Alternative power

Why alternative power is needed

Global Energy Consumption Growth

Global energy consumption is on the rise. Although traditional industries and services are becoming more and more energy efficient, the growth of the world's population and the emergence of new services leads to an increase in overall energy consumption. In 2015, global energy consumption amounted to 20.76 trillion kWh, according to the International Energy Agency, the forecast for 2030 is 33.4 trillion kWh, and by 2050 - up to 41.3 trillion kWh.

The "digital economy" accounts for about a tenth of global energy consumption, but this share is increasing. For example, a couple of years ago, cryptocurrency mining was the lot of geeks, and now this direction on a global scale consumes more energy than many countries. For example, Bitcoin mining "eats up" 14.6 TW * h per year, and Tajikistan's consumption per year is only 13 TW * h, according to DigiEconomist, and there are also other cryptocurrencies, for example, Ethereum mining takes about 5^[1] per year^[2]."

The world needs more energy, and, if possible, for less money. To ensure growing global demands, energy needs quality change. The use of renewable energy sources (RES), decentralization of generation and the widespread introduction of smart grids will lead to a radical reduction in the cost of electricity.

Climate change

Main article: Climate change on Earth

Place of alternative sources in power generation

Countries are leaders in installed capacity

Alternative power directions

The use of renewable energy sources (RES) is most often considered by public opinion in the context of "green power," which in the process of work minimally affects the environment, and considers this to be a very innovative direction that has appeared quite recently. However, this is not entirely true.

A classic example of generating capacity using renewable energy is hydroelectric power plants, which have been building for more than a century around the world. Wind, tidal, solar, geothermal and other power plants on renewable energy have also been developed many decades ago, and such solutions can be based on a variety of technological approaches. For example, solar can be equipped with semiconductor panels that directly "convert" light to electricity, but can be a system of mirrors that focus light on the reservoir and heat the liquid contained there that turns the turbine. Variations of tidal power plants are also plentiful.

RES solutions, the principles of which were developed decades ago, are created using new materials and modern engineering approaches, thanks to which stations are cheaper and more efficient. On the example of solar panels, in the improvement of which astronomical funds are invested, such development is most noticeable, but to increase the effectiveness of the corresponding solutions there are other approaches. For example, a floating solar power plant will be built in South Korea, the batteries of which will be turning, in order to maintain an optimal orientation in the Sun throughout the day. According to Solkiss, which has already tested prototypes, this simple approach to the new solution will increase solar power generation by 22% compared to ground-based power plants using stationary batteries. Placing batteries on a water surface simplifies changing the orientation of panels, a similar solution can be created on the ground, only it will be more difficult and more expensive. Recall that placing panels on water avoids heating, which greatly reduces the efficiency of solar panels. As you can see, in order to obtain a significant increase in efficiency, it was not necessary to discover new physical effects, create new technologies for the production of semiconductor panels, etc., but it turned out to be enough traditional engineering approaches. There are many such examples, the attention of engineers is drawn to "green power plants," so dozens create elegant solutions for these systems.

Power plants on renewable energy sources are unstable. For obvious reasons, in the dark, solar power plants do not generate electricity, green solutions built on other principles in most cases also depend heavily on the vagaries of the weather: for example, calm comes - wind farms are idle, and wave power drops by orders of magnitude.

Seasonal phenomena can also significantly change the effectiveness of VI stations for reasons known from the school course in natural science and physical geography. In winter, daylight hours decrease, there are fewer clear days and the sun is lower above the horizon - and the generation of electricity by solar panels decreases not by percentage, but by several times.

This means that "green power plants" will operate in parallel with the generating facilities of traditional power. The obtained synthesis provides a reduction in the price of electricity while maintaining the stability of the power supply. But other solutions are increasingly being used to mitigate the situation caused by the instability of power plants on renewable energy sources. The situation can be somewhat mitigated by energy accumulators.

Hydropower

The world's most reliable renewable energy source is not wind or sunlight, but water. Global hydropower capacity reached a record 1,308 gigawatts in 2019. Hydroelectric power is cheap, easily stored and shipped, produced without burning fuel, therefore environmentally friendly. Water power was in great demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, as electricity production was little affected due to the degree of automation of modern facilities. However, as with other energy sources, hydropower is not without environmental costs, it can damage local aquatic ecosystems^[3]

Wind power

• Wind power

Solar Power

• Solar power (Russian market)
• Solar Power (Global Market)

Bio-energetics

Electricity by evaporation of water

Evaporation is the process by which a substance transitions from a liquid state to a gaseous state. Generally, evaporation is a consequence of heating the substance to a certain temperature. It is thanks to evaporation on Earth that the water cycle is maintained, and the Sun acts as an evaporator in this case. The scale of energy that is spent on the evaporation process throughout the planet is actually very large, although we do not notice this in everyday life^[4].

According to Ozgur Sahin and colleagues at Columbia University, water that evaporates from all rivers, lakes and dams in the modern United States (with the exception of the Great Lakes) can provide up to 2.85 million megawatt hours of electricity per year. By comparison, this is equivalent to two-thirds of the electricity produced in all US states for 2015! And this despite the fact that in 15 of 47 states the potential capacity of power plants exceeds the real demand for energy.

Engines of the future: it's all about water

The researchers propose to install^[5] engines on freshwater bodies^[6]which would not only generate electricity, but also halve the intensity of the evaporation itself, which in many situations would preserve huge reserves of drinking water. However, such technology assumes that the water body will be covered with absorbing panels - which is extremely undesirable. To begin with, however, it is necessary to build the evaporative engine itself, but here scientists have already demonstrated the full power of science and created several miniature, but quite working prototypes of the installation.

