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Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications
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Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "L: Energy Sources".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 34117

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Andrzej L. Wasiak

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Guest Editor
Department of Production Management, Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska Street 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: energetic efficiency of fuels; production of biofuels; energetic aspects of materials production and recycling; energetic aspects of sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the world’s economy is confronted with problems associated with fossil fuel exploitation as well as with challenges associated with an increasing demand for energy. Increased atmospheric pollution, the widely discussed effects of carbon dioxide emission, etc., lie on one side of the problem. The other side is the unavoidable exhaustion of the fossil resources themselves.

Consequently, the search for new resources as well as the development of corresponding technologies is urgently needed. Therefore, there is a need for a wide spectrum of research on alternative resources, including those that are renewable as well as those that seem to be inexhaustible (solar energy being one such example).

One of the important factors is the energetic efficiency of processes occurring in the harvesting and exploitation of energy derived from both fossil and alternative resources. It can be expressed as a ratio of energy delivered by the converting system to the sum of energy fluxes consumed by that system in order to assure its functioning. The search for conversion routes that consume only a small part of the energy being delivered is perhaps the biggest challenge for technological development.

The present Special Issue is devoted to topics that reveal the state-of-the-art in the knowledge and technological development of any aspect related to alternative energy sources. Papers concerning existing as well as novel concepts are highly welcome. New developments such as perovskite photovoltaics, nuclear fusion, genetic modification of plants for bioenergy, biological conversion of raw materials into biofuels, gas hydrates, or hydrogen as fuel are highly welcome. Papers dealing with more classical topics will also be considered. Original papers as well as reviews concerning the mentioned topics and their link with economic or environmental issues are also of interest.

I would also like to mention that the reputable scientific journal Energies is widely accessible thanks to its open access policy.

Prof. Dr. Andrzej L. Wasiak
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • alternative energy sources
  • renewable energy sources
  • photovoltaics
  • nuclear fusion
  • intelligent energy management

