1. Challenges and
Opportunities in the
Renewable Energy
Sector
Dr Maurizio COLLU
June 29th, 2010
Research Fellow
Renewable Energy Group
Offshore Process & Energy Department
Cranfield University

2. Challenge
(1980-2006 data, source www.eia.doe.gov )
REGION World Europe UK
ENERGY RELATED PARAMETER Unit of value annual rise value annual rise value annual rise
measure (average) (average) (average)
Annual Primary energy production [1] TWh 138000 1.9% 14000 0.68% 2307 -0.1%
(Mtoe) (11850)
Annual Primary energy consumption TWh 138000 2.0% 25000 0.72% 2873 0.4%
(Mtoe) (11850)
Electricity power installed capacity GW 4000 810 78
…of which Conventional 69% 56% 79%
thermal [2]
Hydroelectric [3] 19% 20% 2%
Nuclear 9% 17% 15%
Renewable [4] 3% 6% 4%
Electricity energy generation TWh 18000 3.2% 3550 2% 372 1.3%
…of which Conventional % 66.3% 2.98% 53% 1% 75% 0.8%
thermal [2]
Hydroelectric [3] % 16.6% 2.17% 15% 0.7% 1.2% 2.2%
Nuclear % 14.4% (5.22%) 25% 5.5% 13% 2%
Renewable [4] % 2.3% 11.07% 5.5% 11% 4% 22%
Electricity energy consumption TWh 16400 3.2% 3300 2% 350 1.4%
[1] The form of energy before any transformation occurs to secondary or tertiary forms (e.g. coal can be converted to synthetic gas, which can be converted to electricity; in this
example, coal is primary energy, synthetic gas is secondary energy, and electricity is tertiary energy)
[2] Coal, Petroleum, Gas fired power plant
[3] Hydroelectricity is actually a renewable energy source.
[4] Geothermal, Solar, Wind, Wood, and Waste

3. 1st macro-challenge: ever increasing
demand
REGION World Europe UK
ENERGY RELATED PARAMETER Unit of value annual rise value annual rise value annual rise
measure (average) (average) (average)
Primary energy production [1] TWh 138000 1.9% 14000 0.68% 2307 -0.1%
(Mtoe) (11850)
Primary energy consumption TWh 138000 2.0% 25000 0.72% 2873 0.4%
(Mtoe) (11850)
• Primary energy consumption increasing each year 2% at
world level, 0.7% EU, 0.4% UK: huge demand (world
average 58 kWh/person/day, UK 130 kWh/person/day)
• Consumption increasing more than production (for UK
production stable/slightly dropping)
• EU and UK strong “primary energy” importer (EU 44%, UK
20%)
• How can we produce more energy, in a clean, safe,
affordable way?

4. 2nd macro-challenge
The book “sustainable energy – without the
hot air” is dedicated:
“to those who will not have the benefit of
two billion years’ accumulated energy
reserves”
Prof D. JC MacKay, FRS,
University of Cambridge

5. 2nd macro challenge: mono-source
past, multi-source future
REGION World Europe UK
ENERGY RELATED PARAMETER Unit of value annual rise value annual rise value annual rise
measure (average) (average) (average)
Electricity energy generation TWh 18000 3.2% 3550 2% 372 1.3%
…of which Conventional % 66.3% 2.98% 53% 1% 75% 0.8%
thermal [2]
Hydroelectric [3] % 16.6% 2.17% 15% 0.7% 1.2% 2.2%
Nuclear % 14.4% (5.22%) 25% (5.5%) 13% (2%)
Renewable [4] % 2.3% 11% 5.5% 11% 4% 22%
Electricity energy consumption TWh 16400 3.2% 3300 2% 350 1.4%
• World, EU, UK used to be an energy mono-source economy: fossil fuels
• BUT the future economy has to be multi-source based because:
• fossil fuels are a finite resource,
• it is economically and politically advantageous to diversify the
energy portfolio,
• anthropogenic greenhouse gases are changing the climate
• How can we re-structure the system into a low-carbon, multi-source
economy?
[2] Coal, Petroleum, Gas fired power plant
[3] Hydroelectricity is actually a renewable energy source.
[4] Geothermal, Solar, Wind, Wood, and Waste

6. 3rd macro-challenge: building essential
skills for the sector
REGION World Europe UK
ENERGY RELATED PARAMETER Unit of value annual rise value annual rise value annual rise
measure (average) (average) (average)
Electricity energy generation TWh 18000 3.2% 3550 2% 372 1.3%
…of which Conventional % 66.3% 2.98% 53% 1% 75% 0.8%
thermal [2]
Hydroelectric [3] % 16.6% 2.17% 15% 0.7% 1.2% 2.2%
Nuclear % 14.4% (5.22%) 25% (5.5%) 13% (2%)
Renewable [4] % 2.3% 11.07% 5.5% 11% 4% 22%
Electricity energy consumption TWh 16400 3.2% 3300 2% 350 1.4%
• Renewable Energy (excluding hydroelectric) has still a low share
of the energy produced
• BUT his annual rise is 1 order of magnitude higher than all the
other sources
• How can we bridge the gap between the currently available
workforce skills and the near future essential skills needed by the
Renewable Energy Sector?

