This document provides an overview of renewable energy and solar technologies. It discusses policies promoting renewable energy in over 65 countries and investments exceeding $100 billion in 2007. Specific renewable technologies summarized include solar power (photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar hot water), wind power, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric. The history of utilizing solar energy from the 7th century BC through modern developments is also outlined.

1. Renewable Energy and Solar Technologies
Robert Meyers
Lawrence Technological University
Graduate Program Study
Masters in Engineering Management
Dr. Daw Alwerfalli, Ph. D.
Lawrence Technological University
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Director, Engineering Management
Graduate Program
consumption or total city consumption, typically in the
ABSTRACT
10–20 percent range. Some cities have established
carbon dioxide reduction targets. Many cities are
The effort in this paper is to focus on renewable energy
enacting policies to promote solar hot water and solar
sources in place of traditional coal for commercial and
Photovoltaic (PV), and are conducting urban planning
residential markets. The implementation of renewable
that incorporates renewable energy. [1]
energies provides:
a. Reduction in green house gas emissions caused by Investment flows became more diversified and
coal. mainstreamed during 2006/2007, including those from
b. Reduce the impact of global warming. major commercial and investment banks, venture capital
c. Creates competition in the market place for reduced and private equity investors, multilateral and bilateral
energy costs. development organizations, and smaller local financiers.
Over 65 countries instituted goals for their own renewable
There are many other forms of policy support for
energy futures, which have created positive actions on many
renewable power generation, including capital
policies to meet these goals. Many renewable technologies
investment subsidies or rebates, tax incentives and
and industries have seen growth rates of 20 to 60 percent
credits, sales tax and value-added tax exemptions,
per year, acquiring the interest of the largest global
energy production payments or tax credits, net metering,
companies. More than $100 billion was invested in 2007 for
public investment or financing, and public competitive
renewable energy production assets, manufacturing,
bidding.
research and development.
RENEWABLE ENERGY OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The various forms of Renewable Energy are those that use
natural resources which are naturally replenished such as:
Policies to promote renewables have grown in recent
years. At least 60 countries have some type of policy to Bio fuels Geothermal Solar Power Wave Power
promote renewable power generation. These consist of
Biomass Hydro Power Tidal Power Wind Power
37 developed and/or transition countries, and 23
developing countries. The most common policy is the
About 13 percent of the world’s primary energy comes from
feed-in law, which allows renewables to be integrated
renewables of primarily traditional biomass such as wood-
with current power systems such as traditional coal. By
burning. Hydro Power is second providing 2-3% and the
2007, at least 37 countries and 9 states/provinces had
remaining coming from Geothermal, Wind, Solar, and
adopted feed-in policies, more than half of which have
Marine energy which together comprise less than 1% of total
been enacted since 2002. Strong momentum for feed-in
world energy demand.
tariffs continues around the world as countries enact
new feed-in policies or revise existing ones.
Below the national and state/provincial level,
municipalities around the world are setting targets for
future shares of renewable energy for government

2. 220
Source: REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report, www.ren21.net
200
180
)Solar PV (grid
Geothermal
160
Biomass
140
Wind
G ig a w a tts
120
Small hydro
100
80
60
40
20
0
World Developing EU-25 China Germany United States Spain India Japan
World
Note: Excludes large hydropower
Renewable Energy Share of Global Final Energy
Consumption, 2006 [1]
Renewable Power Capacities, Developing World, EU,
and Top Six Countries, 2006 [1]
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Renewable electricity generation capacity
Renewable electricity generation capacity reached
an estimated 240 gigawatts (GW) worldwide in
2007, an increase of 50 percent over 2004.
Renewables represent 5 percent of global power
capacity and 3.4 percent of global power
generation. [1]
• Wind Power
Share of Global Electricity from Renewable Energy,
The largest component of renewables generation
2006 [1]
capacity is wind power, which grew by 28 percent
worldwide in 2007 to reach an estimated 95 GW.
While renewable energy is not currently utilized to its
Annual capacity additions increased even more: 40
technical potential, much has been accomplished as shown
percent higher in 2007 compared to 2006. [1]
by the following capacities:
a. Wind Power has a worldwide installed capacity of
74,223 MW. It has wide use in several European
22,000
countries and the USA. Source: REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report, www.ren21.net
20,000
Added in 2006
2,230
Added in 2005
b. Manufacturing output for the Photovoltaic (PV) industry Added in 2004
18,000
is just beyond 2,000 Mega Watts (MW) per year, with, 16,000
PV power plants being very popular in Germany. 14,000
- Solar thermal power stations are currently in
Megawatts
12,000
1,590
operation in the USA and Spain, with the largest 2,450
10,000
installation of a 354 MW SEGS power plant in the 8,000
Mojave Desert. 6,000
1,840
c. The Geysers in California holds the world’s largest 4,000
10
Geothermal Power Plant with a rated capacity 750 MW. 420 630 690
1,350
2,000 810
0
To place a relation on the above capacity figures, a typical Germany Spain US India Denmark China Italy UK Portugal France
Automobile manufacturing facility draws anywhere from 20
MW to 30 MW of power during production.
Wind Power Capacity Represented by the Top 10
Countries, 2006 [1]

3. • Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaics INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
The fastest growing energy technology in the world
is grid-connected solar photovoltaics (PV), with 50 Several International efforts have taken place to pursue
percent annual increases in cumulative installed the objective of utilizing renewable energies:
capacity in both 2006 and 2007, to an estimated 7.7
GW. This translates into 1.5 million homes with a. January, 2008
rooftop solar PV feeding into the grid worldwide. [1] The European Energy Commission put forth an
integrated proposal for Climate Action. This includes a
directive that sets an overall binding target for the
European Union of 20% renewable energy by 2020 and
a 10% minimum target for the market share of biofuels
by 2020, to be observed by all Member States.
b. November, 2007
Achieving Europe's 2020 and 2050 targets on
greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and
energy efficiency will require action on standards,
support mechanisms and putting a price on carbon
emissions. Europe's potential to develop a new
generation of decarbonised energy technologies, such
as off-shore wind, solar technology, or 2nd generation
biomass, is enormous.
c. March, 2007
Solar PV, Existing World Capacity, 1995-2007 [1] European Union leaders agreed on an aggressive set of
targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
• pledged that a fifth of the bloc's energy will come from
Solar Heat Collectors
green power sources, such as wind turbines and solar
Rooftop solar heat collectors provide hot water to
panels, by 2020. The plan requires greenhouse gas
nearly 50 million households worldwide, and space
emissions to be cut by at least 20 percent from 1990
heating to a growing number of homes. Existing
levels by 2020, and to ensure 20 percent of its power
solar hot water/heating capacity increased by 19
comes from renewable energy.
percent in 2006 to reach 105 gigawatts-thermal
(GWth) globally. [1]
d. 2007
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a Federal
Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPS), however the bill
was unable to pass out of the U.S. Senate. Conversely,
India
Australia
United States South Africa
Brazil 1.1%
1.2%
1.7% 0.2%
2.1%
4 states established new RPS policies, 11 states
Other
Israel 1.9%
significantly revised pre-existing RPS programs (mostly
3.6%
Japan
to strengthen them), and 3 states created non-binding
4.5%
Turkey
renewable energy goals.
6.3%
d. March, 2006
European Union
Spain instituted a national building ordinance that
12.8%
China
64.5%
requires solar hot water and solar PV in new
Total = 105 gigawatts-thermal
construction and renovation for larger buildings.
Source: REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report, www.ren21.net
e. 1996 to 2004
“Net metering” policies were enacted in 33 states,
Share of Solar Hot Water/Heating Capacity of
bringing the total number of states with net metering to
Existing, Selected Countries, 2006 [1]
39. These policies allow two-way power exchange
between a utility and individual homes and businesses
with their own renewable power sources.
• Biomass and Geothermal Energy
Biomass and geothermal energy are commonly
employed for both power and heating, with recent
increases in a number of countries, including uses
for district heating. More than 2 million ground
source heat pumps are used in 30 countries for
building heating and cooling. [1]

4. 3. Overall in 2007 there was $71 billion invested for
renewable energy capacity. The total likely
exceeded $100 billion if the following approximate
flows are considered: [2]
• $10 billion in plant and equipment for solar
PV manufacturing
• $4 billion in plant and equipment for
biofuels production
• $16 billion in research and development
(both public and private)
• $15-20 billion for large hydro power
4. 2007 investments were up from $55 billion in 2006
and $40 billion in 2005. Almost all of the increase
was due to increased investment in solar PV and
wind power.
Overall renewables investments [1]
Global Market Development
1. Of the total global power capacity of approximately
4,300 GW, the current power capacity of about 240
GW in 2007 for renewables (ex. large hydro)
Global Funding and Countries Concentration [1] represents almost 6% and continues to increase.
2. Offshore wind power projects of the 100-300 MW
Investment Progress
range grew significantly in 2006-2007, by several
projects in progress throughout Europe and the
1. The countries having the greatest commitment to
United States.
investing in renewables for year 2007 are:
• 3. The Solar PV market growth is primarily
Germany with just over $14 Billion
concentrated in Germany, Japan, Spain, Italy, South
• China with $12 Billion Korea, California, and New Jersey, and the market
continues to expand to more countries and states
• United States with $10 Billion
(such as France).
2. Global investment capacity is dominated by the
following renewables in approximate percentages: 4. Rooftop solar collectors provide hot water to over 50
million households worldwide, most in China, who
• Wind Power at 47 % now represents 75% of global annual additions of
solar hot water.
• Solar PV at 30 %
• Solar Hot Water 9%

