Challenges

Question 1

List the challenges associated with Carbon Capture and Smart Grid technologies (6 answers)

Answer 1

1. Large capital investment
2. Geological issues
3. Gas and electricity grid issues
4. New distribution infrastructure
5. Market transformation
6. New business models

Question 2

Individuals hold different viewpoints on the purpose and challenge of creating a sustainable
energy supply system. Identify 3 such viewpoints and indicate how they might be in conflict. (6 possible answers)

Answer 2

Any three from:

1. Human well being (moral obligation)
2. Climate change mitigation (save the planet)
3. Environment protection (biodoversity)
4. Fossil fuel prolongation (sustain economic growth)
5. Fossil fuel replacement (pollution reduction)
6. Security of supply (political autonomy)

Conflicts (just examples): Fossil fuel prolongation means less pressure on the development of new renewables technology, means not as much reduction in pollution. In order to secure enough supply to be politically autonomous we need a major infrastructure upgrade, this will take time and will use a lot of energy.

Question 3

List the options available to create a sustainable energy supply system.

Answer 3

1. Could reduce/reshape demand. This can be done by:
   - Population control (not an option)
   - Lifestyle change (do little, save little)
   - Apt technologies (plethora of options e.g fuel cells, heat recovery, smart control, new materials)
2. Could deploy clean energy sources by:
   - Clean fossil fuels (cost increase)
   - Nuclear fission (public acceptance)
   - Renewable energy (needs infrastructure)

Question 4

List some issues with the built environment (7 answers)

Answer 4

1. Passive solar (user control)
2. Heat recovery (heat sink matching)
3. Fabric upgrades (moisture problems)
4. Efficient systems (cost implications)
5. Daylight utilisation (glare avoidance)
6. Smart control (commissioning)
7. Local heat/power generation (demand matching)

Question 5

Typical problems (with improving the built environment?) (5 answers)

Answer 5

1. Systems do not perform as well as expected
2. Products/components not robust and performance degrades over time
3. Controls often don’t control
4. Upgrades create unexpected problems
5. The devil is in the detail