Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Regulation 2021
IV Year – VII Semester
CME365 – RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
, UNIT I
RENEWABLE ENERGY (RE) SOURCES
Environmental consequences of fossil fuel use, Importance of renewable sources of energy, Sustainable
Design and development, Types of RE sources, Limitations of RE sources, Present Indian and international
energy scenario of conventional and RE sources.
Introduction
Renewable energy is energy produced from sources that do not deplete or can be replenished or refilled
within a human’s life time. The most common examples of renewable energy sources include wind, solar,
geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will run out or will
not be replenished in our lifetime or even in many lifetimes. Most of the non-renewable energy sources are
fossil fuels, which influence the environment greatly and contribute to harmful global warming and climate
change. Renewable energy is sustainable as it originates from sources that are inexhaustible (unlike fossil
fuels). Despite of many advantages renewable energy sources have certain limitations like higher capital cost,
intermittency, storage capabilities, geographic limitations, etc., which make them inevitable.
Environmental consequences of fossil fuel use
Fossil fuels are formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of
years ago so they are named accordingly. Fossil fuels, which include coal, natural gas, petroleum, shale oil,
and bitumen, are the main sources of heat and electrical energy. All these fuels contain the major constituents
like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and other materials like metal, sulphur and nitrogen compounds. During the
combustion process different pollutants like fly ash, sulphur oxides (SO2 and SO3), nitrogen oxides (NOx
= NO2 + NO) and volatile organic compounds are emitted. Gross emission of these pollutants constitutes to
atmospheric pollution and can affect human beings and environment.
TEDA is Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency. It is an independent agency setup by Government
of Tamil Nadu in the year 1984, as a registered society with a specific purpose – to create awareness
and migrate the State from using fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Atmospheric Pollution
Atmospheric pollution occurs in many forms but can generally be thought of as gaseous and particulate
contaminants that are present in the earth’s atmosphere. Chemicals discharged into the air that have a direct
impact on the environment are called primary pollutants. These primary pollutants sometimes react with other
chemicals in the air to produce secondary pollutants. The most commonly found air pollutants are oxides of
Sulphur, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of carbon, hydrocarbons, particulates (fly ash).
Oxides of Sulphur (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with a sharp, irritating odour. It is produced by burning fossil
fuels and by the smelting of mineral ores that contain sulphur. Erupting volcanoes can be a significant natural
source of sulphur dioxide emissions.
Environmental effects
When sulphur dioxide combines with water and air, it forms sulphuric acid, which is the main
component of acid rain. Acid rain can:
• Cause deforestation
• Acidify waterways to the detriment of aquatic life
• Corrode building materials and paints.
Health effects
• Sulphur dioxide affects the respiratory system, particularly lung function and can irritate the eyes.
• Sulphur dioxide irritates the respiratory tract and increases the risk of tract infections.
• It causes coughing, mucus secretion and aggravates conditions such as asthma and chronic
bronchitis.
,Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)
The term nitrogen oxides (NOx) describes a mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
which are gases produced from natural sources, motor vehicles and other fuel burning processes. Nitric oxide
is colourless and is oxidised in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide has an odour and
is an acidic and highly corrosive gas that can affect our health and environment. In poorly ventilated situations,
indoor domestic appliances such as gas stoves and gas or wood heaters can be significant sources of nitrogen
oxides.
Environmental and health effects of nitrogen oxides
• Elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause damage to the human respiratory tract and increase a
person's vulnerability to respiratory infections and asthma.
• Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease.
• It may also affect the senses of smell an odour.
• High levels of nitrogen dioxide are also harmful to vegetation, damaging foliage, decreasing growth
or reducing crop yields.
• Nitrogen dioxide can fade and discolour furnishings and fabrics, reduce visibility and react with
surfaces.
Oxides of Carbon (CO, CO2)
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas formed when substances containing carbon (such as
petrol, gas, coal and wood) are burned with an insufficient supply of air. Motor vehicles are the main source
of carbon monoxide pollution in urban areas.
Health effects
• Carbon monoxide has serious health impacts on humans and animals.
• When inhaled, the carbon monoxide bonds to the haemoglobin in the blood in place of oxygen to
become carboxyhaemoglobin. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells and
decreases the supply of oxygen to tissues and organs, especially the heart and brain.
