What we Learn from History to Master the Future Energy Challenge
Event details
| Date | 26.11.2013 |
| Hour | 15:00 › 16:00 |
| Speaker | Prof. Andreas Züttel, EMPA Materials Sciences & Technology |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
The world wide energy demand increases just as rapidly as the average temperature of the atmosphere. The reserves of fossil fuels worldwide are limited and the combustion of the carbon fuels leads to a severThe world wide energy demand increases just as rapidly as the average temperature of the atmosphere. The reserves of fossil fuels worldwide are limited and the combustion of the carbon fuels leads to a severe increase of the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The latter is responsible for the climate change. Industrialization was based on an open cycle, i.e. mining of materials and fossil fuels, manufacturing the products and disposal of the used materials as well as release of the CO2 in the atmosphere. The sustainability of the post industrialization era is determined by the ability to close the materials cycles i.e. to change from fossil fuels as energy carriers to renewable energy. Since renewable energy (solar, geothermal and planet movement) occurs in energy fluxes, an appropriate energy carrier has to be synthesized. Furthermore, all products used have to be recycled and the materials reused, otherwise the industrialization of the world largest countries India and China will not be possible.
Volumetric vs. gravimetric energy density of important energy carriers [1].
The hydrogen cycle can be realized by only technical means, i.e. no living matter is required and only water is used as a material resource. The storage of hydrogen in metals and complex hydrides as stable compounds offers a great volumetric storage density, however the gravimetric storage density is limited to less than 25mass% in the materials. In order to replace fossil fuels without scarification on energy density, synthetic fuels based on hydrogen e.g. NH3 or C8H18, have to be developed. The latter also represents an effective CO2 sink for the atmosphere if it is produced in excess to the consumption.
e increase of the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The latter is responsible for the climate change. Industrialization was based on an open cycle, i.e. mining of materials and fossil fuels, manufacturing the products and disposal of the used materials as well as release of the CO2 in the atmosphere. The sustainability of the post industrialization era is determined by the ability to close the materials cycles i.e. to change from fossil fuels as energy carriers to renewable energy. Since renewable energy (solar, geothermal and planet movement) occurs in energy fluxes, an appropriate energy carrier has to be synthesized. Furthermore, all products used have to be recycled and the materials reused, otherwise the industrialization of the world largest countries India and China will not be possible.
Fig. 1: Volumetric vs. gravimetric energy density of important energy carriers [1].
The hydrogen cycle can be realized by only technical means, i.e. no living matter is required and only water is used as a material resource. The storage of hydrogen in metals and complex hydrides as stable compounds offers a great volumetric storage density, however the gravimetric storage density is limited to less than 25mass% in the materials. In order to replace fossil fuels without scarification on energy density, synthetic fuels based on hydrogen e.g. NH3 or C8H18, have to be developed. The latter also represents an effective CO2 sink for the atmosphere if it is produced in excess to the consumption.
Volumetric vs. gravimetric energy density of important energy carriers [1].
The hydrogen cycle can be realized by only technical means, i.e. no living matter is required and only water is used as a material resource. The storage of hydrogen in metals and complex hydrides as stable compounds offers a great volumetric storage density, however the gravimetric storage density is limited to less than 25mass% in the materials. In order to replace fossil fuels without scarification on energy density, synthetic fuels based on hydrogen e.g. NH3 or C8H18, have to be developed. The latter also represents an effective CO2 sink for the atmosphere if it is produced in excess to the consumption.
e increase of the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The latter is responsible for the climate change. Industrialization was based on an open cycle, i.e. mining of materials and fossil fuels, manufacturing the products and disposal of the used materials as well as release of the CO2 in the atmosphere. The sustainability of the post industrialization era is determined by the ability to close the materials cycles i.e. to change from fossil fuels as energy carriers to renewable energy. Since renewable energy (solar, geothermal and planet movement) occurs in energy fluxes, an appropriate energy carrier has to be synthesized. Furthermore, all products used have to be recycled and the materials reused, otherwise the industrialization of the world largest countries India and China will not be possible.
Fig. 1: Volumetric vs. gravimetric energy density of important energy carriers [1].
The hydrogen cycle can be realized by only technical means, i.e. no living matter is required and only water is used as a material resource. The storage of hydrogen in metals and complex hydrides as stable compounds offers a great volumetric storage density, however the gravimetric storage density is limited to less than 25mass% in the materials. In order to replace fossil fuels without scarification on energy density, synthetic fuels based on hydrogen e.g. NH3 or C8H18, have to be developed. The latter also represents an effective CO2 sink for the atmosphere if it is produced in excess to the consumption.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- Hosted by Prof. Gabor Laurenczy