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In 2009 United Arab Emirates (UAE) has engaged in an ambitious nuclear power program with the construction of four 1400 MWe pressurized water reactor units at the Barakah site. Fourteen years later, three units are in commercial operation, and the fourth one is in the final steps of commissioning. The four units will produce up to 5600 megawatts of electricity, supplying approximately 25% of the UAE's electricity requirements. To ensure in such a short period of time the building of the nuclear capabilities and support to the program, Khalifa University has been, since 2010, a key contributor to education and training activities as well as the development of R&D capabilities in the field of nuclear technology. This paper provides an overview of Khalifa University's activities implemented within the Nuclear Engineering Department, the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute and the Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC). This joint Center, which embarks the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, is a hub that addresses the research requirements of the nuclear stakeholders for the delivery of safe and efficient nuclear energy as well as the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies in the UAE. The paper briefly describes the current research projects implemented at the ENTC and gives reference related recent publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming necessitates a replacement of traditional technologies based on fossil fuels. The number of options is rather limited. Renewable energies will play a dominant role in this process. Whereas biomass and hydro-electricity are limited, wind and photovoltaic power (PV) can be upscaled to large capacities. The technical side of CO2-free technologies has been covered in the bulk of these proceedings. In this paper, we concentrate on the main characteristics of an electricity system based mostly on wind and PV power and the consequences of integrating intermittent technologies. Most practical examples are taken from Germany. The question whether nuclear power can be considered as clean electricity source supplementing renewable energies will be discussed. Nuclear power will still play a role in 2050 and beyond in and outside of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first part of the paper, the basic features of nuclear fission and fusion energy are addressed. In the second part, an overview of energy consumption in the world is presented, which highlights the growing need for electricity from non-CO2 emitting sources, among which nuclear power is expected to play a role. The perspectives for the future of nuclear energy are then discussed, showing that it develops mostly in emerging countries and the small modular reactors are likely to have an increasing role. The third part is devoted to the question of nuclear waste management and to the non-radioactive environmental impact of nuclear energy in comparison with other sources of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric electric field diurnal variation measured in fair weather conditions over the ocean surface has a typical form which is called a unitary variation. It is associated with the global time and occurs simultaneously all over the planet. However, the diurnal variation, measured over the ground, depends on many local factors. The diurnal variation maximum of the electric field potential gradient, measured at Paratunka observatory, has the maximum close in time to the unitary variation maximum. In the paper we show that this maximum is determined by local conditions and is associated in time with the sunrise. The diurnal variation maximum of the electric field potential gradient, measured at Paratunka observatory in fair weather conditions, has annual variation coinciding with the annual variation of local sunrise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term forecasts indicate that the annual increases in electricity demand by 2030 will be approx. 2 ÷ 3% a year. At present, 40% of the world's electricity is produced using coal-fired power plants. Forecasts indicate that coal will still be the predominant fuel used to produce electricity and thus any actions aimed at increasing the efficiency of electricity production are purposeful. Enormous amounts of waste heat, which is not sufficiently used, are released during the process of electricity production. One of the ways to manage it is to use refrigeration systems based on adsorption chillers which would use waste heat to generate cold that would be employed for air-conditioning or process purposes. In this paper, the cycle of a conventional coal-fired power plant was modelled and then the possibilities of using waste heat for generation of cold as well as the impact of a chiller on the operation of a power unit were analysed using IPSEpro software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) is widely used to convert low temperature heat into electricity using organic working fluid. The performance of an ORC installation is influenced deeply by selected working fluid and operation conditions. Recently has been presented a new generation of working fluids dedicated to ORC systems. They are characterized by near zero ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) coefficient and significantly smaller GWP (Global Warming Potential) in comparison with currently used refrigerants. This paper presents preliminary research on selected dry and isentropic ORC fluids and some peculiarities in their behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a Dynamic Model of the electricity sector that can be used to simulate the evolution of some key variables on the long term, namely the evolution of the electricity price, of the demand and of the capacity factors of the technologies in the generation mix. This model can be used in different ways and by several agents, for