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Upfront resource requirements for large-scale exploitation schemes of new renewable technologies

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  • Lund, P.D.

Abstract

Large-scale global use of new renewable energy sources (RES) necessitates massive physical resources. Present study shows that more than 99.5% of the materials needed in new RES systems are basic construction materials and metals abundantly available. Special elements may constitute future bottle-necks in some PV technologies. The extra financial resources needed over traditional energy to achieve a breakthrough in PV and wind power range from 100 to 500 billion $ for a period of 20–30 years influenced by technology progress and speed of penetration, but in solar heating much less. This upfront support could be paid back within 15–25 years later through cheaper and cleaner energy. Compared to nuclear power the resource numbers estimated are of the same order of magnitude.

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  • Lund, P.D., 2007. "Upfront resource requirements for large-scale exploitation schemes of new renewable technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 442-458.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:32:y:2007:i:3:p:442-458
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2006.01.010
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    2. Chien, Taichen & Hu, Jin-Li, 2008. "Renewable energy: An efficient mechanism to improve GDP," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 3035-3042, August.
    3. Radpour, S. & Gemechu, E. & Ahiduzzaman, Md & Kumar, A., 2021. "Developing a framework to assess the long-term adoption of renewable energy technologies in the electric power sector: The effects of carbon price and economic incentives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    4. Pihl, Erik & Kushnir, Duncan & Sandén, Björn & Johnsson, Filip, 2012. "Material constraints for concentrating solar thermal power," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 944-954.
    5. Fizaine, Florian & Court, Victor, 2015. "Renewable electricity producing technologies and metal depletion: A sensitivity analysis using the EROI," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 106-118.
    6. Xin-gang, Zhao & Wei, Wang & Jieying, Wang, 2022. "The policy effects of demand-pull and technology-push on the diffusion of wind power: A scenario analysis based on system dynamics approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    7. Victor Court & Florian Fizaine, 2014. "Energy transition towards renewables and metal depletion: an approach through the EROI concept," Post-Print hal-01411803, HAL.
    8. Lund, P.D., 2010. "Exploring past energy changes and their implications for the pace of penetration of new energy technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 647-656.
    9. Bardi, Ugo, 2009. "Peak oil: The four stages of a new idea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 323-326.
    10. Rao, K. Usha & Kishore, V.V.N., 2010. "A review of technology diffusion models with special reference to renewable energy technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 1070-1078, April.
    11. Xu, Jiuping & Li, Li & Zheng, Bobo, 2016. "Wind energy generation technological paradigm diffusion," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 436-449.

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