Difference between revisions of "Energy"

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Energy can be saved through sharing appliances (for instance by using a beamer to watch film and television). Energy plays an important part in automation.
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In the developed world energy abundance is being achieved through consumption of cheap, high-energy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel fossil fuel] sources such as coal, oil and gas. This provided the energy required to drive the Industrial Revolution and improve the living standards of millions of people. However, rapid exploitation of such non-renewable energy sources has had adverse effects on the environment, including global warming, air and water pollution, and ocean acidification. There exists an inequitable access to global energy resources, and increasing political and social stresses resulting from an economic dependence on oil-producing regions.  
  
 +
Future energy systems need to provide energy abundance while being sustainable and non-polluting. Energy production should be distributed, diverse, intelligent and highly integrated into technological, industrial and domestic systems. Technologies will be evaluated on their ability to efficiently and cleanly provide abundant energy and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source open-source] designs are preferred.
  
== Energy generation ==
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==The planning stage==
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Energy in the broadest sense is intrinsically linked to all systems and will be the common thread connecting housing, agriculture, water and waste treatment, industry, automation, and transport. Hence, energy production, monitoring, efficiency, and use, need to be carefully considered during the design stage of the city. The ideal scenario for a “stand-alone” community such as the RBE10k city is to produce as much energy as possible from waste products (human waste, food waste, waste heat), i.e. “[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_recycling energy recycling]” and the renewable sources available at the location (e.g. solar, wind, hydro).
  
=== Centralized ===
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===Evaluating needs===
 +
Energy abundance will be created by intelligent and efficient generation, monitoring and use. As much as possible, the city will operate as a closed cycle incorporating the “[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_to_cradle cradle-to-cradle]” ideology where all “waste” is considered as a “food” for either a biological or technological cycle. For example, food waste is converted to compost for agriculture, or human waste is converted to methane for cooking or electricity production. The energy needs of 10 000 people need to be estimated considering the following areas.
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* Housing
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** Electricity, heating
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* Industry
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* Transport
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** Electricity, liquid fuels, hydrogen…
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* Agriculture
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* Water and waste treatment
  
==== Solar updraft tower <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower</ref> ====
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===Energy production===
 +
It is likely that there exists no single energy production technology that will meet all the needs and requirements of the community. Various sustainable technologies will need to be implemented. In the first case the choice of technologies will be limited by the budget of the project and availability (level of development, patents/licensing). Well-developed and benchmarked technology (e.g. solar and wind) could be used in conjunction with emerging technologies (e.g. fuel cells, combined heat and power). All systems will need to be evaluated with respect to the following issues:
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* Provides [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_load_power_plant baseload] or variable generation?
 +
* Reliability
 +
* Impact of manufacture (energy use, environmental problems)
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* Lifetime
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* Economic
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** Single purchase cost
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** Ongoing costs such as maintenance and consumables (e.g. hydrogen for fuel cells)
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* Open-source design available?
  
+ Low maintenance cost.  
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The following energy production technologies will be evaluated for their feasibility. Follow the links to see more information about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Once all the information is collected, a brief comparison table will be included.   
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* [[/PV|Solar (photovoltaic)]]
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* [[/SUT|Solar updraft tower]]
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* [[/Wind/]]
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* [[/Hydroelectric/]]
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* [[/Combined|Combined heat and power]]
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* [[/Fuel cell/]]s
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* Fuel production
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** [[/Methane|Methane generation from waste]]
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** [[/HC|Bioethanol and biodiesel]]
  
+Uses greenhouses that can be used for agriculture.
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===Energy efficiency and monitoring===
 
