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Energy Research Topics: Renewable Energy

The UK plans to develop significant renewable energy generating capacity that will provide electricity to the national electricity network. While some renewables provide energy on demand (eg landfill gas), the availability of others changes according to environmental conditions.

Research is being carried out by the ECI on the resource properties of wind, wave, tidal and solar photovoltaic generating systems, together with Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. By understanding the variability of these (both over time and in different places around the UK ), it is possible to design and optimize a diverse renewable energy portfolio that provides greater resource reliability and lower system variability (or intermittency). This will in turn affect key operational aspects of the electricity grid, such as backup capacity and load following capacity.

Projects

More Renewable Energy projects

Documents & Media

Journal papers

  • Staffell, I., Baker, P., Barton, J., Bergman, N., Blanchard, R., Brandon, N.P., Brett, D.J.L., Hawkes, A., Infield, D., Jardine, C., Kelly, N., Leach, M., Matian, M., Peacock, A.D., Sudtharalingam, S., Woodman, B. (2010). UK Microgeneration. Part II: technology overviews. Proceedings of the ICE – Energy, 163(4) 143-166.
  • Bergman N,. Eyre, N. (in press). What role for microgeneration in a shift to a low carbon domestic energy sector in the UK? /Energy Efficiency/.
  • Hawkes, A., Bergman, N., Jardine, C., Staffel, I., Brett, D., Brandon, N., 2011. A Change of Scale? Prospects for Distributed Energy Resources. Chapter 8 in: Skea, J., Ekins, P., Winskel, M. (Eds.), Energy 2050: Making the transition to a secure lower carbon energy system. Earthscan, London.
  • Bergman, N., Hawkes, Brett, Baker, Barton, Blanchard, Brandon, Infield, Jardine, C., Kelly, Leach, Matian, Peacock, Staffell, Sudtharalingam, Woodman (2009) UK microgeneration. Part I: policy and behavioural aspects. Energy 162(1), 22-36
  • C.N.Jardine and G. Ault (2008) Scenarios for highly distributed power systems. Proc. IMechE, Part A: J. of Power and Energy, 2008, 222(A7)
  • P Baker, J Barton, N Bergman, R Blanchard, N Brandon, A Hawkes, D Infield, C Jardine, N Kelly, M Leach, M Marian, A Peacock, I Staffell, B Woodman, A review microgeneration in the UK - part 1: Policy and behavioural issues, Energy, in press
  • P Baker, J Barton, N Bergman, R Blanchard, N Brandon, A Hawkes, D Infield, C Jardine, N Kelly, M Leach, M Marian, A Peacock, I Staffell, B Woodman, A review microgeneration in the UK - part 2:Technologies and grid connection issues, Energy, in press
  • C.N.Jardine, Synthesis of high resolution domestic electricity load profiles, First International Conference and Workshop on Micro-Cogeneration Technologies and Applications National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, 2008
  • Sinden, G. (2006) Characteristics of the UK wind resource: Long-term patterns and relationship to electricity demand. [PDF: 2.24MB] Energy Policy Journal, in press.
    This article provides a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the UK wind resource, and the relationship between wind power characteristics and electricity demand paterns.

Reports

Print, Radio & TV

Conference papers

  • C.N.Jardine, Synthesis of high resolution domestic electricity load profiles, First International Conference and Workshop on Micro-Cogeneration Technologies and Applications National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, 2008
  • European Wind Energy Conference Poseter Presentation[PDF: 1.01MB]
    by Graham Sinden November 2004
    The annual European Wind Energy Conference examines issues relating to the future of wind power across Europe. Graham Sinden presented a poster detailing some key features of the UK wind resource, and its interaction with electricity demand.
    European Wind Energy Association.
  • SuperGen System Evolution Workshop [PDF: 2.87MB]
    By Graham Sinden June 2004
    The SuperGen System Evolution group examines options for the evolution of the UK electricity network, and considers the mix of policies and instruments required to achieve specific generation scenarios. At the June workshop, Graham Sinden presented recent research carried out at the ECI into the long term variability of the UK wind resource. In addition to that provided at the OFGEM workshop (below) this presentation also examined the relationship between average hourly wind availability and peak electricity demand hours.
    SuperGen at the Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge University,
    SuperGen consortium website.
  • Making Sure Renewables Policy Delivers [PDF: 385KB]
    OFGEM Workshop presentation by Graham Sinden May 2004
    OFGEM, the regulator for Britain's gas and electricity industries, hosted a workshop focussed on achieving the Governments policies regarding the development of renewable energy systems in the UK . Graham Sinden presented recent research carried out at the ECI into the long term variability of the UK wind resource. Using observations from around the country spanning two decades, this research provides the most comprehensive assessment of the UK wind resource carried out to date.
    OFGEM website.
  • Workshop on Intermittency and Renewable Energy (Nov 2002)
    The ECI hosted a workshop on the role of intermittency in renewable electricity generation, bringing together experts from industry, research and policy to explore issues regarding the integration of intermittent renewables into the UK electricity grid.

Submissions to government

Selected presentations

  • Presentation by Graham Sinden to the Parliamentary Renewable And Sustainable Energy Group - PRASEG [PDF: 376KB] (October 2005)
    This invited presentation to PRASEG on 25 October 2005 provided a brief introduction to the characteristics of variable renewable resources, and the potential benefits of developing a range of variable renewable resources. It also briefly outlines the divergent range of estimates for backup associated with renewables such as wind power.
    Click here for information on the Parliamentary Renewable And Sustainable Energy Group
  • Presentation by Graham Sinden at the British Wind Energy Association Conference, [PDF: 376KB] (October 2005)
    This presentation focusses on the potential benefits of developing a range of variable renewable resources. Assessing the implications for a combined wind, wave and tidal stream renewable resource base supplying 20% of UK electricity demand, it suggests that there are tangeable benefits in terms of lower balancing costs and higher capacity credit from diversified portfolios.
    Link: British Wind Energy Association
  • Presentation to the British Institute of Energy Economics by Graham Sinden: Diversified renewable energy portfolios for the UK [PDF: 114KB](September 2005)
    While the current focus in renewable energy is on wind power, the reality is that any long term renewable energy scenario is likely to include a range of renewable energy technologies. Such a portfolio approach to renewable energy development will affect the characteristics of some renewables, particularly patterns of variability and availability. This presentation at the British Institute of Energy Economists examines one scenario for the development of a diversified wind, wave and tidal stream power portfolio in the UK, and the impact this has on variability, backup and balancing costs.
    BIEE home page
  • The Cost of Renewable Electricity Generation [PDF: 1.04MB]
    Presentation to UKERC stakeholder group by Graham Sinden on(July 2005)
    The UK Energy Research Centre is carrying out an evidence-based assessment of competing claims regarding the cost of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Graham was invited to speak to the stakeholder group, arguing that a understanding the characteristics of renewable energy sources needs to be the fundamental basis for cost assessments, while public perception is being misled by poor information and inaccurate terminology.
    More on the UKERC website
  • Sea: The Future [PDF: 1.02MB]
    Presentation at BWEA's second annual wave and tidal conference by Graham Sinden(March 2005)
    The BWEA's second annual wave and tidal conference examined issues affecting the development of wave and tidal power in the UK. Graham Sinden presented work recently undertaken in association with the Carbon Trust into the availability and reliability of wave and tidal resources, and the impact this has on electricity generation patterns. Download the presentation as a PDF(1MB) or Powerpoint presentation.(3.8MB)

More Renewable Energy publications