Can energy self‑sufficiency be achieved? Case study of Warmińsko‑Mazurskie Voivodeship (Poland)

An analysis was carried out to show whether the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship (Poland) could become energy selfsufficient. The technical potential of electricity and heat from renewable sources has been calculated. The calculated values are 6.93 TWh/year of electricity and 15.84 PJ/year of heat—these amounts would ensure the energy independence of the Voivodeship. The Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship is an example of transformation towards “green” energy, it shows that such transformation is also possible in Poland even in short term. This would reduce air pollution as well as limit the import of energy resources. It is very important, it allows us to think with optimism and implement Poland’s energy transformation towards renewable energy (RE). Additionally, a SWOT analysis of each type of RE in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship was presented. The SWOT analysis makes it possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, prospects and threats for RE in the Voivodeship and the whole country. It has been found that there is a great interest of investors in RE in the Voivodeship, there is usually a great public support for new energy sources, and the biggest barriers are high investment costs and complicated law in Poland

Comparative LCA technology improvement opportunities for a 1.5 MW wind turbine in the context of an offshore wind farm

Wind energy is playing an increasingly important role in the development of cleaner and more efficient energy technologies leading to projections in reliability and performance of future wind turbine designs. This paper presents life cycle assessment (LCA) results of design variations for a 1.5 MW wind turbine due to the potential for advances in technology to improve the performance of a 1.5 MW wind turbine. Five LCAs have been conducted for design variants of a 1.5 MW wind turbine. The objective is to evaluate potential environmental impacts per kilowatt hour of electricity generated for a 114 MW onshore wind farm. Results for the baseline turbine show that higher contributions to impacts were obtained in the categories Ozone Depletion Potential, Marine Aquatic Eco-toxicity Potential, Human Toxicity Potential and Terrestrial Eco-toxicity Potential compared to Technology Improvement Opportunities (TIOs) 1 to 4. Compared to the baseline turbine, TIO 1 showed increased impact contributions to Abiotic Depletion Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential, Global Warming Potential and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, and TIO 2 showed an increase in contributions to Abiotic Depletion Potential, Acidification Potential and Global Warming Potential. Additionally, lower contributions to all the environmental categories were observed for TIO 3 while increased contributions towards Abiotic Depletion Potential and Global Warming Potential were noted for TIO 4. A comparative LCA study of wind turbine design variations for a particular power rating has not been explored in the literature. This study presents new insight into the environmental implications related with projected wind turbine design advancements

Energy potential of biomass on uncultivated lands and fallows in Poland

Technical potential of energy from biomass of energy crops on uncultivated lands and fallows in Poland was calculated. Altogether the area of uncultivated lands is 134.2 thousand ha and fallows is 63.4 thousand ha. A short characteristics of energy willow Salix viminalis and giant miscanthus Miscanthus giganteus was presented. The amount of energy from energy willow is 3,083 TJ and from giant miscanthus is 3,650 TJ. Giant miscanthus as a plant of photosynthesis cycle C-4 has bigger possibilities of biomass gain, however is it invasive species plant.Obliczono potencjał techniczny energii z biomasy roślin energetycznych na terenach ugorowanych i nieużytkach w Polsce. Łączna powierzchnia ugorów w Polsce to 134,2 tys. ha, zaś nieużytków 63,4 tys. ha. Przedstawiono krótką charakterystykę wierzby energetycznej Salix viminalis oraz miskanta olbrzymiego Miscanthus giganteus. Ilość energii z wierzby wiciowej, którą można pozyskać w Polsce wynosi 3083 TJ, zaś 3650 TJ w przypadku miskanta olbrzymiego. Miskant jako roślina o cyklu fotosyntetycznym C-4 ma większe możliwości przyrostu masy; jest to jednak gatunek obcy, dość inwazyjny

Physico-chemical analysis of the waste from installation of semi-dry flue gas desulfurization of industrial chp plant in Janikowo

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki analizy odpadów z instalacji odsiarczania spalin metodą półsuchą ang. Novel Intergrated Desulphurisation (NID). Przeprowadzono kompleksową analizę fizykochemiczną, m.in. wykonano analizy zawartości jonów SO32- i SO42- (w przeliczeniu na 2CaSO3 H2O i CaSO4 2H2O), wilgoci, SiO2 i R2O3 oraz analizy SEM-EDX. Zaprojektowano oryginalną metodę oznaczania siarczanów(IV) przy użyciu titratora potencjometrycznego. Wyznaczono, iż głównym składnikiem obu badanych odpadów był 2CaS3 H2O, a jego zawartość wynosiła dla NID 1 – 41,24±0,63%, dla NID 2 – 45,53±0,33%. Zawartość CaSO4 2H2O, którą wyznaczono metodą wagową, wynosiła dla NID 1 – 8,92±0,12%, dla NID 2 – 8,27±0,08%. Zawartość wilgoci badanych próbek wynosiła około 4%, zawartość SiO2 w granicach 8–10%, a zawartość R2O3 około 1%. Wykazano również, że badane materiały nie są homogeniczne. Na obrazach z elektronowego mikroskopu skaningowego widoczne były nieregularnie występują aglomeraty o średnicy od 30 do 100 μm. Analizy EDX wykazały, iż pierwiastkami wchodzącymi w skład odpadów NID są tlen, siarka, wapń, chlor, krzem, glin, miedź oraz węgiel.The paper presents results of the analysis of waste from semi-dry flue gas desulphurisation installation called Integrated Novel Desulphurisation (NID). A comprehensive analysis of the physicochemical properties was conducted, including analyzes of the content of ions SO32- and SO42- (relating to 2CaSO3 H2O and CaSO4 2H2O), moisture, SiO2 and R2O3 and SEM-EDX analysis. The original method for the determination of sulphates (IV) using a potentiometric titrator was designed. Determined that the main component of both studied wastes was 2CaSO3 H2O, and its content is for NID 1 – 41,24±0,63%, for NID 2 – 45,53±0,33%. The content of CaSO4 2H2O, which was determined by gravimetric method amounted for the NID 1 – 8,92±0,12%, for the NID 2 – 8,27±0,08%. The moisture content for both tested materials was about 4%, the content of SiO2 was in the range of 8–10%, and R2O3 content was about 1%. It was also shown that the test material is not homogenous. Images from scanning electron microscope showed that in the waste occured irregularly agglomerates with a diameter between 30 and 100 microns. EDX analysis revealed that elements constituted NID wastes are oxygen, sulfur, calcium, chlorine, silicon, aluminum, copper and carbon