Test motors are based on materials that contract when dried - for example, a tape covered with bacterial spores is involved in the design. Losing water, the spores dry and shrink, while shortening the tape. Sahin compares the principle of operation of this design with the muscular system, explaining that microscopic spores can pull the tape with quite a lot of force. To avoid soil contamination due to repeated soaking and an abundance of chemicals, prototypes regulate their work depending on the change in overall humidity levels. For example, in one version of the engine, the "muscle" is located just above the water layer. When the evaporating moisture rises up, the tapes, stretched according to the principle of blinds, straighten and create gaps, thanks to which air enters them and helps the tapes dry again and avoid overwetting.

Advantages and disadvantages of the invention

The scientific community agrees that the potential of this invention is enormous. Today, the main problems are its use. Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Stanford, California, doubts that it is possible to effectively convert vaporization energy into electrical energy. In his opinion, industrial development of engines to the extent that their production becomes widespread and use is widespread is an extremely time-consuming task.

The main competitor of the new engines is the well-known solar panels, since their placement on reservoirs is an increasingly common phenomenon for floating solar farms. However, evaporation engines can be made from cheap biomaterials that are easier to recycle than solar panels - and this is important.

If the technology becomes widespread, then its use will affect the local climate by changing the degree of evaporation of water. But this will have at least some significance only if the area of ​ ​ the closed surface is 250,000 km2 or more. However, when it comes to such a scale, any energy plant, no matter how environmentally friendly, will have an impact on the environment. Moreover, in rainy areas where frequent precipitation causes many problems, reducing the intensity of water evaporation will be extremely useful.

"Rain Batteries"

Not only solar, but also "rain batteries" will appear in the world. In February 2020, it became known about the development of a method for obtaining electricity due to a drop in rainwater, which allows you to increase the energy efficiency of the process by thousands of times. The first electric generator based on the new technology can be created in five years^[7] has^[8].

A group of scientists from several scientific organizations in China and the United States has developed a fundamentally new way to obtain electricity by dropping rainwater to the surface. RIA Novosti writes about this with reference to a scientific article in the journal Nature. This method allows you to increase the power of such plants by thousands of times compared to existing prototypes.

"Our study shows that a drop of 100 microliters of water falling from a height of 15 centimeters can generate a voltage of over 140 volts. And due to its power, 100 small LED lamps can be powered, "the words of the head of the scientific group Wang Tsuankaya from the City University of Hong Kong are quoted in a press release.

A jump in the power of such generators was achieved thanks to the idea of ​ ​ covering them with a special film of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is able to accumulate surface charge with continuous ingress of water droplets until it reaches saturation. In such a device, droplets act as resistors, and a surface coating acts as a capacitor, the agency said in a publication.

The first prototype of a "rain" electric generator for practical use will be created in the next five years, according to the scientific group. If its tests are successful, analogues of solar panels may appear in the world for use in heavy rain conditions. For example - innovative umbrellas with phone charging function. Or "rain batteries" designed for use in certain regions during the heavy rainy season.

Interestingly, 13 scientists from five scientific organizations were involved in a unique scientific study at once. In addition to the City University of Hong Kong, it is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the United States, the University of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, the University of Electronic Sciences and Technology of China, and the Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems of the Beijing branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Power accumulators - from pumps to accumulators

The generated electric energy must be consumed immediately, but there is not always such an opportunity. Situations where, for any reason, an excess of electricity has formed often lead to the need for energy utilization. The firm, Google which bought excess capacity, was forced to purchase industrial calorifiers that warmed the atmosphere. From an economic point of view, it is completely unacceptable, but sometimes there is simply no other way out.

Electricity is very bad for "canning," but energy accumulators still exist, and quite diverse. Note that energy accumulators are also not a product of the last five-year plan, such solutions existed for a long time, back in the pre-digital era. For example, an energy accumulator is a system that, with excess power from the pumps, pumps water in the hydraulic system from the lower level to the upper level, and subsequently this water can be used to rotate generators that generate electricity when it is needed by consumers. Of course, the losses will be huge - the efficiency of both pumps and turbines is far from one hundred percent, and it is also necessary to maintain complex and expensive hydraulic structures - but in some cases the use of such systems is economically justified.

Increasingly, batteries are used as energy accumulators. The home battery that Elon Musk offers is, for obvious reason, the most famous product of such a plan. One of Musk's companies offers households a system of solar panels and battery. Batteries in daylight provide home electrical appliances with energy and charge the house battery, and when there is no sun, the house receives electricity from the battery. Of course, this is not the only such solution, similar systems are offered by Russian companies, for example, Ekovolt.

The Austrian company Luna is creating energy storage with a total capacity of 100 MW based on lithium-ion batteries. According to the plans, energy storage systems will be built in 2016 - they will be located in Austria and in Germany - with a total capacity of 60 MW, and the remaining 40 MW should be put into operation in the first half of next year. The developer of the systems is the Japanese Nidec, batteries are supplied by LG. The accumulators are forty-foot containers, each of which can store about 3 MW. According to the company, the created system of energy accumulators will allow approximately 350 thousand households to provide electricity within an hour.

The efficiency of all types of existing drives today leaves much to be desired, but it is still better to use them than to warm the atmosphere in vain, as in the above example. The problem of unstable operation of the "green power plant" leads to an increase in the importance and, accordingly, the popularity of solutions of their own generation.

