ENERGEIA

AT WORK FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR

Blue sky
thinking

Waking the
green giant
Capturing the
imagination
A dirty job
but someones
got to do it
Saltwater could
be sweet for
biofuel hunters

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

ENERGEIA

CONTENTS
3 The challenge
of energy for an
increasing global
population

elcome to this latest issue of

Energeia the University of Aberdeens
magazine for the energy industry.

ENERGEIA
AT WORK FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Much is happening in the energy sector,

including exciting developments in
renewables, all of which brings ever
more opportunities for universities to
work with the sector to address the
challenges in technology, transportation,
regulation and environmental impact.

4/5 Blue sky thinking

6/7 A dirty job
8-10 Capturing the
imagination
11-13 Building a
green construction
powerhouse for the
world
14/15 Waking the
green giant
16/17 Saltwater could
be sweet for biofuel
hunters
17 Where theres
muck theres gas
18 AC/DC

Blue Sky
Thinking
Waking the
Green Giant
Capturing the
Imagination
A dirty job
but someones
got to do it
Saltwater could
be sweet for
biofuel hunters

Energeia
is published by
University of Aberdeen
Kings College, Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
Scotland, UK
Tel +44 (0)1224 272014
communications@abdn.ac.uk
Principal & Vicechancellor
Professor SIR Ian Diamond
FBA FRSE AcSS
Editorial
Euan Wemyss
Shaunagh Kirby
Photography
Adam Morrice
Brian Stewart
Cover image
Professor RUSSELL HOWE
DOES BLUE SKY THINKING
Pages 4/5
Designed & Produced by
Hampton Associates
Aberdeen, Tel: 01224 620562
www.hamptonassociates.com
Printed by
NB Group
Paper sourced from sustainable
forests
2013 University of
Aberdeen
www.abdn.ac.uk

Never has the role of interdisciplinary academic research and thinking

been more vital as we move way forward, for example in carbon
capture and storage, in seeking ever smarter ways to harness the
power of the sun, and finding new and sustainable sources to fuel
our society without compromising our capacity to feed a growing
world population.
In this issue you will find new thinking and new work on all these
topics. You can also read about the exciting project to make Qatar
a world leader in environmental building technology, and how the
University of Aberdeen Centre for Energy Law is helping unblock the
potential of Russias enormous renewables potential.
But there remains an enormous need to develop the skilled workforce
the industry needs and to do this in a co-ordinated way, and in
partnership with industry. As part of this agenda we have formed the
Oil and Gas Academy for Scotland, in partnership with Aberdeen, Banff
and Buchan and Forth Valley Colleges; Heriot-Watt and Robert Gordon
University. The Academy will provide a one-stop shop to meet all the
industrys technical, legal and economic training.
I urge you to get in touch with us, and discuss how our expertise and
experience can help you solve your particular challenge, and take your
business, your workforce and your personal career to the next level.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA FRSE AcSS
Principal and Vice-Chancellor

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

The challenge of energy

for an increasing global
population
T

here are a number of

key global challenges
which currently face
mankind but one of
the most challenging
is in dealing with
the sustainability of
energy provision to
an increasing global
population. Whilst for
some this is related
to an ever increasing
thirst for energy
consuming gadgets and
technologies, for others,
this may be simply
access to the basic needs
of heat and light.

The creation of a universitywide research theme in the

area of Energy at the University
of Aberdeen has given us the
opportunity to bring together
research activities across
the colleges and disciplines
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

and to form multidisciplinary

groupings to tackle some
of the key energy-related
challenges. The complexities
surrounding exploration,
rights of access, extraction,
distribution, conversion, transfer,
storage, demand, supply use
and application of energy
are not merely scientific and
technological but include
and involve social, legal and
economic issues.
It is my privilege to hold the
position of leader of the University
of Aberdeen Energy Theme. This
has given me the opportunity to
find out at first hand the diversity,
range and extent to which my
fellow academics are involved
in exciting research related to
energy in the broadest sense
of the term. As to be expected
from our location in the Oil and

Gas capital of Europe, many of

our activities relate to issues
involving hydrocarbons. However
there is as much activity in the
area of renewable and low carbon
technologies.
In this latest issue of Energeia,
which has been brought together
to coincide with the All-Energy
event at Aberdeen AECC, I have
invited a number of my colleagues
from across the campus who
are involved in low carbon and
renewables activities to explain
what they are doing and how
their research programmes
contribute to some of the future
energy challenges.

