8. Energy Ecosystem

Introduction

The world is transitioning toward cleaner, greener, and more sustainable energy systems to address the challenges of climate change, growing energy demands, and the electrification of transport and industry. The Energy Ecosystem project invites students to design innovative solutions in energy generation, smart distribution, utilisation, and storage that respond to these global challenges. You will apply your diverse engineering skills to develop technology solutions that tackle critical issues, such as the all-electric revolution, improved range and charging speeds for electric vehicles (EVs), the utilisation of waste resources for power generation, efficient renewable energy storage, and advanced energy systems for portable devices and emerging technologies like flying cars.

Task

Your team is tasked with developing a novel energy generation, smart distribution, utilisation, and storage solution that addresses one or more future energy needs: clean power for EVs, efficient storage for renewable energy, or advanced energy solutions for portable devices and flying cars. The goal is to propose a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable technology that can meet the increasing energy demands of modern society while reducing environmental impact. Your design should also explore scalability and real-world applications, integrating it into existing infrastructure or emerging technologies.

Considerations

1. Technology
Students should explore innovative energy generation methods (e.g., fusion, solar, wind) or advanced energy storage technologies (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen cells). Focus on maximising energy efficiency, smart distribution and utilisation, increasing power density, and ensuring sustainability in the design. The technology should be scalable and adaptable to future societal needs.

Questions to consider:

• What innovative energy generation technologies can be used to develop clean and efficient power sources?

• How can your design maximise energy storage capacity and power density for use in EVs, portable devices, or flying cars?

• How does the efficiency of your proposed solution compare to existing energy generation, distribution, utilisation, and storage technologies?

• Can new materials or methods, such as nanotechnology or solid-state batteries, enhance your design?

2. Infrastructure
Your solution must be compatible with current and future energy infrastructure. Consider how your system will integrate with renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, hydro), electric grids, and the charging networks for EVs and other technologies. Think about the scalability of the system and its ability to adapt to different environments and applications, such as residential areas, industrial complexes, or space missions. Think about where energy is available and the current grid infrastructure capacity to harness this available energy.

Questions to consider:

• How will your energy solution integrate with existing or future energy grids and infrastructure?

• What modifications or upgrades to the infrastructure would be needed to accommodate your system?

• Can your design be scaled for widespread use, such as in urban centres, rural areas, or space missions?

• How will your solution address infrastructure challenges like charging speed for EVs or energy storage for renewables?

3. Market Factors
Consider market trends and demands for clean energy solutions in sectors such as electric transportation, renewable energy storage, and consumer electronics. Evaluate the economic feasibility of your design, including potential costs of research, development, production, and deployment. Identify potential partnerships with industries, governments, or research institutions to bring your solution to market.

Questions to consider:

• How does your energy system address the growing demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy, or portable energy solutions?

• What are the counterarguments to these technologies and infrastructure changes, and how do you build the argument to overcome these?

• What are the market trends in energy storage and generation, and how does your design fit into those trends?

• Can your solution be economically viable in terms of production and implementation costs?

• What partnerships (e.g., with governments, private industry, or research institutions) would be necessary to commercialise your technology?

4. Safety, Security, and Risks
Energy generation, distribution, utilisation, and storage technologies come with inherent risks, including concerns related to overheating, fire, and environmental hazards. Your design must comply with safety standards and regulations to ensure safe operation in a variety of environments, from vehicles to portable devices. Consider the potential environmental and human health risks associated with the materials or technologies used in your design.

Questions to consider:

• What are the potential safety risks of your proposed energy solution, and how can they be mitigated?

• How will your design comply with safety standards for batteries, energy storage systems, or power generation plants?

• Are the materials used in your design safe and environmentally friendly?

• How can you prevent or mitigate risks such as overheating, electrical faults, or material degradation?

5. Project Management Approach
Successful project delivery requires proper planning, team collaboration, and resource management. Develop a project management plan to track progress, assign responsibilities, and manage deadlines. Consider potential roadblocks and mitigation strategies to keep the project on track.

Questions to consider:

• What project management methodology will you adopt (e.g., Scrum and Sprint, Agile, Waterfall) to ensure effective collaboration and timely completion?

• How will you allocate resources (e.g., time, manpower, materials) across the project?

• What are the key milestones, and how will you measure progress toward successful completion?

• What are the biggest risks in the project timeline, and how will you manage or mitigate these risks?

6. Costing and Feasibility
Provide an estimate of the total research, development, and production costs of your energy system. Consider the costs of materials, technology, and implementation at scale. Additionally, evaluate the economic benefits your design could bring, such as lowering energy costs for consumers or reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Questions to consider:

• What are the estimated costs of research, development, and production for your design?

• Can your design offer a competitive price point compared to existing technologies?

• How will your solution lower energy costs or contribute to long-term economic benefits (e.g., reducing reliance on non-renewable sources)?

• Are there any funding opportunities or incentives (e.g., government subsidies or private investment) that could help bring your solution to market?

7. Sustainability, Ethics, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Sustainability is a key component of this project. Your design should minimise environmental impact in both the materials used and the lifecycle of the system. Conduct a life-cycle analysis to assess the environmental footprint of your design, from production to disposal. Ensure that your solution aligns with global sustainability goals and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, consider the ethical implications of your energy solution and how it can promote inclusivity in its design and application.

Questions to consider:

• How does your design contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimising environmental impact (e.g., IPCC mitigation pathway)?

• Can your energy generation or storage solution be produced using sustainable or recycled materials?

• Is your design easily recyclable or reusable at the end of its lifecycle?

• How will your solution support global sustainability goals, such as those outlined by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

• How does your solution address ethical considerations and promote inclusivity, ensuring it benefits a wide range of people and communities?

Further Information

1. The International Energy Agency, "Clean Energy Transitions Programme 2023," Available: https://www.iea.org/reports/clean-energy-transitions-programme-2023 [Accessed: October 7, 2024].

2. The United Nations, “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” Available: https://www.globalgoals.org/take-action/  [Accessed: October 7, 2024].

3. Sikiru, Surajudeen, et al. "Hydrogen-powered horizons: Transformative technologies in clean energy generation, distribution, and storage for sustainable innovation." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 56 (2024): 1152-1182. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319923064868?casa_token=tUIllj-0DRUAAAAA:tFLg8J3tB3xKQqYn3VQZvWZeMVFPkbMWL5aNgR9vx6jJNnmp9hvZAALhQET2v0ArCSR_NGMQ9A [Accessed: October 7, 2024].

4. Zhang, Lei, et al. "A comprehensive review of the promising clean energy carrier: Hydrogen production, transportation, storage, and utilization (HPTSU) technologies." Fuel 355 (2024): 129455. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236123020690?casa_token=ZM0jxFLc1ysAAAAA:xgB2IgBp2L9Ko3OWXzBlnksMe0muMx2xiXl-vGjwtJpUCkaW_hUN23L62N0EoIpnMu1NzwdmKw [Accessed: October 7, 2024].

5. Simpa, Peter, et al. "Nanotechnology's potential in advancing renewable energy solutions." Engineering Science & Technology Journal 5.5 (2024): 1695-1710. Available: https://www.fepbl.com/index.php/estj/article/view/1137 [Accessed: October 7, 2024].