Influence of Using Green Energy on the Environment in the Danube-BlackSeaBasin Region
INFLUENCE OF USING GREEN ENERGY ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE DANUBE-BLACK SEA BASIN REGION
Gheorghe Popan, Diana-Mura Badea
National Institute of Research and Development in Mechatronics and Measurement Technique
6-8 Pantelimon, 2nd District, 021361-Bucharest
E-mail:
Abstract: Promoting renewable energy means using the very production of energy in Romania, increasing safety of energy supply and contribution to sustaining European economy. At the same time, human society must improve its relationship with nature and the environment, given the importance natural resources on economic development, evolution of society and economies in general. Quantifying the effects of human activities and natural processes on environmental health and human safety is made by assessing the impact on the environment. Sources of pollution are many. Depending on the action and cause of pollutants, sources of pollution include: continuous, permanent, discontinuous, temporary or mobile temporary, accidental, organized, unorganized pollutants.
Keywords: Renewable energy, solar energy, wind energy, water energy, biomass and bio-fuel.
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The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2012, No. 42
Influence of Using Green Energy on the Environment in the Danube-BlackSeaBasin Region
1. Introduction
Black Sea has one of the largest river basins in the world, covering one third of Europe's surface. Each year, tributary rivers bring to the basin 350 km3 of water, 85% from the three largest rivers in Europe: the Danube, the Nister and the Niper. Called Pontus Euxinos, Kara i Deniz or Cernoie More the Black Sea is a health food source, a muse for poets and a rich source of renewable energy. Romanian coastal line stretches over a length of 264 km.
Total energy consumption in Romania and its distribution is shown in the table below:
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The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2012, No. 42
Influence of Using Green Energy on the Environment in the Danube-BlackSeaBasin Region
Table. Energy consumption in Romania
Date / Consumption [MW] / Production [MW] / Nuclear [MW] / Wind [MW] / Hydro [MW] / Hydrocarbons [MW] / Coal [MW] / Reserve* [MW]2012-08-08 16:01:31 / 7614 / 7387 / 1367 / 636 / 1063 / 1025 / 3298 / 226
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The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2012, No. 42
Influence of Using Green Energy on the Environment in the Danube-BlackSeaBasin Region
Scientists have found that many of the current energy resources will be exhausted in the near future.
Human beings have begun to research and find new energy resources and ways how they can be recovered. Thus, after many studies they began to increasingly use the term "renewable energy" or "non-conventional energy."
Renewable energy refers to energy forms produced by transfer of energy coming from renewable natural processes. Thus, the energy of sunlight, wind, flowing water, biological processes and geothermal heat can be captured by humans using different methods.
Annual global investment in renewable energy in recent years has increased from 39 billion in 2005 to $ 55 billion in 2006. In 2007 investments reached $ 100 billion.
These are not yet competitive with conventional energy sources. Renewable energies are at various stages of technological and commercial development. Sources such as wind, hydro, biomass and solar thermal energy are already economically viable. Others, such as photovoltaic energy (electricity generation using sunlight) will depend on demand on improving economies markets. Thus, as these technologies have been successful and have given us green energy, renewable energies still have the potential to increase their share on the market as they are cheap energy options and can provide widespread use.
In 2012 in Romania is expected that the installed capacity of renewable energy excess 2,000 MW, of which approximately 1400 MW in wind power.
Annual operating potential for renewable energy in Romania is presented inTable 2.
Table2. Annual operating potential for renewable energy in Romania
No.Crt. / Annual operating potential for renewable energy in Romania / electricity / heat
1 / Solar energy / 1,2 TWh / 60 PJ (16,7 TWh)
2 / Wind energy / 23 TWh
3 / Hydro energy / 36 TWh
4 / Geothermal energy / 7 PJ (1,9 TWh)
5 / Biomass and biogas / 318 PJ (88,3 TWh)
6 / Wave energy / 9,5 TWh
Total / 71,7 TWh / 378 PJ (105 TWh)
Source: ANRE report
The data in Table 2 can be seen that harnessing renewable energy potential in Romania covers 20 times the current requirements providing an optimistic outlook for economic development opportunities in terms of resources.
