METAL FUELS FOR ZERO-CARBON HEAT AND POWER
Prof. Jeff Bergthorson, McGill University
We were very happy to have Prof. Jeff Bergthorson of McGill University, an expert on metal fuels, as speaker. Jeff explained in more detail why we should study metal fuels.
He emphasized the finite supply of traditional energy sources and the consequences for the environment and climate if we continue to use traditional fossil fuels. But he also pointed out the disadvantages of such alternatives as biofuels and solar hydrocarbon fuels. There is a clear need for zero-carbon renewable energy carriers that have sufficiently high energy densities (MJ/l), especially for heavy duty heat and power applications which can be traded and transported all over the world. Metal fuels are a very interesting candidate to answer all these requirements.
He then described the metal fuel cycle process and guided the audience in more detail through several necessary process steps, like storing green energy by reducing metaloxides back into metal powder and different ways of releasing that stored energy of metal powder to useful work and heat.
The metal energy cycle can be applied at various scales, varying from domestic heating and transportation (about 100 kW) to large scale heat and power generation (in the order of 1 GW).
Jeff concluded his presentation with a selection of some research results about metal fuels from McGill University and emphasized the growing network of parties interested in the potential of metal fuels as a recyclable, zero-carbon alternative for fossil fuels, biofuels and solar hydrocarbon fuels.
