MEPP 557-Chapter 02-Renewable Energy Perspectives

MEPP 557: Hydrogen Technologies
Chapter 02
Renewable Energy Perspectives
Biraj Singh Thapa, PhD
Asst. Prof & Team Leader
Green Hydrogen Lab
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Kathmandu University
Dhulikhel, Nepal
bst@ku.edu.np
March/April 2021
Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 1
Applications of renewable energy for hydrogen production.
Solar Energy
Geothermal
Photo biological
Heat Wind Photovoltaics
Photo-
Biomass electrochemical
Hydro
Ocean
Photolysis
Mechanical Energy
Thermolysis Bio-Chemical Thermo-Chemical

Electricity
Conversion
Electrolysis
Fermentation
Hydrogen

World Electricity Production by Source- 2019
This graph reveals that fossil-based natural energy sources (conventional) are the most prevalent in energy
production as compared to renewable sources whose consumption is marginal.

Renewable Energy
Renewable energy, often referred to as clean
energy, comes from natural sources or processes
that are constantly replenished.
In todays time, Iceland and Norway generate all

their electricity using renewable energy and many
other countries have the set a goal to reach 100%
renewable energy in the future.
At least 47 nations around the world have over
50% of electricity from renewable resources.
Types:
1. Solar Energy
2. Wind Energy
3. Hydro-electric Power
4. Biomass Energy
5. Geothermal Energy
6. Ocean

Solar Energy
Solar energy is defined as the radiant energy
transmitted by the Sun and intercepted by
Earth. It is transmitted through space to Earth
by electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths
ranging between 0.20 and 15 μm.
• No Pollution/Clean System
During the operation of a solar power plant,
no fuel such as carbon is required, thus there
are no emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur
oxide, and nitrogen oxide, which pollute the
environment.
• Less Maintenance/Noiseless stand-alone system

The solar power system does not have any rotating part; it is a solid-state device, and thus, less
maintenance is required. It can be installed on the roofs of buildings or homes for electric supply. It
does not require a large land area compared to conventional power plants.
Solar Energy Concerns
• Discontinuous Source of Energy
The solar energy coming from the sun is not
constant,
therefore, it cannot be utilized during nighttime.
Solar energy also depends on the weather
condition; it can be fully utilized in sunny weather,
but less on cloudy days.
• Large land area

A solar power plant requires a large land area to
meet the requirements.
Solar PV increases flexibility needs without contributing significantly
• Replacement of batteries to the pool of resource that can adjust for flexibility, resulting in
The electricity produced from the solar cell/panel higher system inefficiency.
is direct current, which is used to charge the
batteries; thus it requires replacement of batteries
from time to time.

Solar Energy Conversion
Solar energy can be classified depending on
its application: first, as a thermal system
where thermal energy is utilized to heat the
system and second, as a photovoltaic system
where solar energy is utilized in the form of
electrical energy.
1. Solar thermal:
Conversion of sunlight into heat.
2. Photovoltaic:
Sunlight converted into electricity.
Fig: Solar Thermal water heating System

Solar Energy Conversion
Solar energy can be classified depending on
its application: first, as a thermal system
where thermal energy is utilized to heat the
system and second, as a photovoltaic system
where solar energy is utilized in the form of
electrical energy.
1. Solar thermal:
Conversion of sunlight into heat.
Fig: Standalone solar PV system
2. Photovoltaic:
Sunlight converted into electricity.

Photovoltaic Cell-Working Principle
When sunlight strikes on the solar panels, it
absorbs photons that produce electrons and
holes in the semiconductor material, and
thus, electric current flows. The efficiency of
the panel depends on the amount of solar
energy absorbed by the semiconductor
material. When light falls on the cell,
photons are absorbed by the panel and the
semiconductor generates electron–hole pairs.
Then the electron–hole pairs are separated
in the semiconductor. The electrons move
toward negative terminal, while the holes
move toward positive terminals. Thus,
electrical energy is generated.
Constructional view of photovoltaic
system
Photovoltaic Cell-Working Principle
Video reference: https://bit.ly/3v5DIQg

Stage of
Development
• Alexandre Becquerel observed
the photovoltaic effect in 1839,
which occurs when a material
produces electric current when
exposed to light.
• Aleksandr Stoletov built the first
Solar Cell in 1888.
• Albert Einstein published first
paper on photoelectric effect in
1904.

