Energy Transition

by Lachal, Bernard

• ISBN13: 9781786302113
• ISBN10: 178630211X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2019-06-18
• Publisher: Wiley-ISTE

Summary

Although most people are aware of the value of developing new energy technologies, the importance of assessing such technologies is only just beginning to be recognized in full.

This book, illustrated by real-life examples, fulfils two main objectives. Firstly, it provides an in-depth summary of energy system evaluation methods, the result of decades of work in this area, for the use of researchers, engineers and anybody else interested in the energy sector. Secondly, the vicious cycle of neglect towards in situ evaluation is broken. This neglect is due to its unjust reputation for being “thankless work”: longwinded, expensive, difficult to exploit and undervalued.

By scientifically organizing experience acquired over more than 30 years, Energy Transition highlights the considerable usefulness of the approach, not only economically, but also from a human standpoint.

Author Biography

Bernard Lachal is a former Professor of the University of Geneva’s Faculty of Science, where he led the "Energy Systems" group for over 20 years. His research focuses on the observation and improvement of practices in the energy systems field.

Table of Contents

Foreword xi

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xvii

Part 1. The Context of Case Study Feedback (CSF) 1

Chapter 1. Energy Transition 3

1.1. The global energy system and its evolution 3

1.2. The necessary transformation of the global energy system 5

1.2.1. Fossil fuels: planned scarcity upstream and environmental problem downstream 6

1.2.2. Nuclear energy: environmental and accessibility issues 6

1.2.3. An overall inefficient system 7

1.2.4. A productive and simple-energy vision 8

1.2.5. Energy transition 9

1.3. The three concordances 10

1.3.1. Form concordance 11

1.3.2. Place concordance 12

1.3.3. Time concordance 12

1.3.4. Economic, social and environmental constraints 12

Chapter 2. Energy Systems and Technological Systems 15

2.1. Transformers and concordances 16

2.1.1. Form converters 17

2.1.2. Storage 17

2.1.3. Transport 18

2.2. From the transformer to the energy system 18

2.3. Effectiveness of resources and effectiveness of results 22

Chapter 3. The Innovation Process 27

3.1. A well-defined process 27

3.2. Limit of these curves in the context of energy systems 33

3.3. Operation and use 36

Chapter 4. Case Study Feedback, the Basis of Learning by Using 39

4.1. Innovation in energy systems 39

4.2. Case study feedback 42

4.2.1. CSF classification test 43

4.2.2. CSF content 45

Part 2. CSF Tools: Operation and Envisaged Uses 47

Chapter 5. The Human Context 49

5.1. Why the human aspects? 49

5.1.1. In vivo rather than in vitro 49

5.1.2. The importance of objective information in the field of innovative energy systems 50

5.2. Who are the actors involved and how are they involved? 51

5.2.1. Actors involved in the innovation process 51

5.2.2. Actors related to the particular energy system 51

5.2.3. Actors involved in the implementation of CSF 54

5.3. How to take into account human aspects in CSF 55

5.3.1. The perimeter 55

5.3.2. The objectives of the CSF 56

5.3.3. The resources 57

5.3.4. The team’s experience 57

5.3.5. The follow-up group 58

Chapter 6. The Energy Context and the Sankey Diagram 59

6.1. A drawing is better than a long speech 59

6.2. Design, development and operation 63

6.2.1. The importance of precise terminology 63

6.2.2. Balance failure 66

6.2.3. To avoid having a chilling effect 67

6.2.4. Shape: graphic rules 69

6.3. Uses 72

Chapter 7. From System to Experimental Concept 77

7.1. The importance and difficulties of a quantitative quality assessment 77

7.2. From the energy system to be evaluated to the measurement concept 78

7.2.1. From objectives to a breakdown into subsystems and components 80

7.2.2. Developing the measurement system 84

7.2.3. Some properties of the sensors and their use 91

7.2.4. Some remarks on the measurement of primary energies 93

7.3. Link to other phases of the evaluation 96

Chapter 8. Data Observation and Global Indicators 99

8.1. Observing and feeling 99

8.2. Energy indicators 101