instance to estimate the impact on the electricity price of the increasing presence of renewable power stations, namely using wind power and PV systems. In several countries these stations are paid feed-in tariffs with a fixed price but in some cases this scheme is under discussion and there are opinions that payments determined by the market price are more adequate and would bring fewer costs to final consumers. Such a change has to be carefully evaluated given that the presence of renewable stations bidding at an infra marginal price will affect the price itself. The model described in this paper can be used in a profitable way both by governmental agencies when preparing or studying alternative remuneration schemes to renewable stations or by promoters themselves to get more insight to the profitability of their investments, namely if the fixed feed-in tariffs in force in several countries are changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the problems related with the cold production, i.e. energy efficiency of the process. The idea of solar cooling systems has been presented as the solution of the problem of big electricity demand. The paper discusses the principle of the operation of absorption chillers. Disadvantages and advantages of the solar cooling systems were discussed. The installation for manufacturing high-temperature heat based on solar collectors and concentrator of solar radiation constructed in AGH in Cracow has been presented. This installation is a first stage of projected, complete solar cooling system. The special attention is paid to the dedicated solar high-temperature heat receiver as a most important element of the system. The achieved values of temperature, power and efficiency depending on the working medium flow has been presented and discussed. The intensity of solar radiation during the measurements has been taken into account. Two versions of heat receiver were investigated: non-insulated and insulated with mineral wool. The obtained efficiency of the heat receiver (less than 30%) is not satisfactory but possibility of improvements exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides numerical values of the reliability parameters for independent power sources within the ambient temperature and output power range corresponding to the operation under the climatic conditions of Eastern Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation. We have determined the optimal values of the parameters necessary for the reliable operation of small CHP plants (combined heat and power plants) providing electricity for isolated facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a commercially available renewable energy technology capable of harnessing the immense solar resource in Southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (the MENA region), and elsewhere. This paper summarises the findings of a study by the European Academies Science Advisory Council which has examined the current status and development challenges of CSP, and consequently has evaluated the potential contribution of CSP in Europe and the MENA region to 2050. It identifies the actions that will be required by scientists, engineers, policy makers, politicians, business and investors alike, to enable this vast solar resource to make a major contribution to establishing a sustainable energy system. The study concludes that cost reductions of 50-60% in CSP electricity may reasonably be expected in the next 10-15 years, enabling the technology to be cost competitive with fossil-fired power generation at some point between 2020 and 2030. Incorporation of storage delivers added value in enabling CSP to deliver dispatchable power. Incentive schemes will be needed in Europe and MENA countries to enable this point to be achieved. Such schemes should reflect the true value of electricity to the grid, effectively drive R&D, and ensure transparency of performance and cost data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a dynamic price mechanism to coordinate eletric power generation from micro Combined Heat and Power (micro-CHP) systems in a network of households. It is assumed that the households are prosumers, i.e. both producers and consumers of electricity. The control is done on household level in a completely distributed manner. Avoiding a centralized controller both eases computation complexity and preserves communication structure in the network. Local information is used to decide to turn on or off the micro-CHP, but through price signals between the prosumers the network as a whole operates in a cooperative way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future energy system will change significantly within the next years as a result of the following Mega Trends: de-carbonization, urbanization, fast technology development, individualization, glocalization (globalization and localization) and changing demographics. Increasing fluctuating renewable production will change the role of non-renewable generation. Distributed energy from renewables and micro generation will change the direction of the energy flow in the electricity grids. Production will not follow demand but demand has to follow production. This future system is enabled by the fast technical development of information and communication technologies which will be present in the entire system. In this paper the results of a comprehensive analysis with different scenarios is summarized. Tools were used like the analysis of policy trends in the European countries, modelling of the European power grid, modelling of the European power markets and the analysis of technology developments with cost reduction potentials. With these tools the interaction of the main actors in the energy markets like conventional generation and renewable generation, grid transport, electricity storage including new storage options from E-Mobility, Power to Gas, Compressed Air Energy storage and demand side management