For more information contact:

Professor Jim Anderson
j.anderson@abdn.ac.uk

Pictured: Professor Jim Anderson meets Tanzanian Energy Minister Professor Sospeter Muhongo during a visit to the University in March 2013

ENERGEIA

s abundant and
sustainable sources of
energy go they dont
come any bigger than the
sun.

the traditional photovoltaic

(PV) cells mainly cost and
efficiency.

Solar Power is far from a new

concept, however there are
a number of problems to be
resolved if the technologys
full potential is to be realised.
Scientists at the University
of Aberdeen are working
on a number of exciting
developments.

The main component of

PV cells, silicon, remains
expensive and the UK
Governments recent cuts to
the subsidy on the technology
make them far less attractive.
Also the panels are only
around 20% efficient at best
meaning especially in the UK
a lot are required to power
the average home.

At one point it was thought

solar panels would adorn
houses across the globe as
a means of self-sufficient
energy but 30 years on there
are still major issues with

The alternative dye-sensitised

or Grtzel cell uses titanium
dioxide (far cheaper than
silicon) which must be treated
with organic dye molecules to
absorb sun light. The Grtzel

cell is only around 10-11%

efficient but is far cheaper
than traditional PV cells
and a number of companies
are currently attempting to
commercialise this technology
focussing on small scale
electronics such as mobile
phones.

He said: Solar cells absorb

light to produce an electron and
we want that electron to travel
to an electrode to generate
a current. But sometimes it
gets stuck on the way and
sometimes it goes back where
it came from, in which case
youve lost your efficiency.

As part of the Scottish

Institute for Solar Energy
Research consortium along
with Heriot-Watt, St Andrews,
Edinburgh, Glasgow and
Strathclyde universities, the
University of Aberdeens
Professor Russell Howe is
focussing on understanding
the issues around the
efficiency and long-term
durability of the technology.

Were one of the few groups

in the world that are applying
a technique called Electron
Spin Resonance (ESR). We use
that to try and understand
how these cells work and what
is limiting their efficiency and
performance. So using ESR we
are able to see exactly whats
happening during the process
and it also shows why the dye
molecules tend to degrade.

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Professor Howe is also

involved in another approach
to solar cell technology which
involves coating the titanium
dioxide in an inorganic
substance as opposed to
organic dye. The project,
funded by Energy Technology
Partnership (ETP) and South
African energy firm SASOL,
could result in a more efficient
cell which is more stable than
the organic dye used in the
current Grtzel Cell.
Professor Howe said: Were
using a material called
cadmium selenide and when
we put it onto titanium dioxide
it absorbs a lot of visible light.
So the idea is the cadmium
selenide absorbs the visible
light and injects electrons
into the titanium dioxide in
the same way the Grtzel
Cell works but instead of an
organic dye youre doing this

Chemistry which concluded

that tiny particles of gold
supported on titanium dioxide
could make the process more
efficient.
Professor Howe said: The
Holy Grail would be to
generate hydrogen from water
but theres no way at present
to do that efficiently so we
looked at generating hydrogen
from bioethanol using sunlight
which is far easier.
So far weve reported the
highest hydrogen production
rates out of all the other
groups trying the same thing.
The process works by
creating a chemical reaction
using titanium dioxide
semiconductors with gold
particles as a photocatalyst.
The successful design of these
catalysts relies on a thorough
understanding of how the

The bioethanol to hydrogen

project inspired the most
ambitious solar energy project
currently being investigated at
the University using sunlight
to drive organic chemical
reactions.
Professor Howe explained:
Photocatalysis is widely used
in environmental remediation
as a means of breaking down
pollutants. This project is
trying to do the opposite.
They start with big molecules
and make them smaller.
Were starting with small
molecules and trying to bring
them together to create large
organic molecules that are
potentially important for the
pharmaceutical industry.
Drug-related molecules are
currently made using very
expensive and environmentally
unfriendly routes involving
high temperatures and

petrochemicals where
youre producing thousands
of tonnes photocatalysis
isnt appropriate for that
kind of production but on
a smaller scale such as
high value, fine chemicals
and pharmaceuticals then
photcatalysis could be applied.
In principle light can be used
to drive these reactions at
room temperature in relatively
benign conditions.
The University is using the
ESR technique and other
spectroscopic methods to
examine precisely how the
reactions are happening.
Professor Howe added: This
is definitely more of a blue sky,
long-term project but weve
convinced the funding body its
a technology worth exploring
and were confident we can
make strides in this area.

new generation solar panels could

eclipse older generation
with something inorganic
which should be much more
stable long term.
Professor Howe also continues
to build on the successful
ongoing project which
investigates using sunlight to
generate transport fuels.
In 2009, the University was
part of an international team
that pioneered the production
of hydrogen from ethanol
sourced from the fermentation
of plants. Two years later they
published findings in Nature

