Archives from January 19, 2021

Serie de preguntas y respuestas: Santiago Barcón Utiliza la Palabra Escrita Para Acelerar la Innovación en Energías Renovables

Santiago Barcón es CEO de PQBarcon y Energía Hoy. Es emprendedor, asesor y escritor con título en ingeniería eléctrica de la Universidad Iberoamericana. Síguelo en Twitter: @sbarconenergia.

Pregunta: ¿Podría describirnos a usted y su trabajo?

Santiago: Soy un ingeniero eléctrico con más de 30 años de experiencia, donde me he enfocado en la calidad de la energía y cumplimiento del Código de Red. Soy coautor del libro publicado por McGraw-Hill titulado: “Calidad de la Energía: Factor de potencia y filtrado de armónicas”. También he escrito 45 artículos técnicos y escribo una columna mensual en Energia Hoy.

P: ¿Cómo se interesó por las energías renovables? ¿Y cuál es su objetivo para el futuro de las energías renovables?

Santiago: Como profesional del sector hay que estar atento a las nuevas tecnologías donde las renovables forman una parte fundamental. Adicionalmente a la curiosidad natural de los ingenieros. Mi objetivo es acelerar la integración de las energías renovables dentro de la matriz energética.

P: Su libro, “Calidad de la energía: factor de potencia y filtrado de armónicas”, se publicó en 2012. ¿Podría describir la premisa de este trabajo y lo que esperaba lograr con su publicación?

Santiago: La compensación de energía reactiva es un tema olvidado en la educación profesional en todos los países. Las armónicas es un fenómeno que se ha acelerado en los sistemas eléctricos y que seguirá incrementándose. Queríamos una obra que permitiera un aprendizaje del tema y resaltar la importancia del mismo. Creo que lo hemos conseguido. La edición impresa se ha agotado pero pueden descargarlo en forma gratuita aquí.

P: Estás en el Comité Editorial de Energía Hoy y escribes una columna mensual. ¿Sobre qué temas ha sido más importante para ti escribir a lo largo de los años?

Santiago: Análisis del sector energético mexicano con especial énfasis en el ramo eléctrico. Intento proporcionar un análisis técnico sobre lo que cada uno de los participantes requiere para comprender mejor la red eléctrica en su conjunto. Por supuesto mencionar las mejores prácticas a nivel mundial.

P: Ahora bien, ¿por qué considera que la red de transmisión es uno de los principales desafíos que enfrenta México en su camino hacia una energía limpia y asequible?

Santiago: Una red de transmisión robusta ofrece la capacidad y flexibilidad de colocar generaciones, de cualquier tipo, en el punto de rendimiento óptimo. Por ejemplo, deberíamos aprovechar nuestro potencial renovable e incluso exportarlo.

P: Finalmente, ¿cómo puede México contribuir al viaje hacia la energía 100% renovable en todo el mundo? ¿Y qué avances prevé para la región en los próximos años?

Santiago: Cada país tiene sus propios desafíos únicos. Los líderes económicos deben predicar con el ejemplo: son los que tienen los recursos y también los que más aportan. En México, en cambio, no debemos perder de vista que necesitamos brindar energía sustentable y asequible a más de tres millones de mexicanos. Esta cifra no es la oficial, pero no creo que solo tener un sistema fotovoltaico sea igual a electrificación: se requiere de potencia para que puedan usar motores y otros equipos. Iluminación no es electrificación.

 

Photo: Andrés Medina on Unsplash

Q&A Series: Santiago Barcón Uses the Written Word to Accelerate Renewable Energy Innovation

Santiago Barcón is CEO of PQBarcon and Energía Hoy (Energy Today). He’s an entrepreneur, advisor and writer with a degree in electrical engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana. Follow him on Twitter: @sbarconenergia.

Question:  Please describe yourself and your work. 

Santiago: I am an electrical engineer with more than 30 years of experience, where I have been focused on power quality. I have co-authored the book published by McGraw-Hill titled: “Calidad de la Energía: Factor de potencia y filtrado de armónicas,” translated means “Power Quality: Power factor and harmonic filtering.” I have also written 45 technical papers and write a monthly column at Energia Hoy.