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During the design process it is important to consider energy efficiency and use within all components of the city. Continued upgrading and optimisation of the energy systems could be achieved via monitoring and “intelligent integration” with other systems (e.g. waste heat, heating, lighting, telecommunications). Energy can be saved through sharing resources and appliances (for instance using a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_projector beamer] to watch film and television). See an additional page for [[detailed energy use of appliances]].
-Takes in a relatively large amount of space.
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-Solar has a variable output.
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==== Solar power tower ====
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+Desalinizes water.
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+Contains a furnace (that can be used for melting iron for instance).
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-Solar has a variable output.
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== Energy use ==
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*Beamer
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100-300 Watts. Can provide for +- 100 people. Per person: 2 Watt.<ref> http://www.energieverbruikers.nl/categorie/28/Beeld+en+geluid/Beamers </ref>
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*Small led television
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57 Watt. Per person: 14-57 Watt.<ref> http://www.consumentenbond.nl/test/elektronica-communicatie/tv-en-video/televisies/extra/energieverbruik-tv/ </ref>
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+
*Xbox
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185 Watts <ref> http://tweakers.net/nieuws/46446/energieverbruik-xbox-360-ps3-wii-vergeleken.html </ref>
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*Wii
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18 Watts<ref> http://tweakers.net/nieuws/46446/energieverbruik-xbox-360-ps3-wii-vergeleken.html </ref>
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*Desktop (with peripherals):
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60-250 Watts<ref>http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html </ref>
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*Laptop:
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40 Watts<ref>http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html </ref>
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*Netbook:
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16 Watts<ref>http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html </ref>
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*Tablet (Ipad2)
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1-3 Watts <ref>http://armdevices.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/nextgen_pixelqi_display.jpg </ref>
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*Iphone
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Less than tablet<ref> http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2012/09/iphone_5_energy_use_compared.jpg</ref>
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*Amplifier
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40 Watts and up <ref>http://www.energieverbruikers.nl/categorie/195/2/Versterkers</ref>
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+
*DVD player
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10 Watts and up
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+
 
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*Nanolight (100W equivalent, 30,000 hours)
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12 Watts <ref> http://www.thenanolight.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=207 </ref>
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*Led lamp (50-60W equivalent, 50,000 hours)
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6 Watts <ref> http://www.ledlampendirect.nl/led-e27-lamp-230-volt-6-watt-vervangt-50-60-watt-gloeilamp.html </ref>
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+
 
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*Washing machine
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0,81kwh/wash
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average 9 year
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average 500 EUR<ref>https://forum.www.trosradar.nl/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=125783 </ref>
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(If 10 people share one machine: 36 years = 200 EUR per person)
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*Dishwasher
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175 Kwh <ref>http://www.nuon.nl/energie-besparen/artikelen-apparaten/verbruik-vaatwasser.jsp</ref>
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*Refrigerator
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16 Watt
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<ref>http://www.greenem.nl/columns/2012/01/864/wat-kost-een-koelkast-per-jaar</ref>
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== Monetary cost ==
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=== Solar updraft tower ===
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Estimates of total costs range from 7 (for a 200 MW plant) and 21 (for a 5 MW plant) euro cents per kWh to 25-35 cents per kWh.<ref> http://physicaplus.org.il/zope/home/en/1124811264/1137833043_en </ref>
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Estimate using own numbers (no heating, no lab, no machinery):
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kwh per person 0,6 x 365 x 40 x 0,25 = 2190 EUR out of total budget 7,000 EUR (0,6 x 3650).
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General numbers:
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Western European household = 9,5 = per person: 2,5
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Off grid households = 0,2 - 6 <ref> http://www.cmhc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/01-103-e.html http://www.cmhc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/01-103-e.html </ref> = per person: 0,2 - 1,5
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2,5 x ... = 9100 EUR
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Average electricity use: <ref> http://www.nibud.nl/uitgaven/huishouden/gas-elektriciteit-en-water.html</ref>
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It's hard to predict how much energy consumption we could save, but it's clear this is an important topic. If we use anywhere near as much as normal household, the project is not feasible.
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Beamers require extra (darkened) space, but they make up for it over forty years because their replacement cost is a factor 100 lower (3 small television per person = 1500 EUR, Beamer = 15 EUR, space for beamer = approx 1000 EUR but possibly much cheaper because of earthship use).
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Ipads use incredibly little energy, but they are expensive to purchase. Also they are not going to last 40 years, replacing them at least four times = 4 x 400 EUR. Compared to laptops they save about 40 EUR in energy over that period so that's negligible. We should discern between access to regular internet and computers that can do other tasks. Money should be set aside to provide technical people with up to date computers. Most people already own either an ipad or a laptop, so a rule could be made that people use only those, and bring their own. Then it should be calculated what it costs to provide internet over 40 years. Computers should be as sturdy as possible, with good and sturdy software (Linux). Possibly lower capacity desktops could be under 40 Watts as well. Asus EEE netbook pc's will fail extremely quickly. Apple computers are known to be durable.
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Ideally internet would be provided by having computers that only do internet, and that use a central computer. They would consist of a screen, mouse/trackpad, keyboard, wifi antenna.
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==== Recommendations ====
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*It seems to be important to get accurate cost predictions when talking to a contractor.
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*Replace computers by ipads and televisions by beamers.
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== References ==
 