Own generation

Its own generating capacity - in fact, small power plants - has long been present at a large number of facilities. First of all, these are, of course, sites remote from centralized power supply networks - construction, geological exploration, field, tourist, etc. But there are also a large number of situations when their own generating capacities are relevant in territories with developed infrastructure, including electric networks.

Sometimes the presence of solutions of their own generation is the requirement of standards for civil defense and emergencies, prescribing the presence of such solutions at facilities that cannot be left without electricity in any situation. Centralized power supply for any reason - from natural disaster to man-made accidents - can be abyss, and without energy, even hospitals, maternity hospitals, emergency services, shelters, etc. cannot remain for a short time. Sometimes the availability of own generation capacities is a business requirement. Any business center left without electricity will suffer losses, but there are many sites where power outages: data centers, communication nodes, etc. Almost all of the listed facilities have diesel generators, the launch of which in emergency conditions will provide electricity to intensive care units, servers, newborn boxes and other infrastructure elements. If in areas remote from civilization, the power of their own generation is constantly loaded, in cities they are most often used as backup power supplies in case of emergencies, but there is another option - when they are used to reduce electricity costs. In some cases, this approach is economically justified.

Often in an infrastructure - deployed or created - there are elements that can be forced to turn generators at the same time. The simplest example is boiler houses, which create a sufficient amount of water and steam flows that can be used to rotate generators. Such solutions, capable of providing electricity in addition to heat, are also called cogeneration systems. Solutions for their own generation do not boil down to the mentioned "diesels" and "dual-use" boiler houses, capable of supplying electricity at the same time as heating. Sometimes, for example, generators spin sewage and this is an example of how their own generation can be "green."

Increasingly, solar panels are used in proprietary generation solutions. The most expressive example is the Apple campus (ISpaceship (Apple office)), the roof of which is covered with solar panels that generate so much energy that both the Apple office itself and even for sale are enough. But this example is not the only one - solar panels are more and more actively used in student campuses, summer cottages and even in individual offices and dwellings. Solutions deployed on the scale of a summer cottage, apartment, house or residential quarter are referred to as microgeneration. Of course, the power of each individual such solution is small, but there are a lot of them and their number increases, respectively, the power generated by them increases. Microgeneration systems are beginning to compete with traditional power plants with which they successfully coexist.

In Russia

Main article: Alternative power in Russia

In the world

2023

Renewables cover 60% of Germany's annual energy needs

In 2023 renewable energy sources , they provided a record share in the total production of clean electricity in - Germany approximately 60%. This is stated in a study by the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar power Systems, the results of which were published in early January 2024.

Sun and wind completely cover Belgium's electricity demand for the first time

At the end of May 2023, Elia, the Belgian operator of high-voltage power lines, announced that the country was able to cover all its energy costs for the first time with solar and wind plants. Read more here.

2022

$288 billion invested in electrification and renewable energy projects for the year

At the end of 2022, global investments in electrification and renewable energy reached $288 billion. For comparison, in 2018, investments in the area under consideration were estimated at $198 billion. This is stated in a study by McKinsey, the results of which were released on July 20, 2023.

It is noted that as of 2023, the energy industry is in the process of comprehensive transformation. Economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic provoked a jump in prices for many goods. At the same time, the current geopolitical situation has led to an additional increase in the cost of energy carriers. Despite this, the transition to a low-carbon energy system continues. This, in particular, is about the construction of new and more efficient solar farms and wind farms.

Against the background of the implementation of various projects in the field of electrification and renewable energy sources, the demand for specialists in the relevant fields is increasing. So, in 2022, the total number of such vacancies jumped by 27% compared to the previous year. Energy-related industries will require millions of additional jobs, in particular to fulfill new functions for the production of electric vehicles and ultra-efficient devices or the application of innovative technologies such as hydrogen power systems. In parallel, investments in the energy market will also increase.

McKinsey analysts believe global demand for fossil fuels will peak in 2023-2025. In the future, the energy balance will begin to shift towards hydrogen and synthetic fuel. It is estimated that up to 80-90% of the world's electricity will come from renewable sources by 2050. Efficient and reliable renewable energy technologies will help create a system less prone to macroeconomic and political challenges.^[9]

The energy of the sun and wind in the world reached a record share

In 2022, the share of green energy generated by solar farms and wind generators worldwide reached a record level. This is stated in the report of the international think tank Ember, which was published on April 12, 2023.

It is reported that at the end of 2022, these sources accounted for approximately 12.1% of the total amount of energy generated. For comparison: a year earlier, this figure was approximately 10.3%. In the segment of solar power, production in 2022 increased by 245 TVt·ch (24%) compared to 2021, in the wind energy sector - by 312 TVt·ch (17%). At the same time, hydropower grew by 1.7% to 4.3 PVt·ch.

In general, the share of all clean sources of electricity combined in 2022 reached a record 39.3% of global generation. Coal power remained the largest source with 36.2%. Nuclear production fell 4.7% to just over 2.6 PVt·ch, which is 9.2%. Gas electricity generation slightly decreased - by 0.2%, to 6.3 PVt·ch: this is due to record high prices.

The report states that emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere in the energy sector in 2022 reached an all-time high. Solar was the fastest-growing source for the 18th consecutive year. The demand for electricity on a global scale in 2022 increased by 2.5% - to 28.5 PVt·ch.

Wind and solar provided 80% of demand growth in 2022, while all renewables combined (wind, solar, hydropower, bioenergy and other renewables) covered 92% of demand growth. The increase in coal production (+ 108 TVt·ch) compensated for the remaining increase in demand in the amount of 8%, the report says[10]

Record renewable energy growth

Renewable energy generation increased by a record 9.6% in 2022, reaching 3,372 GW. The increase compared to the previous year amounted to 295 GW. Such figures are given in the report of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), published on March 21, 2023.