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

metal particles bring about

the reaction.
However the problem is
titanium dioxide does not
absorb visible light and only
works using ultraviolet
(UV) light.
Professor Howe added:
The challenge now is to do
the same thing produce
hydrogen from bioethanol
but using visible light
instead of UV. That means
different catalysts and
modified catalysts.

solvents which can be bad for

the environment and catalysts
which are toxic.
The University is leading
a consortium looking into
Photocatalysis for Organic
Synthesis along with St
Andrews University, Robert
Gordon University and
Queens University in Belfast
with funding from the EPSRC
(Engineering and Physical
Science Research Council).
Professor Howe said:
This is not large scale

The earth receives about

100,000 Terawatts of power
from the sun, which is 7,000
times greater than the average
power consumed on earth for
all human activities. Theres
enough energy there to do
everything human kind ever
wanted to do. Its just a matter
of harnessing it.
i

For more information

contact:
Professor Russell Howe
r.howe@abdn.ac.uk

ENERGEIA

A dirty job
but someones
got to do it
6

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

he need to find a long term

substitute to petrol and diesel
to power our cars and vehicles
is no longer up for debate but
when it comes to alternatives
one Aberdeen scientist hopes
to come up with a solution too
good to be thrown away.

A number of biofuels are already in

use, one of the most common being
bioethanol. Whilst it trumps petrol and
diesel in terms of being more sustainable
and having a better carbon balance,
the method by which it is created is an
argument that still rages.
The most common
method of creating
"There is potential to
bioethanol is from corn
use municipal solid waste,
and sugar cane, big
household and some
business in the USA
commercial waste, a lot of
and Brazil respectively,
this is waste paper, even
but these methods
things we throw away from
are not without their
the kitchen like meat and
critics. Some experts
claim turning land over
vegetables could in principle
from crop growing to
be converted to bioethanol."
fuel harvest has already
seen food prices rocket
by 10-30%. That figure is disputed but
with a growing population the demand
for fuel and food will increase as will the
competition for suitable land.
As a result scientists are exploring using
less valuable commodities from which
to make fuel including agricultural and
domestic waste.
University of Aberdeen lecturer in
Chemical Engineering Dr Davide Dionisi
explains: Others and myself are looking
at agricultural residues, by-products of
agricultural crops such as corn stover,
wheat straw and also garden waste
such as grass cuttings. There is potential
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

to use municipal solid waste,

household and some commercial
waste, a lot of this is waste paper,
even things we throw away
from the kitchen like meat and
vegetables could in principle be
converted to bioethanol.

are able to break down complex

organic substrates, so in the
waste water plant mixed cultures
of microorganisms take our liquid
waste and break it down into
simpler molecules which they
then metabolise.

This feedstock is mainly

composed of cellulose, a
polymer of glucose which, once
hydrolysed, can be converted
to ethanol and lignin, which
is a natural polymer, found in
wood that gives it strength. The
collective term for this material is
lignocellulosic biomass.

I am investigating whether
mixed cultures of microorganisms
just like those used in waste
water treatment can be used
to break down this feedstock
waste which can then be turned
into bioethanol. The lignin and
cellulose need to be broken down
and converted to glucose, once
you have glucose its an easy
process of fermentation the
difficult thing is breaking it down
in the first place.

Waste like this can be converted

to bioethanol but the process is
far more complicated than using
corn or sugar cane and as such
is far more expensive. There are
a number of groups attempting
to find practical and financially
viable ways to do this but most
involve expensive technologies
using high pressure and high
temperatures as part of the
process. As yet nothing has been
presented at a viable commercial
level.
Dr Dionisis approach is different.
He is using his background in the
research of waste water treatment
to see if similar methods can
be used to break down the
feedstock and subsequently turn
it into bioethanol.
He said: All the waste water from
Aberdeen or any town or big city,
goes into a municipal waste water
treatment plant. Microorganisms
naturally generate enzymes that

Dr Dionisis research is in its early

stages but he hopes in five years
his work will be at an advanced
stage where he is able to prove
his theory is applicable.
I have started a few bioreactors
in the lab using soil. Soil is
a source of microorganisms.
I intend to use all naturally
occurring microorganisms,
nothing genetically modified.
I am applying for funding
at the moment to take the
research forward, I hope it will
be recognised as the exciting
opportunity I believe it to be.

For more information contact:

Dr Davide Dionisi
davidedionisi@abdn.ac.uk

ENERGEIA

Capturing the
imagination
Its been described as a technology that could change mankinds
relationship with fossil fuels and the government has pledged 1 billion to
the first full-chain commercial scale deployment of the technology in UK,
but what is the best way to proceed with Carbon Capture Transport and
Storage from technology and strategy to legislation?

