New, Clean Energy Alternatives

Summary

Renewables, such as wind and solar, both with battery backup are predominant and currently being installed worldwide. However, there are some exciting alternatives being developed.

This blog explores nuclear fusion and 24 hour solar transmission from outer space. Both have been around for a while but research has removed many of the problems that have held them back. While they are both more than 10 years away, these longer term solutions have big advantages.

Fossil fuels have been great, but they are old technologies, needed less and less until cleaner technology meets the world’s needs. The low cost, worldwide availability of clean energy clearly outweighs the continued use of fossil fuels.

Many think existing nuclear fission technology should be expanded, but it is expensive, even the new smaller reactors are not an economic or long term solution. Although now much safer, public opinion is generally against it.

As always watching a video helps understand the technology. Below is a good explanation of space based, 24 hour solar power.

Space Based 24 Hour Solar Power

In space, the sun shines without cloud interference, 24 hours a day. Space Energy Initiative (SEI), is a UK collaboration of industry and academics. They plan to assemble and maintain solar panels in space using autonomous robots. Power is then transmitted to Earth by microwaves. Microwaves have been developed to be safe and capable of delivering large amounts of power.

A narrow strip around a geostationary Earth orbit receives more than 100 times the amount of energy per year than the world is forecast to use in 2050.

While it sounds too good to be true, it’s something that could be happening as soon as 2035, according to Martin Soltau, the co-chairman at SEi.

Similar projects are under development elsewhere.

Nuclear Fusion

See also the prior blog, Nuclear Fusion, the Ultimate Power Source.

Fusion works by forcing together hydrogen atoms rather than by splitting them, as is the case of fission used in existing nuclear power stations. It is so appealing because fusion would create abundant, limitless, clean and safe energy. 1 gram of deuterium (a hydrogen component) would power a house for a year and hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe – think water H₂O.

In the core of the Sun, huge gravitational pressures allow fusion to happen at temperatures of around 10 million ⁰C. To compensate the lower pressures possible on Earth, temperatures to produce fusion must be much higher, above 100 million ⁰C. Some trials are using 150 Million ⁰C. How is this possible? By working in a vacuum, using powerful magnets and high power lasers. Also, the heat is focussed at an atomic level only for a very short time.

There are 2 major problems

• Creating a continuous fusion output. So far the record is 5 seconds!
• Using less energy in than out. That hasn’t happened yet!

Trial Status

 The number of trial companies is large, about 30 private companies with serious funding (billions of dollars) and many government organisations. The market is $trillions per year. Some are small with different methods and some are very large. An example is ITER in France, funded by a consortium of countries. These include the UK, USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia, France, South Korea, Japan, India and China. ITER is to be completed for trials by 2025.

An example of different technology is one private company that has a small fusion device using piston pressure to generate electricity directly. Most use heat to make steam which powers a conventional generator.

This video covers the variety of research projects underway now.

More than 90% of people in the industry believe fusion power will be supplying the grid by the 2030s. Let’s hope they are right.

References

• Space Solar
• Fusion Industry Association

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