It is noted that the renewable energy industry continues to expand, despite economic uncertainty and the protracted energy crisis. Growth was recorded in many states around the world, but several countries and regions, such as Asia, the United States and Europe, contributed the most. According to IRENA statistics, almost half of all new capacity in 2022 was put into operation in Asia, bringing the total capacity of renewable energy sources here to 1.63 terawatts (TW). China has become the leader in adding capacity - plus 141 GW on an annualized basis.

In Europe and North America, energy generation from renewable sources rose by 57.3 GW and 29.1 GW, respectively. Africa posted an increase of 2.7 GW and Oceania around 5.2 GW. In South America, at the end of 2022, capacity increased by 18.2 GW. In the Middle East, the highest ever growth in the use of renewable energy sources was recorded: in 2022, 3.2 GW of new capacity was commissioned (plus 12.8% compared to 2021).

Although hydropower accounts for the largest share of global renewable energy generation capacity (1,250 GW), solar and wind farms dominated new projects. Together, the two technologies provided approximately 90% of all renewable capacity added in 2022. Solar power showed an increase of 22%, and wind power - by 9%. IRENA emphasizes that such indicators confirm the downward trend in the share of fossil fuels.^[11]

Porsche began producing electric fuel

On December 20, 2022, Porsche announced the start of production of the so-called "electric fuel," which could become an alternative to gasoline amid the growing popularity of electric vehicles. Read more here.

In the Black Sea, began to build the world's largest wave power plant

On December 8, 2022, an agreement was signed on the construction of the world's largest wave power plant. The project will be attended by Eco Wave Power Global AB from Sweden and OREN Ordu Enerji, which is based in Turkey. Read more here.

Top 10 countries for the share of solar and wind power

Rapid growth of wind turbines and solar panels in China

The outlook for net growth power engineering specialists China in 2022 is growing stronger. As of June, China it will install a record 156 gigawatts of wind turbines and solar panels in 2022. This is 25% more than the record set last year, according to BloombergNEF.

World's first pure hydrogen gas turbine launched

On June 10, 2022, the launch of the world's first clean hydrogen gas turbine was announced. The project was implemented by the Norwegian University of Stavanger in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which also provided a combustion chamber that made it possible to conduct tests. Read more here.

2021

Named countries leaders in renewable energy sources

In 2021, India ranked third in the world in terms of renewable energy capacity growth (15.4 GW) after China (136 GW) and the United States (43 GW). This is stated in a REN21 study published in June 2022.

In terms of the increase in solar PV (PE) capacity, India ranked third in the world, 13 GW of growth in 2021. PE materials and devices are used to convert sunlight into electrical energy. India ranked fourth in total 60.4 GW installations, overtaking Germany for the first time with 59.2 GW.

Investment in the solar power sector in India increased after the country expanded the national solar power production program by $24.3 billion. The program provides incentives to domestic and international companies to set up battery plants, the REN21 report said. In the meantime, the leaders in investment in the development of renewable power: China, the USA, Japan and Great Britain.

While many experts hoped that the transition to green technologies would begin after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, REN21 found that the economic recovery in 2021 increased final energy consumption by 4%, "compensating for the growth of renewable energy sources."

The report also said that, as of, the share of renewables in final energy consumption remained reasonably low, with green energy use limited to only 11.2% for heating and cooling, 3.7% for transport and 28% for energy.

These three sectors represent the main uses of energy, with heating and cooling still accounting for 51% of the total final energy consumption, ahead of transport (32%) and the electric power industry (17%).

China from 2011 to 2021 became the main manufacturer of equipment for renewable power. First of all, we are talking about solar panels. Seven of the world's top ten solar manufacturers are Chinese companies. In general, the development of technologies has reduced the cost of building new facilities. That brings China's plans closer to becoming carbon neutral by 2060.

US President Joe Biden not only returned the United States to the Paris Agreement, but also announced that he intends to achieve net greenhouse gas emissions and a transition to 100% green energy by 2050. Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are also planning to use only renewable energy sources by 2050.^[12]

Investment growth to a record $174 billion in the 1st half of the year

Investment in renewable energy rose to a record in the 1st half. During this period, $174 billion was spent on solar, offshore wind and other "green" technologies and companies.

But while this is up 1.8% from a year earlier, the level is 7% lower than in the previous six months. To meet climate targets, green investment must increase significantly.

A third of Britain's electricity generation comes from renewable sources

Renewables by mid-2021 provide more than one-third of Britain's electricity generation.

2020

The growth of renewable power in the world reached 45% (280 gW)

Despite the pandemic, renewable energy growth reached 45% (280 gW) in 2020, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is the largest annual increase since 1999.

In 2020, renewables were "the only energy source whose demand has increased... while consumption of all other fuels has declined, "the IEA says.

Among the leaders in the development of renewable, power engineering specialists China which for several years accounted for about 40% of the global capacity growth in this area. China has also become one of the largest suppliers of raw materials and materials necessary for the production of wind turbines and solar panels, including silicon, glass, steel, copper, rare earth metals. For the fourth quarter of 2020, only one China accounted for more than 92 gW of capacity, which is three times the figure for the same period in 2019. USA added 19 gW for the fourth quarter, well above the 13.7 gW figure for the same period in 2019.

The IEA notes that the development of solar power "will continue to break records" - by the end of 2021, the annual power increase will reach 162 gW, which is 50% more than the increase in solar power in the pre-pandemic period.

