal 1.9 3.0 4.9 +32.4%

Energy efficiency

Building retrofits 7.0 4.9 11.9 +221.6%

Mass transit/freight rail (90 % MT,

10% FR)

11.0 4.9 15.9 +329.7%

Smart grid 4.3 4.6 8.9 +140.5% Renewables

Wind 4.6 4.9 9.5 +156.8%

Solar 5.4 4.4 9.8 +164.9%

Biomass 7.4 5.0 12.4 +235.1%

Source: Pollin et al. The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy: How the Economic Stimulus Program and New

Legislation Can Boost U.S Economic Growth and Employment. Political Economy Research Institute: University of

Massachusetts, Amherst, 2009. p 28

Thank you

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