• For people with cardiovascular disease, this can be a serious problem.
• The effects are reversible, so symptoms decrease gradually when exposure to carbon monoxide stops.
Hydrocarbons
A hydrocarbon is any compound that consists of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They are organic
compounds. Because of the unique covalent nature of carbon, there are thousands upon thousands of
hydrocarbons in the world. Gasoline, petroleum, coal, kerosene, charcoal, natural gas, etc., are all a form of
hydrocarbons.
Environmental and health effects of hydrocarbons
• These substances contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change
• Deplete the ozone
• Reduce photosynthetic ability of plants
• Increase occurrences of cancer and respiratory disorders in humans.
India uses about 500 million T of coal every year to produce electricity, about 3.6 trillion cubic feet of
natural gas for power, chemicals and fertilizers and over 160 million T of oil for transport and industry.
Particulates (Fly Ash)
Fly ash is composed of tiny, airborne particles and is thus considered as a type of particulate matter or
particle pollution. Fly ash contains different trace elements (heavy metals).
, Environmental and health effects of fly ash
Wet ash ponds can pollute groundwater and if ingested, the arsenic contaminated water increases a
person's risk of developing cancer.
Inhalation or ingestion of the toxins in fly ash can have impacts on the nervous system, causing
cognitive defects, developmental delays, and behavioural problems while also increasing a person's chance of
developing lung disease, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal illness.
When ash is disposed in dry landfills or wet ponds, there are associated environmental effects. Wet
surface impoundments account for a fifth of coal ash disposal. These wet impoundments can be an issue if
they do not have proper liners for the landfill or pond to prevent leaking and leaching. Both leaking and
leaching lead to groundwater contamination.
Leaching is a process that occurs when fly ash is wet, and it simply means that the toxic components
of the ash dissolve out and percolate through water. This groundwater contamination can be harmful to human
health if the groundwater is a source of drinking water. In addition to leaching, fly ash toxics are able to travel
through the environment as a result of erosion, runoff, or through the air as fine dust. The fact that the
chemicals in the ash can escape and move through the environment is what makes fly ash harmful
Green House Gas Emissions from Various Energy Sources
Greenhouse gases are gases in earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the
atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere.
Most of the emissions of human-caused (anthropogenic) greenhouse gases come primarily from burning fossil
fuels like coal, hydrocarbon gas liquids, natural gas and petroleum, for energy use. Global warming or climate
change has been observed for around 150 years and is a growth in this phenomenon.
The other GHG that are emitted as a result of human activity are
• Methane (CH4), which comes from landfills, coal mines, agriculture, and oil and natural gas
operations
• Nitrous oxide (N2O), which comes from using nitrogen fertilizers and certain industrial and waste
management processes and burning fossil fuels
• High global warming potential (GWP) gases, which are human-made industrial gases
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
• Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
• Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)
Importance of renewable sources of energy
Renewable energies are obtained from sources of clean, inexhaustible and increasingly competitive
energy. They differ from fossil fuels principally in their diversity, abundance and potential for use anywhere
on the planet. In addition, they produce neither greenhouse gases – which cause climate change – nor polluting
emissions. Their costs are also falling at a sustainable rate, whereas the general cost trend for fossil fuels is in
the opposite direction in spite of their present volatility.
Renewable energies received assistance from the international community through the Paris Accord
signed at the World Climate Summit held in Paris on December 2015. The agreement, which will enter into
force in 2020, establishes, for the first time in history, a binding global objective. Nearly 200 signatory
countries pledged to reduce their emissions so that the average temperature of the planet at the end of the
current century remains well below 2° C, the limit above which climate change will have more catastrophic
effects. However the aim is to keep it to 1.5° C.
Of the total renewable energy capacity of about 32,730MW installed all over India, TN alone has about
8326.86MW, thus about 25.44% of the total installed capacity, with Tamil Nadu having about 34.31%
of the total wind energy installed capacity in India.