The highest annual operating potential is for biomass, double as referred to the others, followed by hydropower (along with what is currently operated by installed capacities) wind and solar energy.
Most investments are made in wind and hydro energy, and the fewest in solar and biomass.
Renewable energy sources in the Black Sea are an important part of the solution for sustainable energy in the future. The European Union is committed to optimize renewable energy share by 20% by 2020 and to increase the level of bio-fuels in transportation to 10% by 2020.
1.Sun energy - Sun is the main energy source of the world. Solar energy systems can use sunlight as a source of clean energy and high temperature for heating and electricity production.
Figure 1: Solar energy potential of Romania
Source: National Meteorology Administration
Solar energy potential is more important in the southern part of the country. It is expected that investments for solar energy recovery to focus in these areas. Requests for installation of solar panels are still reduced.
1.1 Photovoltaic energy - Direct conversion of solar energy into electrical energy based on photovoltaic effect is one of the most attractive ways to use solar power due to high values of power in specific products, safe operation and easy maintenance.
Impact on the environment
The main environmental problem posed by the use of photovoltaic systems is related to the use, during the manufacturing process, of toxic compounds such as cadmium sulfide and gallium arsenide. These chemicals are not biodegradable, are very toxic and their retention in the environment can last for centuries and therefore storage sinks out of use may present a major environmental threat. This inconvenience could be suppressed by using silicon solar cells, which are cheaper, easier to manufacture and have a higher yield.
1.2 Solar energy used for heating and cooling
Transformation of solar radiation to be used for heating and cooling has a wide range of applications including domestic hot water production, heating of buildings and industrial processes, cooling, desalination and heating pools with solar energy. It:
• is a cheaper solution, using solar energy,
• is a simple, affordable, available immediately, even for individual homes;
• requires minimum maintenance;
• uses a rich energy source, that is free and inexhaustible;
• has no side effects.
2. Wind energy
Wind energy is a renewable energy source generated by wind power. Wind is formed as the sun does not heat the Earth evenly, and this creates air movement. The kinetic energy of wind can be used to drive turbines, which are able to generate electricity.
Wind energy is one of the most promising renewable energy technologies and is an area where there have been many developments and improvements designed to improve production of electricity.
In the energy strategy of Romania, is shown that in 2015 our country will have to provide 35% of energy from renewable sources for gross domestic consumption, and by 2020, this share will increase to 38%.
A map of wind energy potential in Romania is shown below:
Figure 2: Map of wind energy potential in Romania
Source: National Meteorology Administration
Impact of geothermal energy on the environment
Installation of wind farms can cause both in the construction phase and in the operation phase, a significant impact on the environment, resulted in: noise and vibration, influencing the flight paths of birds and disturbing nesting areas, occupying large areas of land by roads access and energy production facilities, modification of the landscape and affecting the population of rodents.
– In order that noise and vibrations do not influence the population, one should considered keeping a sufficient distance from human settlements, various household annexes, public institutions, historical and architectural monuments, parks, squares, hospitals and other public establishments. As for vibrations, they have a low environmental influence.
- Another impact discussed regarding the environmental protection is related to the impact of flying birds with wind turbine rotors during operation , as well as disturbance (in the ground), if significant bird colonies exist in the area. This issue has generated - even now more than a decade - intense dispute among Western European promoters of technology. For this reason, many countries have started many bird studies.
3. Hydro energy
For centuries water is used to drive mechanical systems, and today is widely used for to produce hydro electricity in hydroelectric plants. Hydropower is produced by the movement of waters, such as in rivers, canals or large rivers. Hydro-systems transform the potential energy of water that has a certain dropping rate, into usable energy.
