Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion Processes

Current & Future Perspectives By: Mr. Borirak Opasanont
Supervisor: Prof. Lee Jim Yang

H
O2 2

Solar PV Water Splitting Wind Energy Solar Heating,

Solar PV has seen high market growth but still
at very low level of contribution. Wafer-based
modules are still the dominant type with high-
est commercial efficiency. Thin-films can be
produced cheaper and continuously. However,
their manufacturing has not achieved low
costs. Other concepts of PV aim at reducing
costs or optimising efficiencies, and are at
various stages of development.
The relative advantage of PV is that it is modu-
lar and can be applied in any scales and sizes,
grid-connected or stand-alone.
Today's modules have lifetimes up to 25 years
and can be integrated into buildings to save on
building façade costs. However, cheap storage
is still a main problem to deal with the inter-
mittency nature. Other balance-of-system
components reliability and lifetime also require
more development.
Despite the relatively very high costs of PV-
generated electricity, they can be competitive
in areas where grid electricity is expensive
such as rural areas or grid-connected in areas
with supportive policies.The future for solar PV
is bright as it is a mild end-use technology that
is potentially aesthetically attractive and re-
quires minimal maintenance.
Water splitting by electrolysis currently pro-
duces only 4 % of the hydrogen in the market.
Wind energy is the most matured form of re-
newable. At the current high development
Cooling &
Direct solar-to-hydrogen water splitting by level, cost of wind-generated electricity can be
thermochemical, photobiochemical, and pho-
toelectrochemical means are still in academic
R&D stage. These direct water splitting tech-
competitive with conventional grid in regions
with good wind regime. Daylighting
The horizontal turbine type emerges to be the
nologies offer the prospect of clean hydrogen
most developed with lifespan of 20 years. Most Active solar heating is a matured technology
production by solar energy, but not expected
installations today are onshore grid-connected especially pool heating systems, whereas solar
to be at any commercial level in the near
at mountainous areas or open plains, with the cooling systems still remain undeveloped.
future.
trend of moving offshore for stronger winds.
Passive systems use equipment to capture
The main setback of wind power is its inherent solar energy, with some letting daylight
intermittency without a cheap mode of stor- through. Many building designs are being ex-
age. Good wind regimes are generally located plored and implemented with passive solar ap-
away from consumption areas. Though large proach, which are best at the design stage to
piece of land is required, wind farm uses less minimise costs.
Ocean Energy than 1 %. Wind farms can also be unsightly
depending on social acceptance, but reported
no noise issue with newer turbines.
Solar domestic heating is a suitable replace-
ment of fossil fuel heat and electricity for heat-
ers. Further development of components reli-
Current development is targeted towards stor- ability especially thermal storage mode, and
Ocean energy systems are still in their infancy
age mode, improving grid-connectivity and costs reduction will lead to their gain in market
with only 3 tidal barrages operating under
optimising for offshore establishments. share. Passive solar heat is the logical succes-
commercial experience. Barrages have huge
environmental impact and will not be deployed sors of fossil-derived domestic heat.
further. Wave-power and ocean thermal
energy conversion technologies have some
demonstration units but require fundamental
developments.
The harsh sea conditions with sensitive marine
environment demand great investment costs
and therefore high risks. Ocean energy sys-
Bioenergy Solar Thermal
tems thus received the least attention so far
and lagged behind other renewables. Traditional biomass has been widely used in

