How can you integrate renewable energy into civil engineering designs?

Integrating renewable energy into civil engineering designs can be a great way to promote sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of infrastructure projects. Here are a few ways we can accomplish this: 1. Solar Power 2. Wind Power 3. Geothermal Energy 4. Hydropower 5. Energy-Efficient Designs 6. Smart Grid Integration 7. Biomass and Bioenergy Remember, each project comes with unique constraints and opportunities. It's essential to conduct thorough feasibility studies, assess site-specific conditions, and collaborate with relevant experts to determine the most appropriate renewable energy integration options for the specific civil engineering design.

Besides typical solar applications like streetlights, roofs, and water heaters, solar microgrids offer an intriguing avenue. These mini energy systems have immense potential, especially in smart cities and modern construction, due to their long-term cost-effectiveness. I demonstrated this potential in a project where I designed a resource-efficient home for refugees, showcasing how solar microgrids can make a significant impact in addressing energy challenges and resource limitations.

If you look at the brighter side of it, we can extract a lot from renewable energy. The process of trapping gas (methane) from the landfill cells has always been out of the books, but its one area where methane can be trapped and introduced into grid systems. I recently had a chance to look at a proposal on a waste to energy project through a waste management facility, the project would be a failure due to the tonnage of waste processed in a year, which means that generally in most parts of the world waste does not find its way to the processing centers. The use of plastic and paper for feedstock to push the combustion and filtration systems to produce alcohols in a controlled environment cannot be accessed due to this shortage of waste.

One thing I have found lot of support is for solar electric water heaters.slowly roof top solar panel installations in residential houses and offices is gaining importance.In fact fairly large roof top areas like in marriage halls is seen to be a regular source of income as most of the times electrical energy is given to the grid leaving peak days in any year .This is gaining momentum.

Integrating renewable energy into civil engineering designs involves assessing suitable sources, such as solar and wind, for the project's location. Energy needs are analyzed throughout the project's lifecycle, and technologies like solar panels and wind turbines are directly integrated into the design. Energy-efficient strategies, hybrid systems, and smart grid integration optimize energy use, while storage solutions like batteries ensure reliable supply. Compliance with regulations, incentives, monitoring, and stakeholder education are essential for successful implementation.

The intermittency of wind is often overstated. Although the output is variable, well sited commercial wind turbines are typically producing some energy nearly 90% of the time. Newer projects often have capacity factors around 50%. These properties combine to help limit the need for storage in comparison to solar energy with limited production hours every day.

we designed a building like this back in 2014 one of the issues with medium rise is the transmission rage of DC from the panels - the Answer is to create a separate power distribution hub on the roof and isolate specific system to be feed from the DC - given that you can now buy DC aircon - this is a clear one to look at - a lot of design work in internal transmission of power in high-rise needs more carful though.

Self-sustaining systems generate power independently of the grid. In some off-grid locations, even with The distance of half a kilometer from the power lines, the use of self-supporting photovoltaic systems can be more economical than pulling the branch. These systems are especially for remote and environmentally sensitive areas such as national parks, cottages, houses located in the areas The distance is suitable. In many rural areas, small self-supporting solar arrays are used for lighting, charging electric fences, and pumping water for livestock. Some hybrid systems combine solar energy with wind or diesel energy.

For irrigation applications wind will be useful only converted into electric energy and injected in the national power grid. The injected power can then be used for irrigation where needed. For drainage applications, can be used either direct or as for the irrigation applications.

-tanks using compressed air over water can be used as pumped storage without the need for elevation difference (i.e. NREL GLIDES system) -pumped storage concepts can be incorporated in many water pumping applications by incorporating storage or surge tanks, like irrigation districts transferring water between reservoirs at different elevations and significant distance apart -open channels and ponds have the potential to function as both conveyance and storage in pumped hydro applications -pumped hydro shown as one of the most economical means of shifting loads to help manage increased renewable production -replacing existing open channels with pipes can reduce friction losses and increase the viability of hydro projects

Hydro using the water flowing through wastewater treatment plants and drinking water plants would be very beneficial with less ecosystem impacts. Other countries are utilizing this technology successfully.