Solar PV Market Trends
Asia Pacific is anticipated to lead the
global market for Solar photovoltaic over
the forecast period. In 2019, the region
installed more than 67 GW of solar
projects. In the same year, China
installed a large number of solar projects
with a total capacity of 30.1 GW. The
country remains the worlds largest
market by far, adding over twice as much
solar power capacity as the European
countries.
In terms of solar PV installations, Europe

is the second largest. The European www.fortunebusinessinsights.com
Union installed 16.7 GW of solar PV in
2019.
Asia Pacific is anticipated to lead the
global market for Solar photovoltaic over
the forecast period. In 2019, the region
installed more than 67 GW of solar
projects. In the same year, China
installed a large number of solar projects
with a total capacity of 30.1 GW. The
country remains the worlds largest
market by far, adding over twice as much
solar power capacity as the European
countries.
www.fortunebusinessinsights.com
In terms of solar PV installations, Europe

is the second largest. The European
Union installed 16.7 GW of solar PV in
2019.
World largest solar plant is in China

with around 1.5 GW of solar energy.

Solar PV Economics
Cost Development
• Rapidly declining annually
• Declined by 58% between 2010-2015
• Modules are 80% cheaper than they were in
2009.
• Cost of generated electricity dropped to ¾
and continue to decline 2010-2017.
Why?
• PV modules technology & manufacturing
improvements.
• Rapid deployment.
Future Projections
• Trend is likely to continue
• Another 57% drop in cost by 2025.

Growing Competitiveness of Solar Power

Principle of Solar Power to Hydrogen
Principle: Surplus electricity from Solar energy is used

for electrolysis making it the cheapest free source.
Hydrogen then produced can be stored and used in
transportation, industries etc. Or, the produced
hydrogen can undergo methanation with carbon-dioxide
and Methane thus produced can be stored in reservoirs.
Current Practice:
Surplus Electricity from Solar Power is transmitted to main
grid in day time and electrolyser are run in night from the
electricity of the grid.

Hydrogen production costs
Ref: Hydrogen: A renewable energy perspective, IRENA, 2019

Hydropower
Hydropower/Water-Power is the power derived

from the energy of falling or fast-running water.
Since ancient times, hydropower from many kinds

of watermills has been used number of times as a
renewable energy source for irrigation and the
operation of different mechanical devices, such as
gristmills, sawmills, textile mills, trip hammers,
dock cranes, domestic lifts, and ore mills.
Fig: Watermill of Braine-le-Château, Belgium (12th century)

Hydropower
In the late 19th century, hydropower became a
source for generating electricity. Cragside in
Northumberland was the first house powered by
hydroelectricity in 1878 and the first commercial
hydroelectric power plant was built at Niagara
Falls in 1879. In 1881, street lamps in the city of
Niagara Falls were powered by hydropower.
Fig: Directly water-powered ore mill, late nineteenth century

The Three Gorges Dam in China; the hydroelectric dam is the
world's largest power station by installed capacity till date.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the application of
hydropower to generate electricity. It is
the primary use of hydropower today.
Hydroelectric power plants can include a

reservoir (generally created by a dam) to
exploit the energy of falling water, or can
use the kinetic energy of water as in run-
of-the-river hydroelectricity.
Hydroelectric plants can vary in size from

small community sized plants (micro
hydro) to very large plants supplying
power to a whole country. As of 2019, the
five largest power stations in the world
are conventional hydroelectric power
stations with dams. Fig: A conventional dammed-hydro facility (hydroelectric dam)

Classification of Hydropower
According to capacity According to nature of Flow
– Large (> 100 MW)
– Medium (10 – 100 MW)
regulation
– Small (1 MW– 10 MW) • Run-of-river (RoR)
– Mini (100 kW – 1 MW) • Storage (Reservoir)
– Micro (5 – 100 kW) • Pumped storage
– Pico (< 5 kW)
• Offshore or Tidal
Source: Department of Electricity Development
Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np

Hydro-Electricity Production-By Facility type
Types:
1. Run-off River (RoR)
2. Storage (reservoir)
3. Pumped Storage hydro power plants (HPPs)
4. In-stream Hydropower Schemes
1. Run-off River
– RoR plant produce energy from the
available flow and the natural elevation
drop of a river
– It is suitable for rivers that have at
least a minimum flow all year round.
– RoR plants usually have no or only
small storage, allowing for some
adaptations to the demand profile.