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 9367 KiB  
Article
A Computer Tool Using OpenModelica for Modelling CO2 Emissions in Driving Tests
by Karol Tucki, Olga Orynycz, Andrzej Wasiak, Antoni Świć, Leszek Mieszkalski, Remigiusz Mruk, Arkadiusz Gola, Jacek Słoma, Katarzyna Botwińska and Jakub Gawron
Energies 2022, 15(3), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15030995 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3416
Abstract
The transport sector is one of the main barriers to achieving the European Union’s climate protection objectives. Therefore, more and more restrictive legal regulations are being introduced, setting out permissible limits for the emission of toxic substances emitted into the atmosphere, promoted biofuels [...] Read more.
The transport sector is one of the main barriers to achieving the European Union’s climate protection objectives. Therefore, more and more restrictive legal regulations are being introduced, setting out permissible limits for the emission of toxic substances emitted into the atmosphere, promoted biofuels and electromobility. The manuscript presents a computer tool to model the total energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of vehicles with an internal combustion engine of a 2018 Toyota Camry LE. The calculation tool is designed in the OpenModelica environment. Libraries were used for this purpose to build models of vehicles in motion: VehicleInterfaces, EMOTH (E-Mobility Library of OTH Regensburg). The tool developed on the basis of actual driving test data for the selected vehicle provides quantitative models for the instantaneous value of the fuel stream, the model of the instantaneous value of the carbon dioxide emission stream as a function of speed and the torque generated by the engine. In the manuscript, the tests were conducted for selected driving cycles tests: UDDS (EPA Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule), HWFET (Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule), EPA US06 (Environmental Protection Agency; Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP)), LA-92 (Los Angeles 1992 driving schedule), NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), and WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure). Using the developed computer tool, the impact on CO2 emissions was analyzed in the context of driving tests with four types of fuels: petrol 95, ethanol, methanol, DME (dimethyl ether), CNG (compressed natural gas), and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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13 pages, 2532 KiB  
Article
The Efficiency of Obtaining Electricity and Heat from the Photovoltaic Module under Different Irradiance Conditions
by Mariusz T. Sarniak
Energies 2021, 14(24), 8271; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248271 - 8 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2296
Abstract
This paper proposes a modification to the design of a standard PV module by enclosing the skeleton space and using forced ventilation. The purpose of this research was to develop a method for calculating the amount of heat gained during PV module cooling. [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a modification to the design of a standard PV module by enclosing the skeleton space and using forced ventilation. The purpose of this research was to develop a method for calculating the amount of heat gained during PV module cooling. A simplifying assumption was to omit the electrical energy consumed by the fans forcing the airflow. For testing at low irradiance, a prototype halogen radiation simulator of our own design was used, which is not a standardized radiation source used for testing PV modules. Two measurements were also made under natural, stable solar radiation. The modified PV module was tested for three ventilation rates and compared with the results obtained for the standard PV module. In all tested cases, an increase in electrical efficiency of about 2% was observed with increasing radiation intensity. The thermal efficiency decreased by about 5% in the analyzed cases and the highest value of 10.47% was obtained for the highest value of cooling airflow rate. In conclusion, the study results represent a certain compromise: an increase in electrical efficiency with a simultaneous decrease in thermal efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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15 pages, 7603 KiB  
Article
Research of Emergency Modes of Wind Power Plants Using Computer Simulation
by Mohamed Zaidan Qawaqzeh, Oleksandr Miroshnyk, Taras Shchur, Robert Kasner, Adam Idzikowski, Weronika Kruszelnicka, Andrzej Tomporowski, Patrycja Bałdowska-Witos, Józef Flizikowski, Marcin Zawada and Krzysztof Doerffer
Energies 2021, 14(16), 4780; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164780 - 6 Aug 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2124
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate changes in the wind power plant energy production parameters under the conditions of sudden wind changes and voltage drop. To achieve these goals, a simulation of operation of wind power plants was performed. Twelve wind [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to investigate changes in the wind power plant energy production parameters under the conditions of sudden wind changes and voltage drop. To achieve these goals, a simulation of operation of wind power plants was performed. Twelve wind turbines with variable rotational speed equipped with a Fuhrländer FL 2500/104 asynchronous double-fed induction generator (DFIG) were used, each with an installed capacity of 2.5 MW. A general scheme of a wind power plant has been developed using a modular-trunk power distribution scheme. The system consists of wind power modules and a central substation, which allows total power to be supplied to the power system at a voltage of 35 kV. The central substation uses two high voltage switchgears. Four modules were used, each of them consisting of three wind turbines, with a power of 7.5 MW. The simulation of the wind turbines was performed in the MATLAB® Simulink® software environment. The mode of response of the turbines to a change in wind speed, a voltage drop in the 35 kV voltage system, and a one-phase short circuit to the ground in the system of 10.5 kV voltage was explored. The results show that a sudden voltage drop and the appearance of short circuits influence the wind power plant (WPP) operation in a different way independent of regulation mode. The power generation from WPP will be limited when voltage drop occurred for both AC and Voltage regulation mode and during short circuits while WPP is set on AC regulation mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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20 pages, 4609 KiB  
Article
Gas Transition: Renewable Hydrogen’s Future in Eastern Australia’s Energy Networks
by Nicholas Gurieff, Behdad Moghtaderi, Rahman Daiyan and Rose Amal
Energies 2021, 14(13), 3968; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14133968 - 1 Jul 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3444
Abstract
The energy transition for a net-zero future will require deep decarbonisation that hydrogen is uniquely positioned to facilitate. This technoeconomic study considers renewable hydrogen production, transmission and storage for energy networks using the National Electricity Market (NEM) region of Eastern Australia as a [...] Read more.