5. 5. The first group of commercial-scale solar thermal Horace de Saussure quoted: quot;It is a known fact, and
power plants since the 1980s started operation in a fact that has probably been known for a long time,
2006-2007, including in Nevada (USA) and Spain. that a room, a carriage, or any other place is hotter
Plans for more plants are in progress. when the rays of the sun pass through glass.quot;
Illustration Courtesy of Kevin Porter, Solar Cookers,
International
4. In 1839 French physicist Edmond Becquerel
discovered the photovoltaic effect while
experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of
Average Annual Growth Rates of Renewable Energy
two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-
Capacity, 2002–2006 [1]
conducting solution. Further work proved that
electricity generation increases when exposed to
light.
SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES 5. In 2000 production begins at Fist Solar’s
photovoltaic manufacturing plant in Perrysburg,
History Ohio, estimating it can produce enough solar panels
each year to generate 100 megawatts of power.
1. The use of Solar Energy dates back as early as 7th This is one of the world’s largest photovoltaic
Century B.C. where magnifying glasses were used facilities.
to concentrate the sun's rays on a fuel and light a
fire for the basic purposes of light, warmth, and During approximately the same time, PowerLight
cooking. Corporation integrated the world's largest hybrid
solar-wind power system to the grid in Hawaii. It
2. During the 13th Century in North America, the provides capacities of:
ancestors of Pueblo people also known as Anasazi,
•
built south-facing dwellings off cliffs that would utilize Solar energy of 175 kilowatts
the warmth of the winter sun.
• Wind power energy of 50 kilowatts
The large ratio of Solar over Wind is particularly
unusual for hybrid power systems of these types.
6. Two years later in 2002, PowerLight continues
progress with installing the largest rooftop solar
power system in the United States — a 1.18-
megawatt system at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin,
California.
This is the largest U.S. solar rooftop system
installed, helping Alameda County reduce and
stabilize energy costs. The jail uses 30% less utility-
Anasazi dwellings utilizing passive solar design,
generated electricity with this solar array that covers
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park. [4]
3 acres.
3. In 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was
credited with building the world's first solar collector,
and then later revised by Sir John Herschel to cook
food during his South African expedition in the
1830s.

6. 2. Concentrating Solar Power Systems
The power plants of today use fossil fuels to heat
water to a boiling point. The steam from the boiling
water rotates a large turbine, which activates a
generator that produces electricity, much like
portable gas generators.
The use of solar power takes advantage of the sun
for a heat source. There are three types of
concentrating solar power systems: parabolic-
trough, dish/engine, and power tower all utilizing
their methods to drive generators.
Parabolic-trough systems concentrate the sun's
energy through long rectangular, curved (U-shaped)
mirrors. The mirrors are tilted toward the sun,
PowerLight Solar system atop the Santa Rita Jail in focusing sunlight with a pipe that installed through
Dublin, California. [4] the center of the trough, which heats the oil flowing
through the pipe. The hot oil then is used to boil
water which in turn drives a generator.
7. Also in 2002 Automation Tooling Systems Inc. (ATS)
in Canada begins commercializing spheral solar A dish/engine system uses a mirrored dish (similar
technology. This solar-cell technology uses much to a very large satellite dish). The dish-shaped
less silicon than conventional multicrystalline silicon surface collects and concentrates the sun's heat
solar cells, thus potentially reducing costs. The onto a receiver, then absorbs the heat and transfers
technology was first introduced and promoted in the it to fluid within the engine. The heat will expand the
early 1990s by Texas Instruments, but TI later fluid against a piston or turbine to produce
discontinued work on it. mechanical power, driving a generator or alternator
to produce electricity.
This is exciting news as ATS was dependent on
automotive automation systems, however
A power tower system uses a large field of mirrors to
strategically found a use for their technology in the
concentrate sunlight onto the top of a tower, where a
Solar market with great demand.
receiver sits. This heats molten salt flowing through
the receiver, then the salt's heat is used to generate
electricity through a conventional steam generator.
Molten salt retains heat efficiently, so it can be
stored for days before being converted into
electricity. This is where solar energy can be stored
for cloudy days or even several hours after sunset.
An ATS complete automated solution for the testing
and sorting of photovoltaic cells & panels of a variety
of types and sizes [4]
Solar thermal power plant in Kramer Junction, California,
Technology Types using parabolic troughs to collect the sun's energy. [4]
1. There are 5 Solar system technologies:
• Concentrating Solar Power Systems 3. Passive Solar Heating
• Passive Solar Heating Passive Solar Heating is having buildings designed
to take advantage of the natural sunlight for internal
• Photovoltaic Systems
illumination and passive heating. This technology is
• very similar to that of a green house.
Solar Hot Water
• The building’s south side will naturally receive the
Solar Process Heat
most sunlight. Buildings designed for passive solar
heating usually have large windows facing south.