Near Term
In the near term of up to 2010, traditional bio-
mass will still be the main contributor. Its use
will decline as households shift to modern
energy uses. Anaerobic digestion technology
can be implemented at low costs in rural
households to provide gas needs. Co-
generation plants are widely accepted and can
be deployed immediately to areas with solid
fuels.
Wind power technology is readily available for
electricity generation in ideal onshore wind re-
gimes and should be given the first consider-
ation. In areas with very high thermal insola-
tion, typically with non-arable land such as
desert, parabolic trough technology should be
given priority for centralised plant approach,
possibly integrated with combined-cycles.
Therefore, its thermal storage should be the
immediate R&D priority.
Nevertheless, they have high potential in
areas with optimum resource due to its pre-
dictable cycles. Nearby town can be supplied
with their electricity output or hydrogen (by
splitting abundant water molecules) as a
transport means in the future. Ocean energy
technologies do not take up arable lands which
often compete with other priorities.
Mid Term
In the mid term of 2010 to 2020, solar thermal
power will start to be a player in industrial heat
provider and electricity generation. This will be
even more probable if the thermal storage
mode for each of its technology is well estab-
lished.
developing countries for domestic uses.
Modern biomass can undergo thermochemical,
biochemical, or physical conversion processes
to produce heat, electricity, and fuels.
Bioethanol and biodiesel produced are called
biofuels which can be blended with conven-
tional transport fuels to be used with today's
engines.
Because of low energy density, biomass re-
quires significantly large arable land which
may compete with other uses, and also limits
its consumption within the vicinity.
Biomass distinguishes itself from others as the
only renewable system that has natural carbon
sequestration and natural storage mode.
Bioenergy holds great prospect as a major
transport fuel once the widely available ligno-
cellulosics can be converted to ethanol by
more effective ways. Other organic chemicals
extracted from biomass will also be critical
feedstocks for biorefinery concept in the far
future, replacing fossil feedstocks.
Power
Concentrating systems (CSP) can achieve high
temperatures and are more developed than
non-concentrating ones, and consist mainly of
parabolic trough, power tower, and dish/
engine system. These systems rely on direct
insolation and thus good for sunbelt regions.
Trough systems have been commercially oper-
ating for over 20 years but have not received
further development. Power tower systems
have 2 demonstration plants experience.
Dish/engine systems still require basic engine
developments.
For concentrating systems, storage is vital to
curb the intermittency nature. Trough systems
need to develop storage medium whereas
tower systems already have a storage mode.
Non-concentrating concepts are solar chimney
and solar pond, which are in demonstration
stage.

At end-use, solar crystalline PV and solar do-
mestic water heater technologies are instant
solutions as they are already commercialised,
particularly in areas where wind, biomass, and
large land resources are severely limited. Fur-
ther R&D is required at once for solar PV's
thin-film manufacturing process. Solar PV will
be a key role together with modern use of bio-
mass in providing energy to the rural areas.
Biofuel consumption for transport is starting to
become recognised in regions with such
supply, as more people experienced the ben-
efits personally.
% Total Energy Supply
from Renewables
Floating solar chimney appears to be a prom-
ising low-cost centralised plant for
moderately-high insolation rural area,
whereas solar power tower would have gath-
ered sufficient experiences, and will be ready
to commercialise.
Offshore wind technology will become suffi-
ciently developed for widespread deployment
in good resource locations, which would also
boost development of ocean energy technolo-
gies concurrently.
Newer buildings will be aware of energy effi-
ciency and also consider building-integrated
PV, solar heating systems, and biogas digester
tanks during their design.
Colourful dye-sensitised PV would be suffi-
ciently developed for commercial use as build-
ing facades cost-competitively.
Biofuels should be more widely used in more
efficient cars that are still running on conven-
tional fuel with bio-blends.
R&D during this stage would focus on energy
storage and distribution modes of different
technologies in the form of hydrogen.
CSP systems are suitable to provide medium
and high temperature heat for industrial uses,
electricity production, or to drive chemical re-
actions, whereas non-concentrating systems
can provide low temperature heat for indus-
trial or domestic heat needs.
Long Term CSP systems can be sized for small village or
grid-connected generation. The components
of commercial CSP systems are still expensive
In the long-term of 2020 to 2030, biomass and unreliable. However, the systems can be
would be the key replacement of fossil re- hybridised with fossil heat cycles easily due to
source. Biorefinery concept, will be in opera- its heat nature of energy and be economically
feasible in the near future.
tion to replace petroleum in chemical and fuel
needs.
The onset of hydrogen economy means that
renewable energy technologies will be modi-
fied to produce hydrogen for distribution by
electrolysis or chemical means.
PEC developments will increase, leveraging on
that of PV, and increased cost of natural gas.
Ocean energy technologies will also be ready
for deployment thanks to the continual devel-
opments. The abundant offshore tidal, wave,
and thermal gradient energies can then be
tapped and stored as hydrogen for their fur-
ther distribution to end-uses.
At this point, bioenergy land use may be lim-
ited by food production. Offshore sources and
higher-efficiency building-integrated PV will
then be the keys for energy sustainability.

For more information,

contact Borirak at
Now 2010 2020 2030 borirak@nus.edu.sg

Solution Timeline or Prof. Lee at

cheleejy@nus.edu.sg