Other importance of renewable energy are:
Indispensable partner in the fight against climate change: Renewables do not emit greenhouse gases in
energy generation processes, making them the cleanest, most viable solution to prevent environmental
degradation. Most renewable energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions. Even when
Regulation 2021
IV Year – VII Semester
CME365 – RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
, UNIT I
RENEWABLE ENERGY (RE) SOURCES
Environmental consequences of fossil fuel use, Importance of renewable sources of energy, Sustainable
Design and development, Types of RE sources, Limitations of RE sources, Present Indian and international
energy scenario of conventional and RE sources.
Introduction
Renewable energy is energy produced from sources that do not deplete or can be replenished or refilled
within a human’s life time. The most common examples of renewable energy sources include wind, solar,
geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will run out or will
not be replenished in our lifetime or even in many lifetimes. Most of the non-renewable energy sources are
fossil fuels, which influence the environment greatly and contribute to harmful global warming and climate
change. Renewable energy is sustainable as it originates from sources that are inexhaustible (unlike fossil
fuels). Despite of many advantages renewable energy sources have certain limitations like higher capital cost,
intermittency, storage capabilities, geographic limitations, etc., which make them inevitable.
Environmental consequences of fossil fuel use
Fossil fuels are formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of
years ago so they are named accordingly. Fossil fuels, which include coal, natural gas, petroleum, shale oil,
and bitumen, are the main sources of heat and electrical energy. All these fuels contain the major constituents
like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and other materials like metal, sulphur and nitrogen compounds. During the
combustion process different pollutants like fly ash, sulphur oxides (SO2 and SO3), nitrogen oxides (NOx
= NO2 + NO) and volatile organic compounds are emitted. Gross emission of these pollutants constitutes to
atmospheric pollution and can affect human beings and environment.
TEDA is Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency. It is an independent agency setup by Government
of Tamil Nadu in the year 1984, as a registered society with a specific purpose – to create awareness
and migrate the State from using fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Atmospheric Pollution
Atmospheric pollution occurs in many forms but can generally be thought of as gaseous and particulate
contaminants that are present in the earth’s atmosphere. Chemicals discharged into the air that have a direct
impact on the environment are called primary pollutants. These primary pollutants sometimes react with other
chemicals in the air to produce secondary pollutants. The most commonly found air pollutants are oxides of
Sulphur, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of carbon, hydrocarbons, particulates (fly ash).
Oxides of Sulphur (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with a sharp, irritating odour. It is produced by burning fossil
fuels and by the smelting of mineral ores that contain sulphur. Erupting volcanoes can be a significant natural
source of sulphur dioxide emissions.
Environmental effects
When sulphur dioxide combines with water and air, it forms sulphuric acid, which is the main
component of acid rain. Acid rain can:
• Cause deforestation
• Acidify waterways to the detriment of aquatic life
• Corrode building materials and paints.
Health effects
• Sulphur dioxide affects the respiratory system, particularly lung function and can irritate the eyes.
• Sulphur dioxide irritates the respiratory tract and increases the risk of tract infections.
• It causes coughing, mucus secretion and aggravates conditions such as asthma and chronic
bronchitis.
,Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)
The term nitrogen oxides (NOx) describes a mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
which are gases produced from natural sources, motor vehicles and other fuel burning processes. Nitric oxide
is colourless and is oxidised in the atmosphere to form nitrogen dioxide. Nitrogen dioxide has an odour and
is an acidic and highly corrosive gas that can affect our health and environment. In poorly ventilated situations,
indoor domestic appliances such as gas stoves and gas or wood heaters can be significant sources of nitrogen
oxides.
Environmental and health effects of nitrogen oxides
• Elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause damage to the human respiratory tract and increase a
person's vulnerability to respiratory infections and asthma.
• Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease.
• It may also affect the senses of smell an odour.
• High levels of nitrogen dioxide are also harmful to vegetation, damaging foliage, decreasing growth
or reducing crop yields.
• Nitrogen dioxide can fade and discolour furnishings and fabrics, reduce visibility and react with
surfaces.
Oxides of Carbon (CO, CO2)
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas formed when substances containing carbon (such as
petrol, gas, coal and wood) are burned with an insufficient supply of air. Motor vehicles are the main source
of carbon monoxide pollution in urban areas.
Health effects
• Carbon monoxide has serious health impacts on humans and animals.
• When inhaled, the carbon monoxide bonds to the haemoglobin in the blood in place of oxygen to
become carboxyhaemoglobin. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells and
decreases the supply of oxygen to tissues and organs, especially the heart and brain.
