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Foreword
social aspects. Not only are physical-chemical basics examined, but
subjects and questions concerning communication risks, protection
of the environment, health, regulation or science requirements, as
well as economic and social implementing are also addressed.
Storing electricity in huge quantities is one of the future
challenges we will face, especially with the massive expansion of
renewable energies.
To get a more precise idea of these quantities, we take a
hypothetical look at the year 2030. Supposing that until then, 30%
of Germany’s entire electricity will be provided by wind, a storage
or buffer capacity of about 3000 GWh will be necessary to make up
for the energy lost during an almost wind-free week. This is more
than 70 times the capacity of our actual pump storage capacity of
40 GWh. A similar problem arises in the face of a temporary energy
excess. Along with pump storage plants and air pressure storages,
developments in stationary storing solutions are necessary in order
to store energy intelligently and to be able to feed the network
when needed. Electro-chemical storage options are described in the
chapter 3.3.1, “Materials for Energy Storage.”
Chapter 3.4.1, “Nanotechnology in Construction,” provides an
overview on nanotechnology applications within the construction
sector.
All over the world, scientists look for new processes in order
to enhance energy and ecological assets in the cement production.
CO 2 emissions in cement production are three to four times higher
than, for instance, the entire air traffic’s discharges. Scientists
at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) fabricated a new
adhesive agent with Celitement, which is comparable to the
adhesive in Portland cement (OPC), based on the still unidentified
hydraulically active calcium hydro-silicates. Compared with the
standard fabrication of Portland cement, 50% of energy and CO 2
emissions can be saved during its production.
How to use lost heat efficiently with the help of the thermoelectric
effect and adequate materials is the subject dealt with in chapter
3.2.2, “Nanoscale Thermoelectrics”. Nanoscalic thermoelectric materials
with high Seebeck coefficients show excellent characteristics
for technical use — for instance, in the car industry.