Q: How did you become interested in renewable energy? And what is your goal for a renewable energy future?

Santiago: As a professional in the sector, you have to be attentive to new technologies where renewables are a fundamental part. Additionally, I have the natural curiosity of an engineer. My goal is to speed up the integration of renewable energies within the energy matrix.

Q: Your book, “Calidad de la energía: factor de potencia y filtrado de armónicas,” was published in 2012. Could you describe the premise of this work and what you hoped to accomplish with its publication?

Santiago: Reactive energy compensation is a forgotten topic in professional education in all countries. Harmonics is a phenomenon that has accelerated in electrical systems and that will continue to increase. We wanted a work that would allow us to learn about the subject and highlight its importance. I think we got it. The print edition is out of print but you can download it for free here.

Q: You are on the Editorial Board of Energia Hoy and write a monthly column. What subjects have been most important for you to write about over the years?

Santiago: Analysis of the Mexican energy sector with a special emphasis on the electricity branch. I try to provide a technical analysis on what each of the participants requires to provide a better understanding of the power grid as a whole. I also try to point out the best practices from around the world.

Q: Now, why do you consider the transmission network one of the main challenges Mexico faces on its way to clean and affordable energy?

Santiago: A robust transmission network offers the ability and flexibility to place generations, of any type, at the optimum performance point. For example, we should leverage our renewable potential and even export it.

Q: Finally, how can Mexico contribute to the journey to 100 percent renewable energy around the world? And what progress do you foresee for the region in the coming years?

Santiago: Each country has its own unique challenges. Economic leaders must lead by example: they are the ones with the resources and also the ones who contribute the most. In Mexico, on the other hand, we must not lose sight of the fact that we need to provide sustainable and affordable power to more than three million Mexicans. This figure is not the official one, but I do not believe that just having a photovoltaic system equals electrification: It requires power so they can use motors and other devices. Lighting is not electrification.

 

Photo: Andrés Medina on Unsplash

The Future Of Carbon Capture Is In The Air

At-a-Glance 

While renewable energy is now widely accepted as the cheapest form of electricity generation, energy demand growth, government growth requirements and the need for a responsible transition mean fossil fuels will still have a role. But for that to work with climate goals, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology must be mainstreamed. In Iceland, Climeworks is showing how direct air capture/storage (DAC) could change the game. To learn more, read “The Future Of Carbon Capture Is In The Air.” Reading this article could require a subscription.

Key Takeaways

  • Climeworks new plant, named Orca, will combine Swiss-based Climeworks’ direct air capture technology with the underground storage of carbon dioxide provided by Iceland’s Carbfix and the plant should be online in spring 2021. 
  • What makes Climeworks use of DAC so interesting is that it doesn’t just work in removing emissions associated specifically with power generation, but can capture emissions directly from the air. This is the company’s largest plant so far, intended to capture around 4,000 tons of CO2 per year.
  • There has been significant movement in the CCS market recently. In the UK, as part of its recently announced green infrastructure plans, the government has promised £1 billion to set up four industrial clusters for CCS. 
  • The Norwegian government is working with Equinor, Shell and Total on a project intended to standardize and scale carbon capture, transportation and storage in Europe. The Northern Lights Project is expected to capture CO2 from industry in the Oslo-fjord region, following which the carbon will be liquefied and shipped to an onshore terminal on the Norwegian west coast and then taken out to the North Sea for long term subsea storage.
  • In Canada, Carbon Engineering says its technology can be scaled up to remove up to 1 million tons of CO2 from the air annually, with a large-scale plant in development with Occidental Petroleum with a completion date reported to be 2026. 

Path to 100% Perspective

Capturing carbon dioxide from the air, utilizing synthesis to combine these into hydrocarbons suitable for synthetic renewable fuels offers substantial opportunities to take valuable steps towards carbon neutral communities. These renewable fuels could be used in transportation, energy storage and energy distribution which improves power system sustainability, reliability and flexibility.

 

Photo by Thomas Kolbeck on Unsplash