pre042 - Water and Biomass Energy (Complete module description)

After the completion of the module students should be able to

-       critically evaluate and compare two Renewable Energy conversion processes which allow
         continuous power supply on demand (hydropower and biomass energy)

-       confront those systems to a Renewable Energy conversion process with intermittent output
        (marine power)

-       discuss extreme situations in Renewable Energy systems’ source and transfer such situations
        to other Renewable Energy systems

-       analyse various system components and their interconnections within a complex Renewable
        Energy supply system,

-       evaluate the Renewable Energy supply systems’ operational size and efficiency,

-       critically evaluate non-technical impact and side effects when implementing renewable
        energy supply systems

-      understand the basic chemical background of bioenergy-related materials, systems and
        processes

Biomass Energy (Lecture - 90 h workload)

–      Energy mix overview; gas, heat, electricity, Pros and Cons, of biomass,

–      Chemical composition of biomass: sugar, cellulose, starch, fats, oils, proteins, lignin,

–      Natural photosynthesis in plants: chemical storage of solar energy; general mechanisms,

–      Chemistry and Biology (microorganism) of Biogas Technology,

–      Conversion processes of biomass: classification, main pathways,

–      Introduction to catalysis used in biomass conversion,

–      Chemical fuels (chemical energy storage) from biomass,

–      Routes to platform chemicals and separation processes,

–      Technology concepts for bioenergy usage,

–      Introduction into economical and legal constraints.

Hydro and Marine Power (Lecture + Excursion - 90 h workload)

–      Revision of hydraulic basics and their application to hydro and marine power.

–      Hydropower and marine power resources and their representation

–      Technological and economical state of the art.

-       Description of such systems’ components, their characteristics, their interaction in a system,
        their main features and their challenges

Biomass Energy

–     IEA (2019), Renewables 2019, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-
       2019Fagerström, A., Al Seadi, T., Rasi, S., Briseid, T, (2018).

–     The role of Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas in the Circular Economy. Murphy, J.D. (Ed.) IEA
        Bioenergy Task 37, 2018: 8

-       IEA (2020), Outlook for biogas and biomethane: Prospects for organic growth, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth

-       International Finance Corporation. 2017. Converting Biomass to Energy: A Guide for
        Developers and Investors. Washington, DC ^© https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle
        /10986/28305 License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO.

-       Cushion, Elizabeth, Adrian Whiteman, and Gerhard Dieterle. Bioenergy development: issues
         and impacts for poverty and natural resource man-agement

-       Pehlken, A., Wulf, K., Grecksch, K., Klenke, T., Tsydenova, N.; More Sustainable Bioenergy by
        Making Use of Regional Alternative Biomass?, Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 7849;
        https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197849

-       Schlögl, Robert (2013). Chemical energy storage (Elektronische Ressource ed.). Berlin [u.a.]:
         De Gruyter.

-       Sackheim, G.I., Lehman, D.D.: Chemistry for the Health Sciences
         (8^th edition), Prentice Hall, 1998

-       Chemistry – General, Organic and Biological, Pearson International Edition (2^nd edition), 2007

-       Alonso, D.M., Bond, J.Q., Dumesic, J.A., Catalytic conversion of biomasses to biofuels, Green
        Chem. 12, 2010, 1493-1513

Hydro and Marine Power

-       Charlier R.H., (2009) Ocean Energy: Tide and Tidal Power.

-       Chtrakar P (2005) Micro-hydropower design aids manual: Small Hydropower Promotion
         Project, Mini Grid Support Programme. 107p.

-       Croockewit J (2004) Handbook for developing micro hydro in British Columbia: BChydro. 69
         p.

-       Giesecke J, Heimerl S, Mosonyi E (2014) Wasserkraftanlagen: Springer Vieweg. XXVI, 940 p.

-       Inversin AR (1986) Micro-hydropower sourcebook: NRECA International Foundation.

-       Meder K (2011) Environment Assessment and Watershed Action Planning related to GIZ ECO
        MHP Projects: Field Manual. GIZ. 24 p.

-      Pelikan B (2004) Guide on how to develop a small hydropower plant. European Small
       Hydropower Association ESHA. 151 p.

-      Penche C (1988) Layman's handbook on how to develop a small hydro site; Commission E,
        editor.
-      Rodriguez L, Sánchez T (2011) Designing and building mini and micro hydropower schemes - a
       practical guide; Action P, editor: Practical Action Publishing Ltd. xxii, 359 p.

Within the lecture Hydro and Marine Power an excursion to a hydropower plant and the catchment area will be offered. The duration of this excursion will be in total 5 hours.

It is recommended to know the basics of photosynthesis.