Renewable Energy Power Plants (BME654B)

Module -1
(Introduction to Renewable Energy: Overview of global energy demand and the need for renewable
energy, Comparison of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, Environmental benefits and
challenges of renewable energy.
Solar Radiation: Extraterrestrial radiation, spectral distribution of extraterrestrial radiation, solar constant,
solar radiation at the earth’s surface, beam, diffuse and global radiation)

Introduction to Renewable Energy

 Energy resources that are produced continuously in nature and that will not get exhausted
eventually in future.

1. Solar Energy Heat energy radiated from the sun

2. Hydel Energy Energy obtained from water

3. Wind Energy Energy from the flow of wind

4. Geothermal Energy Heat energy stored deep inside the earth

5. Tidal Energy Energy obtained from the tides in oceans

6. Ocean thermal Energy Heat energy obtained from the surface of water in oceans

7. Biomass Energy Energy obtained from the organic matter of plants and
animals
INDIA AND GLOBAL ENERGY SCENARIO:


 Energy demand in all over the world is increasing day by day. Major growth in energy demand is
projected in developing countries.

 Coal, Oil & gas are the three major primary sources of energy. World coal reserves are
likely to last over 200 years. Both oil & gas reserves likely to last 45-65 years.

 The global energy production at the end of 2025 was equivalent to 25000 Million Tonnes
of Oil Equivalent (MToE). Coal Accounted for 29% , Oil 31 %, Natural gas for 21% and
other at 18% (including nuclear, hydro, biofuels etc)

• Coal: Global coal consumption fell by 1.8% compared historically. This was accounted
by US by a decline of 12.7%, China of 1.5%. India recorded an increase in coal
dependence by about 5%.

• Oil: Global Oil consumption grew by 1.9 million barrels/day (nearly 1.9%) as compared
to historical data. US accounted for increase in 1.6%, China about 6.5%, India about
8.1% with an exception of Japan which recorded a decline of about 4%.

• Natural Gas: Global natural gas consumption grew by nearly 1.7%. Iran accounted for
6.2%, China about 4.7%, US about 3%. Meanwhile, few countries recorded largest
volumetric decline including Russia (5%) and Ukraine (21%).

Need For Non Conventional Energy Sources

The concern for environmental due to the ever increasing use of fossil fuels & rapid depletion of
these resources has lead to the development of alternative sources of energy, which are
renewable & environmental friendly. Following points may be mentioned in this connection.
1) The demand of energy is increasing due to rapid industrialization & population growth,
the conventional sources of energy will not be sufficient to meet the growing demand.
2) Conventional sources (fossil fuels, nuclear) also cause pollution; there by their use degrade
the environment.
3) Conventional sources (except hydro) are non-renewable & bound to finish one day.
4) Large hydro-resources affect wild-life, cause deforestation & pose various social
problems, due to construction of big dams.
5) Fossil fuels are also used as raw materials in the chemical industry (for chemicals,
medicines, etc) & need to be conserved for future generations.
 Differences Between Renewable And Non-Renewable Energy Resources

Benefits of Using Renewable Energy Sources

• Conserve fossil fuels

• Slow and reverse climate change: Alternative energy sources have a much lower carbon
footprint than natural gas, coal, and other fossil fuels. Switching to renewable energy
sources to produce electricity will help the planet by slowing and reversing climate
change.

• Save lives
• Reduce severe weather (droughts, floods, and storms)
• Minimize fuel dependency: We can diversify our energy supply by implementing the
widespread use of large-scale renewable energy technologies and minimizing our
imported fuel dependency.
• Economic and job development: Producing even more utility-scale energy systems
can create economic growth as well as jobs in the installation and manufacturing
industries

Solar radiation
Energy from the sun is called solar energy. The Sun’s energy comes from nuclear fusion reaction
that takes place deep in the sun. Hydrogen nucleus fuses into helium nucleus. The energy from
these reactions flow out from the sun and escape into space. Solar energy is sometimes called
radiant energy. These are different kinds of radiant energy emitted by sun. The most important
are light infrared rays. Ultra violet rays, and X- Rays. The sun is a large sphere of very hot gases.
Its diameter is 1.39×106 km while that of the earth is 1.27×104 km. The mean distance between
the two is 1.5×108 km. Although sun is large, it subtends an angle of only 32 minutes (0.53o) at
the earth’s surface. This is because of the large distance between two. Thus beam radiation
received from the sun on the earth is almost parallel. The brightness of the sun varies from its
centre to the edge. However for engineering calculations it is assumed to be uniform all over.

