Interview
Teresa Ponce de Leão: “Solar and geothermic energy
are the next bet in renewables”
are the next bet in renewables”
Published on February 18th, 2016
Teresa Ponce de Leão is the president of the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG- Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia), a member of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) and she has participated in several programmes of the European Commission in the area of renewable energies and energy efficiency. Clima@EduMedia spoke about the past, the present and the future of Portugal and Europe regarding renewable energies, and put forth the current lines of research on this topic.
How did your interest in this topic of renewable energies arise?
I have a Ph.D. in electric systems planning with the inclusion of renewables, hence my proximity to the subject.
I am a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP- Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto), and in 2004 I was invited to join the National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation (INETI- Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação). The INETI had a department with a vital activity for the country in the area of renewables. The Institute produced, together with the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI- Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial), a wind atlas for Portugal, the first in Europe. Subsequently, it developed a methodology that enabled to calculate what we call sustainable potential for wind power in Portugal, based on the knowledge of the country’s wind, and other layers of knowledge such as the existence of an electric power grid, a possible connection to the power grid, environmental and technical restrictions, and the existence of roads.
We have identified a potential of 5900 MW (Megawatt), which the government then put out to tender and, as a result, wind farms were built. Meanwhile, the INETI was dissolved, and in 2009, I was invited to direct the National Laboratory for Energy and Geology (LNEG- Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia), and one of its strengths is precisely renewable energy and energy efficiency.
On which projects are you currently working, in this area?
We are working on projects related to the Smart Cities/Smart Communities, aimed at increasing energy efficiency, and constructing and rehabilitating buildings in order to make them more thermally efficient and requiring less energy. Simultaneously, we are working on an effective way to integrate renewable energy systems into city buildings. We also have projects to create formative content for the industrial sector, to train skilled technicians, to apply good practices both at the PV level as well as at a geothermal energy level. We have perspective assessment projects for the implementation of geothermal surface systems (that is to say, of low enthalpy), using energy stored underground. We are also working on another line of investigation, in geothermal projects of high enthalpy that encompasses an evaluation project of the geothermal potential of the Madeira island.
Furthermore, we work in the area of concentrated solar thermal and water heating solar power in buildings, and in projects aimed at implementing new power systems and new photovoltaic cells with greater efficiency.
For over 10 years, Portugal invests in infrastructure for wind power installation. Are we on the top of Europe in this area?
The identified potential was almost covered, but can still grow a little more because, in the meantime, technology improved and equipment are more efficient. Therefore, we are able to produce more wind energy. At this point, we can go up to about 6200/6300 MW. So, we are a good example, with almost everything made in terms of wind power... There is still something to be done offshore: there are projects to be tested in the development of pioneering technology and the implementation of wind farms at sea. The wind energy growth really needs to go to sea.
With the potential practically installed in terms of wind energy, which will be the country’s next bet?
First, solar energy and also geothermal energy.
The study of new legislation is in motion in order to provide a large-scale impulse of solar energy in the country, connected to the power grid, which will be a good measure for Portugal if we are to achieve the 80% renewable target by 2040. As for self-consumption, all new homes are now required to have thermal energy and may also have photovoltaic energy. In addition, we finally have the actors in the system looking at geothermal energy... For example, the City Council of Lisbon (CML- Câmara Municipal de Lisboa), together with us, is studying ways of enabling geothermal systems to integrate the city ... And we also feel an interest from the industrial fabric: we are part of a platform for the development of geothermal energy, in which many enterprises are involved. It is an area with the potential to increase the share of renewable energy needed to fuel the country!
Currently, what is the global representativeness of renewables in energy produced and consumed in Portugal?
Consumption has been declining with the crisis ... But there have been moments throughout the year when renewable production has been fully sufficient to fuel consumption. Presently, the renewable energy potency installed exceeds 50% of the total installed potency and also overcomes the target established for 2020 in the National Action Plan for Renewable Energies (Plano Nacional de Ação para as Energias Renováveis). It is important to consider, at the present moment, that the more we move towards a distributed production, that is to say, towards self-consumption, the less centralised potency is needed. If people produce it for themselves, they consume less.
"Energy storage concerns scientists"
Currently, there is an energy surplus, correct? What is being done regarding storage?
