Energy Transition

Although most people are aware of the value of developing new energy technologies, the importance of assessing such technologies is only just beginning to be recognized in full. This book, illustrated by real-life examples, fulfils two main objectives. Firstly, it provides an in-depth summary of energy system evaluation methods, the result of decades of work in this area, for the use of researchers, engineers and anybody else interested in the energy sector. Secondly, the vicious cycle of neglect towards in situ evaluation is broken. This neglect is due to its unjust reputation for being "thankless work": longwinded, expensive, difficult to exploit and undervalued. By scientifically organizing experience acquired over more than 30 years, Energy Transition highlights the considerable usefulness of the approach, not only economically, but also from a human standpoint.

Auteur

Bernard Lachal is a former Professor of the University of Geneva's Faculty of Science, where he led the "Energy Systems" group for over 20 years. His research focuses on the observation and improvement of practices in the energy systems field.

Contenu

Foreword xi

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xvii

Part 1. The Context of Case Study Feedback (CSF) 1

Chapter 1. Energy Transition 3

1.1. The global energy system and its evolution 3

1.2. The necessary transformation of the global energy system 5

1.2.1. Fossil fuels: planned scarcity upstream and environmental problem downstream 6

1.2.2. Nuclear energy: environmental and accessibility issues 6

1.2.3. An overall inefficient system 7

1.2.4. A productive and simple-energy vision 8

1.2.5. Energy transition 9

1.3. The three concordances 10

1.3.1. Form concordance 11

1.3.2. Place concordance 12

1.3.3. Time concordance 12

1.3.4. Economic, social and environmental constraints 12

Chapter 2. Energy Systems and Technological Systems 15

2.1. Transformers and concordances 16

2.1.1. Form converters 17

2.1.2. Storage 17

2.1.3. Transport 18

2.2. From the transformer to the energy system 18

2.3. Effectiveness of resources and effectiveness of results 22

Chapter 3. The Innovation Process 27

3.1. A well-defined process 27

3.2. Limit of these curves in the context of energy systems 33

3.3. Operation and use 36

Chapter 4. Case Study Feedback, the Basis of Learning by Using 39

4.1. Innovation in energy systems 39

4.2. Case study feedback 42

4.2.1. CSF classification test 43

4.2.2. CSF content 45

Part 2. CSF Tools: Operation and Envisaged Uses 47

Chapter 5. The Human Context 49

5.1. Why the human aspects? 49

5.1.1. In vivo rather than in vitro 49

5.1.2. The importance of objective information in the field of innovative energy systems 50

5.2. Who are the actors involved and how are they involved? 51

5.2.1. Actors involved in the innovation process 51

5.2.2. Actors related to the particular energy system 51

5.2.3. Actors involved in the implementation of CSF 54

5.3. How to take into account human aspects in CSF 55

5.3.1. The perimeter 55

5.3.2. The objectives of the CSF 56

5.3.3. The resources 57

5.3.4. The team's experience 57

5.3.5. The follow-up group 58

Chapter 6. The Energy Context and the Sankey Diagram 59

6.1. A drawing is better than a long speech 59

6.2. Design, development and operation 63

6.2.1. The importance of precise terminology 63

6.2.2. Balance failure 66

6.2.3. To avoid having a chilling effect 67

6.2.4. Shape: graphic rules 69

6.3. Uses 72

Chapter 7. From System to Experimental Concept 77

7.1. The importance and difficulties of a quantitative quality assessment 77

7.2. From the energy system to be evaluated to the measurement concept 78

7.2.1. From objectives to a breakdown into subsystems and components 80

7.2.2. Developing the measurement system 84

7.2.3. Some properties of the sensors and their use 91

7.2.4. Some remarks on the measurement of primary energies 93

7.3. Link to other phases of the evaluation 96

Chapter 8. Data Observation and Global Indicators 99

8.1. Observing and feeling 99

8.2. Energy indicators 101

Chapter 9. Input/Output and Signature Relationships: the Operation in Use 107

9.1. Convenient visualization of an expected relationship 108

9.2. Search for a global relationship 111

9.3. Signatures as simple management tools 114

9.4. The signature as the basis for adjustment 115 9.5. The signature as the ...