Global consumption of coal, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change, fell 4% in 2020, according to an IEA report. This is the biggest fall since World War II. Nevertheless, since the end of 2020, demand has begun to grow anew thanks to the economies of Asian countries, which were among the first to begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, even as China actively invests in green power, the country also continues to build new coal-fired power plants. China accounts for about a third of the world's annual coal consumption - and is expected to hit a new record high in 2021, the IEA said.^[13]

Water, wind and water bypassed coal and gas in EU electricity industry for the first time

In 2020, for the first time in history, the share of renewable energy sources (wind, sun, water) in electricity generation in Europe exceeded the share of fossil fuels (coal and natural gas) - 38% versus 37%, respectively. This is evidenced by the data of the report of the British analytical center Ember and the German institute Agora Energiewende. Read more here.

Reduction in the volume of new capacity commissioning due to COVID-19

The International Energy Agency predicts that due to the coronavirus crisis COVID-19 , renewable power in 2020 will add 167 gigawatts of capacity, which is 13% lower than in 2019, but already in 2021 the capacity increase will be about the same as in 2019.

An increasing number of corporations are increasing the share of renewable energy in their overall energy profile. This trend is especially noticeable in Europe, Asia and North America, but emerging markets are gradually catching up with the trend. According to a study by the International Renewable Energy Agency, producers of various kinds of materials - the chemical industry, the pulp and paper and woodworking industries, the mining and processing sector and metallurgy - are more active in other renewable sources.

Scientists have declared the danger of renewable energy sources to biodiversity

Wind, solar and hydropower plants pose a threat to important biodiversity areas, including nature reserves, according to the findings of the new study^[14] energy^[15].

A team of scientists from the University of Queensland (Australia) analyzed the location of 12.5 thousand sources of renewable energy, which are obtained from natural resources - solar, wind and hydropower structures. As it turned out, more than 2,000 such objects can have a negative impact on the biodiversity of the areas in which they are built. At the same time, about 169 of them were found in specially protected natural areas.

"In addition to the fact that over 2,200 renewable energy facilities are already operating in important biodiversity areas, another 900 are under construction.<…> Energy facilities and infrastructure around them, for example, roads, and increased human activity (people working at such facilities sometimes build settlements nearby. - Approx. ed.) Can cause incredible damage to the environment. These events are incompatible with biodiversity conservation efforts, "explained the lead author of the study published in Global Change Biology, Jose^[16] important^[17].

The authors of the work note that the transition from fossil fuels - oil, coal, oil shale, natural gas, peat, as well as other combustible minerals and substances extracted underground or by open source - to renewable energy, the sources of which, according to humans, are inexhaustible, serves as a fundamental factor in slowing down the current anthropogenic climate change.

However, the researchers emphasize, the number of "green" energy objects has tripled over the past 20 years and often they turn into areas with intensive land use and can affect protected nearby areas. Structures like these most often outnumber the same fossil-fuel power plants, and they require ten times as much territory to produce the same amount of energy.

2019

Cost of kilowatt of energy in alternative systems

$300 billion invested in green power

In total, in the world, investments in green power in 2019 amounted to about $300 billion, and by 2030 this figure may increase to $1.9 trillion.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, renewable energy has won a significant niche in the global energy industry. If in 2000 they accounted for about 21.8% of the commissioned power generation facilities, then in 2019 - already 34.7% (according to a study by the International Renewable Energy Agency - IRENA). This was largely facilitated by the growing concern of the international community about environmental issues and climate change. It is also worth noting the redistribution of market shares between segments within the renewable power industry itself. For example, hydropower in 2000 accounted for approximately 93% of the total energy generated from renewable sources, and by 2019 this share had fallen to 47%. This was due to an increase in energy generation by solar and wind farms.

Governments of the Asian region began to reduce subsidies

The expansion of generating capacity using renewable sources has continued continuously since 2003. In 2019, governments of almost all countries in the Asian region began to reduce subsidies to develop this industry. As a result, in 2019, the annual growth of "green" generating capacities for the first time in 17 years decreased, although the reduction was only 2%. In 2020, renewable power will face a blow from the coronavirus pandemic, which will further slow down the development of the industry^[18]

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, cited by Nikkei, 176 GW of renewable generating capacity was added worldwide in 2019, of which 97.68 GW were solar power plants. For the first position, the annual reduction was 2%, for the second ― 2.5%.

The main contribution to the slowdown in green capacity growth was made by Asia. In 2019, the region added 12% less renewable generating capacity than in 2018. In China and Japan, there was a decrease of 15% and 40%, respectively. Incentives ran out and investor interest disappeared. Over the past years, Japanese taxpayers have received preferential tariffs of 2 trillion yen ($18.6 billion). However, the Japanese government plans to introduce a bonus mechanism for green energy producers over and above market rates. China, on the other hand, has cut government subsidies for renewable energy.

Project to use stones as energy storage

The German energy concern Siemens presented a pilot project in the summer of 2019 to use stones as energy storage devices.

At the wind farm in Hamburg, a pilot storage facility has been opened, where 1000 tons of volcanic rock is located. With the help of electricity generated by the blades, the stones are heated to 750 degrees Celsius. Stones can store up to 130 MVt·ch of thermal energy for a week. If necessary, with the help of a steam turbine, it can be converted back to electrical. The task of engineers is to bring this figure to 1 GVt·ch, which will allow a day to provide electricity to the city for 50 thousand households.