were considered. The potential application of technologies and investments in new energy technologies were analyzed within existing frameworks and markets as well as new business models in new markets with different frameworks. In the paper the over all trend of this analysis is presented by describing a potential future energy world. This world represents only one of numerous options with comparable characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing deployment of distributed generation systems based on renewables in the residential sector, the development of information and communication technologies and the expected evolution of traditional power systems towards smart grids are inducing changes in the passive role of end-users, namely with stimuli to change residential demand patterns. The residential user should be able to make decisions and efficiently manage his energy resources by taking advantages from his flexibility in load usage with the aim to minimize the electricity bill without depreciating the quality of energy services provided. The aim of this paper is characterizing electricity consumption in the residential sector and categorizing the different loads according to their typical usage, working cycles, technical constraints and possible degree of control. This categorization of end-use loads contributes to ascertain the availability of controllable loads to be managed as well as the different direct management actions that can be implemented. The ability to implement different management actions over diverse end-use load will increase the responsiveness of demand and potentially raises the willingness of end-users to accept such activities. The impacts on the aggregated national demand of large-scale dissemination of management systems that would help the end-user to make decisions regarding electricity consumption are predicted using a simulator that generates the aggregated residential sector electricity consumption under variable prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing greenhouse gases by 80%, as demanded by the IPCC, is one of the great long-term challenges facing our societies today and will doubtless require transformative changes to current energy regimes. Large-scale system transitions such as the one envisaged for the global energy system in the next 30-40 years can only be realized through complex processes of change involving global, regional, national, and local levels. In this paper we use sociotechnical scenario analysis to contribute ideas for the transformative change of the current Austrian energy system over the long term and to identify some of the particular policy measures, as well as structural changes and broader shifts in perspective, that would be necessary to deal with such challenges. There is less emphasis on the technical issues involved than on the socio-economic and governance requirements such a shift would demand. We also explain our experiences with the sociotechnical scenario process and its outcomes. In particular, we identify examples of some critical issues and opportunities within one of the identified key action fields and discuss their various implications for energy policy and everyday practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the basic concepts of wind energy and deals with the physics and mechanics of operation. It describes the conversion of wind energy into rotation of turbine, and the critical parameters governing the efficiency of this conversion. After that it presents an overview of various parts and components of windmills. The connection to the electrical grid, the world status of wind energy use for electricity production, the cost situation and research and development needs are further aspects which will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the basic concepts of wind energy and deals with the physics and mechanics of operation. It describes the conversion of wind energy into the rotation of a turbine, and the critical parameters governing the efficiency of this conversion. After that it presents an overview of the various parts and component of windmills. The connection to the electrical grid, the world status of wind energy use for electricity production, the cost situation and research and development needs are further aspects which will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the basic concepts of wind energy and deals with the physics and mechanics of operation. It describes the conversion of wind energy into rotation of turbine, and the critical parameters governing the efficiency of this conversion. After that it presents an overview of various parts and components of windmills. The connection to the electrical grid, the world status of wind energy use for electricity production, the cost situation and research and development needs are further aspects which will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This proposal focus on the potential of the existing buildings upgrade process in achieving the 20-20-20 goals, as these are the biggest energy consumers, the most significant built area and the better placed buildings within our cities. These buildings frequently lack basic maintenance and need intervention, but include within themselves a vast amount of incorporated energy and centuries of construction knowledge. Beyond the advantages that may result from re-attracting people back into the city centre, upgrading these existing buildings can also have positive bounce-back effect on the reduction of the energy needs related to transportation, as demonstrated in studies that alert to the impact of the building sprawl in the total energy use. As "buildings account for 40 % of total energy consumption in the Union", the better performance of this sector has a significant role, remembering that "these requirements shall take account of general indoor climate conditions, in order to avoid possible negative effects such as inadequate