The energy transition for a net-zero future will require deep decarbonisation that hydrogen is uniquely positioned to facilitate. This technoeconomic study considers renewable hydrogen production, transmission and storage for energy networks using the National Electricity Market (NEM) region of Eastern Australia as a case study. Plausible growth projections are developed to meet domestic demands for gas out to 2040 based on industry commitments and scalable technology deployment. Analysis using the discounted cash flow technique is performed to determine possible levelised cost figures for key processes out to 2050. Variables include geographic limitations, growth rates and capacity factors to minimise abatement costs compared to business-as-usual natural gas forecasts. The study provides an optimistic outlook considering renewable power-to-X opportunities for blending, replacement and gas-to-power to show viable pathways for the gas transition to green hydrogen. Blending is achievable with modest (3%) green premiums this decade, and substitution for natural gas combustion in the long-term is likely to represent an abatement cost of AUD 18/tCO2-e including transmission and storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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22 pages, 12028 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of Thermoelectric Generators Used as Energy Harvesters in a Water Consumption Meter Application
by Zdenek Machacek, Wojciech Walendziuk, Vojtech Sotola, Zdenek Slanina, Radek Petras, Miroslav Schneider, Zdenek Masny, Adam Idzkowski and Jiri Koziorek
Energies 2021, 14(13), 3768; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14133768 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2970
Abstract
In this study, we present the results of measuring the performance of selected Peltier cells such as thermoelectric Peltier cooler modules (TEC), thermoelectric micro-Peltier cooler modules (TES), and thermoelectric Seebeck generator modules (TEG). The achieved results are presented in the form of graphs [...] Read more.
In this study, we present the results of measuring the performance of selected Peltier cells such as thermoelectric Peltier cooler modules (TEC), thermoelectric micro-Peltier cooler modules (TES), and thermoelectric Seebeck generator modules (TEG). The achieved results are presented in the form of graphs of powering system output voltage or power efficiency functions of the load impedance. Moreover, a technical solution is also presented that consists of designing a water consumption power supply system, using a renewable energy source in the form of a Peltier cell. The developed measuring system does not require additional batteries or an external power source. The energy needed to power the system was obtained from the temperature difference between two sides of a thermoelectric cell, caused by the measured medium which was flowing in a copper water pipe. All achieved results were investigated for the temperature difference from 1 to 10 K in relation to the ambient temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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33 pages, 15611 KiB  
Article
A Computer Tool for Modelling CO2 Emissions in Driving Cycles for Spark Ignition Engines Powered by Biofuels
by Karol Tucki
Energies 2021, 14(5), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051400 - 4 Mar 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4355
Abstract
A driving cycle is a record intended to reflect the regular use of a given type of vehicle, presented as a speed profile recorded over a certain period of time. It is used for the assessment of engine pollutant emissions, fuel consumption analysis [...] Read more.
A driving cycle is a record intended to reflect the regular use of a given type of vehicle, presented as a speed profile recorded over a certain period of time. It is used for the assessment of engine pollutant emissions, fuel consumption analysis and environmental certification procedures. Different driving cycles are used, depending on the region of the world. In addition, drive cycles are used by car manufacturers to optimize vehicle drivelines. The basis of the work presented in the manuscript was a developed computer tool using tests on the Toyota Camry LE 2018 chassis dynamometer, the results of the optimization process of neural network structures and the properties of fuels and biofuels. As a result of the work of the computer tool, the consumption of petrol 95, ethanol, methanol, DME, CNG, LPG and CO2 emissions for the vehicle in question were analyzed in the following driving tests: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA US06 and EPA USSC03); Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP); Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule (HWFET); Federal Test Procedure (FTP-75–EPA); New European Driving Cycle (NEDC); Random Cycle Low (×05); Random Cycle High (×95); Mobile Air Conditioning Test Procedure (MAC TP); Common Artemis Driving Cycles (CADC–Artemis); Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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20 pages, 9018 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Road Infrastructure on the Environmental Efficiency of High Capacity Transportation in Harvesting of Renewable Wood Energy
by Teijo Palander, Stelian Alexandru Borz and Kalle Kärhä
Energies 2021, 14(2), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020453 - 15 Jan 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2224
Abstract
Transportation of renewable wood is increasing, being a necessary operation in logistics of the environmentally sustainable forest industry. However, increasing the transportation capacity is a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to trucks’ emissions, maintaining road infrastructure affects the environment by the [...] Read more.
Transportation of renewable wood is increasing, being a necessary operation in logistics of the environmentally sustainable forest industry. However, increasing the transportation capacity is a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to trucks’ emissions, maintaining road infrastructure affects the environment by the emissions of increasing utilization of HCT (high-capacity transportation), that is, larger and heavier vehicles, affecting the backhauling transportation and the efficiency of road-network combinations. Environmental efficiency is an important metric which is used for comparisons among technological alternatives employed in the utilization of energy derived from both fossil and renewable resources. Based on the enterprise resource planning (ERP) data (2018–2020), CO2 emissions of increasing HCT were calculated for a forest industry corporation. The reduction in average fuel consumption (ml t × km−1), between 52% and 70% in backhauling transportation, was 18.88%. In this respect, CO2 emissions were reduced by 4.52 g t × km−1, achieving 19.48 g t × km−1, based on the data from the 76 t vehicle combinations. Furthermore, the metric of total environmental efficiency shows the potential of the alternative road-network combinations for the HCT. The environmental efficiency of the 92 t HCT increased by 11% via an intensive road-network combination, compared to the most efficient 76 t HCT alternative and the efficiency increased by 21%, compared to the most efficient line-hauling alternative. Thus, the results are in favor of the backhauling transportation by the means of 92 t vehicles for HCT development. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis demonstrates that technological improvement of the forest roads is essential for HCT in an increasing harvesting of renewable wood energy. Also, to achieve the maximum environmental efficiency of the HCT during upgrading of the forest roads, efficiency measurements of the HCT should be implemented in the transportation planning systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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30 pages, 10392 KiB  