7. The floors and walls materials will heat up during the throughout the day. 10 to 20 PV arrays can provide
day and slowly release heat at night, when the heat enough power for a household. Large electric utility
is needed most. This passive solar design feature is or industrial applications will contain hundreds of
called direct gain. arrays interconnected to form a single, large PV
system.
Other passive solar heating design features include
sunspaces and trombe walls. A sunspace is built on The first solar cells made in the 1950s had
the south side of a building. As sunlight passes efficiencies of less than 4%. Today’s commercial
through glass or other glazing, the sunspace will be solar cell has an efficiency of 15%, meaning about
heated. Specially designed ventilation allows the one-sixth of the sunlight striking the cell generates
heat to circulate into the building. Conversely, a electricity.
trombe wall is a very thick wall facing the south as
The array sizes depend on several factors, such as
well, which is painted black and made of a material
the amount of sunlight available in a particular
to absorb heat. A pane of glass or plastic glazing is
location and the needs of the consumer. The
installed a few inches in front of the wall to retain the
modules of the array make up the majority of a PV
heat. The wall is heated up slowly during the day,
system. Also included are a multitude of electrical
and then as it cools gradually during the night, it
connections, mounting hardware, power-
gives off its heat inside the building.
conditioning equipment, and batteries that store
Daylighting is popular with passive solar heating. solar energy for use when the sunlight is not
Daylighting uses the natural sunlight to increase the available.
brightness of the interior of a building. As most of the
sunlight is available to south of a building,
clerestories (rows of windows near the peak of the
roof) help lighten up the upper level rooms facing
north.
Bavaria Solarpark, Germany a 10 MW system installed
by SunPower [4]
SIEEB Solar Energy Efficient Building in Beijing
Photo by Daniele Domenicali [4]
5. Solar Hot Water
4. Photovoltaic Systems The purpose of Solar Hot Water is providing a
means to heat water for commercial or residential
Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells convert sunlight directly
uses. It is similar to the theory how shallow lake
into electricity. We are familiar with this technology
waters are heated where the sun can heat the
that often powers calculators and watches, with the
bottom of the lake and the heat retained by the
apparent visual exposed semiconductor like
water.
material. A process called the photovoltaic (PV)
effect converts light (photons) to electricity (voltage) There are two primary parts for building heaters
when sunlight is absorbed by these materials, which which are a solar collector and a storage tank. Most
then activates electrons loose from their atoms, commonly found solar collectors are flat plate
allowing the electrons to flow through the material to collectors which are mounted on the roof with a thin,
produce electricity. flat rectangular box with a transparent cover that
faces the sun. The boxes contain small tubes filled
Solar cells are typically combined into modules that
with water or antifreeze which are then heated. The
hold cells which are mounted in PV arrays up to
tubes are attached to a black painted (to absorb
several meters on a side. Creating a flat plate, the
heat) absorber plate. While heat is built up in the
arrays are mounted at a fixed angle facing south.
collectors, it is transferred to the fluids passing
Other applications will be installed on a tracking
through the tubes.
device that follows the sun, to capture the sunlight

