How do we ensure a stable energy supply while taking climate issues into account? In the new Risø Energy Report 7, leading experts from both DTU and abroad have put together a number of recommendations.
Challenges
Important decisions should be based on the best available knowledge and a suitable forward-looking foundation. Energy reports from Risø DTU support political decisions concerning future energy planning.
Risø Energy Report 7 was recently published at the international workshop "Future energy systems" under DTU Climate Change Technologies. The workshop was held on 19 and 20 November and attracted 150 participants.
Different countries – different challenges
The basic premise of Risø Energy Report 7 is that the global energy situation is influenced by two overriding concerns that are key to priority planning in the energy field: Security of supply and climate change. Climate change is generally considered to be the most serious environmental challenge in the world today. An important point in the report is that there are different solutions for different regions.
The report outlines the current and possible future composition of energy systems in Denmark and three country categories: The first is Europe and the other OECD countries; the second is large, rapidly developing economies, especially India and China; the third is typically less developed countries, e.g. many African nations.
The report describes how the energy systems of the future can be designed in the three categories of countries, and to which extent this can be aided by the various technologies.
As regards Denmark, this may entail major expansion of the area of wind power. For China and India, this may entail development of coal-fired power stations to significantly improve their efficiency, as well as focus on carbon capture and storage.
Possibilities of CO2 reduction
The report examines the need for research, demonstration, market incentives and political measures focusing on initiatives that promote reduction of CO2 emissions. In particular, the report describes system options and technology mixes that can help to ensure that emissions peak in 2020 and are reduced by 50% in the longer term, both in Denmark and globally.
The OECD countries have great influence on the development of energy demand and on creating new energy supply opportunities. They are quick off the mark when it comes to developing renewable energy technologies, but at the same time their dependence on imported fossil fuels is growing. Energy demand in the OECD countries will grow at a much slower pace than in the rest of the world.
Risø Energy Report 7 is available to download from: http://130.226.56.153/rispubl/reports/ris-r-1651.pdf
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The recommendations of Risø Energy Report 7 include:
Denmark's energy system
Denmark's power transmission grid should be reinforced to accommodate expansion in the form of offshore wind power plants. Electricity storage is an important element in reinforcing the grid. Another important element is to establish an intelligent grid with two-way communication so that e.g. washing machines in households start when the lowest power tariff applies. This facilitates the integration of more wind power.
European power transmission grid
Large-scale integration of renewable energy in Europe requires a pan-European power transmission grid that can ensure efficient cross-border trade of power and provide mutual support for security and quality of supply.
Global supply
It is important to increase international collaboration and support for the introduction of new and more efficient energy technologies in countries such as China and India.
The use of instruments such as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), e.g. by international trade in CO2 quotas, should be increased in order to boost the development and implementation of low-carbon energy systems in the developing countries.
CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is an important medium-term option as it provides for low-carbon utilization of the world's considerable remaining reserves of fossil fuels. Research and development and international cooperation as regards CCS should therefore be stimulated.
Research
It is important to stimulate research and demonstration in new energy technologies, particularly systems adapted to the very different needs in the various regions of the world. This should be effected in international collaboration at local, regional and global level.
Knowledge
Educating the next generation of energy specialists and engineers worldwide is key to developing and utilizing energy technologies at local, regional and global levels.
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| Facts about the energy reports
Since Risø is Denmark's National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, it was a natural step to systemize this knowledge and consider the energy issue in an international context. The result was a series of energy reports with great impact.
The series was initiated in 2002. The reports are based on the latest national and international research findings and are submitted for three international reviews for comments on their content and recommendations. Several DTU experts – across departments and disciplines – have contributed to Risø Energy Report 7.
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