Projections of available renewable energy                             

Source

       Author

Available (TW)

Recoverable (TW)

Solar

         Boeker:

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

2030 (PV only)

 

 

80000

 

 

90000

 

89000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1000

Biomass

         Boeker

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle:

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

85

1.6

 

30

 

 

30

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.5

15

Hydroelectric

         Boeker:

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle:

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

4.2

4.6

4.6

 

11.6

10-30

 

5.3

 

 

 

 

 

1.6

1.5-2

 

1.7

Tidal/Wave

         Boeker:

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle:

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

 

4/2

1/2

3

 

 

3/1-10

 

3/200

 

 

 

0.1/

 

 

 

0.1/0.5-1

Geothermal

         Boeker:

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle:

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

15.6

 

 

30

 

 

30

 

33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Wind

         Boeker:

         Halfmeister:

         Boyle:

         Mason:

         Rosa:

         Smil:

         Smith:

         Sorensen:

         Tester:

 

4.2

1000

6

300

 

 

300-1200

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

Current world annual consumption: 13TW 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definition of Biomass:

·    Energy crops (yield tonne per ha per yr)

o   Sugar cane (35)

o   Bagasse (10)

o   Maize, rice, wheat, sorghum (15)

o   Wood, temperate (10)

o   Wood, tropics (20)

·    Waste

o   Wood residue (sawdust)

o   Crop waste (straw)

o   Animal manure

o   Sewage sludge

o   Municipal solid waste

o   Landfill gas

o   Industrial (furniture comp. hospital etc.)

 

Fuels from biomass (processes)

·    Anaerobic digestion (biological)

o   Conventional fermentation (ethanol from starch)

o   Cellulosic fermentation (ethanol from cellulose)

·    Gasification (chemical)

o   Fast pyrolysis (heating)

o   Solvolysis (solvents)

o   Catalytic (Fischer-Tropsch)

·    Recycling/transesterification (cooking oils, plant oils)

o   biodiesel