Impact of hydro energy on the environment
Reservoirs built for hydropower plants can be harmful for the environment: downstream watercourses dry up, resulting in loss of productive agricultural land. Dams destroy the habitat of species of wild plant and animal species and change ecosystems, and block fish migration. Hydropower is a renewable energy source, which ensures in the EU almost 84% of electricity coming from renewables and 13% of total electricity production.
4. Geothermal energy and heat pumps
Geothermal energy is heat existing in the ground and used for centuries for bathing and water heating. Geothermal energy comes from the earth's natural heat, in dry form, steam or liquid, and can be used for electricity and heating. "Heat pumps" are one of the most promising ways to use geothermal energy. The method consists in extracting heat from hot geothermal fluids at the surface and transfers it into water or air used to provide heat for heating places.
Impact of geothermal energy on the environment
Geothermal energy does not adversely affect the environment and heat pumps reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, using an inexhaustible energy source; they can provide heat directly, requiring little space compared to other energy sources and is available without interruption.
5. Energy produced by biomass and biogas
Biomass is produced from various types of organic matter: energy plants (oilseeds, plants containing sugar) and forest waste, agricultural or urban waste, including wood and household waste. Biomass can be used for heating, electricity production and bio-fuels can be used for transportation.
Bio-fuels come from renewable resources using biomass (organic matter or plants). They are the only source of energy widely available that can replace fuels in transportation. Currently, there are two types of bio-fuels used as a combustible: bio-diesel and bio-ethanol. Both are liquid fuels stemming from crops or plants.
Impact of biomass and biogas energy on the environment
Systems producing energy from biomass, in general, reduce CO emissions, contribute to recycling and are the only renewable alternative available to fossil fuels widely used in transportation.
6. Wave and tidal energy
Waves and tides of the seas and oceans are a constant source of clean, free energy. Another possibility results from the conversion into electricity due to the temperature difference between surface water of warm seasand deep waters. Also, at where rivers flow in the sea, the mixing of fresh water with salt produces an enormous amount of energy that could be recovered by osmosis.
These processes have been little used, mainly because of high cost of facilities required.
The current difficulties in the use of wave energy are:
• Ocean waves have high dispersion and this makes it hard to focus energy efficiently, since it has a low density;
• Wave size has a large fluctuation due to weather, making it difficult to generate a constant and stable energy;
• Ocean waves are uneven, including waves of different heights and lengths, coming from different directions;
• Construction and maintenance deep in the ocean is more difficult than on shore.
Tides - periodic oscillations of open seas and oceans due to the attraction of Moon and Sun – develop output power of 109 MW, but the technical harnessed side of this power is little and imposes powerful investments.
A limited number of places in the world have sufficient amplitude to justify building a tidal power unit.
Impact oftidalenergy on the environment
Environmental risks are related to water level fluctuations that alter currents, sediment transportation and storage, which affects ecosystem biodiversity.For now, these energies do not seem mature enough in terms of technology and market opportunity.
7. References
[1]N. Gupta, G. F. Alapatt, R. Podila, R. Singh, K.F. Poole, (2009). "Prospects of Nanostructure-Based Solar Cells for Manufacturing Future Generations of Photovoltaic Modules". International Journal of Photoenergy2009: 1. doi:10.1155/2009/154059.
[2]Kirsty Park- Les petites éoliennes perturbent les chauves-souris- MaxiSciences, 2012
[3]Teodorescu Irina si colab. - Ecologie şi Protecţia Mediului. Ed. Constelatii, 2004.
[4]Axinte Stela - Ecologie şi protecţia mediului. Ed. Ecozone, Iaşi, 2003.
[5]*** Revista Biodiesel Magazin.
[6] - global wind energy council.
[7] - european wind energy association.
[8]Ioan Turcu - Studiu privind evaluarea potenţialului energetic actual al surselor regenerabile de energie
[9] /2008/04/30/cu-dedicatie-pentru-agentii-economici/
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The Romanian Review Precision Mechanics, Optics & Mechatronics, 2012, No. 42