Applied Energy

\r\n Conventional power plants, such as vapour cycles, gas turbines and internal combustion engines, which have powered our lives in the last 150 years, are now required new performance and environmental goals: high efficiency, flexibility and low or zero emissions. The research and development in the last 60 years have provided several solutions to improve the performance of those power plants. There are clear directions to follow to achieve low or zero emissions, but knowledge is not enough to reach the goals. Therefore, there is still a great need to find new and innovative solutions that will be a breakthrough towards the clean energy systems of the future.

\r\n Bioenergy systems and technologies provides in-depth knowledge of fuel characterisation, treatment and conversion technologies, environmental consequences, and resource utilisations related to bioenergy. Moreover, the course gives insight into different bioenergy systems, including bio heat, bio power, biofuel and biogas, and their combinations, with consideration of process integration for heat and material recovery. For biomass conversion technologies, emphasis will be placed on the thermochemical approaches, which include combustion, gasification and pyrolysis. The biological approaches, bioethanol and biogas productions, are also be treated in the course, but to a lesser extent. System design and process simulation is an important part of the course.

\r\n Mitigation Technologies develops and deploys innovative life-saving security solutions.  We are a standoff reduction company that can provide comprehensive solutions to reduce threat and vulnerabilities.   The company's premier product is the Safety drape Blast Curtain.  Mitigation Technologies continues to expand its line of technologies to save the most lives for the least cost.  Let us help you to protect your people and facilities.

\r\n ESI is the founder and world leader in low voltage Electron Beam (EB) technology. Since 1970, we’ve helped many of the world’s leading and most recognized technology companies to invest wisely in EB solutions. At ESI, we are not just providing electron beam equipment; we are delivering a TOTAL SOLUTION to our clients. From proving your concept in our pilot facility, located in Wilmington, MA, to optimization of performance or cost, scale-up and/or pre-production, we have seven facilities located throughout the world to get you to market quickly, with as little risk as possible. New technology can be risky, and EB is no different – we understand this better than anyone. You have questions and ESI has the answers. Take advantage of our experience, know-how, and best-in-class supply chain partnerships. Let us show you how we can help.

\r\n Energy storage systems are essential to the operation of power systems. They ensure continuity of energy supply and improve the reliability of the system. Energy storage systems can be in many forms and sizes. The size, cost, and scalability of an energy storage system highly depend on the form of the stored energy. Energy can be stored as potential, kinetic, chemical, electromagnetic, thermal, etc. Some energy storage forms are better suited for small-scale systems and some are used only for large-scale storage systems. For example, chemical batteries are well suited for small systems ranging from watches and computers to building backup systems but are still expensive when megawatt scales are considered. Pumped hydropower storage, on the other hand, which stores huge amounts of energy in the form of potential energy of water, can be found only in large power systems.

\r\n Renewable energy accounts for 13.5% of the world’s total energy supply, and 22% of the world's electricity. Renewable energy systems are a major topic when discussing the globe's energy future for two main reasons: (1)Renewable energy systems provide energy from sources that will never deplete. Renewable energy systems produce less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuel energy systems. (2)While renewable energy systems are better for the environment and produce less emissions than conventional energy sources, many of these  sources still face difficulties in being deployed at a large scale including, but not limited to, technological barriers, high start-up capital costs, and intermittency challenges. It is important to note that the terms ‘renewable energy’, ‘green energy’ and ‘clean energy’ are not interchangeable in all cases.

\r\n Geothermal power is considered to be renewable because any projected heat extraction is small compared to the Earth's heat content. The Earth has an internal heat content of 1031 joules (3·1015 TW·hr), approximately 100 billion times the 2010 worldwide annual energy consumption. About 20% of this is residual heat from planetary accretion, and the remainder is attributed to higher radioactive decay rates that existed in the past. Natural heat flows are not in equilibrium, and the planet is slowly cooling down on geologic timescales. Human extraction taps a minute fraction of the natural outflow, often without accelerating it. According to most official descriptions of geothermal energy use, it is currently called renewable and sustainable because it returns an equal volume of water to the area that the heat extraction takes place, but at a somewhat lower temperature. For instance, the water leaving the ground is 300 degrees, and the water returning is 200 degrees, the energy obtained is the difference in heat that is extracted. Current research estimates of impact on the heat loss from the earth’s core are based on a studies done up through 2012.

\r\n Renewable energy is another important grid component that can benefit from Big Data analytics. In the SMART grid, wind power and solar power are two major renewable energy power generation methods. Yet, weather conditions significantly affect their outputs. Through using data analytics, renewable energy power generation forecasting will be more accurate and efficient. All based on weather data analysis. The integration of energy production, consumption data, GIS data, and the weather data. Examples, temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, cloud cover, wind speed, and wind direction. Can support the sites selection of renewable power generation devices. Thereby improving power output and energy efficiency. GIS data is another aspect of Big Data analytics. It includes geographical information from satellite imagery that aids with spatial planning. By analysing topography, location to water and solar irradiation etc

\r\n Intelligent Energy is a world leading fuel cell engineering company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialisation of its Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell products, for customers in the automotive, stationary power and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sectors. Fuel cells are used in multiple applications, where clean, lightweight, high efficiency and cost-effective power is required. The company is headquartered in Loughborough in the UK, with additional offices and representation in the US, Japan, Korea and China.

\r\n The global energy industry faces fundamental changes in the way it generates, sells and distributes energy. And some contradictions in the reaction appear. There is strong pressure to improve resilience and, at the same time, reduce CO2 emissions. Therefore, methods must be found to manage the growing production of electricity from renewable sources of energy which are unpredictable and dependent on the eccentricity of local weather or even on the global climate front when we think about the impacts of climate change. Artificial intelligence (AI) could be a very useful and even powerful tool for meeting these needs. And, we will see more and more AI applications in the energy sector. Notably, maximizing the growth of green, low-carbon electricity generation through optimal energy storage management is an artificial intelligence application that will have a potentially huge long-term impact.

\r\n The energy transition involves the accelerated deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency. This requires systemic innovation, matching and leveraging synergies in innovations across all sectors and components of the system, and involving all actors. It includes innovations in information technology, policy frameworks, market design, business models, finance instruments, enabling infrastructure and sector coupling. Improved processes, research, development and deployment (RD&D) systems and cooperation networks are essential to overcome the barriers to a zero-carbon energy sector.