Infrastructures de l'énergie, possibités et choix


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Contents of this page:

1. Introduction

2. Alternative energy supplies and technologies

  • Direct solar
  • Thermal energy storage
  • Use of biomass
  • Direct geothermal
  • Direct earth or water source and heat pump systems
  • Solar, small hydro and wind power
  • Cogeneration

3. Study in depth


1. Introduction

Most urban areas almost entirely rely on conventional energy supplies, such as grid electricity, gas and fuel. However, several potential on-site renewable resources and high-efficiency supply technologies do exist. The objective is to determine how much of the energy demands can be met in a more renewable or sustainable manner than by serving all of the neighborhood’s needs with conventional supplies and how these technologies can be integrated into neighbourhood.

First of all, potentialities of available resources and local territorial predispositions should be evaluated:

  • Solar radiation
  • Wind energy
  • River, lakes, ground water
  • Geothermal heat
  • Biomass
  • Industrial and agricultural byproducts, waste
  • Existing infrastructures
  • ...

District heating and cooling

DHC is the production of hot and cold water at a central neighborhood plant for distribution to nearby buildings for their heating and cooling. A local distribution network must be carefully planned.

Whilst conventional energies (electricity, gas, fuel) can be easily transported over big distances (> 100km), heat can only be distributed over short distances (100m, in the best case some kilometers for big-scale geothermal plants). Considering this, heat/cold should be produced where it is used. Prefer transport of the energy agent rather than heat or cold itself.

 


2. Alternative energy supplies and technologies

The systems listed below are known as “distributed” (rather than “centralized“) technologies. These plants and technologies are smaller and cleaner than conventional generation systems. For these reasons, they can be located close to the energy users and provide more efficient power. They include:

Solar direct-use

This includes passive use through building orientation (windows) and active heating via thermal solar collectors. Good solar access must be granted to potential surfaces.


Apartment building "Les Pommiers", Geneva: solar collectors for domestic hot water production
Source: www.easysolar.ch (2005)

Excessive heat may be stored for later usage.

Thermal energy storage

In regions that are especially warm or cold, storing thermal energy in the form of hot or cold can reduce the capacity needed by community supply systems during hot or cold periods. These systems are generally referred to as seasonal thermal storage in the case of storing heat during summer for heating during winter, or diurnal when storing cool from the night for use during daytime. An example is buried pipe pre-cooling that can be simple and effective if properly designed.

Use of biomass

In regions that are close to woodlands or farming, use of biomass can be of interest for heating (wood firing) or production of biogas. In the case of woodfiring, air pollution due to NOx production must be taken into account. Available technology make wood heating more efficient for close neigbourhood heat supply or DHC. Heat from domestic waste incineration may be used for DHC.

Geothermal direct-use

Some places have low temperature geothermal resources that are warm enough to be used directly for building and process heating. These are resources in the 35°C to 50°C range. High temperature geothermal mining is based on cost intensive deep mining thechnology which makes this thechnology only suitable for medium to big size installations (district heating). Big plants can also pruduce electricity.

 

Direct earth or water source and heat pump systems

Direct use of ground water and/or surface water may be an efficient means of preheating or cooling of buildings.


Geneve - Lac - Nations, lake water used for district precooling/preheating in Secheron
Source: séminaire CUEPE, GENEVE_Infrastructures_et_energie_Seminaire_CUEPE_Remy_Beck_2004.pdf

Heat pumps coupled to the earth or groundwater can be a highly efficient method of heating and cooling buildings. But, basically, heat pumps should be considered as improved electrical heating systems. They do not produce energy but consume less energy.

Solar, small hydro and wind power

In some neighborhoods, solar, small hydro and wind power generation may be feasible, depending upon local resource characteristics and electric rates. Use of solar, hydro or wind for power generation allows a reduction in the amount of electricity that must be “imported” into the neighborhood via the community electric grid. Such reductions not only make the neighborhood more self-reliant and sustainable, but also extend the capacity and life of the community electric grid.


Office and Apartment Building "Stahlrain" in Brugg: sun screens in the shape of hinged grills and photovoltaic panels
Source: www.idea-architecture.org (2005)

Photovoltaic solar power generation requires optimum solar access in order to optimise payback from an economic and energy point of view.


Wind plant at Mont Soleil in Switzerland
Source: CUEPE 2001

Specially windpower requires excellent integration due to nuisances from noise, vibrations and turbulence.

Cogeneration

Cogeneration is the process of generating electricity and DHC together to increase the efficiency of both processes. Cogeneration plants are often conventionally fueled, but can sometimes use neighborhood renewable resources as partial fuel sources. Use of a cogeneration plant means that its electrical output can be subtracted from the amount needed from the community grid and its DHC output can be subtracted from displaced conventional heating and cooling fuels.

SOURCE: freely adapted and completed from PLACES3 http://www.energy.ca.gov/places/
(document: http://www.energy.ca.gov/places/EXECSUMM.PDF), 08 august 2005

 


3. Study in depth

GENEVE_Infrastructures_et_energie_Seminaire_CUEPE_Remy_Beck_2004.pdf

Assessement_for_solar_energy_application_in_urban_sites_Eurosun2002_poster.pdf
Assessement_for_solar_energy_application_in_urban_sites_Eurosun2002_text.pdf

Le_gisement_solaire_en_zone_urbaine_seminaire_cuepe_2003.pdf

Solar_and_daylight_availability_in_the_urban_fabric.pdf
Solar_energy_utilisation_potential_of_3_swiss_urban_sites_2003.pdf

Photovoltaics_in_Architecture_Othmar_Humm.pdf

 


pg / 17-08-2005 / mailto

 

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