Back Row (L-R): Dr Clare Bond, Prof Jim Anderson, Dr David Vega-Maza, Dr Dubravka Pokrajac, Prof John Paterson, Dr Jeff Gomes.
Front Row(L-R): Prof David Macdonald, Dr Yukie Tanino, Prof Euan Phimister, Prof Alex Kemp, Dr Sola Kasim

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

xperts at the
University of Aberdeen
are employing a unique
approach to find the
way forward by looking
beyond their own
disciplines to examine
the bigger picture.
The venture involves leading
experts from areas as diverse as
engineering, law, mathematics,
chemistry, geology and
economics and is the only one of
its kind in the UK.
Carbon Capture Transport and
Storage (CCTS) is a technology
born out of necessity to reduce
the amount of CO2 we release into
the atmosphere but also offers
advantages in terms of enhancing
oil recovery.

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

As the name suggests, the

process involves capturing the
carbon at its source, i.e. a fossil
fuel power plant, and transporting
it to a storage location usually
deep underground offshore.
CCTS has been used in Norway
since the mid-1990s and injecting
CO2 has enhanced oil recovery
in the USA since the 1970s.
The UK Government wants to
be the forerunner of Northern
Europes CCTS programme by
2030. In March 2013, St Fergus
in Peterhead was named as one
of two preferred bidders in the
1billion competition to become
the first facility to trial the
technology in the UK.
Research and debate continues
around the best technical method

to carry out each stage of the

process and the required legal
and financial framework needed
to make it viable. With such a
vast range of variables the
University of Aberdeens CCTS
team thinks the issue should be
tackled as a whole.
The Universitys Energy Theme
leader Professor Jim Anderson
said: There are other big groups
in the UK and around the world
working on CCTS but what
makes our project unique
is the multidisciplinary
approach. Its not just
technological or scientific; its
also legal and economics.
This is an approach that mirrors
how big teams in industry work.
They dont create teams that are
full of geologists for example,

ENERGEIA

because usually the challenges

are broader than a disciplinary
focus - so thats what weve
embraced here. We have some
people with carbon capture and
storage expertise and others
whove never worked in CCTS
but have expertise in the oil and
gas sector that can be applied to
the area. We bring together all the
core skills and then ensure we
talk in a common language.
In order for economic experts
like Alex Kemp to do predictive
modelling in terms of economic
return, he has to have an idea
what we may be able to deliver in
terms of enhanced oil recovery for
example. Where does he get
that data? From the engineers
and scientists.

As well as the composition of the

group the University is uniquely
placed both geographically and in
terms of its links with the North
Sea oil and gas industry.
Dr Vega-Maza said: CCTS is
coming and Aberdeen has to be
ready because we want to be the
hub for the transport and storage
of CO2 in the North Sea. We
have a long history of successful
relationships and collaborations
with oil and gas firms in Aberdeen
so we need to take advantage
of these contacts. Lets use our
expertise, do some more research
and put all these different
disciplines together and make it
happen. This will not
only benefit the environment in
terms of climate change but also
have a positive impact on the
local economy.

"The opportunity here is something Ive never

come across before. We are able to run projects
with people from different disciplines and these
interactions are so easy to set up - this synergy
is what enriches the project"
Engineer, Dr David Vega-Maza
added: The opportunity here
is something Ive never come
across before. We are able to run
projects with people from different
disciplines and these interactions
are so easy to set up - this synergy
is what enriches the project.
We have a group looking at
biological sequestration which
is cutting edge in the world.
We have world-leading experts
in geology Dr Bond, Prof
MacDonald, Dr Bowden - working
on seismic data, CO2 storage
and organic geochemistry. We
have a project on pore-scale CO2
modelling funded by the Energy
and Physical Sciences Research
Council led by Dr Pokrajac and
a leader in sensors in Dr Kiefer.
We also have leading experts on
North Sea oil and gas economics,
Prof Alex Kemp and Prof Phimister
and Prof John Paterson who is a
law expert on decommissioning
and safety. These are just a few
of the people involved in this
exciting collaboration.
10

Aberdeen is the centre of oil

and gas in Europe and there
are plans to also become the
main hub of CO2 storage in the
North Sea importing CO2 from
Germany, Netherlands, UK and
Ireland. St Fergus near Peterhead
will be the main sub-station for
compression and then it will be
sent to reservoirs off the coast of
Aberdeen or even further into the
North Sea, via pipelines or boats.
There is a plan already devised
by the Scottish Government to
create a big CO2 CCTS industry
here collect all the CO2 from
Northern Europe, the UK and
Ireland and put it under the North
Sea as Norway is already doing.
The University group was
kick-started through a recent
recruitment process which saw
three new researchers join the
university from Imperial College
London, who had previously
worked as part of the Qatar
Carbonates and Carbon Storage
Research Centre and the Shell
Grand Challenge Programme,

