Generation and transmission prospects for solar electricity: UK and global markets

Abstract

World energy demands are assumed to double within the next 20 years. Fossil fuels are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before. Global warming and its associated climatic change are becoming serious concerns for governments worldwide. There is, thus, an urgent need for much more efficient and environmentally friendly energy resources to be exploited worldwide. Renewable energy is the solution to these challenges. Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, is an elegant and effective renewable energy resource that is increasingly being seen as a promising candidate for provision of clean and sustainable power. Using up to 20 years of measured solar radiation data from seven widespread UK locations, the feasibility of interconnected, solar powered communities has been presently undertaken. This study has also explored the long term prospects of large scale PV generation in arid/semi-arid locations, around the globe and its transmission using hydrogen as the energy vector. It is estimated that a single solar PV station of 250×250 km 2 area, or 12 decentralised stations each of 72×72 km 2 area would be sufficient to meet the year 2020 world electricity demand. Presently, closer attention is paid towards the feasibility of supply of hydrogen from arid/semi-arid regions to meet partially the year 2020 electrical demand. For OECD-Europe, a modular approach is proposed. Estimates show that a 9×9 km 2 PV array area would be sufficient to provide a flow rate of 11.5 kg/s of hydrogen through a 2 m diameter pipeline, which translates to an annual capacity of 9 TW h. Because of the low density of hydrogen, compared to natural gas, staged pumping would be required only after a distance of over 3000 km.