In this article we examine the experiences of the first and second author who have changed themselves to become newly attuned to the sun, or who have “become solar”. Motivated by calls to approach solar design in novel, less technocratic ways, we reflect on their one-year journey to gain a new relationship with solar energy as an explicitly more-than-human design (MTHD) approach. We argue that their perception of solar energy progressively worked to decentre them as human actors in this new solar-energy arrangement, revealing other nonhuman actors at play, instigating situations of care and attention to those nonhumans and ultimately guiding them towards what it means to be solar. For solar design, we see this approach as creating a new lens for solar designers to draw from. For MTHD, we see this acting as a practical example for designers seeking to begin transforming themselves in their own practice by taking initial steps towards a MTHD approach.
Power to methane provides a solution to a couple of two problems: unbalanced production and demand of wind plus solar power electricity and the low methane content of biogas by storing electricity via hydrogen into methane gas using carbon dioxide from biogas and methanogenic bacteria. The four-year project is performed by a consortium of three research institutes and five companies. In WP1 the-state-of- the-art of scientific knowledge on P2M technology is reviewed and evaluated.
Wind and solar power generation will continue to grow in the energy supply of the future, but its inherent variability (intermittency) requires appropriate energy systems for storing and using power. Storage of possibly temporary excess of power as methane from hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide is a promising option. With electrolysis hydrogen gas can be generated from (renewable) power. The combination of such hydrogen with carbon dioxide results in the energy carrier methane that can be handled well and may may serve as carbon feedstock of the future. Biogas from biomass delivers both methane and carbon dioxide. Anaerobic microorganisms can make additional methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a biomethanation process that compares favourably with its chemical counterpart. Biomethanation for renewable power storage and use makes appropriate use of the existing infrastructure and knowledge base for natural gas. Addition of hydrogen to a dedicated biogas reactor after fermentation optimizes the biomethanation conditions and gives maximum flexibility. The low water solubility of hydrogen gas limits the methane production rate. The use of hollow fibers, nano-bubbles or better-tailored methane-forming microorganisms may overcome this bottleneck. Analyses of patent applications on biomethanation suggest a lot of freedom to operate. Assessment of biomethanation for economic feasibility and environmental value is extremely challenging and will require future data and experiences. Currently biomethanation is not yet economically feasible, but this may be different in the energy systems of the near future.
Nederland streeft naar een verduurzaming van het energiesysteem. In 2020 moet 14% van onze energie duurzaam opgewekt zijn, waarbij de zon, naast wind, als belangrijkste duurzame energiebron gezien wordt. Systemen voor geconcentreerde zonne-energie kunnen worden ingezet voor het opwekken van elektrische en/of thermische energie. Grootschalige systemen (multi-MW) met spiegels worden reeds toegepast in zonnevelden. Het HAN Lectoraat Duurzame Energie werkt al enige jaren aan innovatieve systemen met lenzen waarbij naast het concentreren van direct licht het overblijvende diffuse licht beschikbaar is voor verlichting van de onderliggende ruimte. We willen de in eerdere projecten opgedane kennis en ervaring nu inzetten in een nieuw project, waarin we streven van prototype naar toepassing te komen. De bedrijven zijn benaderd over de nog openstaande vragen. Hieruit is een nieuwe onderzoeksvraag gevormd: Hoe kan voor systemen van geconcentreerde zonne-energie voor toepassingen in glastuinbouw en gebouwde omgevingen voor de productie van zowel elektriciteit als warmte, de energie-opbrengst verhoogd worden door een optimaler gebruik van de lichtinval en met een compacter en duurzamer systeem? In dit project, CONSOLE (acroniem voor CONcentrated SOLar Energy), gaan we werken aan het optimaliseren van de bestaande systemen en het ontwerpen van verbeterde (hybride) systemen voor het opwekken van warmte en elektriciteit in kassen en gebouwde omgeving. We gebruiken hiervoor zowel modellering als meten en testen en komen vanuit een inventarisatie tot een pakket van eisen wat uiteindelijk tot verbeterde prototypes leidt die geschikt zijn voor commerciële toepassing. We doen dit vanuit een nauwe samenwerking met 12 MKB’s, een branche-organisatie en een Centre of Expertise. Daarnaast is er een directe koppeling met het onderwijs, door de betrokkenheid van docent-onderzoekers en studenten in semesterprojecten, stages en afstudeerprojecten.
Road freight transport contributes to 75% of the global logistics CO2 emissions. Various European initiatives are calling for a drastic cut-down of CO2 emissions in this sector [1]. This requires advanced and very expensive technological innovations; i.e. re-design of vehicle units, hybridization of powertrains and autonomous vehicle technology. One particular innovation that aims to solve this problem is multi-articulated vehicles (road-trains). They have a smaller footprint and better efficiency of transport than traditional transport vehicles like trucks. In line with the missions for Energy Transition and Sustainability [2], road-trains can have zero-emission powertrains leading to clean and sustainable urban mobility of people and goods. However, multiple articulations in a vehicle pose a problem of reversing the vehicle. Since it is extremely difficult to predict the sideways movement of the vehicle combination while reversing, no driver can master this process. This is also the problem faced by the drivers of TRENS Solar Train’s vehicle, which is a multi-articulated modular electric road vehicle. It can be used for transporting cargo as well as passengers in tight environments, making it suitable for operation in urban areas. This project aims to develop a reverse assist system to help drivers reverse multi-articulated vehicles like the TRENS Solar Train, enabling them to maneuver backward when the need arises in its operations, safely and predictably. This will subsequently provide multi-articulated vehicle users with a sustainable and economically viable option for the transport of cargo and passengers with unrestricted maneuverability resulting in better application and adding to the innovation in sustainable road transport.
The change to sustainable energy and mobility in the Netherlands is faltering, in spite of numerous technological innovations and the clear economic benefits of such a transition. The Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and four other universities in the Netherlands will therefore develop new methods and techniques to give the transition a major boost. They will work within the framework of NEON, a multidisciplinary research programme in which engineers cooperate closely with social scientists, NGOs and companies. The Dutch Research Council (NWO) supports the programme, which will run for five years, with a grant of almost 8.5 million euros.Collaborative partners:TU Eindhoven, TU Delft, Tilburg University, Dutch Research Insitute for Transitions (and affiliate of ERASMUS Universiteit Rotterdam), Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Universiteit Twente, Heliox, Brainport Development, European Supply Chain Forum, Damen Shipyards Gorinchem B.V., TNO, AMPYX Power, NKL, Zenmo, ElaadNL, RAI Automotive Industry NL, Liander N.V., Enexis, Atlas Technologies B.V., Solarge, Kitepower, IHC MTI BV, Pon, Solliance, Elestor, Provincie Noord-Brabant, Swov, NXP, Verkeersonderneming, Stad Rotterdam, Prodrive Technologies B.V., Dialogic, PBL, Metalot3C.