St Fergus Gas Terminal, picture courtesy

of TOTAL E&P UK Limited

a 10 year project funded by Shell

International, Qatar Petroleum
and the Qatar Science and
Technology Park.
Dr Vega-Maza, who has a
background in thermodynamics
and thermophysical properties
of reservoir fluids under extreme
conditions, was one of the recruits
and he was joined by Dr Yukie
Tanino and Dr Jeff Gomes.
Dr Tanino said: Aberdeen's
School of Engineering has some of
the best experimental researchers
in the world in the area of
environmental fluid mechanics,
and this was a major appeal
for me when I decided to join
the University.
My research interests are in
the fluid dynamics of, and mass
transport in, obstructed flows with applications ranging from
surface waters with plants, such
as those found in wetlands, to
geological reservoirs. In the
context of CCTS, the central
question that my work addresses
is: how does the injected CO2
travel within the rock?
The experiments Im doing
apply just as much to oil recovery
as they do to CCTS. The findings
are easily applicable to any
reservoir or sub-surface system
that has two fluids in it.

Dr. Jeff Gomes research goals

are directed towards modelling
and simulation of complex energy
and environmental-based multiphysics problems with advanced
computational methods (e.g.,
reservoir simulators, atmospheric
modelling and nuclear safety
assessment).
Commenting on the CCTS group
Dr Gomes said: This is a different
kind of initiative and a different
way to deal with the challenge
and I think this is definitely the
right direction to approach the
problem. I would imagine in a
years time the kind of networks
being put in place now will start
to bear fruit.
Yukie and David have already
applied for two grants to fund
their research and I think well
see an increase in people from
different backgrounds come
together to apply for grants to
fund studies that revolve around
CCTS and energy.
Professor Anderson added: Its
great to have these new young,
enthusiastic and highly motivated
members of staff onboard. We are
all looking forward to what the
CCTS group will yield.
i

For more information contact:

Professor Jim Anderson
j.anderson@abdn.ac.uk

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Building a green
construction powerhouse
for the world
W

e have built our world of

cement and concrete. The most
used construction material on
the planet, cement powers a
US$ 1 trillion global industry
that employs around 30 million
workers.
The State of Qatar may have an estimated
300 years of known gas reserves, but it
is nevertheless keen to lead the world in
pioneering new affordable, energy-efficient
constructions for residential. industrial and
public use.
Qatar is going to be the focus of the world
when it hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
This single event has triggered the start
of an ambitious construction programme
to complete over the next ten years. This
is Qatars opportunity to demonstrate its
commitment to achieving true sustainability.
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

For the University of Aberdeen scientists who

will lead the projects R&D, its the opportunity
to showcase their expertise in sustainable,
energy-efficient building materials and
techniques that could be applied all over
the world.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed
in May 2011 between the Gulf Organisation
for Research and Development and the
University of Aberdeen proved the foundation
for an exciting four-year research project
to develop green, low carbon concrete
predicted to make Qatar the world leader in
environmentally-friendly, sustainable built
environments that reduce energy use and
carbon emissions and also to make use of
material previously considered waste.
In cooperation with the Ministry of
Environment, a multi-disciplinary,

international research team of engineers,

materials scientists and chemists has come
together in a quest for outputs designed to
meet and exceed the stringent sustainability
benchmarks that have been set by the Global
Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS)
developed by GORD, which aims to promote
healthy, energy and resource efficient,
sustainable building practices in Qatar and the
Gulf Region.
Dr Mohammed Imbabi of the School of
Engineering at the University of Aberdeen
and internationally renowned chemist and
cement specialist Professor Fred Glasser will
lead the 20-strong team at Aberdeen, with a
research network that includes the University
of Dundee and Qatar Standardisation and
Laboratory Affairs (part of the Qatar Ministry
of Environment).

Pictured: SMEET precast concrete production facility in Doha.

