Lecture

Electricity and Heat from Fuel

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Description

This lecture covers the Swiss energy transition, explaining the types of fuel and their conversion into electricity through combustion or electrochemical processes. It also discusses cogeneration, energy conversion pathways, and the efficiencies of different technologies.

In MOOC

SES Swiss-Energyscope

Switzerland, like many other countries, is revising its energy strategy with a view to a transition towards a more rational use of energy, a more dynamic development of renewable energies and a progressive exit from nuclear energy. In a participatory democracy, such a process can only be based on a good understanding of the basic concepts and the issues related to technological and political choices. This course, which is open to everyone, is aimed at all citizens who wish to gain a better understanding in

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Energy transition

An energy transition (or energy system transformation) is a significant structural change in an energy system regarding supply and consumption. Currently, a transition to sustainable energy (mostly renewable energy) is underway to limit climate change. It is also called renewable energy transition. The current transition is driven by a recognition that global greenhouse-gas emissions must be drastically reduced. This process involves phasing-down fossil fuels and re-developing whole systems to operate on low carbon electricity.

Electrochemical engineering

Electrochemical engineering is the branch of chemical engineering dealing with the technological applications of electrochemical phenomena, such as electrosynthesis of chemicals, electrowinning and refining of metals, flow batteries and fuel cells, surface modification by electrodeposition, electrochemical separations and corrosion.

Electrochemical cell

An electrochemical cell is a device that generates electrical energy from chemical reactions. Electrical energy can also be applied to these cells to cause chemical reactions to occur. Electrochemical cells which generate an electric current are called voltaic or galvanic cells and those that generate chemical reactions, via electrolysis for example, are called electrolytic cells. Both galvanic and electrolytic cells can be thought of as having two half-cells: consisting of separate oxidation and reduction reactions.

Electrochemical potential

In electrochemistry, the electrochemical potential (ECP), , is a thermodynamic measure of chemical potential that does not omit the energy contribution of electrostatics. Electrochemical potential is expressed in the unit of J/mol. Each chemical species (for example, "water molecules", "sodium ions", "electrons", etc.) has an electrochemical potential (a quantity with units of energy) at any given point in space, which represents how easy or difficult it is to add more of that species to that location.

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. Renewable resources include sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For example, some biomass sources are considered unsustainable at current rates of exploitation. Renewable energy is often used for electricity generation, heating and cooling.

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