The "stone" idea of ​ ​ Siemens is a solution to one of the most pressing problems in the "green "power: how to store gigawatts developed by the sun and wind. And it's cheap to do: Stones are commercially far more attractive than pumped storage devices and just powerful batteries. Another advantage is almost unlimited possibilities for[19].

Hamburg Stone Storage is part of a joint project of Siemens Concern, the Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics at the Hamburg University of Technology and the local utility company Hamburg Energie GmbH. Funded by Future Energy Solutions by the German government.

2018

The sun and wind gave way to coal again

In 2018, electricity demand once again increased worldwide - according to estimates by oil and gas company BP, growth was 3.7%, which was one of the highest rates in the last 20 years^[20].

This was stated by BP chief economist Spencer Dale, presenting the company's annual review of global power at IMEMO RAS. Mainly growth was provided by the needs of emerging markets, primarily China and India, as well as the United States.

As noted in the company, from the point of view of the method of obtaining electricity, growth was provided by renewable sources (RES). So, due to the latter, 14.5% more electricity was already generated around the world last year. And electricity production from coal and natural gas grew at a much slower pace. Most electricity from renewable sources was produced in China, and the use of wind farms grew most actively.

However, despite the seemingly increasingly active use of renewable energy, the share of the latter in the production of electricity has remained practically unchanged over the past 20 years. Natural gas, and most importantly, coal, still plays an extremely significant role here. So, it is precisely from coal, specified in the report, that 38% of electricity is produced in the world, and from renewable sources - 36%. The flip side of this market structure remains the high level of carbon emissions.

EWG study: 100% transition to renewable energy in 2050 more cost-effective than current power grid

The transition to 100% renewable energy use in all countries Europe is more cost-effective than the current energy system and leads to a reduction in emissions to zero by 2050. The researchers came to this conclusion EWG in their study, the results of which were published in December 2018. The study simulates a full-scale transition to renewable energy in the electricity, heat supply and transport sectors. More. here

In Ireland, it is planned to bring the share of regulated renewable energy generation in the total consumption to 75%

After the successful completion of the five-month tests, the system operators of Ireland EirGrid and Northern Ireland SONI announced that the power system of the island is powered by renewable energy generation (primarily wind), which is controlled by system operators, is able to satisfy up to 65% of all electricity consumption on the island. In the future, it is planned to bring the share of renewable energy generation managed by system operators in the total consumption to 75%^[21]

System operators noted that during the test period, the historical maximum load of wind generation of 3,655 MW (March 14, 2018) was recorded.

At the same time, EirGrid and SONI decided to postpone the launch of a new energy market structure (Integrated Single Electricity Market, I-SEM) to October 1, 2018 due to delays in testing. The commissioning of I-SEM software, developed specifically for the power markets, as well as the day-ahead and intra-day markets, was originally scheduled for May 1, 2018.

40 cities around the world have fully switched to renewable energy

More than 40 cities around the world have switched entirely to renewable energy, and at least a hundred cities provide 70% of the electricity demand through clean sources. Since the Paris Agreement was signed, the number of cities that are working to reduce carbon emissions has grown from 308 to 572, Fast Company reports^[22] the^[23].

The list of U.S. cities that have switched to renewable sources by 70% includes Seattle, Eugene and Aspen. Burlington has switched to clean power in full. Atlanta and San Diego set a similar goal. It is cities that affect pollution the most, so their focus on renewable sources will be able to make the most significant contribution to the fight against climate change. In particular, they can provide subsidies for enterprises ready to abandon fossil fuels and introduce financial incentives for organizations whose new facilities will be originally equipped with solar panels.

If incentive measures do not have an effect, building codes can be tightened. For example, in San Francisco, 15-30% of the roofs of newly built homes must be equipped with either solar panels or green spaces. Of course, the restrictions should also apply to emissions from enterprises that use coal and natural gas.

In Europe, by 2030, CO2 permits will cost €31 per ton - three times more expensive than now. It will be more profitable to close coal-fired power plants than to upgrade them to new environmental standards. Therefore, all coal-fired power plants of the European Union and Great Britain will become unprofitable in the next ten years. They will be subsidized by the state, giving them the role of a safety option in case solar and wind farms do not cope during periods of peak electricity demand.

France set to become big player in tidal energy market

In early 2018, it became known that France is launching studies of the coast of Brittany and Normandy for the presence of potential for the production of tidal electricity. Ultimately, the country wants to become a European leader in this industry, writes Renewable Energy World^[24].

This was stated by Remy Gruet, CEO of the Ocean Energy Europe think tank, speaking at the annual conference of the Renewable Energy Union power engineering specialists. According to Paris him, this step is intended to position France as a world leader in the field of tidal energy. France "There is one of the largest tidal resources in the world, leading tidal power technology and a formed supply chain at sea," he says. Research will focus on the coasts of Brittany and Normandy.

The north coast of France has been discussed for many years as a serious source of tidal energy. In 2013, local authorities met with representatives of Scotland's European Maritime Energy Centre (EMEC) to set up test sites in the area.

Proposals to conduct tests in Normandy were made by Alstom and GDF Suez, and Fortum, DCNS and AW-Energy in Brittany. DCNS - now Naval Energies - has announced plans to build the first $146 million tidal turbine in Cherbourg.

Ocean Energy Europe does not disclose what the economic benefit for France will be from the construction of tidal power plants. However, similar efforts in the UK show that this is a very advantageous direction. By 2050, the global tidal energy market could reach $6.8 billion, and according to Marine Energy Pembrokeshire, investments in this market in Wales alone amounted to about $52 million. Power is also going to develop Scotland.

