Solar panels tortured for the sake of science
In many ways, the solar panels developed by ECN that have contacts on the back are superior to ‘classic’ solar panels. However, will these panels still supply energy after 20 years of use? Wilma Eerenstein of ECN Solar Energy put eight panels into a climate chamber. “They were in there for much longer than prescribed by the IEC standard. We wanted to test how rugged the panels really are and be sure that any mechanisms of failure would be exposed.” Meer...
Manufacturers: “Fuel cell cars market-ready by 2015”
Are car manufacturers still working on hydrogen projects or have fuel cells been put on ice? Bart Hoevenaars wanted to know how the manufacturers rated the chances for such vehicles to become successful. Together with colleages he also studied the petrol refilling behaviour of Dutch motorists. “Nearly 50% of all motorists believe that if one out of three refilling stations sold hydrogen, this would be enough coverage to get anywhere in the country.” Meer...
Effective climate action in developing countries
At the Copenhagen summit, the industrialised countries promised to provide money, technology and expertise to developing countries in order for them to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. What is the best way to implement this effort and how can we measure the effects? These have become critical questions in the climate negotiations. Stefan Bakker of the ECN Policy Studies Unit is helping to find the answers. Meer...
Grid operators fear blackouts during peak demands from eco-friendly houses
In well-insulated houses, a heat pump is sufficient to provide hot tap water and heating. Electrical heating is used to provide additional heating. This approach saves on the provision of infrastructure to supply natural gas, but it means that far more electrical substations and underground power cables are required. “We think that the problem can be solved by using SmartGrid technology such as the PowerMatcher software,” says Olaf van Pruissen of ECN Efficiency & Infrastructure. Meer...
Offshore wind turbines: integral design to improve reliability
"Usually it takes a very long time before new recommendations are accepted by certifying bodies," says Jessica Holierhoek of ECN Wind Energy. "So we were pleasantly surprised when Germanischer Lloyd incorporated part of our results into guidelines published this year." Meer...
Changing behaviour: Make It Happen!
It is widely known that a great deal of energy can be saved by changing the behaviour patterns of consumers. However, we see that those efforts have not been particularly successful. In order to make campaigns and projects aimed at changing behaviour patterns more successful, the MECHanisms Toolkit (Make Energy Change Happen) was developed. Meer...
There’s more to wheat straw than meets the eye
ECN is developing processes for biorefining wheat straw and other residual streams such as forestry residues and grass. On a laboratory scale, it is already possible to convert wheat straw into alcohol, phenol compounds, other products and biogas. ECN will scale this process up in the short term and continue its development in collaboration with Dutch companies, says Hans Reith, Coordinator Biorefinery at ECN. Meer...
ECN updates report and database on EU Member State Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs)
EU Member States are obliged to submit National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) to the European Commission, outlining how they expect to meet their 2020 renewable energy target, including the technology mix they intend to use and the trajectory they will follow. ECN's Luuk Beurskens is keeping track of the latest facts and figures. Meer...
Formation of aerosol particles depends on the presence of organic material
The formation of particles in the atmosphere is a well-established phenomenon, involving sulphuric acid. However, in a smog chamber a higher concentration of sulphuric acid was required than is actually present in the atmosphere. Bart Verheggen from ECN was involved in such aerosol research: “We found that organic compounds can play almost as important a role as sulphuric acid. These findings will allow climate models to be refined.” Meer...
Rome, 7-8 October 2013
>>Renewable energy is facing a new era, both globally and in the European context. Whilst...
>>ECN presents its attractive, innovative technologies and services to the...
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