An engineer’s glimpse into the consumer future of UK energy (and the mistakes we are making in renewables and EVs) a lecture held on the 16th January
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgqI84knruhM6D6OrNKgmElcY-uN?e=XDsxBz
As a committee member of the Innovation Management TN, I expect that many of our conversations will involve other TNs which are sector oriented. Naturally the IM committee is comprised of those with connections with many technical sectors too, so such interactions tend to be productive (such as the Pioneering Change and Innovation with next gen AI event held on 21st Nov 2023 in Savoy Place which was arranged by the AI TN and ourselves).
A recent opportunity to address an audience in a regional network reminded me that a good audience for the TNs is also to be found in regional gatherings. We should consider packaging our knowledge for the more general audiences in the regional networks for the occasional event which focuses on the potential impact of what we are focusing on.
In the case of this lecture I opted to address two areas – the ways that domestic energy delivery and use must change – and the EV sector problems which are now surfacing and what caused them. A link to the slide deck is attached for those interested.In this content,
I addressed the need for variable tariff energy to the home and how to be a smart customer, with battery storage, and a low energy ready consumer unit. With grid feed-in, load levelling could result in zero energy bills if variable tariff energy to the home was introduced, allowing for load levelling rewards.
I also proposed an internal energy market for renewables for energy we generate and consume. This needs fair pricing, not commodity pricing and can stabilise energy costs.
NIFE batteries were mentioned as they have a near infinite life and may make good and inexpensive static batteries for buildings.
On the EV front, we still have electrified cars, not true EVs. Where IC cars are electrified, the results lead to inefficiency. The trend for heavy battery vehicles is a mistake and the Battery Management System is used to conceal cell degradation when it would be better to have a battery maintenance scheme with weakest cell replacement. EVs should not use battery power for heating, which should come from storage heaters.
For buildings, heat pumps, heat batteries, zero emission electric boilers, CHP fuel cells and narrow band infra-red heating were also discussed.
My thanks to Denis Prager and David Tandy of the London IET Network for the invitation to speak at the event on 16th Jan and the exemplary organisation of this well attended event.
Mark Scibor-Rylski FIET – Innovation Management TN
