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Advertising Feature solar power by providing a source of cheap large-scale energy storage. In a more compact form, molten salt technology also offers an effective solution for battery storage. F ollowing recent breakthroughs (see case study), new molten salt batteries are on track to become viable for widespread use in electric vehicles sooner than once imagined possible. “The EcoIsland project on the Isle of Wight aims to make the entire island carbon neutral” While the pairing of molten salt technology and concentrated solar holds great potential as a future grid-level energy source, it is only part of the picture. ydrogen storage and other technologies are advancing in parallel - some vying for common market space - others integrated in novel ways to produce a multiplier effect. As these technologies evolve, the signs point to a heterogeneous energy future where a variety of renewable energy sources including wind, wave, solar and others, are used in parallel and in a range of different applications. Examples of heterogeneous renewable ‘ecosystems’ are already up and running. The most famous example is Masdar City. Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, is a UAEbased alternative power company that began work in 2006, constructing a fully sustainable, zero -carbon, zerowaste ecology outside of Abu Dhabi. When fully operational, Masdar City will utilise a mix of solar PV, wind, hydrogen and geothermal for 40,000 people and more than 1,000 businesses. Meanwhile, the EcoIsland project on the Isle of Wight aims to make the entire island carbon neutral and energy independent by 2020. As solar is able to compete on price and performance at offpeak, as well as on-peak times, its longer-term transformative potential will become apparent. In parallel, emerging forms of energy storage such as molten salt are providing the means to realise the full impact of these advances in both grid level and small-scale applications. When integrated with other renewable energy sources, the potential for entirely new low-cost, efficient and very disruptive energy solutions may quickly emerge. We may begin to see system-wide

innovation, where the impact of multiple technologies and business models is far more than the sum of the parts. In a world recently dominated by fears of systemic failure, systemic innovation has received far less attention than it should. Many questions surround the precise shape this newly integrated energy future will take - but the direction of travel seems clear. owever, there are many possible near-term implications and long-term scenarios. “Underlying factors continue to drive growth in demand for conventional sources” The emergence of gas as a major factor, fracking technologies and the growing recognition that a US$70 a barrel oil price makes more marginal reserves viable. It underlines the deep complexity and uncertainty in world energy markets. While energy efficiency continues to improve rapidly in domestic, industrial and transport sectors, underlying demographic and economic factors continue to drive growth in demand for conventional sources. This suggests incremental, rather than rapid and disruptive change. n the other hand, the cumulative impact of solar, storage and other renewable technologies, together with ‘smart’ systems integration, may create a sustained shock. This may ultimately accelerate the transition of oil and gas export economies such as Russia and the Middle East away from fossil fuel dependency and improve US and Chinese security. Masdar is an illustration of a new model. The cleantech story has begun but we are still in its early chapters. The strands coming together today may provide us with a genuine first glimpse of our energy future - and a new way of life for generations to come. Commissioned by Coutts from Peter Kingsley, PJR 2012 Molten Salt: A CASE STUDY Molten salt, a mixture of 60 per cent sodium nitrate and 40 per cent potassium nitrate, might not evoke the same sense of wonder as graphene the world’s thinnest, strongest, most conductive new material. et molten salt can provide an effective solution for storing thermal energy when used as par t of a large-scale concentrated solar installation. SolarReser ve, for example, is building a 110 MW concentrated solar facility in Nevada (the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project) that will generate electricity 24 hours a day. Using this approach, solar energy is reflected onto a heat exchanger or receiver mounted on top of a central tower in a field of sun-tracking mirrors, or heliostats. Molten salt is pumped through the tower where it is heated and then sent to a thermal storage tank until electricity is required.The molten salt is then directed to a steam generator that drives a turbine, producing electricity. The molten salt returns to a cooled storage tank before it is sent into the tower to be reheated, restar ting the cycle.The process is green, and highly energy efficient. WinterGreen Research have predicted that the markets for molten salt thermal storage and concentrated solar power technology will reach $13.6bn by 2016. esides its application in large-scale concentrated solar installations, molten salt also holds great promise for energy storage in the form of highly-efficient rechargeable batteries. olten salt batteries have been around for long time - often being deployed in militar y and industrial settings. Despite their effectiveness, they have been limited in their applications by the high temperatures required to keep the molten salt from solidifying (up to 700 degrees centigrade). Lower temperatures Sumitomo Corporation, in a project with Kyoto University, recently announced a rechargeable molten salt batter y that operates at lower temperatures. he new batter y would cost about 10 per cent as much as lithium ion batteries and could allow an electric vehicle to travel twice as far. The company hopes to bring it to market in 2015.The new batter y could be deployed in private vehicles, industrial equipment and as a means of energy storage in homes and commercial buildings. ow imagine incorporating next generation multi-junction solar cells into these applications. By considering these technologies together, we can begin to see the scale of their potential impact. Molten salt patent filings Other Asian Patents 0.5% Australia and New Zealand 0.1% WIPO 16.5% US PTO 37.8% Canada 1.4% European Patents (EPO & National) 15.3% Russia 0.4% Central and South America 0.1% China 6.5% Japan 18.2% ource: CambridgeIP research, 2012

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Advertising Feature solar power by providing a source of cheap large-scale energy storage. In a more compact form, molten salt technology also offers an effective solution for battery storage. F ollowing recent breakthroughs (see case study), new molten salt batteries are on track to become viable for widespread use in electric vehicles sooner than once imagined possible.

“The EcoIsland project on the Isle of Wight aims to make the entire island carbon neutral”

While the pairing of molten salt technology and concentrated solar holds great potential as a future grid-level energy source, it is only part of the picture.

ydrogen storage and other technologies are advancing in parallel - some vying for common market space - others integrated in novel ways to produce a multiplier effect.

As these technologies evolve, the signs point to a heterogeneous energy future where a variety of renewable energy sources including wind, wave, solar and others, are used in parallel and in a range of different applications.

Examples of heterogeneous renewable ‘ecosystems’ are already up and running. The most famous example is Masdar City.

Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, is a UAEbased alternative power company that began work in 2006, constructing a fully sustainable, zero -carbon, zerowaste ecology outside of Abu Dhabi.

When fully operational, Masdar City will utilise a mix of solar PV, wind, hydrogen and geothermal for 40,000 people and more than

1,000 businesses. Meanwhile, the EcoIsland project on the Isle of Wight aims to make the entire island carbon neutral and energy independent by 2020.

As solar is able to compete on price and performance at offpeak, as well as on-peak times, its longer-term transformative potential will become apparent.

In parallel, emerging forms of energy storage such as molten salt are providing the means to realise the full impact of these advances in both grid level and small-scale applications.

When integrated with other renewable energy sources, the potential for entirely new low-cost, efficient and very disruptive energy solutions may quickly emerge.

We may begin to see system-wide

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