That is electricity’s “Achilles' heel”. Storage remains expensive and there is still much research to be done. We have collaborated on projects accordingly. There are many forms of storage: in dams, thermal storage from concentrated solar power plants, mechanical storage, chemical storage, but all these forms of storage are relatively expensive. Even in electric vehicles, the fact that their batteries have to be often replaced makes them more expensive. The LNEG, at the moment, is working on a project that aims at understanding, precisely, the aging cycles the batteries. If we have batteries of the same type in our homes, the same happens: there is no in-depth knowledge regarding the rate at which such equipment ages. Storage is, in fact, something that concerns scientists working in this field all over the world ...
And has there been a bet in terms of exports?
The problem of export is European ... The previous Portuguese government fought accordingly and managed Brussels to create goals to increase European interconnections up to 15%. At this time, the Iberian Peninsula is an island in electrical terms, with tiny exchanges with France. A Europe-wide network would be very important! Only if we are able to easily circulate wave or wind energy throughout Europe, and carry solar energy, which we have in abundance, from south to north, will Europe be able to meet, as a whole, the renewable energy goals it has undertaken.
Where is Europe heading on this issue?
The path is the development of more and more efficient technology so that prices fall; increase interconnection capacity between countries so that energy can flow freely; and create regulatory formulas that enable a dialogue between countries, because with different rules is difficult for networks to communicate with each other.
In Portugal, what do you expect from this new government?
It is expected to maintain the will to meet what is agreed at a European level and that the implementation of the Portugal 2020 funds can be guided accordingly. There are infrastructures that accumulate knowledge with European links that, if funded, will be key tools for the development of renewable energy, namely the National Research Infrastructure on Solar Energy Concentration (INIESC- Infraestrutura Nacional de Investigação para Energia Solar de Concentração), a partnership of LNEG with the University of Évora; the Solar Building XXI (Edifício Solar XXI) of the LNEG, for the development of buildings with zero emissions; an infrastructure connected to the development of methodologies for wind forecast; and the Bioenergy Unit (Unidade de Bioenergia), coordinated by the LNEG. Governments have a role in creating the conditions to fulfil that which was recently decided in Paris at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21).
And ordinary citizens, what can and should they do?
Ordinary citizens should be informed about the compulsory questions when building a new home or making a deep rehabilitation. And given that the PV is entering a phase where costs are almost on a par with the network, I would say that citizens should think and understand that investing now will have a return in 4/5 years, and from then on is all profit, with more affordable energy. This requires more disclosure! We, research institutes, have a duty to promote and to engage society because, in fact, society needs something that alerts it to feel this need. There must be a commitment and responsibility to future generations ... In the current context of low fossil fuel prices, it is necessary to weigh the economic issue, the impact on the environment, because we are already suffering serious problems as a result of climate change…
By: Isabel Pereira
I have a Ph.D. in electric systems planning with the inclusion of renewables, hence my proximity to the subject.
I am a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP- Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto), and in 2004 I was invited to join the National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation (INETI- Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação). The INETI had a department with a vital activity for the country in the area of renewables. The Institute produced, together with the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI- Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial), a wind atlas for Portugal, the first in Europe. Subsequently, it developed a methodology that enabled to calculate what we call sustainable potential for wind power in Portugal, based on the knowledge of the country’s wind, and other layers of knowledge such as the existence of an electric power grid, a possible connection to the power grid, environmental and technical restrictions, and the existence of roads.
We have identified a potential of 5900 MW (Megawatt), which the government then put out to tender and, as a result, wind farms were built. Meanwhile, the INETI was dissolved, and in 2009, I was invited to direct the National Laboratory for Energy and Geology (LNEG- Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia), and one of its strengths is precisely renewable energy and energy efficiency.
On which projects are you currently working, in this area?
We are working on projects related to the Smart Cities/Smart Communities, aimed at increasing energy efficiency, and constructing and rehabilitating buildings in order to make them more thermally efficient and requiring less energy. Simultaneously, we are working on an effective way to integrate renewable energy systems into city buildings. We also have projects to create formative content for the industrial sector, to train skilled technicians, to apply good practices both at the PV level as well as at a geothermal energy level. We have perspective assessment projects for the implementation of geothermal surface systems (that is to say, of low enthalpy), using energy stored underground. We are also working on another line of investigation, in geothermal projects of high enthalpy that encompasses an evaluation project of the geothermal potential of the Madeira island.
Furthermore, we work in the area of concentrated solar thermal and water heating solar power in buildings, and in projects aimed at implementing new power systems and new photovoltaic cells with greater efficiency.
For over 10 years, Portugal invests in infrastructure for wind power installation. Are we on the top of Europe in this area?