8. The tube feed a storage tank which then holds the panel mounted on a south-facing wall to absorb the
hot liquid. It will sometimes be modified water sun's heat. As air passes through the many small
heater, but it is typically larger and very well- holes in the panel, a space behind the perforated
insulated. The systems utilizing water will then be wall allows the air streams from the holes to mix
used for a variety of purposes that need hot water. together. The heated air is then drawn out from the
The systems using fluids other than water will top of the space into the ventilation system.
usually have a heat exchanger to convert the heat to
This system can also be used for cooling of
usable hot water...
buildings, by using the solar heat as an energy
Solar water heating systems can be either active or source. The use of solar absorption coolers
passive, however the most common being active. incorporate desiccant cooling which uses the energy
Pumps move the liquid between the collector and to power cooling systems.
the storage tank, while passive systems use gravity
and design the water to naturally circulate as it is
heated.
A transpired collector installed at a FedEx facility in
Denver. [4]
CASE STUDY – SOLAR INTEGRATION OF A
MANUFACTURING PLANT
A combination of solar electric arrays and pool-heating Facility: Chrysler Marysville
solar collectors were used to provide power and heat to Axle Plant
the Georgia Tech University Aquatic Center, site of the
Production Start: May 2009
1996 Olympic swimming competition. (Credit: Heliocol) [4]
Plant Data: 607,500 Square
Feet
6. Solar Process Heat
16 MW Anticipated
Solar ventilation systems that use process heat are
Calculated Power
intended to provide large quantities of hot water or
space heating for nonresidential buildings. A typical Detroit Axle Plant (reference)
system includes solar collectors that work along with Average Hour Usage for 2007: 5.64 MWH
a pump, a heat exchanger, and/or one or more large
storage tanks.
Estimated Available
Two main types of solar collectors are used; an Roof Space: 486,000 Square
evacuated-tube collector and a parabolic-trough Feet
collector. An evacuated-tube collector is a shallow
Desired Solar Power: 1.4 MW
box full of many glass, double-walled tubes and
reflectors to heat the fluid inside the tubes. A Solar Cost Materials
vacuum between the two walls insulates the inner And Labor: $7.00 per watt
tube, holding in the heat. Parabolic troughs are long,
rectangular, curved (U-shaped) mirrors tilted to
focus sunlight on a tube, which runs down the center TOTAL INVESTMENT: $ 9,870,000.00
of the trough. This in turn heats the fluid within the
Pay back period: 13 Years
tube.
These types of systems may use transpired
collectors, which consists of a thin, black metal
Potential LEED Points = 2 to 4

9. The author would like to thank Charles M. Seremjian,
Electrical Controls Engineering Manager, Design
Systems Inc. for editing this paper.
Basic Configuration of On-Grid Solar The author would like to thank the following for their
Integration [7] contributions in the Chrysler Marysville Axle Plant case
study:
1. Reda Hanna, Chrysler LLC Building Group
Management
2. Tom Gablowski, Chrysler LLC Marysville Axle Plant
Program Manager
3. Terry Cavric, Design Systems Inc., Project Manager.
4. John Cernak, Inovateus Solar
The author would like to thank the following for their
financial support of continuing education in the Field of
Engineering.
1. Dale Chiara, Design Systems Inc., Managing Partner
2. Mark Yanalunas, Design Systems Inc., Managing
Partner
REFERENCES
1. REN21 Renewables 2007 Global Status Report
www.ren21.net
2. Global Renewable Energy Trends, Policies, and
Scenarios, Dr. Eric Martinot, February 21, 2008
3. U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy www.eere.energy.gov/
4. National Renewable Energy Laboratory
www.nrel.gov
5. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy
CONCLUSION 6. European Commission on Energy:
http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
Further financial analysis of the benefits of renewable
7. www.aessolarenergy.com
energy to the end user is vital to validate the
8. Inovateus Development, LLC, representing Uni-
advantages. While there is a strong desire to improve
Solar
the environment by the reduction of coal generated
9. Chrysler LLC Building Group
electricity, there needs to be strong financial incentives.
10. Design Systems Inc.
Anticipation of higher costs for coal provided electricity is
difficult to predict, however with pressure to contain coal
CONTACT
emissions, the associated costs will be passed on to the
consumers. Thus investing in renewable energy early,
Robert Meyers, Design Systems Inc.
cost containment can be achieved prior to any possible
Assistant Group Manager, Electrical Controls
escalation in traditional coal energies.
Engineering
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
bmeyers@dsidsc.com
248 489-4300
The author would like to thank the following for their
support and guidance with assembling information for 38799 W. 12 Mile Road
this paper. Farmington Hills, MI 48331
www.dsidsc.com
1. Dr. Daw Alwerfalli, Lawrence Technological
University, Director, Engineering Management
Graduate Program