Renewable energy tech

In a planned just green transition/climate plan, progressively replacing non-renewables with renewables, for an eventual near-complete 'phase out' of fossil, demand reduction of oil, gas and coal needs to be matched to supply reduction (with the profit/capitalism problem) or else inflation could be a major issue for many countries and potentially destabilise entire economies and populations. The problem is every country is at a different level of development with a different energy mix. The effects of a 'phase out' of supply would be experienced differently and unevenly around the world. Greentech, apptech and C removal tech needs to replace the ageing machinery of fossil and end the fossil age. Ecological design systems, such as Permaculture and Biodynamics, can build out sustainable living patterns to fill the gaps left by a fossil 'phase out' and abandonment. Traditional Agricultural, Forestry, Agroforestry, Horticulture etc. systems will need to adapt to climate change. Biochar is arguably the key adaptation and C removal tech for this future. Bush regeneration could benefit too using biochar for biomimicry of charcoal, produced via Oxygen-limited pyrolysis during a bushfire, for seedling growth and plantings. We are entering a design Renaissance in mostly uncharted territory. No one/people should be left behind unless by their own choice. A regenerative circular economy, using a combination of regenerative systems and technologies, could stabilise Gaia's Life Support Systems.

 

If you think about it, renewable energy is just about everywhere you look just waiting to be harvested. Here's a list of some of my renewable technology favourites but not limited to other options eg.wind, geothermal, wave, gravity, compressed air, CO2 et al

• Water

-ENG8 'Energicell' water fusion system

https://eng8.energy/energicell/

Could integrate with the 'Hydropanel' Atmospheric Water Harvesting (AWH) system, designed for mineralised potable water but for this application mineralisation would not be needed

https://www.source.co/how-hydropanels-work/

Could also use the cogenerated thermal for additional electricity generation with a Thermo Acoustic Stirling Engine (TASE)

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2023/11/breakthrough-thermoacoustic-stirling-generator-converts-to-energy-with-no-moving-parts.html

 And store all the electricity in a battery for on-demand consumption, eg.

-saltwater acid-base flow battery

 https://aquabattery.nl/technology

 

• Biomass

- All Power Labs PP30 (grid tied/micro-grid/standalone) + biochar

https://www.allpowerlabs.com/

 

- Rainbow Bee Eater 'ECHO2' for greenhouses: biochar, heat, power, wood vinegar and CORCs

https://www.rainbowbeeeater.com.au/

 

-Activated Carbon/biochar

https://www.bygen.com.au/

 

-Pacific Biochar, modding biomass energy plants for biochar production with some good biochar information

https://pacificbiochar.com/how-we-produce-biochar/

 

-looks like a well designed integrated hot water and power system (with options) for households but possibly exxy and unsure if it makes biochar (waiting for a reply)

https://www.oekofen.com/en-gb/myenergy365/

 

-Kon-Tiki 'Essential' biochar kiln: biochar or Terra Preta + cogeneration eg. water heating, essential oil distillation, heat, power. For power, large ceramic balls could be added to the bottom of the cone to increase temperature at the base + a base heat shield could be used as a heat exchanger coupled to an affordable, small and highly efficient Stirling Engine. A less efficient ORC could possibly be used but the heat exchanger would need to be modular for kiln tipping. Any ideas?
https://www.permachar.net/kon-tiki-essential-kte-biochar-kiln/

https://carbon4good.net/technology

 

-'Permastove Kitchen', for emission free and Carbon negative water boiling and cooking

https://www.permachar.net/permastove-kitchen-pk/

 

-The open source 'Permastove Burner' (from the 'Permastove Kitchen' above - a Top-Lit UpDraft burner, running on wood pellets, rice husk pellets etc. ) heating (with a flame) a Qnergy 600W QB80 free-piston Stirling engine with 24V x 25A=600W output (using a Power Interface Package (PIP)...could the ampage be reduced to 20A?)  that charges a solar generator eg.Airbase Duo (24V x 20A=480W input, with solar PV charging option as well eg. Anderson plug, but additional swappable battery modules could be a cheaper option than biomass and just as flexible - unless, there are extended periods of low solar input) as primary/backup power + biochar. There's also the possibility of a 'PowerGen 1200' with larger 'Permastove Burner' and Airbase 'Quad'. The charging would need to be done in batches with Permastove Burner emptied to collect the biochar after each run (more hassle than natural gas but Carbon negative plus all the applications/benefits of biochar).

Could be a winner for a household with low energy needs eg.a small dwelling, tiny house, bush shack or Mars colony (using Cyanobacteria pellets).

https://qnergy.com/developer-program/

https://stirlingengineforum.com/viewforum.php?f=1

 

• Solar

- 'Airbase' Duo/Quad + 400W PV panels, with semi-solid state battery modules (but unclear on the battery chemistry)

https://www.decarbonventure.com/

- Dutch 'Rable Group' 600W PV panels + inverter, with no permits and fuse box modifications in a 20 minute installation

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/11/27/dutch-startup-unveils-600-w-two-module-residential-rooftop-pv-system/

 

-Printable carbon electrode perovskite PV cell

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/07/11/fully-printed-carbon-electrode-perovskite-solar-cell-achieves-19-2-efficiency/

 

-lot of potential here for cheap solar thermal storage using the same ceramic particles used in fracking (a much better use of clay and presumably not sponsored by the fracking industry!)

https://reneweconomy.com.au/csiro-says-curtain-of-ceramic-particles-could-finally-unleash-solar-thermal-technology/

 

• Solid-state batteries

-3D printed ceramic batteries with custom sizes

https://www.sakuu.com/batteries

-e-bikes

https://www.stromerbike.com/en/stromer-sets-milestone-first-bike-brand-develop-next-generation-solid-state-ceramic-battery

-experimental, with a theoretical 1200Wh/kg energy density

https://www.anl.gov/article/new-design-for-lithiumair-battery-could-offer-much-longer-driving-range-compared-with-the-lithiumion

 

• Hydrogen

- 'Lavo Life' home/building 'Green Hydrogen' integrated battery and PV panel system

https://www.lavo.com.au/

 

- Sparc Technologies' solar thermal 'Green Hydrogen' (with ?biochar photocatalyst) system https://sparctechnologies.com.au/

 

-Solhyd, a KU Leuven spinoff, using AWH and PV cells for in Situ H2O electrolysis for H2 production in a modular panel system

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/12/08/ku-leuven-spinoff-plans-mw-scale-production-of-solar-hydrogen-panels/