Article
A Computer Tool for Modelling CO2 Emissions in Driving Tests for Vehicles with Diesel Engines
by Karol Tucki
Energies 2021, 14(2), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020266 - 6 Jan 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3344
Abstract
The dynamic development of transport in recent decades reflects the level of economic development in the world. The transport sector today is one of the main barriers to the achievement of the European Union’s climate protection objectives. More and more restrictive legal regulations [...] Read more.
The dynamic development of transport in recent decades reflects the level of economic development in the world. The transport sector today is one of the main barriers to the achievement of the European Union’s climate protection objectives. More and more restrictive legal regulations define permissible emission limits for the amounts of toxic substances emitted into the atmosphere. Numerical CO2 modeling tools are one way to replace costly on-road testing. Driving cycles, which are an approximation of the vehicle’s on-road operating conditions, are the basis of any vehicle approval procedure. The paper presents a computer tool that uses neural networks to simulate driving tests. Data obtained from tests on the Mercedes E350 chassis dynamometer were used for the construction of the neural model. All the collected operational parameters of the vehicle, which are the input data for the built model, were used to create simulation control runs for driving tests: Environmental Protection Agency, Supplemental Federal Test Procedure, Highway Fuel Economy Driving Schedule, Federal Test Procedure, New European Driving Cycle, Random Cycle Low, Random Cycle High, Mobile Air Conditioning Test Procedure, Common Artemis Driving Cycles, Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure. Using the developed computer simulation tool, the impact on CO2 emissions was analyzed in the context of driving tests of four types of fuels: Diesel, Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, rapeseed oil, butanol (butyl alcohol). As a result of the processing of this same computer tool, mass consumption of fuels and CO2 emissions were analyzed in driving tests for the given analyzed vehicle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 5717 KiB  
Review
Evaluation of the Pavement Geothermal Energy Harvesting Technologies towards Sustainability and Renewable Energy
by Ebrahim Hamid Hussein Al-Qadami, Zahiraniza Mustaffa and Mohamed E. Al-Atroush
Energies 2022, 15(3), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15031201 - 7 Feb 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4307
Abstract
Continually using fossil fuels as the main source for producing electricity is one of the main factors causing global warming. Through the past years, several efforts have been made, looking for sustainable, environmentally friendly, and clean energy alternatives. Harvesting geothermal energy from roadway [...] Read more.
Continually using fossil fuels as the main source for producing electricity is one of the main factors causing global warming. Through the past years, several efforts have been made, looking for sustainable, environmentally friendly, and clean energy alternatives. Harvesting geothermal energy from roadway pavement is one of the alternatives that have been developed and investigated recently. Herein, a systematic review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of the potentials of harvesting thermal energy from asphalt pavement and to assess the level of achievement being attained towards developed technologies. A total of 713 articles were initially collected, considering the period between 2006 and 2021; later, a series of filtration processes were performed to reach 47 publications. The thermal energy harvesting technologies were categorized into three main sectors, at which their basics and principles were discussed. In addition, a detailed description of the systems’ configurations, materials, and efficiency was presented and described. Finally, gaps and future directions were summarized at the end of this paper. The fundamental knowledge introduced herein can inspire researchers to detect research gaps and serve as a wake-up call to motivate them to explore the high potentials of utilizing pavements as a clean and sustainable energy source. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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24 pages, 1908 KiB  
Review
State of Art of Alkaline Earth Metal Oxides Catalysts Used in the Transesterification of Oils for Biodiesel Production
by Jesús Andrés Tavizón-Pozos, Gerardo Chavez-Esquivel, Víctor Alejandro Suárez-Toriello, Carlos Eduardo Santolalla-Vargas, Oscar Abel Luévano-Rivas, Omar Uriel Valdés-Martínez, Alfonso Talavera-López and Jose Antonio Rodriguez
Energies 2021, 14(4), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14041031 - 16 Feb 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4200
Abstract
Biodiesel produced through catalytic transesterification of triglycerides from edible and non-edible oils and alcohol is considered an alternative to traditional petro-diesel. The interest in the use of alkaline earth metal oxides as heterogeneous basic catalysts has increased due to their availability, non-toxicity, the [...] Read more.
Biodiesel produced through catalytic transesterification of triglycerides from edible and non-edible oils and alcohol is considered an alternative to traditional petro-diesel. The interest in the use of alkaline earth metal oxides as heterogeneous basic catalysts has increased due to their availability, non-toxicity, the capacity to be reused, low cost, and high concentration of surface basic sites that provide the activity. This work is a compilation of the strategies to understand the effect of the source, synthesis, and thermal treatment of MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO on the improvement of the surface basic sites density and strength, the morphology of the solid structure, stability during reaction and reusability. These parameters are commonly modified or enhanced by mixing these oxides or with alkaline metals. Also, the improvement of the acid-base properties and to avoid the lixiviation of catalysts can be achieved by supporting the alkaline earth metal oxides on another oxide. Additionally, the effect of the most relevant operation conditions in oil transesterification reactions such as methanol to oil ratio, temperature, agitation method, pressure, and catalysts concentration are reviewed. This review attempts to elucidate the optimum parameters of reaction and their application in different oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alternative Energy: Harvesting and Applications)
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