11

ENERGEIA

GORD

GORD (Gulf Organisation for Research

& Development) is the authority for
knowledge on sustainability in the Middle
East and North Africa, with a mission
to offer new findings in the field and its
applications. GORDs work empowers
Qatars construction industry to address
environmental challenges, assess and
implement sustainability concepts
and strategies. The organisation has
identified the need for a new generation of
sustainable, environmentally friendly and
affordable building products that consume
less resources and energy and emit less
carbon in their production. The green
concrete project will also contribute to an
increased lifespan of construction projects
while meeting key environmental goals
through its recycling potential. Qatar has
several construction projects currently
underway including a $36bn rail system, a
$17.5bn airport and a $7.4bn port.
Dr. Yousef Al Horr, Founding Chairman,
GORD, commented, Green concrete
is adaptable to various design and
engineering disciplines, and is especially
significant following the successful bid
of Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup 2022
and the construction boom that followed.
Qatars long-term economic growth
should be fuelled by a commitment to
sustainability and complemented by
world-class scientific capabilities in
research and innovation. Benefiting from
this collaboration of expertise of scientists
and engineers from Qatar and the United
Kingdom, high-performance green
products such as green-concrete are the
need of the hour - they are meeting the
unique needs of Qatars built environment
and aiding the realisation of Qatar
National Vision 2030. Qatar is
transforming into a global best-practice
example in this regard.
i

Further information about the Gulf

Organisation for Research & Development
can be found at: www.gord.qa

12

Pictured: Dr Yousef Al Horr.

Dr Imbabi said: Concrete is the most

used construction material in the world. We
produce about 11 billion metric tonnes every
year thats around 1.5 metric tonnes of
concrete for each man, woman and child on
the planet.
Portland cement-based concretes form
the basis of much of the worlds built
infrastructure. It is a tried-and-tested material
that is inexpensive, durable, has superior fire
resistance compared to other construction
materials and concrete structures generally
last for a very long time.
However, the production of a tonne of
Portland cement releases almost a tonne of
carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Around
60% of this emission is a by-product of the
chemical reaction that takes place when
limestone and silica are heated in a rotary
kiln to around 1,450oC (calcination), with the
balance of 40% given off as a result of the
burning of fossil fuel to provide this heat. The
estimates of carbon emissions attributed to
Portland cement production vary between
8-10% of global manmade carbon
dioxide emissions.
While continued efforts are being made to
reduce this CO2 footprint, it is clear that we
need new approaches to limit this impact on
our environment and climate.
University of Aberdeen Principal Professor
Sir Ian Diamond believes this research to be
extremely significant internationally. This
project has a highly-focussed, multinational,
Pictured: Dr Mohammed Imbabi.

multidisciplinary team of talented engineers,

scientists and researchers working together
across disciplines to a common goal, and the
potential to forge new paths in our quest to
secure sustainable infrastructure and energy
use across all climatic zones on the planet.
I am absolutely delighted that we are at the
forefront of this exciting development and
that the future of sustainable construction is
happening here in our labs at Aberdeen.
Leading cement chemist Fred Glasser points
out the challenge that this project poses for
chemistry. Decades of research on Portland
cement has resulted in a very good product,
points our Professor Glasser. But reducing
further the carbon dioxide emissions from
conventional cements would be difficult and
the potential gains small. Its necessary to
think in unconventional ways, particularly if
we are to maximise use of indigenous Qatari
resources in production processes
We also need to avoid expensive processing
steps, and this rules out use of high pressures
or temperatures.
Two novel cement formulations are being
developed, continues Professor Glasser. One
of these promises about a 50% reduction in
CO2 emissions and another complementary
process absorbs carbon dioxide to give a
combined cycle which, overall, is carbon
neutral. Carbon dioxide is sequestered into
solid form and the solid used to make building
products that are non-flammable, safe,
permanent and recyclable.
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

While experimental work and actual

product testing is important, process
simulation is also vital to minimise the
amount of empirical work that has to
be done and thereby shorten the time
necessary to develop and market products.
Chemical engineering as well as pure
chemistry is being used to reduce the time
needed to achieve these goals.
Qatar should be congratulated for the scale
of its vision and ambition in pioneering
sustainable building for the future,
stresses Dr Imbabi. I am delighted that
our university is a leading partner in this
exciting programme.
The technological advances have
the obvious potential to benefit other
countries in hot regions across the Gulf
and elsewhere. However, in a broader
way, they will demonstrate how creative
technological developments can be applied
with benefit to society, economies, and the
environment. What better legacy can we
leave the next generation now growing
up across the world than an affordable,
efficient, cost-effective,sustainable, low
in carbon but high in performance, built
environment in which to live, work and of
course enjoy football?

For more information contact:

Dr Jose-Luis Galvez-Martos
Jose-luis.galvez-martos@abdn.ac.uk

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

Top: Professor Fred Glasser in the Aberdeen labs. Centre left: Dr Jose-Luis Galvez-Martos (project manager, standing) and Dr Seyoon Yoon.
Centre right: Professor Fred Glasser (left) and Dr Esam Elsarrag (right) in Qatar.