== References ==
 
{{Reflist}}
 
{{Reflist}}

Latest revision as of 13:43, 12 June 2013

In the developed world energy abundance is being achieved through consumption of cheap, high-energy fossil fuel sources such as coal, oil and gas. This provided the energy required to drive the Industrial Revolution and improve the living standards of millions of people. However, rapid exploitation of such non-renewable energy sources has had adverse effects on the environment, including global warming, air and water pollution, and ocean acidification. There exists an inequitable access to global energy resources, and increasing political and social stresses resulting from an economic dependence on oil-producing regions.

Future energy systems need to provide energy abundance while being sustainable and non-polluting. Energy production should be distributed, diverse, intelligent and highly integrated into technological, industrial and domestic systems. Technologies will be evaluated on their ability to efficiently and cleanly provide abundant energy and open-source designs are preferred.

Contents

[edit] The planning stage

Energy in the broadest sense is intrinsically linked to all systems and will be the common thread connecting housing, agriculture, water and waste treatment, industry, automation, and transport. Hence, energy production, monitoring, efficiency, and use, need to be carefully considered during the design stage of the city. The ideal scenario for a “stand-alone” community such as the RBE10k city is to produce as much energy as possible from waste products (human waste, food waste, waste heat), i.e. “energy recycling” and the renewable sources available at the location (e.g. solar, wind, hydro).

[edit] Evaluating needs

Energy abundance will be created by intelligent and efficient generation, monitoring and use. As much as possible, the city will operate as a closed cycle incorporating the “cradle-to-cradle” ideology where all “waste” is considered as a “food” for either a biological or technological cycle. For example, food waste is converted to compost for agriculture, or human waste is converted to methane for cooking or electricity production. The energy needs of 10 000 people need to be estimated considering the following areas.

  • Housing
    • Electricity, heating
  • Industry
  • Transport
    • Electricity, liquid fuels, hydrogen…
  • Agriculture
  • Water and waste treatment

[edit] Energy production

It is likely that there exists no single energy production technology that will meet all the needs and requirements of the community. Various sustainable technologies will need to be implemented. In the first case the choice of technologies will be limited by the budget of the project and availability (level of development, patents/licensing). Well-developed and benchmarked technology (e.g. solar and wind) could be used in conjunction with emerging technologies (e.g. fuel cells, combined heat and power). All systems will need to be evaluated with respect to the following issues:

  • Provides baseload or variable generation?
  • Reliability
  • Impact of manufacture (energy use, environmental problems)
  • Lifetime
  • Economic
    • Single purchase cost
    • Ongoing costs such as maintenance and consumables (e.g. hydrogen for fuel cells)
  • Open-source design available?

The following energy production technologies will be evaluated for their feasibility. Follow the links to see more information about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Once all the information is collected, a brief comparison table will be included.

[edit] Energy efficiency and monitoring

During the design process it is important to consider energy efficiency and use within all components of the city. Continued upgrading and optimisation of the energy systems could be achieved via monitoring and “intelligent integration” with other systems (e.g. waste heat, heating, lighting, telecommunications). Energy can be saved through sharing resources and appliances (for instance using a beamer to watch film and television). See an additional page for detailed energy use of appliances.

[edit] References

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