Hydro energy is the best for investment in lebanon especially that we can benefit from 2000m difference in altitude making the potential and kinetic energies higher. Besides, no pollution at all, continuity of production 24h/d. Gradual fluctuations monthly and scalable. Hydropower stations can be implemented all along the river beds , in a DECENTRALIZED fashion, allowing better distribution and lesser losses of power during transmission. Besides, the hydropower can last for 50 to 100 years and they are completely recyclable. Hydropower stations are beneficial mainly night time offsetting the fuel burning in the thermal plants. Incentives shall be given to rural areas for implementation. Hydropower stations can be set in cascade downhill

Hydro energy is easiest to use in irrigation applications. Example: building a dam+reservoir at higher elevation can supply with water under pressure the irrigated area downstream. In drainage applications, this is usually used to collect and convey water from drainage areas downstream to the natural streams.

All from some experience; nothing new at all. Utility wastewater treatment plants have high costs for treating sludge. We can use utility wastewater treatment sludge in agriculture for fertilization. Ok, we have problems to solve, but that is possible. Wastewater treatment sludge is "strong", plants grow faster, and sometimes it burns. We have quality problems, but maybe we can solve them... We can use reservoirs after wastewater treatment plants to create strong nature preserves. Depending on the hydraulic system, we can use open reservoirs before wastewater treatment plants for hydroelectric energy.

Geothermal energy is completely neglected in lebanon although hot water sources in the ground exist in the north of lebanon, in akkar area. This energy if well invested will benefit the area in terms of heating the houses in the cold winters and in terms of heating the water heaters for bathing purposes. The area is an agriculture area and plantations (green houses) can be heated and preserve the vegetation from deterioration due to cold and freezing. Special care shall be given to geothermal use

-The water source heat pumps commonly utilized for geothermal can be applied in many ways. One of the most cost efficient applications can be recovering heat from wastewater effluent. -Ponds and conduits have the potential to be incorporated within geo-exchange systems -Cooling towers and backup boilers can be incorporated to limit the size of heat pumps and geothermal loops as well as provide fuel flexibility for increased reliability

-Next generation biofuel technologies have the potential to convert under-utilized biomass resources like agricultural residuals and low value wood products into fuels that can displace existing fossil fuels -Existing combustion turbines could be modified to operate on many kinds of biofuels like biogas, ethanol, methanol, and dimethyl ether. -Existing coal plants could be converted to using torrefied wood pellets and retained for emergency backup facilities -Increasing the value of biomass like wood chips could make some kinds of wastewater land application systems more cost effective, such as irrigating hybrid poplar trees

Sometimes not appreciated enough as in my perspective it is an alternative source of energy that brings a lot of benefits, particularly in developing countries. It is limited by lack of infrastructure and the direct dependency of suitable organic matter

Solar, Wind, Geothermal all add value and are typically implemented at a development level. The only real way we will get the most out of any of these systems is for them to be considered from the outset interms of National, Regional, City, Neighbourhood, Development and building strategies that all strive to achieve the same long term ambition. Whilst many countries now have these strategies it's now time to invest and make them reality- it's the only way to have a true impact.

The integration of renewable energy in designs can be achieved by integrating solar panels, wind turbines and efficient systems. This can reduce energy consumption and emissions. Benefits include lower operating costs, lower environmental impact, and potential energy independence. Challenges include upfront costs, design complexities, and intermittency from renewable sources. Balancing aesthetics, functionality and energy production is essential for a successful integration.

One of the most common methods is to?install photovoltaic (PV) panels on roofs, facades, or other surfaces of buildings, which convert sunlight into electricity. Another method is to use solar thermal collectors, which heat water or air for domestic or industrial use.

The issue here is not the ingenuity of the engineering, but the affordability and willingness to experiment from the funders and developers. Reading the above, we do not lack skill or creativity, but opportunity through funds.

The biggest issue in Civil Engineering at the moment is how to upgrade infrastructure to facilitate the ever increasing urbanisation of cities. These population centre developed in the past century to make trade easier. However, technology now allows trade to take place from anywhere in the world. Renewable energy is mostly generated in rural areas so civil engineering of the future should be developed around creating sustainable development at the source of renewable energy. Continuing to build mass transit systems to bring resources to an outdated planning system actually makes the least use of renewable energy. The only reason governments are still wedded to urbanisation is because of a vested interest in increase urban house prices

I feel the only way to really utilise these technologies and techniques is to combine them and have them in all homes, solar, wind and water