Carbon reduction potential of wind and marine energy systems and their interactions

75101bb3-6bdf-4175-83e5-b342e5f5eb83

Closed

EPSRC
NERC
NERC
NERC
NERC

No funds listed.

Sept. 30, 2018

May 31, 2024

Information on life-cycle carbon emissions can inform decisions on whether to invest in or provide policy support for different types of renewable technologies. Existing assessments of the life-cycle carbon of marine and far-offshore wind (such as floating wind) suggest that emissions are significantly higher than for more mature technologies, such as onshore wind, causing some to question whether investment in these new technologies is justified [1, 2, 3 ]. Life cycle assessments of embodied carbon, however, don't take into account the benefits that such technologies can provide in being available at different times to their competitors. The benefits of having a diverse supply mix are clear when considering a holistic view of the electricity system, and there is, therefore, a need to reflect such benefits in assessing the life cycle impacts.
The challenge arises from existing life-cycle carbon estimates for renewable energy systems being focussed on emissions arising from the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of the generators themselves. The impacts are typically normalised per unit of energy produced and then compared with the impacts of other technologies, such as fossil generation or the average emissions of the grid, to demonstrate the likely carbon reduction potential. This comparison may be in the form of calculating the carbon payback time. This step makes an assumption about the types of existing generation that the new technology will displace; however, studies of the carbon emissions reduction of wind power have shown that such an assumption is a significant approximation [4, 5]. In reality, the displaced generation mix changes across days, seasons and years.

Aims and Objectives
The key aim of this project is to examine the environmental benefits of diversity in renewable energy resource and understand whether these justify greater investment in marine and far-offshore wind. This will include:
*Provide an overview of the life cycle carbon (and other environmental impacts) of a broad range of wind & marine systems
*Develop a methodology to account for the carbon reduction potential of different interacting technologies
*Identify the carbon reduction potential of far-offshore wind and marine operating on the British grid.
*Investigate the interactions between temporal fluctuations in renewable resource and how these combine with technologies such as storage to meet demand with maximum possible carbon reduction.
*Provide tools and guidelines for considering the holistic consequential impact on carbon emissions of wind & marine energy systems.

Potential Impact:
The research challenge and skills shortage to be addressed by the proposed CDT in Wind and Marine Energy Systems is central to the success of UK plans for a high penetration of renewable energy (much of this to be from onshore and offshore wind together with other marine renewable energy sources) and thus to meeting the Government's binding EU obligations to provide 15% of UK energy from non-carbon sources by 2020.
Since this is a Centre for Doctoral Training, the primary impact on UK society in general and UK industry in particular will be through the provision of highly trained engineers, expert in wind and marine energy. Most of the CDT graduates will be expected to take up posts in the growing commercial wind and marine energy sectors, and quickly rise to positions of leadership and influence. Given the continuing importance of research, especially for offshore wind and marine energy technology , it is hoped that some graduates will remain in the Higher Education sector and develop academic careers. This would provide a further, albeit slower impact through an improved research base and capability to deal with the inevitable research challenges of the sector as it develops further commercially.
UK industry, directly and indirectly involved in the wind and marine energy, will be beneficiaries. The proposed DTC will link strongly to all sectors, OEMs, components suppliers, developers, operators and consultants, aligning its research programme in Technology Readiness Levels one to four with their concerns and priorities. The existing extensive network of Industry Partners, that closely engage with the existing DTC in Wind Energy Systems and IDC in Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE, will be maintained and built on to ensure this alignment is achieved. Their role will include membership of the Industrial Advisory Board, suggestion and development of topics for the first year 8 week mini-projects and the main 3 year research projects, partnering and providing advice, guidance and support. In this way the research undertaken will be directly driven by industry needs and the research outcomes will help the commercial sector address key issues facing them.
A further impact will be through dissemination of the research outcomes to the wider research community both nationally and internationally. DTC students and supervisors will continue to publish in leading international journals, and dissemination will be supplemented by attending appropriate conferences and through organisations like the European Academy of Wind Energy, the IEC and CIGRE, and most importantly through direct contact with the industrial research leaders. The proposal team has excellent contacts in both the UK power and renewable energy sectors (National Grid, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), and Scottish Power/Iberdrola among others) and overseas (EDF, Gamesa, Siemens, EDP, China State Grid, etc.), as well of course with the international research community (NREL, DTU/RISO, ECN, EPRI, CEPRI, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, UCD, etc.)
The strong links and support from the wind and marine sectors allied to the UK electricity generation sector will ensure National Impact. In addition, Strathclyde's recently established Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) partnerships with SSE and Scottish Power/Iberdrola will provide an excellent framework to promote diffusion of the ideas generated by the DTC activity into the electricity supply and renewable energy and offshore sectors. In addition good links have been established with the new TSB Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult based in Glasgow and NAREC, with both Universities represented on their Research Advisory Board.