Sustainable Energy for Remote Polar Regions

Magnus De Witt

Abstract:

Energy is essential to support living under harsh polar conditions. Therefore a constant supply of energy and high energy security is required. Moreover, all needed energy has to be generated locally due to the absence of a grid connection in remote communities.

The two facts that energy has to be generated locally and the high demand for energy security makes the design of energy infrastructure problematical. The locally available energy options are often non-dispatchable energy sources. Diesel is not available locally, but it can be easily stored locally. Diesel has a relatively high energy density and can be stored well over time. However, diesel transportation in remote and inaccessible areas can be a bottleneck for energy security.

The combination of non-dispatchable renewables and diesel can help to increase energy security and reduce energy generation costs. However, it is critical to well-design an energy system that has a constant energy supply with a stable voltage and frequency. The energy mix should be well structured, and in case of high penetration of non-dispatchable energy sources, it is necessary to integrate grid-forming devices.

The lecture will focus on the energy demand site for off-grid use and how energy could be used flexibly to utilize the generated energy as much as possible. Cascading energy usage system will be discussed as a way to use energy if high self-sufficiency is required, for example, at research stations.