Renewable vs. Non-renewable
energy
Prepered by A. Gritsevskyi,
International Atomic Energy Agency
Do we have any problem?
• In most cases …
there is no problem for energy statistics to
identify is that specific energy form belongs to
renewable or non-renewable – not necessarily true
for other domain (geology, environment, business)
• Problems start when we talk about energy
technology or dealing with some “grey areas”
• Lack of clear definition and partial disagreement on
interpretation terms
What is in Series F Manuals?
29E, 44 and 56E
• No real definition
• Defined by “listing”:
Fuel split in 29E
Extra note in 56E
• “Fuelwood” should be considered as
“renewable” only if rate of planting it faster or
equal to rate at which it is cut
• Should something like that applied for large
scale of hydropower as currently there is
tendency not to name such technology as
strictly renewable?
Multiple ways to give a definition
• Postulating - listing what it is and what it is
not
• Giving criteria and checking if particular
source of energy meets it
• Combination of both
Example 1
• Energy obtained from sources that are
essentially inexhaustible (unlike, for example
the fossil fuels, of which there is a finite
supply). Renewable sources of energy
include wood, waste, geothermal, wind,
photovoltaic and solar thermal energy
• NOT OK as all energy sources we know
within defined system (Earth) are finite and
fusion power, technically non-renewable,
could be considered practically inexhaustible
Example 2
• energy generated from resources that are
unlimited, rapidly replenished or naturally
renewable such as wind, water, sun, wave
and refuse, and not from the combustion of
fossil fuels
• Better, but “rapidly” is rather subjective term,
so what about “peat”? (see attached paper)
Example 3 and 4
• energy flows which occur naturally and repeatedly
in the environment, such as wind and solar
• new and renewable energy sources are energy
sources including solar energy, geothermal
energy, wind power, hydropower, ocean energy
(thermal gradient, wave power and tidal power),
biomass, draught animal power, fuelwood, peat, oil
shale and tar sands, UN Glossary of Environment
Statistics F-67E
From “Renewable Energy in Europe”
• Renewable Energy Sources – All natural
energy flows that are inexhaustible (i.e.,
renewable) from an anthropogenic point of
view: solar radiation; hydropower; wind;
geothermal; wave, and tidal energy; and
biomass
From “Renewable Energy in the United
States”
• Renewable Energy – Resources that are
naturally replenishing but flow limited. They
are virtually inexhaustible in duration but
limited in the amount of energy that is
available per unit of time.
“Grey areas”
• Municipal Waste or any waste from potentially
unsustainable use of biomass and/or unclear
mixed use of fossil fuel and renewable
• Origin of the problem – derived fuel with potentially
multiple sources
• No clear solution provided in the available
literature – treated differently from case-to-case
and region-by-region
• Should be addressed jointly with environmental
statistics experts
Age of different types of fuel
within parentheses is maximum age
Fuel type
Reed, straw
Age of fuel (in years)
0,5 - 3
Willow coppice
1–5
(Living) wood
Peat
5 – 100 (- 5000)
100 –120,000 (-10 million)
Lignite
0,1 - 50 million
Coal
Oil shale
20 - 325 million
65 - 500 million
Source: Hans Joosten “Renewability revisited: on folly and swindle in peat energy politics”
Energy flux(flow) and energy store
from M. Hoexter's “What is Renewable Energy Anyway?”
• Energy flux
• Energy store
“Non-renewable energy sources are energy
stores with zero or a minute rate of
replenishment relative to its depletion by
human beings. Most non-renewable energy
sources are converted to usable energy by
thermal or nuclear reactions. Non-renewable
energy sources have stored the natural
energy flux of Earth’s biological and
geological past or of the formation of
elements in the early history of the Universe”
“Renewable energy sources are types of natural energy
flux useful for human ends regularly occurring on or near
Earth’s surface and, additionally, useful natural energy
stores that are replenished by natural flux within the time
frame of conceivable human use. All known renewable
energy sources originate in, or are close derivatives of,
electromagnetic radiation of our Sun, the Earth’s and
Moon’s gravitational fields and heat radiating from earth’s
interior. Renewable energy sources are practically
inexhaustible though some sources such as geothermal
and ocean thermal energy conversion may become locally
depleted by human use at a rate that exceeds
replenishment by natural flux.”
Global energy balance and flows
without anthropogenic interference
Source: Energy Primer, Climate Change 1995. Impacts, Adaptations and Mitigation
of Climate Change: Scientific Analyses, IPCC
Three questions to the London Group
Do you agree
•
•
•
that the definition of renewable/nonrenewable should focus on renewability only
and should be independent of the purpose
behind – otherwise it will be never accepted
generally
that any fuel or energy form should be strictly
defined as renewable/non renewable without
any exception
that the timeframe of conceivable human use
and close derivatives of electromagnetic
radiation of our sun has to be defined exactly
and the final consequence
•
Renewable technologies than are not
necessarily environmentally sound,
sustainable or safe
Thank you for your
attention
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