211-POWER-Lecture

2.1.1

Clean Energy Technologies

Module: M1 | Type: Lecture

This publicactuin has been funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under the project POWER - Prevention Of Weaponization and Enhancing Resilience against Security-related Disinformation on Clean Energy (Reference: 2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Clean Energy Technologies

In this lecture, you will explore the five main clean energy sources — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass — along with the supporting technologies that make the energy transition possible, such as smart grids, energy storage, and efficiency systems. You will also discover the role of electric vehicles and green hydrogen as emerging solutions, and understand how all of these connect to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

OER Learning Objectives

By the end of this lecture, you will be able to:

Identify and describe the five main clean energy sources: solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass.

Explain how smart grids, batteries, and energy efficiency technologies support the clean energy transition.

Understand the role of electric vehicles and green hydrogen as emerging clean energy solutions.

Connect clean energy technologies to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Clean energy sources

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Clean energy sources

Solar energy captures sunlight using photovoltaic panels or thermal systems. It is the fastest-growing energy source in Europe.Wind energy harnesses moving air through onshore and offshore turbines, generating electricity with zero CO2 emissions.Hydropower uses the force of flowing or falling water — one of humanity's oldest and most reliable energy sources.Geothermal energy taps into the Earth's internal heat, providing consistent 24/7 renewable energy unaffected by weather.Biomass converts organic materials (agricultural waste, wood chips) into heat and electricity as part of a circular economy.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Smart Grids, Batteries & Energy Efficiency

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Smart Grids, Batteries & Energy Efficiency

Smart grids use digital technology to monitor and manage energy flow, balancing supply and demand in real time.Energy storage systems (lithium-ion, solid-state batteries) store surplus renewable energy for use when generation is low.Grid-scale storage enables higher penetration of intermittent sources like solar and wind without sacrificing reliability. Energy efficiency measures — in buildings, industry, and transport — reduce total demand, making the transition more achievable.Together, these technologies form the backbone of a modern, decarbonised energy system.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Electric Vehicles & Green Hydrogen

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Electric Vehicles & Green Hydrogen

Electric vehicles (EVs) replace internal combustion engines with electric motors powered by batteries, eliminating tailpipe emissions.The EU aims for zero-emission new cars by 2035 — EV adoption is accelerating across all member states.Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable electricity, creating a zero-carbon fuel. Green hydrogen can decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors: heavy industry (steel, cement), shipping, and aviation. Both EVs and green hydrogen require significant infrastructure investment (charging networks, electrolysers, distribution).

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Connection to SDGs & European Green Deal

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

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Connection to SDGs & European Green Deal

SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy) calls for universal access to reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030.SDG 13 (Climate Action) requires urgent measures to combat climate change — clean energy is central to this goal. The European Green Deal is the EU's roadmap to climate neutrality by 2050, with clean energy as a core pillar. REPowerEU accelerates the transition by diversifying energy supply and fast-tracking renewable deployment across the EU.The Fit for 55 package sets binding targets: 55% emissions reduction by 2030 and 42.5% renewables in the energy mix.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Summary

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Test your knowledge

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Test your knowledge

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Test your knowledge

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

Well

Done

POWERInformation that drives the energy of tomorrow

power.ciberimaginario.es

This publicactuin has been funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under the project POWER - Prevention Of Weaponization and Enhancing Resilience against Security-related Disinformation on Clean Energy (Reference: 2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

POWER Project [2024-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000245038]

The European Green Deal, presented by the European Commission in December 2019, is the EU's comprehensive roadmap to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It encompasses all sectors of the economy — energy, transport, agriculture, industry, and buildings — and aims to decouple economic growth from resource use. Clean energy sits at the core of this strategy. The Fit for 55 legislative package, adopted in 2023, translates the Green Deal's ambitions into binding law: a 55% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), a binding target of at least 42.5% renewable energy in the EU's energy mix by 2030, and strengthened energy efficiency requirements. REPowerEU, launched in May 2022 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, accelerated the clean energy transition by fast-tracking renewable deployment, promoting energy savings, and diversifying energy supply to end the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Together, these frameworks create a policy ecosystem that drives investment, innovation, and deployment of clean energy technologies at an unprecedented scale across all 27 member states.

Solar energy works through two main technologies. Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor cells, while concentrated solar power (CSP) systems use mirrors to focus sunlight and generate heat that drives a turbine. Europe's solar capacity has grown exponentially in the last decade, with countries like Spain, Germany, and Italy leading deployment. Spain alone enjoys over 300 sunny days per year in many regions, making it one of the most favourable locations for solar generation in the EU. The cost of solar PV has dropped by over 85% since 2010, making it the cheapest source of new electricity in most of the world.

This lecture aims at presenting the fundamental clean energy sources and supporting technologies that are central to Europe's energy transition, providing learners with the scientific and technical foundations needed to identify and counter energy-related disinformation. Within the general architecture of the POWER educational platform, this lecture equips the target group with a solid understanding of how clean energy works in practice, enabling them to critically evaluate claims about renewable energy and recognise when factual information is being distorted or misrepresented. Therefore, the lecture is structured into four main parts: (1) an overview of the five main clean energy sources — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass — and their key characteristics; (2) an introduction to the supporting technologies that make the energy transition viable, including smart grids, battery storage systems, and energy efficiency measures; (3) an exploration of emerging solutions such as electric vehicles and green hydrogen and their role in decarbonising hard-to-electrify sectors; and (4) an explanation of how these technologies connect to broader policy frameworks, namely the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.