7. How can we transform these
challenges into opportunities?

8. Opportunity: macro-level
Develop Create
Promote
cleaner, low- economic and
energy
carbon employment
security
economy opportunities
Opportunity to strengthen EU-wide (short-medium
term) and World-wide (long term) collaborations

9. Opportunities for Cranfield University
as a… can… through…
Re-skill
present High level technical & business
workforce adm. short courses
Academic
Institution
Forge new qualified
and specialized Master and doctorate courses
workforce
Cranfield Emerging technology feasibility
University studies
Offer specialized
consultancy Preliminary Design studies
services
Renewable
Energy Experimental validation and
industry player development campaigns
Help developing Collaborations with
technology standards government and
and policies standardization organizations

10. Opportunities for Cranfield University
Cranfield University has the
potential to become the location
of choice for inward Renewable
Energy investment and a world
class centre of energy expertise

11. How I plan to contribute as a lecturer (1/2)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
TIMESCALE
2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q.
FUNDING Amount
EPSRC First Grant Scheme (2 years) Capped at 125 k£
Challenging Engineering Calls Exploration funding
Doctoral Training Grants 3 PhD studentships
FP7 FP7-Energy (NCP contacted) Project based
MoD Funds for microalgae-derived biofuel Around 20-30 k£ x 1 PhD studentship
Aviation Industry (engines) Funds for microalgae-derived biofuel Around 20-30 k£
BAE Studentships 1 PhD studentship
Grants for Project Around 10-15 k£
TEACHING
MSc students fees 4-6 k£ EU, 8 k£ UK, 16 k£ Overseas
Short Courses NET per course around 10-13 k£
ADWEA 7.5 k£ each course (3 days)
RESEARCH
Dynamics of offshore
Renewable Energy Devices Offshore Wind Turbine Dynamics
MSc Group/Final Project
Internships
PhD 1 PhD 1
PhD 5 PhD 5
Research Staff 1 Research Staff 1
Wave energy devices dynamics
MSc Group/Final Project
Internships
PhD 3 PhD 3
Research Staff 1 Research Staff 1
Microalgae-derived biofuel Mathematical Modeling, Energy Balance
MSc Group/Final Project
Internships
PhD 4 PhD 4
Research Staff 2 Research Staff 2
Algae Production Pod Dynamics
MSc Group/Final Project
Internships
Research Staff 2 Research Staff 2
Aerodynamic Alleviated Dynamics Model Numerical
Marine Vehicles Implementation
Experimental Validation of the model
MSc Group/Final Project
Internships
PhD 2 PhD 2
Research Staff 3 Research Staff 3

12. How I plan to contribute as a lecturer (2/2)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
TIMESCALE
2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q. 1st q. 2nd q. 3rd q.
TEACHING
MScAdvanced Mechanical Engineering MSc: Course Director
NEW course about Renewable Energy Systems, dynamics module
Short CoursesDesign Tools for Marine Renewable Energy Systems
NEW short course: Dynamics of Marine Renewable Energy Systems
Technological Challenge of Renewable Sources of Energy
ADWEA Production
NETWORKING
BWEAOffshore Wind Strategy Group,
Skills and Education sub-group
SUTMarine Renewable Energies
Committee
ISSCInternational Ship and Offshore
Structures
PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS
CEng with RINAMember of RINA
Building portfolio with a tutor
from RINA
Apply for assessment
PGCTLAHECourse Lectures
Portfolio write-up and
submission
Fellow of the HIgher
Education AcademyApply

13. To conclude : a civilization view
“The generation now alive is perhaps the most important generation of humans
ever to walk the Earth.
Unlike previous generations, we hold in our hands the future destiny of our
species, whether we soar into fulfilling our promise as a type I* civilization or
fall into the abyss of chaos, pollution, and war.
<…>
The choice is ours. This is the legacy of the generation now alive. This is our
destiny.”
Michio Kaku, “Parallel Worlds”
*type I civilization: classification introduced by Nicolai Kardashev to rank civilizations in outer space by
their energy generation. A type I civilization can harness the power of an entire planet. Current Earth
civilization corresponds to a type 0.765 (10 based logarithmic scale, total Earth primary power
1.74*1017 W, in 2006 around 15.8*1012)