Types:
2. Hydropower plant with reservoir

– Hydropower projects with a reservoir
(storage hydropower) store water
behind a dam for times when river flow
is low
– Power generation is more stable and
less variable than for RoR plants
– Type and design of reservoirs are
decided by the landscape and in many
parts of the world are inundated river
valleys where the reservoir is an
artificial lake

Types:

– Pumped storage plants are not energy
sources, instead they are storage devices
– Water is pumped from a lower reservoir
into an upper reservoir, usually during
off-peak hours, while flow is reversed to
generate electricity during the daily peak
load period or at other times of need
– Although the losses of the pumping
process make such a plant a net energy
consumer, the plant provides large-scale
energy storage system benefits.
Types:

– Basically in-stream Hydropower
functions like a RoR scheme, but the
turbine is mostly built within the dam in
the riverbed. Usually the river flow is not
diverted.
– To optimize existing weirs, barrages,
canals or falls, small turbines or
hydrokinetic turbines can be installed
– At rivers close to the sea the technologies
may operate bi-directional (tidal)
Hydro-Electricity Production
Benefits:
1. Cost Competitive
2. Reliable
3. Base-Load Power
4. Flood Control
5. Reliable Water Supply for Community
Concerns:
1. Blocking water life habitat
2. Dams failures can be catastrophic

Hydro-Electricity Production-Current Challenges
1. Technical Challenges
2. Financial Challenges
3. Demand vs Need
4. Power Backup-Spill Energy
Ref: NEA Engineering Company, 2020

New energy markets, storage and flexibility for Hydropower
There is a need of new energy carrier to

prevent spill energy.
Hydrogen is by far the best energy

carrier that can provide maximum
storage capacity with flexible discharge
time.
When compared with other fuels, hydrogen

contains for the same mass the largest
amount of energy

Biogas
Biogas, naturally occurring gas that is
generated by the breakdown of organic matter
by anaerobic bacteria and is used in energy
production.
Biogas differs from natural gas in that it is a

renewable energy source produced biologically
through anaerobic digestion rather than a
fossil fuel produced by geological processes.
Biogas is primarily composed of methane gas,
carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of nitrogen,
hydrogen, and carbon monoxide.
The gas can be burned to generate heat or

used in combustion engines to produce
electricity

Biogas- Generation Process
• A biogas system comes in many shapes
and sizes; however, it always relies on the
same basic principle: harnessing the
power of microorganisms through a
natural process called anaerobic digestion.
• Organic materials are collected from a
system of inlet pipes and are then sent to
the digester, where it is collected and left
for microorganisms to feed on.
• The central element of any biogas system
is the digester. This digester is where the
breakdown of organic waste is done by
microorganisms. It is also where the
biogas is produced and stored. The
digester is constructed so that there is an
absence of oxygen, which allows for
anaerobic digestion to take place.
Biogas- Generation Process

Happening in Nepal
सिसिन्डरमा भरे र बेसिन्छ गोबर र फोहोरबाट बनेको बायोग्याि
Setopati, 06 June, 2020 https://bit.ly/3dHxNsr
गण्डकी ऊर्ाा बाट बायोग्याि सनकािेर भररएका सिसिन्डर। तस्बिर िौर्न्यः कुशि गु रुङ
Biogas End Use
• Raw Biogas and Digestate
With little to no processing, biogas can
be burned on-site to heat buildings and
power boilers or even the digester itself.
Biogas can be used for combined heat
and power (CHP) operations, or biogas
can simply be turned into electricity
using a combustion engine, fuel cell, or
gas turbine, with the resulting
electricity being used on-site or sold
onto the electric grid.
Digestate is the nutrient-rich solid or liquid material remaining after the digestion process; it
contains all the recycled nutrients that were present in the original organic material but in a form
more readily available for plants and soil building. Liquid digestate can be easily spray-applied to
farms as fertilizer, reducing the need to purchase synthetic fertilizers. Solid digestate can be used as
livestock bedding or composted with minimal processing.

Biogas End Use
• Renewable Natural Gas
Renewable natural gas (RNG), or
biomethane, is biogas that has been
refined to remove carbon dioxide, water
vapor, and other trace gases so that it
meets natural gas industry standards.
• Compressed Natural Gas and

Liquefied Natural Gas
Like conventional natural gas, RNG can be used as a vehicle fuel after it is converted to compressed
natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). The fuel economy of CNG-powered vehicles is
comparable to that of conventional gasoline vehicles and can be used in light- to heavy-duty vehicles.
LNG is not as widely used as CNG because it is expensive to both produce and store, though its
higher density makes LNG a better fuel for heavy-duty vehicles that travel long distances.