Main learning questions addressed:

• What are the main clean energy sources and how do they contribute to a sustainable energy mix?
• How do supporting technologies such as smart grids and energy storage enable a reliable clean energy system?
• What role do electric vehicles and green hydrogen play in the broader energy transition?
• How do European and international policy frameworks — the SDGs, the Green Deal, Fit for 55, and REPowerEU — drive the deployment of clean energy technologies?

Biomass energy is derived from organic matter — wood, agricultural residues, food waste, and dedicated energy crops. It can be burned directly for heat and electricity, converted into biogas through anaerobic digestion, or processed into liquid biofuels. When sourced sustainably (using waste streams and short-rotation crops), biomass operates within a closed carbon cycle: the CO2 released during combustion equals the CO2 absorbed during plant growth. It plays an important role in rural economies and waste management, and is particularly relevant in sectors where electrification is difficult, such as industrial heat.

Wind energy operates by converting the kinetic energy of moving air into electricity through turbines. Onshore wind farms are widely deployed across Europe, particularly in Spain, Germany, Denmark, and France. Offshore wind is a rapidly growing sector, with large-scale projects in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea exploiting stronger and more consistent winds at sea. A single modern offshore turbine can generate enough electricity to power over 10,000 homes annually. Wind energy produces zero direct greenhouse gas emissions during operation.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are transforming the transport sector, which currently accounts for nearly a quarter of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) use electric motors powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, producing zero tailpipe emissions. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) combine a battery with a smaller combustion engine for extended range. The EU has set a landmark regulation requiring all new cars and vans sold from 2035 to be zero-emission, effectively phasing out internal combustion engines. EV sales in Europe have surged, exceeding 20% of new car registrations in several member states. The transition requires a massive rollout of charging infrastructure — the EU's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) mandates fast-charging stations every 60 kilometres along major transport corridors by 2025. Beyond passenger vehicles, electric buses, trucks, and two-wheelers are also gaining ground, particularly in urban environments where air quality improvements are most needed.

Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis — splitting water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable sources. When powered by clean energy, the entire production process is carbon-free. This distinguishes green hydrogen from grey hydrogen (produced from natural gas, which accounts for 95% of current global hydrogen production) and blue hydrogen (grey hydrogen with carbon capture). Green hydrogen has enormous potential for decarbonising sectors that cannot easily be electrified: steel production (replacing coal-based blast furnaces with hydrogen-based direct reduction), cement manufacturing, chemicals, long-haul shipping, and aviation. The EU's Hydrogen Strategy targets 10 million tonnes of domestic renewable hydrogen production by 2030. However, significant challenges remain: electrolysers are expensive, efficiency losses during production and conversion are substantial, and distribution infrastructure is still in its infancy. Storage and transport of hydrogen (either compressed, liquefied, or converted to ammonia) add further complexity and cost.

Smart grids represent the evolution of traditional electricity networks. Unlike conventional grids, which distribute power in one direction from large centralised plants to consumers, smart grids use digital sensors, advanced meters, and real-time communication systems to manage energy flows in multiple directions. This is essential for integrating distributed renewable sources — millions of rooftop solar panels, community wind turbines, and battery systems — that feed electricity back into the network. Smart grids can automatically balance supply and demand, reroute power during outages, and optimise energy use across entire regions, reducing waste and improving reliability.

Geothermal energy exploits heat stored beneath the Earth's surface. In high-temperature areas (volcanic regions like Iceland or parts of Italy), steam from underground reservoirs drives turbines directly. In lower-temperature settings, ground-source heat pumps extract heat for building heating and cooling. Geothermal provides a baseload power supply — available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — completely independent of weather conditions, season, or time of day. Its carbon footprint is among the lowest of all energy sources.

Hydropower is the most established renewable source, accounting for the largest share of global renewable electricity generation. It works by channelling the energy of flowing or falling water through turbines inside dams or run-of-river installations. Unlike solar and wind, hydropower can be dispatched on demand, making it a crucial tool for grid stability. Pumped-storage hydropower also functions as a large-scale energy storage system, pumping water uphill when surplus electricity is available and releasing it to generate power during peak demand.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the global framework within which clean energy action takes place. SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) calls for ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. It includes targets for substantially increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. SDG 13 (Climate Action) requires urgent and transformative measures to combat climate change and its impacts. Clean energy is central to both: the energy sector is responsible for approximately 73% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and decarbonising it is the single most impactful action for climate mitigation. Beyond SDG 7 and SDG 13, clean energy connects to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Energy efficiency is often called the "first fuel" of the energy transition because every unit of energy saved is a unit that does not need to be generated, transported, or stored. In buildings, efficiency measures include improved insulation, high-performance windows, heat pumps, and smart thermostats. In industry, they involve process optimisation, waste heat recovery, and electrification of heating. In transport, they range from more efficient vehicle designs to modal shifts towards public transport and active mobility. The EU's Energy Efficiency Directive sets a binding target to reduce the EU's final energy consumption by 11.7% by 2030 compared to 2020 projections. These measures are not only environmentally beneficial — they also reduce energy bills, improve energy security, and decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Energy storage is the critical enabler that allows intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind to provide reliable power around the clock. Lithium-ion batteries dominate the current market, powering everything from household storage units to grid-scale installations capable of storing hundreds of megawatt-hours. Emerging technologies include solid-state batteries (offering higher energy density and safety), flow batteries (suitable for long-duration storage), and compressed air or gravity-based storage systems. The EU's Battery Regulation, adopted in 2023, sets sustainability requirements for the entire battery lifecycle — from raw material sourcing to recycling — ensuring the storage revolution itself remains clean.