13

ENERGEIA

The European Union could play a key role in developing

Russias huge renewable energy resource base as research
by Anatole Boute at the University of Aberdeen Centre for
Energy Law clearly shows.

ussia is certainly an energy

superpower, sitting as it does
on huge reserves of oil, gas, coal
and uranium. It has considerable
potential as a renewables giant
too provided the legal and
economic barriers to unlocking
this potential can be overcome.
The European Union could play a key role
in developing Russias huge renewable
energy resource base as research by
Anatole Boute at the University
of Aberdeen Centre for Energy Law
clearly shows.
Anatole Boute first began to explore the
potential export to the European Union
of electricity produced from renewable
sources in Russia while completing his
PhD at Groningen. Now at Aberdeen, Dr
Boute is today Legal Advisor to the World
Bank Group (IFC) Russia Renewable
Energy Program. With this program,
the World Bank Group, together with
the Global Environmental Facility, aims
to unlock Russias renewable energy
potential by addressing the main
regulatory barriers that currently
prevent the deployment of renewable
energy in Russia.

The development of renewable energy

is becoming an increasingly important
part of the energy strategy of the
Russian Federation, and in 2007, Russia
established the legal foundation for
the support of renewable energy in the
electricity sector. However, although the
potential of wind, hydro and biomass
sources is huge particularly in the
windy wilderness of the Russian Arctic
where there is also infrastructure through
Finland and Norway legal and economic
barriers have so far blocked progress.
The challenge, according to Dr Boute, lies
in the availability of relatively cheap fossil
fuels in Russia, versus the short term cost
of developing renewable sources - and
the high political sensitivity of energy
price increases in Russia. This has led
to a quasi-paralysis of policy initiatives
on renewables at the federal level, he
explains. With less than one percent
renewable energy in the fuel mix of the
electricity sector, Russia is far behind the
other BRIC economies and most other
developed and transitional economies.

Waking the
14

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

The aims of the research carried out by

Dr Boute in cooperation with the IFC have
been firstly to develop alternatives to
federal regulatory paralysis, for example
by exporting green electricity to the EU.
Additional aims are to create a regulatory
framework that facilitates renewable
energy investments in the absence of
additional financial support and also to
help Russian regions circumvent federal
barriers to regional renewable energy
support schemes.

The Aberdeen research has also

proposed regulatory amendments to
integrate renewable energy in the
Russian wholesale capacity market, and
has developed regulatory solutions to
overcome federal obstacles that currently
prevent regional renewable energy
policies across the Federation. These
regulatory schemes have been discussed
with the Russian Government, the State
Duma, the Russian Energy Agency, and
regional authorities.

An important strand of work we

have developed here at Aberdeen in
cooperation with IFC is what we term
the RUSTEC concept a name inspired
by DESERTEC, the EU initiative that
aims to export solar energy produced
in North Africa and the Mediterranean
region. RUSTEC aims to export electricity
produced from renewable energy sources
in Russia to the EU based on the joint
project mechanism of the EU Renewable
Energy Directive. We propose RUSTEC
as a green power bridge to help the EU
decarbonise energy supply at least cost.
More importantly, we have proposed a
legal scheme to green existing
electricity exports from Russia to the
EU without reinforcing Russia-EU
interconnection capacity.

Summing up the main impact of the

Aberdeen research on the design and
implementation of regulatory mechanisms
to promote clean energy in Russia, Dr
Boute adds: The impact on Russian
policy and law has been through the
Russia Renewable Energy Program of the
World Bank Group which aims to unlock
Russias vast renewable energy potential,
diversify its economy, stimulate economic
growth, allow for sustainable replacement
of ageing assets, promote greater
conservation, and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.
Based on our research the Russia
Renewable Energy Program has
developed the RUSTEC initiative, and
has convinced key Russian and EU
stakeholders of the merits of this concept.

By developing the huge wind potential of

Russias North West and exporting it to
the EU, RUSTEC will help EU countries
with a limited renewable energy potential
to reach their 2020 renewable energy
targets at least cost. At the same time, it
will stimulate innovation and employment
in the green economy in Russia and open
a new, potentially large export market
for the European renewable energy
industry. RUSTEC has been presented
to international bodies including the
International Energy Agency, European
regulators ), Russian authorities and
private investors that have started to
build the business case for wind energy
projects on the concept.
Its a win-win situation for Russia, for
Europe and for climate change. And a
fascinating project to be involved in and
to be able to contribute the expertise
we have here in Aberdeen in the rapidly
developing area of energy law.
i

For more information contact:

Dr Anatole Boute
a.boute@abdn.ac.uk

green giant
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

15

ENERGEIA

Saltwater

could be sweet for

biofuel hunters
T

he issue over whether

or not crops should
be used to produce
biofuels rather than
for food production
remains contentious but
University of Aberdeen
researchers are focussing
on creating fuels
from one of the most
sustainable sources on
earth our seas and
oceans.