Bio/LNG as a Engine Fuel

Biomass-Hydrogen
• Via Microbial Fermentation of Biomass
In microbial fermentation of biomass, different
waste materials can be used as substrates. A
new and unique process has been developed
when substrates such as carbohydrates are
fermented by a consortium of bacteria; they
produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Highly
concentrated organic wastewater is one of the
most abundantly available biomasses, which
can be exploited for microbial conversion into
hydrogen.
Municipal solid wastes and digested sewage sludge have the potential to produce large amounts of
hydrogen by suppressing the production of methane by introducing low voltage electricity into the
sewage sludge. The substrate from the acidogenesis of fruit and vegetable market wastes gives higher
hydrogen evolution rates (about threefold) compared to synthetic medium. A mixed culture of
photosynthetic anaerobic bacteria provides a method of utilization of a variety of resources for
biohydrogen production.

Biomass-Hydrogen
• Anaerobic Hydrogen Production
Anaerobic hydrogen production proceeds from
photo fermentation as well as without the
presence of light. Anaerobic bacteria use organic
substances as the sole source of electrons and
energy, converting them into hydrogen.
Glucose + 2H2O → 2Acetate + 2CO2 + 4H2

Glucose → Butyrate + 2CO2 +2H2
The reactions involved in hydrogen production are rapid and these processes do not require solar
radiation, making them useful for treating large quantities of wastewater by using a large
fermenter.
Since they cannot utilize light energy, the decomposition of organic substrates is incomplete.
Further decomposition of the acetic acid is not possible under anaerobic conditions. Nevertheless,
these reactions are still suitable for the initial steps of wastewater treatment and hydrogen
production, followed by further waste treatment stages.
Emerging Renewable Methods for H2 Production
Bio photolysis 2H2O + light  2H2 + O2

Bio photolysis means the production of
H2 gas under the illumination of light in
biological organisms.
In the chloroplast of algae and

cyanobacteria, the thylakoid
membranes consist of chlorophyll
pigments in both photosystems, i.e.,
photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II
(PSII). The light energy absorbed by Direct photobiological H2 production from water using
these pigments raises the energy level of solar energy is a good example of massive (largescale)
electrons from water oxidation to PSII production of hydrogen gas by photosynthesis, in
to PSI to ferredoxin, where a portion of which solar energy is used to split water into H2 gas.
the light energy is directly stored in Microorganisms include single-cell cyanobacteria
hydrogen gas. multicellular cyanobacteria and green algae.
Global levelized cost of generation from different RE Sources (US$ per MWh)

Future Directions of RE Sources
Source: Renewables 2020

Global Status Report

Thank You!
Next:
Chapter 03 Hydrogen Production

MEPP 557-Chapter 02-Renewable Energy Perspectives

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MEPP 557: Hydrogen Technologies

Thermolysis Bio-Chemical Thermo-Chemical

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 2

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 3

In todays time, Iceland and Norway generate all

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 4

• Less Maintenance/Noiseless stand-alone system

• Large land area

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 6

Fig: Solar Thermal water heating System

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 7

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 8

Video reference: https://bit.ly/3v5DIQg

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 10

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 11

In terms of solar PV installations, Europe

In terms of solar PV installations, Europe

World largest solar plant is in China

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 14

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 15

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 16

Principle: Surplus electricity from Solar energy is used

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 17

Ref: Hydrogen: A renewable energy perspective, IRENA, 2019

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 18

Hydropower/Water-Power is the power derived

Since ancient times, hydropower from many kinds

Fig: Watermill of Braine-le-Château, Belgium (12th century)

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 19

Fig: Directly water-powered ore mill, late nineteenth century

Hydroelectric power plants can include a

Hydroelectric plants can vary in size from

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 21

Source: Department of Electricity Development

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 23

2. Hydropower plant with reservoir

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 24

3. Pumped Storage hydro power plants (HPPs)

4. In-stream Hydropower Schemes

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 27

Ref: NEA Engineering Company, 2020

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 28

There is a need of new energy carrier to

Hydrogen is by far the best energy

When compared with other fuels, hydrogen

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 29

Biogas differs from natural gas in that it is a

The gas can be burned to generate heat or

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 30

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 32

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 34

• Compressed Natural Gas and

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 35

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 36

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 37

Glucose + 2H2O → 2Acetate + 2CO2 + 4H2

Bio photolysis 2H2O + light  2H2 + O2

In the chloroplast of algae and

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 41

Source: Renewables 2020

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 42

Kathmandu University Green Hydrogen Lab www.ghlab.ku.edu.np 43

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