The identified potential was almost covered, but can still grow a little more because, in the meantime, technology improved and equipment are more efficient. Therefore, we are able to produce more wind energy. At this point, we can go up to about 6200/6300 MW. So, we are a good example, with almost everything made in terms of wind power... There is still something to be done offshore: there are projects to be tested in the development of pioneering technology and the implementation of wind farms at sea. The wind energy growth really needs to go to sea.
With the potential practically installed in terms of wind energy, which will be the country’s next bet?
First, solar energy and also geothermal energy.
The study of new legislation is in motion in order to provide a large-scale impulse of solar energy in the country, connected to the power grid, which will be a good measure for Portugal if we are to achieve the 80% renewable target by 2040. As for self-consumption, all new homes are now required to have thermal energy and may also have photovoltaic energy. In addition, we finally have the actors in the system looking at geothermal energy... For example, the City Council of Lisbon (CML- Câmara Municipal de Lisboa), together with us, is studying ways of enabling geothermal systems to integrate the city ... And we also feel an interest from the industrial fabric: we are part of a platform for the development of geothermal energy, in which many enterprises are involved. It is an area with the potential to increase the share of renewable energy needed to fuel the country!
Currently, what is the global representativeness of renewables in energy produced and consumed in Portugal?
Consumption has been declining with the crisis ... But there have been moments throughout the year when renewable production has been fully sufficient to fuel consumption. Presently, the renewable energy potency installed exceeds 50% of the total installed potency and also overcomes the target established for 2020 in the National Action Plan for Renewable Energies (Plano Nacional de Ação para as Energias Renováveis). It is important to consider, at the present moment, that the more we move towards a distributed production, that is to say, towards self-consumption, the less centralised potency is needed. If people produce it for themselves, they consume less.
"Energy storage concerns scientists"
Currently, there is an energy surplus, correct? What is being done regarding storage?
That is electricity’s “Achilles' heel”. Storage remains expensive and there is still much research to be done. We have collaborated on projects accordingly. There are many forms of storage: in dams, thermal storage from concentrated solar power plants, mechanical storage, chemical storage, but all these forms of storage are relatively expensive. Even in electric vehicles, the fact that their batteries have to be often replaced makes them more expensive. The LNEG, at the moment, is working on a project that aims at understanding, precisely, the aging cycles the batteries. If we have batteries of the same type in our homes, the same happens: there is no in-depth knowledge regarding the rate at which such equipment ages. Storage is, in fact, something that concerns scientists working in this field all over the world ...
And has there been a bet in terms of exports?
The problem of export is European ... The previous Portuguese government fought accordingly and managed Brussels to create goals to increase European interconnections up to 15%. At this time, the Iberian Peninsula is an island in electrical terms, with tiny exchanges with France. A Europe-wide network would be very important! Only if we are able to easily circulate wave or wind energy throughout Europe, and carry solar energy, which we have in abundance, from south to north, will Europe be able to meet, as a whole, the renewable energy goals it has undertaken.
Where is Europe heading on this issue?
The path is the development of more and more efficient technology so that prices fall; increase interconnection capacity between countries so that energy can flow freely; and create regulatory formulas that enable a dialogue between countries, because with different rules is difficult for networks to communicate with each other.
In Portugal, what do you expect from this new government?
It is expected to maintain the will to meet what is agreed at a European level and that the implementation of the Portugal 2020 funds can be guided accordingly. There are infrastructures that accumulate knowledge with European links that, if funded, will be key tools for the development of renewable energy, namely the National Research Infrastructure on Solar Energy Concentration (INIESC- Infraestrutura Nacional de Investigação para Energia Solar de Concentração), a partnership of LNEG with the University of Évora; the Solar Building XXI (Edifício Solar XXI) of the LNEG, for the development of buildings with zero emissions; an infrastructure connected to the development of methodologies for wind forecast; and the Bioenergy Unit (Unidade de Bioenergia), coordinated by the LNEG. Governments have a role in creating the conditions to fulfil that which was recently decided in Paris at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21).
And ordinary citizens, what can and should they do?
Ordinary citizens should be informed about the compulsory questions when building a new home or making a deep rehabilitation. And given that the PV is entering a phase where costs are almost on a par with the network, I would say that citizens should think and understand that investing now will have a return in 4/5 years, and from then on is all profit, with more affordable energy. This requires more disclosure! We, research institutes, have a duty to promote and to engage society because, in fact, society needs something that alerts it to feel this need. There must be a commitment and responsibility to future generations ... In the current context of low fossil fuel prices, it is necessary to weigh the economic issue, the impact on the environment, because we are already suffering serious problems as a result of climate change…
By: Isabel Pereira