Photo: Acciona
Humanity is on a roll in terms of using and taking advantage of renewable energy, probably more than ever before. Wind energy is starting to be considered more and more for powering sustainable cargo ships, and it can do much more than that. A combination of offshore wind and marine renewable energy could be the answer for an innovative fuel to be used in the automotive industry.
This year, UK will be hosting the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), and it has even bigger plans for the future. Already the largest producer of offshore wind energy in the world, Britain is planning to have every home powered by this type of energy, by 2030.
The problem is that renewable energy is still not widely used for heating, energy storage and transport area where it’s more difficult to switch to sustainable sources, like aviation and heavy-duty vehicles. A new complex project aims to completely reconfigure the country’s energy system, by finding solutions for energy storage.
The University of Strathclyde, a prestigious energy research institution, will lead the project called Ocean-Refuel (Ocean Renewable Energy Fuels), which includes research teams from other Universities as well, plus 28 industrial partners. Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the project will explore the most effective ways of converting ocean energy into fuel.
The downside of wind power is its intermittency, and this has been holding back large scale usability. By developing energy storage solutions using hydrogen and ammonia, the issue of energy supply could be managed. Hydrogen is an energy carrier, and the best part is that it can be obtained from seawater. The energy would then be used as fuel for transportation, or stored and then fed back into the grid. This way, the wind and the ocean will both contribute to a sustainable energy system.
The £10 million ($13.6 million) project is based on a 5-year collaboration, and plans to create the blueprint for the first integrated Ocean Renewable Fuel production facility.
The problem is that renewable energy is still not widely used for heating, energy storage and transport area where it’s more difficult to switch to sustainable sources, like aviation and heavy-duty vehicles. A new complex project aims to completely reconfigure the country’s energy system, by finding solutions for energy storage.
The University of Strathclyde, a prestigious energy research institution, will lead the project called Ocean-Refuel (Ocean Renewable Energy Fuels), which includes research teams from other Universities as well, plus 28 industrial partners. Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the project will explore the most effective ways of converting ocean energy into fuel.
The downside of wind power is its intermittency, and this has been holding back large scale usability. By developing energy storage solutions using hydrogen and ammonia, the issue of energy supply could be managed. Hydrogen is an energy carrier, and the best part is that it can be obtained from seawater. The energy would then be used as fuel for transportation, or stored and then fed back into the grid. This way, the wind and the ocean will both contribute to a sustainable energy system.
The £10 million ($13.6 million) project is based on a 5-year collaboration, and plans to create the blueprint for the first integrated Ocean Renewable Fuel production facility.
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