The Role of Renewable Energies in the Arctic

Last week, Prof. David Finger from Sustainability Institute and Forum at Reykjavik University visited the University of Klagenfurt as a guest researcher. His inspiring talk at Energy Cluster Meeting XXXI, titled "Climate-Neutral Europe: the Role of Renewable Energies in the Arctic to decarbonize Europe and enhance energy independence", was truly captivating and gave us all a glimpse into the possibilities of an Austrian-Icelandic Energy Cooperation. 

Students and researchers alike were amazed by the future of renewable energy in Europe that Prof. Finger's talk highlighted and left the room with interesting insights into the role of renewable energy in the Arctic. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the progress of climate neutrality and energy independence in Europe and we look forward to further collaborations with Prof. Finger in the future.

Energiewende - the Game

"Energiewende" is a computer game about the transition of our energy system from fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable energy sources. The game was developed by Manuel Herold, Matija Kucko, Andrea Monacchi, John N. A. Brown, and Wilfried Elmenreich as contribution to the CROSMOS GameJam. At this event teams had to develop a computer game to a topic just revealed at the contest in just two days - 2014 the topic was related to the services of Stadtwerke Klagenfurt. 

The game Energiewende let's you try out the strategic and tactical aspects of an electrical energy system that is mostly powered by renewable energy sources. Unlike a coal power plant, photovoltaic or wind power plants cannot save fuel in times of low load for using it later. Therefore, it is necessary to plan the distribution and placement of power plants well according to the expected power demands of their users - in the game they are modeled as houses with an energy consumption behavior of typical households. After placing power plants and transmission lines, the game features a real-time mode, where your system is simulated throughout three phases of a day (night/morning, daytime, evening). In case there is not enough energy in one phase, you must prevent a blackout (otherwise you loose the game) by balancing the grid. This is done by turning off devices in the houses. But be aware - user might not like this, especially if you turn off a device the user was about to use right now. A "complain-o-meter" is showing the aggregated dislikings of the users - once the complain-o-meter runs over, the game is lost.
Thus, one learns also about the typical consumption of devices and their potential for balancing the grid. The method shown in the game called demand response is currently a frequently discussed method for the future smart grid.

Got everything? Try out the game by clicking the image above. Have fun!

National Energy Production in Comparison

Guest Post by Lizzie Dawes

Of the individual countries looked at (Austria, UK, Germany, USA), Austria produces the most renewable energy, in terms of proportion. Unsurprisingly, given its area, the USA produces the most renewable energy. The USA was second only to China in its investment in renewables, spending $51 billion (around 41 billion Euros) in 2011. 

  

As can be seen from the graphs, Austria produces more hydroelectric power than any other type of power – including conventional thermal power. Why is this? Is it because Austria has ample opportunity for hydroelectric power stations? Is it because Austria’s waterways are not vital for commerce, with Austria being landlocked? Is it because Austrians are more receptive to the idea of renewable energy and are prepared for hydroelectric power stations to be built? 

Perhaps the answer lies in Austria’s geography – Austria is mountainous, to a degree that Britain and Germany are not – 68% of Austria’s land is above 500m. The majority of its hydroelectric power stations are in mountainous regions. Similarly, most of Britain’s hydroelectric power plants lie in mountainous regions – in Scotland and Wales, largely.

It is not as if other countries lack opportunity for hydroelectric power –Britain has mooted the idea of a barrage on the River Severn for decades, for example. Recently, there have been plans for more plants along the Mississippi River (USA), some of which have been abandoned as the price of natural gas has fallen.

Is hydroelectric the answer, though? Germany has invested heavily in renewable energy – 200 billion Euros have been pledged to build offshore wind farms. Indeed, Germany’s investments appear to have been successful – it now produces nigh on four times the energy from renewable sources as the UK and well over twice as much as Austria. 

It should also be noted that even Austria has not run away with itself building hydroelectric power plants – a protest at the Hainburger Au in 1984 stopped the construction of a hydroelectricity power station there, due to the impact the power station would have had on the environment. 

Austria, as can be seen from the graphs, has never produced any nuclear power, after a referendum in 1978, deciding that the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant was never to be used and since then, Austria has never operated a nuclear power plant. An interesting twist in Zwentendorf’s tale is that it has become, at least for the present, Austria’s largest solar power station.

Another factor to take into consideration is that most renewables (wind, solar, hydroelectric, for example) cannot be used constantly - they depend on the time of day, weather, etc. 

It is obvious that there are still issues to be solved, with regard to providing energy, even through renewable sources – careful consideration will still be needed on how to provide power when renewable sources currently cannot – either new ways of generating energy need to be found, or further investment is needed in geothermal, biomass, or nuclear energy.

All graphs based on data from US Energy Information Administration.