• For people with cardiovascular disease, this can be a serious problem.
• The effects are reversible, so symptoms decrease gradually when exposure to carbon monoxide stops.
Hydrocarbons
A hydrocarbon is any compound that consists of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They are organic
compounds. Because of the unique covalent nature of carbon, there are thousands upon thousands of
hydrocarbons in the world. Gasoline, petroleum, coal, kerosene, charcoal, natural gas, etc., are all a form of
hydrocarbons.
Environmental and health effects of hydrocarbons
• These substances contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change
• Deplete the ozone
• Reduce photosynthetic ability of plants
• Increase occurrences of cancer and respiratory disorders in humans.
India uses about 500 million T of coal every year to produce electricity, about 3.6 trillion cubic feet of
natural gas for power, chemicals and fertilizers and over 160 million T of oil for transport and industry.
Particulates (Fly Ash)
Fly ash is composed of tiny, airborne particles and is thus considered as a type of particulate matter or
particle pollution. Fly ash contains different trace elements (heavy metals).
, Environmental and health effects of fly ash
Wet ash ponds can pollute groundwater and if ingested, the arsenic contaminated water increases a
person's risk of developing cancer.
Inhalation or ingestion of the toxins in fly ash can have impacts on the nervous system, causing
cognitive defects, developmental delays, and behavioural problems while also increasing a person's chance of
developing lung disease, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal illness.
When ash is disposed in dry landfills or wet ponds, there are associated environmental effects. Wet
surface impoundments account for a fifth of coal ash disposal. These wet impoundments can be an issue if
they do not have proper liners for the landfill or pond to prevent leaking and leaching. Both leaking and
leaching lead to groundwater contamination.
Leaching is a process that occurs when fly ash is wet, and it simply means that the toxic components
of the ash dissolve out and percolate through water. This groundwater contamination can be harmful to human
health if the groundwater is a source of drinking water. In addition to leaching, fly ash toxics are able to travel
through the environment as a result of erosion, runoff, or through the air as fine dust. The fact that the
chemicals in the ash can escape and move through the environment is what makes fly ash harmful
Green House Gas Emissions from Various Energy Sources
Greenhouse gases are gases in earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the
atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere.
Most of the emissions of human-caused (anthropogenic) greenhouse gases come primarily from burning fossil
fuels like coal, hydrocarbon gas liquids, natural gas and petroleum, for energy use. Global warming or climate
change has been observed for around 150 years and is a growth in this phenomenon.
The other GHG that are emitted as a result of human activity are
• Methane (CH4), which comes from landfills, coal mines, agriculture, and oil and natural gas
operations
• Nitrous oxide (N2O), which comes from using nitrogen fertilizers and certain industrial and waste
management processes and burning fossil fuels
• High global warming potential (GWP) gases, which are human-made industrial gases
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
• Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
• Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)
Importance of renewable sources of energy
Renewable energies are obtained from sources of clean, inexhaustible and increasingly competitive
energy. They differ from fossil fuels principally in their diversity, abundance and potential for use anywhere
on the planet. In addition, they produce neither greenhouse gases – which cause climate change – nor polluting
emissions. Their costs are also falling at a sustainable rate, whereas the general cost trend for fossil fuels is in
the opposite direction in spite of their present volatility.
Renewable energies received assistance from the international community through the Paris Accord
signed at the World Climate Summit held in Paris on December 2015. The agreement, which will enter into
force in 2020, establishes, for the first time in history, a binding global objective. Nearly 200 signatory
countries pledged to reduce their emissions so that the average temperature of the planet at the end of the
current century remains well below 2° C, the limit above which climate change will have more catastrophic
effects. However the aim is to keep it to 1.5° C.
Of the total renewable energy capacity of about 32,730MW installed all over India, TN alone has about
8326.86MW, thus about 25.44% of the total installed capacity, with Tamil Nadu having about 34.31%
of the total wind energy installed capacity in India.
Other importance of renewable energy are:
Indispensable partner in the fight against climate change: Renewables do not emit greenhouse gases in
energy generation processes, making them the cleanest, most viable solution to prevent environmental
degradation. Most renewable energy sources produce little to no global warming emissions. Even when
