ENERGY ENERGY

Energy abundance in a world of scarcity
Gunter Pauli has initiated the concept of “The Blue Economy” to protect the eco-system
Sustainability has been defined as “the
ability to satisfy basic human needs
with existing means”. If we apply this
logic to energy, we are forced to think
again about our current model. It is
a fact that ever since the concept of
centralised generation and distribution
of electricity was established more
than a hundred years ago, potential
local sources of energy were only
rarely tapped. If we ignore this portfolio
of energy sources, we will continue to
pay a high price – in the form of costs
and the destruction of the environment.
If, however, we change our attitude and
integrate a number of local sources
of energy and heat, we could turn our
energy balance from one of scarcity
to one of abundance – and reduce
environmental pollution at the same
time. Surprisingly, this could also result
in lower charges.
DOES GREEN ENERGY
REALLY COST MORE?
Somehow the energy producers and
distributers have managed to convince
both consumers and politicians that
everything that is good for our health
and the environment comes at a surcharge.
The management talk of “core
business” and “core competence” has
resulted in a situation where industry
has imposed on us the effects of economies
of scale: energy sources were
reduced to just a few, and the charge
per kilowatt hour was reduced for the
producer. Today’s energy mix reflects
the desire to cover basic and peak
loads at predictable prices with guaranteed
profit margins – any additional
costs are passed on to the customer.
This has led to nuclear energy, coal, oil
and natural gas being selected as the
main sources of energy. Renewable
sources of energy were typically talked
down because – so the argument goes
– the sun only shines for five hours
per day and the wind is unreliable. In
addition, renewable energy requires
backup systems and storage. This
would increase the cost to be borne
by the customer or require appropriate
public funding, which in the end must
also be borne by citizens in the form of
higher taxes.
QUESTIONING THE LOGIC
The Blue Economy idea has two
guiding principles which determine
the identification of a new energy mix
beyond that of green energy supply.
Firstly: use what you have. And
secondly: seek multiple uses. To make
this proposal successful, it would be
necessary to change the rules of the
game. Up to now it has been largely
overlooked that our current mains
network supplies alternating current
at 240 volts. Practically all renewable
energies are generated as direct current.
So additional capital is required
for feeding this direct current into the
mains network. If we were in a position
to create local 12 volt direct current
networks, many well-known but little
used renewable energy sources would
become commercially viable, without
any major investment.
The alternating current paradigm has
caused us to neglect the potential of
all renewable energy sources. Solar
cells are only used on one side, in
spite of the fact that they can generate
a higher output when both sides
are exposed to sunlight, which would
be possible through the use of CSP
technology (Concentrated Solar Power,
a method of using mirrors or lenses
to direct sunlight to the other side of
the cells). If this energy were to be fed
directly into a local 12 volt direct current
network, it would be more competitive
than the energy supplied via the
national grid. Unfortunately however,
the training of electrical engineers has
been based on the alternating current
logic. Properties or communities
that are not connected to the mains
network are seen in the same light as
investment in buffer batteries. According
to alternating current logic, this is
just a way of unnecessarily increasing
the cost to the consumer. Only very
green and well-to-do citizens would
be able to afford this option.
Those who have opted for renewable
energy production produce primarily
direct current, which is then converted
to alternating current and fed into the
mains network, only to then be reconverted
to direct current at the point
of use. Do we actually realise how
inefficient and expensive that is? The
electronics engineers have made direct
current the standard. More than 80
percent of household equipment run
on microelectronics current is operated
with direct current. If we count the
number of chargers in the household –
which in effect are AC/DC converters –
the degree of inefficiency we are quietly
tolerating becomes very clear.
REVIEWING THE ALTERNATING
CURRENT STANDARD
The alternating current standard was
established more than one hundred
years ago. Local direct current networks
which are connected to local
sources of electricity present a new
competitive model with high efficiency.
They can help to reduce the demand
for energy by up to 60 percent without
negative impact on performance or
comfort. Local direct current networks
also have a positive effect on health
and safety. There is less risk of fire
and electrical shock, and wiring, metal
consumption and maintenance are
reduced. The changeover to a local
portfolio of direct current sources is
just the first step. Further adaptations
will be necessary, including a more
intelligent utilisation of the available
sources.
OUR OPPORTUNITY: BETTER
WATER MANAGEMENT
It always comes as a surprise when we
realise how little effort building designers
make to exploit the laws of physics
for the purpose of improving the quality
of life in general, and energy efficiency
in particular. A fresh look at water
could change that. For example, a thermosiphon
will work all year round with
the hot water – predictably – rising to
the top. Current technology in existing
systems uses pumps, which increase
both cost and energy consumption. If
solar energy or simply just luminescence
were used to generate electricity
and heat water – using both sides
of special solar modules as supplied
by the Swedish innovation company
Solarus AB – four to six panels would
In 2010 Gunter Pauli
published his book
“The Blue Economy.
10 years, 100 innovations,
100 million jobs.”
be sufficient to supply a single family
home with electricity, hot water, and
cooling.
While this thermosiphon transports
water to the top of the building, the
falling water could – predictably – generate
electricity and, at the same time,
result in several additional benefits.
For example, the water current could
provide the energy to locally create
ozone from the oxygen dissolved in the
water, and to destroy elemental chlorine.
When water is stored at the top
of the building at 80 or even 90°C, it is
possible to provide domestic hot water
at 38 to 40°C while at the same time
generating direct current using a solid
state heat exchanger which utilises the
differential of 40 to 50°C.
RECYCLING WASTEWATER
AND SOLID WASTE
We can also apply the logic of “use
what you have in order to gain multiple
benefits” to the treatment of wastewater
and solid waste. A central collection
point and familiarity with biochemical
reactions of black water sludge and
solid organic waste make it possible to
produce four times more methane gas
than was previously thought possible.
These waste energies – which will
be available for as long as there are
people – provide a steady and cheap
source of methane. When one combines
the smart chemistry offered by
Scandinavian Biogas Chemie with the
Vortex technology offered by AgroPlas
of Great Britain, one can generate
hydrogen for the operation of fuel cells
whenever there is need for it. The only
residue from this process is carbon
powder, which has a commercial use.
This may sound as if it is too good to
be true, but it is reality.
LEARNING NEW WAYS
OF THINKING
The biggest challenge lies in the fact
that too few building designers and
energy experts are trained in thinking
this way. Furthermore, the few that
are able to think that way may not
have access to the necessary tools.
The options and opportunities
described here – as well as many
others which can be looked up at
www.blueeconomy.de – have been
dismissed as either not feasible,
futuristic, or at least too expensive.
The time is right to progress from
pure fantasy to a vision based on
science so that these opportunities
enter the mainstream of common
knowledge. This requires us to be
prepared to depart from our comfort
zone, and to make it a priority to steer
our economy and society at large on
to the course of sustainability – using
what we have.
Gunter Pauli
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