2017

The total investment in renewable energy sources in the world amounted to $279.8 billion

According to the joint report "General investment trends in renewable power 2018," prepared by the Office of the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), the volume of investments in renewable energy over the past eight years has exceeded $200 billion.

The total volume of investments in renewable energy sources during 2017 amounted to $279.8 billion (excluding investments in large hydrogenation facilities) and ensured a record volume of commissioning of renewable energy sources, amounted to 157 GW. For comparison, in 2016 the volume of RES generation commissioning amounted to 143 GW (+ 9.7%). At the same time, the volume of fossil fuel generation inputs in 2017 amounted to 70 GW.

The largest investor in renewable energy, as in previous years, was China - $126.6 billion (+ 31% compared to 2016), of which two-thirds were directed to the development of solar power. In 2017, 53 GW SES was commissioned in the PRC.

At the same time, in the United States, the volume of investments in renewable energy decreased by 6% and amounted to $40.5 billion. In Europe, there is also a 36% decrease (to $41 billion) in investment in renewable energy. In the UK, the volume of investments in renewable energy decreased by 65% (to $7.6 billion), and in India - by 20% (to $10.9 billion).

Investments in solar power in the world as a whole reached $160.8 billion, which is 18% more than in 2016. Investments in the construction of SES accounted for 57% of all investments in renewable energy in 2017 (with the exception of investments in the construction of large hydroelectric power plants), and surpass global investments in coal and gas generation.

The report notes an extremely powerful increase in investments in renewable energy in 2017: in Australia by 147% (up to $8.5 billion), in Mexico by 810% (up to $6 billion) and in Sweden by 127% (up to $3.7 billion). In Egypt, investment in renewable energy increased sixfold to $2.6 billion.

At the same time, in the "old" European and Asian energy markets, such as the markets of Great Britain, Germany or Japan, there is a decrease in investment in renewable energy. This is partly due to a change in tariff regulation of renewable energy generation (Great Britain), and partly due to a decrease in unit capital costs for the construction of generation facilities based on renewable energy generation, which allows building the same volume of new generation at the same level of expenses.

A third of Britain's electricity comes from renewable sources

At the same time, the share of carbon-free generation in the total volume of electricity produced in Britain reached 54.4%, thanks to wind and solar farms, as well as nuclear power, writes the Independent^[25].

In the third quarter of 2017, renewables produced a third Great Britain of the electricity in. Their share in energy consumption increased by 5% compared to the same period last year, reaching 30%. According to Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit analyst Jonathan Marshall, such figures "hammered the final nail in the coffin of the claim that clean power cannot be a full participant in the market."

In general, the share of non-carbon generation in the total volume of electricity produced increased to 54.4%, thanks to wind and solar power plants, as well as nuclear power plants. At the same time, the share of nuclear power is rapidly falling, while investments in wind and solar generation are growing.

The energy sector accounted for 17.5% of total fuel consumption in the UK in 2016. According to Marshal, the decarbonization of this particular sphere will subsequently allow a revolution in other areas. In particular, electrify transport.

This can be achieved by increasing the capacity of wind farms. Recent restrictions on onshore wind farms have led Britons to switch to offshore wind generators.

In Germany, renewable electricity will also account for 33% of total consumption at the end of 2017. The gap between coal and renewables in German electricity generation has narrowed from 11% to 4% in just one year. In fact, the share of energy from clean sources was even higher in Germany this year - almost 36%, just Germany exports surplus to neighboring countries.

20 countries to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2030

20 countries from different continents promised to abandon the use of coal for electricity in November 2017. The number of hydrocarbon opponents is expected to more than triple in 2018. However, the most active coal consumers have not yet joined the alliance.

At the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn (Germany), 20 states joined the Powering Past Coal alliance. He is in favor of ending the use of coal in the electric power industry. The countries intend to implement this plan until 2030, reports ABC News.

European powers such as, Denmark,, Italy, Finland France Portugal, the Netherlands,,, Great Britain Luxembourg Austria, Switzerland and Belgium joined the project. Canada, New Zealand, Niue, Ethiopia, Angola, Mexico, El Salvador, Fiji and the Marshall Islands also decided to abandon coal for electricity generation.

However, the main consumers of coal in the world remain, China,, and India Russia, USA Germany which have not yet begun to join the union.

The UN assumes that at the climate summit in Katowice (Poland) in 2018, the number of member countries of the alliance will grow to 50. Legally, participation in Powering Past Coal does not oblige anything, the agreement only emphasizes the intentions of states. It is also assumed that the members of the association will share technologies for reducing CO2 emissions with each other.

Many countries included in Powering Past Coal have already announced plans to phase out coal altogether. By 2025, Italy is implementing such a plan, by 2030 - Finland. By 2030, the Netherlands will close all coal-fired power plants in the country, France will do so by 2023 and Britain by 2025. coal power engineering specialists Canada also plans to get rid of it by 2030.

The largest consumers of hydrocarbons China and the United States so far only plan to reduce coal production. In 2017, the PRC will reduce this figure by 150 million tons, and America by the end of next year will cut consumption by 30 million tons per year.

Uzbekistan: Users of alternative energy sources will be exempted from taxes

The bill, according to which in Uzbekistan for citizens who use alternative energy sources want to abolish the land tax and property tax, was prepared in the fall of 2017 by the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The document is available for public discussion on the portal of regulatory legal acts^[26].

According to the draft law, the exemption from paying taxes will be valid for three years, starting from the month in which the sources of alternative energy are established. In order to exercise this right, you will need to take a certificate from an energy-saving organization confirming the use of alternative sources of electric energy.

