Grand challenges in energy

KTH - The Royal Institute of Technology Grand challenges in Energy

Prof. Ronald Wennersten
Department of Industrial Ecology

Ronald Wennersten/Industrial Ecology/KTH

Perspectives


What is your perspective of yourself?
What is your perspective of the world?
What is the worlds perspective of you?

Arvid Nilsson 1961
Ronald Wennersten/Industrial
Ecology/KTH

Ecology/KTH

“If we don’t change direction
soon, we’ll end up where
we’re heading”

There are few signs that the
urgently needed change in
direction in global energy trends is
underway. Although the recovery
in the world economy since 2009
has been uneven, and future
economic prospects remain
uncertain, global primary energy
demand rebounded by
a remarkable 5% in 2010, pushing
Ronald Wennersten/Industrial Ecology/KTH to a new high.
CO2 emissions

We need engineers to
solve problems that
Ronald Wennersten/Industrial Ecology/KTH engineers have created

Change to what?


2. Waste water - heat
pumps – heat to district
3. Sorted waste – biofuel heating system – cooling
for district heating and to district cooling of
electricity production offices

1. Sludge – biogas –
cooking/cars

The Hammarby Model – system approach on
City level

How can we go from one state to another?


?


How can we go from one state to another

We have to know
what we are heading for and….

How can we go from one state to another

Technology
which are the barriers Economy
Management
Peoples mindsets

Backcasting scenario

Future

Future
Now

Future


Central sources
Hydropower
Wind power
CHP plants
District heating

District cooling Local sources
Local CHP
PV cells
Wind
Electric grid Solar heater
Heatpumps

Gas
New business models


Short circuit economies?

Hydro Power plant

solar

PV cells wind
District area

City
Cogeneration plant
District Heating
Bio-transport Power Grid

Micro Bio-
Fuelled CHP

Waste water
Waste Water
treatment plant
Wood chips

”Bio forest” soil

Can we predict technology development?

First flight of the Wright Flyer I, 17 December
1903, Orville piloting, Wilbur running at
wingtip.

The distance over
the ground was
measured to be
852 feet (260 m);
the time of the
flight was 59
seconds.


What on earth can
this be used for?


Who would have imagined this?

Airbus A380

Provides seating for 525 people in standard three-class configuration
or up to 853 people in all economy class configuration

Solar Impulse

www.solarimpulse.com

Solar Impulse

Aerodynamics
The wingspan of Solar Impulse is 80 metres, slightly wider than the
wingspan of an Airbus A380. The ultra-light structure must use
customised carbon fibres.

Energy
Photovoltaic cells will generate electricity during the day, which will
serve both to propel the plane and to recharge the batteries to allow
flight at night.

Propulsion
The average power provided to the engines will be on the order of 12
hp, comparable to that of the Wright Flyer

What will happen in the next 100 years?

 Long and short term scenarios
 Systems thinking and wider perspective
 And..

New ways to teach and learn

Ecology/KTH

A successful organisation is like a child

Determined Trying Adaptive
Curious Brave
Searching Challenging


Beware of modern colonialists
colonizing the future


To solve the small challanges
you need to face the great challanges


And to think out of the box


Thanks!


Grand challenges in energy

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