Chapter 9. Input/Output and Signature Relationships: the Operation in Use 107

9.1. Convenient visualization of an expected relationship 108

9.2. Search for a global relationship 111

9.3. Signatures as simple management tools 114

9.4. The signature as the basis for adjustment 115

9.5. The signature as the basis for a standard 116

Chapter 10. Modeling 119

10.1. Why model? 119

10.2. Analytical and systemic approaches 121

10.3. Modeling and approximate knowledge 123

10.4. Modeling in the context of approximate knowledge of CSF 124

10.5. The steps of the modeling and the necessary validation 126

10.6. Some component modeling carried out in CSF 128

10.6.1. Integrating dynamic aspects to check the proper functioning of a component 128

10.6.2. Developing a more explicit but simple model 132

10.7. Simulation of energy systems 135

Chapter 11. Conducting the Evaluation 137

11.1. Publication 137

11.2. Summary of the CSF process 140

Part 3. The Practice of CSF 143

Chapter 12. Challenges of Innovation: Summer Overheating in an Administrative Building 145

12.1. Background information 145

12.2. Description of the building 147

12.3. The measurement concept and initial findings 147

12.4. Overheating indicators: strict application of the standard 149

12.4.1. Proof of need according to standards 150

12.4.2. Use of the standard by the design office when defining the concept 151

12.4.3. Comparison with the real situation 152

12.5. Building consensus 153

12.5.1. Is the indoor humidity in the offices too high? 153

12.5.2. Is the ventilation through the windows as predicted? 153

12.5.3. Is the ventilation, even in accordance with predictions and properly used, sufficient? 155

12.5.4. Do occupants use night cooling as intended? 156

12.5.5. Is the false ceiling an inconvenience? 156

12.6. Conclusions 157

Chapter 13. Audits or Implementation of Knowledge: Transformation of Valère Castle to a Museum 159

13.1. The context of the study 159

13.2. The Aymon CSF 161

13.2.1. Measures and preliminary findings 163

13.2.2. System modeling 167

13.3. Return to Valère 172

13.3.1. The building 173

13.3.2. The building’s relationship with the weather 173

13.3.3. The building’s relationship with the operation of the future museum 174

13.3.4. The building’s relationship with the technical installations 174

13.3.5. The resulting indoor climate 174

13.4. Modeling and scenarios: proposal of the concept based on the “Aymon system” 175

13.4.1. Real in situ simulation of the new use 175

13.4.2. Virtual simulation of the new use 179

13.4.3. Results of scenarios and proposals 181

13.5. Implementation of the concept and commissioning by the Valais engineering school (now HES-SO Valais) 182

13.6. Conclusion 186

Chapter 14. CSF to Evaluate and Improve the Appropriation of Innovation: the Case of Buildings 187

14.1. Context: from the catalogue of solutions to real practice 187

14.2. Increased complexity of construction and systems techniques well-highlighted by the Sankey diagram 190

14.3. The importance of use and human aspects that are difficult to quantify 199

14.4. The problem of the “performance gap”: modeling to account for the difference in performance 203

14.5. A surprising invariant in the functioning of the “building” system: the relevance of I/O relationships and signatures 208

14.5.1. Modeling the thermal demand of buildings 212

14.5.2. Investment for infrastructure development and reimbursement from the energy used 212

Part 4. Towards Involved Research? 217

Chapter 15. CSF and Learning Through Use 219

15.1. Expertise or contested innovation 220

15.2. Auditing or putting innovation into practice 221

15.3. Feedback: in situ evaluation of the appropriation of an innovation 223

15.4. Big Data and CSF 224

15.5. The different learning experiences 225

15.6. CSF and learning by use 230

Chapter 16. CSF, Energy Transition and Involved Research 233

16.1. Current limitations and potential of CSF 233

16.1.1. The impact of CSF 233

16.1.2. An evolution over time 234

16.1.3. Supporting the trial-and-error approach 235

16.1.4. The exemplarity of the objects studied 236

16.1.5. Energy context and opportunism 237

16.2. Feedback and energy transition: towards involved research? 240

References 243

Index 249