In the current version of the document, there is one minus - the benefit will be provided when the household is completely disconnected from the existing energy networks.

The program of measures for the further development of renewable power and energy efficiency in the sectors of the economy and social sphere for 2017-2021 was approved by the head of state at the end of May this year. The government is planned within its framework 28 activities aimed at both the development of regulatory legal acts and targeted programs.

Most countries could switch completely to renewable energy by 2050

An international team of scientists led by Mark Z. Jacobson from Stanford University has prepared a "roadmap" of measures that will allow 139 countries around the world to receive all the necessary electricity from renewable sources by the middle of the century. According to scientists, the use of alternative power will not only reduce^[27] use of non-renewable resources, but also create tens of millions of jobs^[28] can^[29].

The authors of the work assessed how many potential sources of "green energy" each of the countries has. The energy obtained using water, wind and sunlight was taken into account. Scientists have calculated how many "green" generators each of the countries will need to switch to renewable sources and how much space they will need. According to experts, most countries will suffice only 1% of available land areas and artificial surfaces (for example, building roofs). The costs that industry and business would incur were also calculated.

The study looked at countries whose data are available to the International Energy Agency. These countries own 99% of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. Scientists have determined which countries will be the easiest and hardest to switch to renewable energy sources. This task will be easiest for countries with an average population density, for example, for some countries. European Union The most difficult transition will take place for residents of small but densely populated countries surrounded by the sea - such as Singapore.

According to scientists, "green power" is able to solve many modern problems. Reducing air emissions will avoid millions of premature deaths due to diseases caused by air pollution. In this regard, the cost of health care will also decrease. Scientists also predict changes in the labor market. They estimate the shift to renewable energy will wipe out about 28 million jobs but create 52 million new ones.

However, such "road maps" have critics. Changing major energy sources, they note, will require a heavy cost^[30] Roadmaps^[31].

Japan was able to get energy from ocean currents for the first time in history

Japan's IHI Corporation and the Organization for the Development of New power and Industrial Technologies (NEDO) have successfully completed testing the world's first system for generating electricity from ocean underwater currents, NHK reported.

According to the TV channel, during the experiment, which took place in the Kuroshio current area near the island of Kutinoshima, an installation consisting of metal cylinders was immersed to a depth of 20 to 50 meters. The length of each cylinder is about 20 meters, generators with blades with a diameter of 11 meters are installed on the sides of two of them.

During the experiment, specialists managed to achieve electricity generation with a capacity of up to 30 kilowatts. The developers hope to begin practical use of the installation by 2020.

Azerbaijan intends to sell alternative energy

The export potential plans to increase Azerbaijan with the help of alternative and renewable power. By 2020, this segment should occupy 20% of the market in the country.

Currently, as reported in April 2017 by Trend^[32] with reference to the deputy head of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources of Azerbaijan Jamil Melikov, alternative power is in great demand in many countries of the world^[33].

In Azerbaijan, according to the expert, by 2020 the share of these energy sources should reach 20%. The advantages are obvious. This is a positive impact on the environment, wide possibilities for use in the agricultural sector. The main effect expected from the widespread use of alternative and renewable power in the Caspian state is a noticeable increase in the export potential of Azerbaijan.

Currently, the country produces an average of 20 billion kWh of electricity per year. This takes about 6 billion cubic meters of gas, which is a real blow to exports, according to experts.

Saudi Arabia to invest $50 billion in alternative power

The Saudi authorities intend to invest from $30 to $50 billion in the construction of wind and solar power plants in the country. Bloomberg writes about this. The plans to bring the total capacity of alternative power to 10 gigawatts by 2023.

The first competition for the construction of wind and solar power plants with a total capacity of 700 megawatts has already been announced. Applications from potential participants are accepted until March 20, the results of the competition will be announced on April 10. This was announced by the Minister of power of the country Khalid al-Falih.

In April 2016, a member of the Saudi royal family, Prince Muhammad ibn Salman, spoke about the country's preparations for the "twilight of the oil age." He said that the country plans to create a sovereign fund of $2 trillion. The fund's funds will be used to rid the country of oil dependence.

2016: The UN recorded a capacity record from "green power"

According to the UN Environmental Protection Organization (UNEP), in the context of minimal investment in the renewable power industry, the maximum increase in global capacity was seen.

At the end of the year, the record capacity indicator in the field of eco-energy amounted to 138.5 GW. For the same period in 2015, this figure did not exceed 127.8 GW.

The data collected at UNEP prove that the growth in capacity occurred against the background of falling investment. The investment climate of the renewable power industry "lost" 23% compared to 2015.

However, experts say that investing in green power is promising and profitable. The decline in the total amount of investments is primarily due to the availability of installations. On average, the expenditure part per MW unit "fell" by at least 10%. The 2016 figures testified that green power accounted for over half (55%) of the total innovative power generation capacity.

2015

2015 is a record year for the global market of alternative power in general and renewable energy sources in particular in terms of installed capacity, in terms of generated electricity and in terms of investments in renewable energy sources. Nevertheless, renewable energy accounts for only 3% of the total primary energy consumption. Alternative power markets in China, the United States and Europe (especially Germany) are the most developed. In 2015, China showed strong growth, as well as other developing countries, in particular, India. The development of the renewable energy market in the world is most influenced by state support for alternative power, and there are also constantly declining prices for solar and wind energy.

See also

• Electric power industry in Russia
• Nuclear Power. Facts and Myths
• Smart Grid
• Electric generators (Russian market)
• Russian economy