ventilation, as well as local conditions and the designated function and the age of the building" [1]. The importance of "upgrading" the existing buildings resides on the fact that new buildings represent only approximately 1 or 2% of the total usable area, an estimate that is bound to decrease due to the current construction crisis. While the recent buildings tend to be more efficient, the numerous existing buildings are important stakeholders due to their massive consumptions and incorporated energy. The ongoing Annex 56 on "Energy & Greenhouse Gas Optimized Building Renovation" assumes that "Current standards do not respond effectively to the numerous constraints imposed by existing buildings and in many cases, the requirements result in very expensive measures and complex procedures, seldom accepted by occupants, owners or developers. It is then urgent for the new standards to respond to these constraints and to develop good practice guides that integrate appropriate, applicable and cost effective technologies (existing or emergent ones)" [2]. Many existing buildings that we still recognize assimilated the introduction of water networks and wastewater disposal, electricity and artificial lighting, new people and new uses. It is now time to help these buildings to embrace the XXI century revolution of smart cities while keeping our visible memory alive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth of renewable sources requires a smarter electricity grid, integrating multiple solutions for large scale storage. Pumped storage still is the most valid option. The capacity of existing facilities is not sufficient to accommodate future renewable resources. New locations for additional pumped storage capacity are scarce. Mountainous areas mostly are remote and do not allow construction of large facilities for ecological reasons. In the Netherlands underground solutions were studied for many years. The use of (former) coal mines was rejected after scientific research. Further research showed that solid rock formations below the (unstable) coal layers can be harnessed to excavate the lower water reservoir for pumped storage, making an innovative underground solution possible. A complete plan was developed, with a capacity of 1400 MW (8 GWh daily output) and a head of 1400 m. It is technically and economically feasible. Compared to conventional pumped storage it has significantly less impact on the environment. Less vulnerable locations are eligible. The reservoir on the surface (only one instead of two) is relatively small. It offers also a solution for other European countries. The Dutch studies provide a valuable basis for new locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a top-down stylized model to analyse the impact of a transition to a European power system based only on wind and solar power. Wind and solar power generation is calculated from high-resolution weather data and based on the country specific electricity demand alone, we introduce a model of the conventional power system that facilitates simple spatio-temporal modelling of its macroscopic behaviour without direct reference to the underlying technological, economical, and political development in the system. Using this model, we find that wind and solar power generation can replace conventional power generation and power capacity to a large degree if power transmission across the continent is made possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several Finnish projections for future electricity demand and the need for peak load capacity indicate a demand growth of about 2 GW from the present to the year 2030. The retirement of existing fossil fuel plants and old nuclear power plants will cause increased net import needs during 2020's, even when assuming additional energy efficiency measures and the commissioning of two new nuclear power plants recently approved by the Finnish Parliament. By the year 2030, the need for additional new capacity will be about 6 GW. The increased dependence on import is in contradiction with the official Government targets. This situation is not unique to Finland, but rather is likely to be the case in many other European countries as well. Both the energy company Fortum and energy-intensive industry in Finland see nuclear energy as a viable future generation technology. We describe the « Mankala » concept which is successfully used to build new nuclear capacity at liberalised electricity market in Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RESRO (Reference Energy System Regional Optimization) optimises the simultaneous fulfilment of the heat and power demand in regional energy systems. It is a mixed-integer program realised in the modelling language GAMS. The model handles information on geographically disaggregated data describing heat demand and renewable energy potentials (e.g. biomass, solar energy, ambient heat). Power demand is handled spatially aggregated in an hourly time resolution within 8 type days. The major idea is to use a high-spatial, low-temporal heat resolution and a low-spatial, high-temporal power resolution with both demand levels linked with each other. Due to high transport losses the possibilities for heat transport over long distances are unsatisfying. Thus, the spatial, raster-based approach is used to identify and utilise renewable energy resources for heat generation close to the customers as well as to optimize district heating grids and related energy flows fed by heating plants or combined heat and power (CHP) plants fuelled by renewables. By combining the heat and electricity sector within the model, it is possible to evaluate relationships between these energy fields such as the use of CHP or heat pump technologies and also to examine relationships between technologies such as solar thermal and photovoltaic facilities, which are in competition for available, suitable roof or ground areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]