The beam radiation received from thesun on the earth is reflected in tospace, another 15% is
absorbed by the earth atmosphere and the rest is absorbed by the earth’s surface. This absorbed
radiation consists of light and infrared radiation without which the earth would be barren. All life
on the earth depends on solar energy. Green plants make food by means of photosynthesis. Light
is essential form in this process to take place. This light usually comes from sun. Animal get
their food from plants or by eating other animals that feed on plants. Plants and animals also
need some heat to stay alive. Thus plants are store houses of solar energy. The solar energy that
falls on India in one minute is enough to supply the energy needs of our country for one day.
Man has made very little use of this enormous amount of solar energy that reaches the earth.
Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Radiations
• Extraterrestrial radiation, also known as "top-of-atmosphere" irradiance, is the amount
of global horizontal radiation that a location on Earth would receive if there was no
atmosphere or clouds (i.e., in outer space).
• The intensity of solar radiation keeps on attenuating as it propagates away from the
surface of the sun, though the wavelengths remain unchanged. Solar radiation incident on
the outer atmosphere of the earth is known as Extraterrestrial Radiation.
• The extraterrestrial radiation, being outside the atmosphere, is not affected by changes in
atmospheric conditions. While passing through the atmosphere it is subjected to
mechanisms of atmospheric absorption and scattering depending on atmospheric
conditions, depleting its intensity.
Spectral Distribution of Extra Terrestrial Radiation

• It is defined as the rate at which energy is incident on a surface per unit area of the earth
surface. The incident energy per unit area on a surface can be found by the integration
over a spectral time, usually an hour or a day
• The spectral distribution of extra-terrestrial radiation refers to the wavelengths and
intensities of radiation coming from sources outside of Earth's atmosphere.
• extra-terrestrial radiation can provide valuable insights into the composition and
behaviour of celestial bodies, as well as help us understand the physical processes
occurring in the universe.

Solar Constant
“The rate at which solar energy arrives at the top of the atmosphere is called solar constant
‘Isc’. This is the amount of energy received in unit time on a unit area perpendicular to the sun’s
direction at the mean distance of the earth from the sun. Because of the sun’s distance and
activity vary throughout the year; the rate of arrival of solar constant is thus an average from
which the actual values vary up to 3% in either direction. The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration’s (NASA) standard value the solar constant, expressed in three common units, is
as follows:
(i) 1353 W/m2 (1970), 1367 W/m2 revised value
(ii) 116.5 Langleys per hour (1 Langely being equal to 1cal/cm2 of solar radiation received in
one day)
(iii) 429.2 Btu per Sq.ft. per hour.
𝑰𝒔𝒄/′𝑰𝒔𝒄= 𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟑 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟑𝟔𝟎𝒏/𝟑𝟔𝟓

Solar Radiation at Earth’s Surface

Solar radiation is received at the earth's surface in an attenuated form because it is subjected to
the mechanisms of absorption and scattering as it passes through the earth's atmosphere.
Absorption occurs primarily because of the presence of ozone and water vapour in the
atmosphere, and to a lesser extent due to other gases (like CO2, NO2, CO, O2 and CH4) and
particulate matter. It results in an increase in the internal energy of the atmosphere. On the other
hand, scattering occurs due to all gaseous molecules as well as particulate matter in the
atmosphere. The scattered radiation is redistributed in all directions, some going back into space
and some reaching the earth's surface.
Direct or Beam Radiation, Diffuse radiation and Global Radiation

Direct or Beam Radiation: Solar Radiation that has not been absorbed or scattered and reaches
the ground directly from the sun is called “Direct Radiation” or Beam Radiation.
Diffuse radiation: Solar Radiation that is received from the sun after its direction has been
changed by reflection and scattering by the atmosphere. Because of the Solar Radiation is
scattered in all directions in the atmosphere, diffuses radiation comes to the earth from all parts
of the sky.
Global Radiation: The sum of the beam and diffuse radiation flux is referred to as total or
global radiation. It is also called total radiation.