The University is leading a multidiscipline international research

team studying the potential of
microscopic algae found in salt
and brackish water.
Currently most biofuels are
created from crops and landbased vegetation something
project coordinator Dr. Oliver
Ebenhoeh, from the University of
Aberdeens Institute of Complex
Systems and Mathematical
Biology, says is not sustainable.

16

Above: Dr Oliver Ebenhoeh & Microalgae cultivated in the laboratory.

He said: We need to find efficient

ways of supplying our energy
demand in a way that doesnt
compete for valuable resources
like arable land or fresh water.
We cant just put corn in your
cars gas tank because its being
used to feed millions already - it
wont be sustainable. This is one
of the key motivations to look into
marine microalgae.
Cultivating algae using water
that cant be used for irrigation,
like salt water or brackish water,
makes sense because its so vast
its all around us and theres no
competition to use the land to
grow other things.
The AccliPhot project is due to
run for four years and is backed
by 4million of EU funding and
involves 12 partners from across
the continent.
The team will try to understand
more fully how plants and
microalgae respond to changes
in light and other conditions
and use that information to make
new products.

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Where theres
muck theres gas

t was the talk of Ambridge and beyond when

David and Ruth hoped to build a digester on their
land to make biogas from farm waste.
Now Scottish scientists are investigating the potential of digesting
organic waste to generate biogas for use by communities in subSaharan Africa.

Whilst the main focus is

on biofuels the study could
also yield breakthroughs
in antibiotics, nutritional
supplements or even produce
chemical compounds used in
the cosmetics industry.
Dr Ebenhoeh added: Were
hoping to understand the
principles that guide these
changes to environments
and then see if this can
be scaled up to industry
scale. If that is successful
then the applications are
enormous because then you
can really look into targeted
pharmaceuticals or precursors
for the chemical industry.
Micro algae eat nothing but
carbon dioxide, light and some
minerals. Cells of microalgae
typically measure between
a few to several hundred
micrometers across and can
be grown in vast numbers in
giant 10,000 litre water tanks
called photo-bioreactors. So
if they can be successfully
cultivated to make biofuels

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

they could contribute hugely

to the planets energy
consumption.
Dr Ebenhoeh says his team will
be able to tackle the research in
a way no one else has because
of the diverse background of
the team members.
He commented: One of
our unique points is our
multidisciplinary approach.
We have theoreticians with a
background in mathematics
and physics, working
together with biologists and
biochemists and three of our
partners perform industrial
research. This unique
composition will help us
form a tight connection
between academic and
industrial research. We hope
to make a considerable
contribution to the
understanding in this field.
i

For more information

contact:
Dr Oliver Ebenhoeh
ebenhoeh@abdn.ac.uk

The University of Aberdeen and the James Hutton Institute are

collaborating on a project using the technology which featured in a
storyline in Radio 4s long running serial The Archers.
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) is funding
the work which involves looking at ways biogas digesters could
help livelihoods and the environment in Uganda.
Digesters work very like the digestive process of a cow they
generate biogas as they decompose organic material such as
human and animal waste and dead plants.
The captured biogas can then be used for cleaner and greener
cooking and lighting: cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa is often done
in an enclosed space without good ventilation, resulting in a smoky
atmosphere which is very harmful to human health.
Leftover slurry produced by the digester can also be used to fertilise
land and in aquaculture.
Nine digesters are being installed in a village in Tiribogo near
Kampala, Uganda, which is very close to a forest undergoing rapid
deforestation.
Dr Jo Smith, Reader in Soil Organic Matter and Nutrient Modelling
at the University of Aberdeen, is leading the work. The aim of
this project is to determine the potential of the cheapest design of
biogas digester, says Jo. We want to see what changes are needed
in farmers attitudes and in the design of farming systems in order
for these devices to be used.
We also want to assess the value of biogas digesters in terms
of energy, organic fertiliser, reduction in deforestation, improved
sanitation, improved household air quality and reduced labour.
Biogas digesters have really taken off in Asia but that is not the case
in many African countries. This project will provide evidence that
hopefully starts to reverse this trend, leading to greater use of this
cheap, sustainable and clean energy across Africa.
17

ENERGEIA

AC/DC
W

ind energy is already

playing an important role
in powering the UK and
other European nations
but most countries
are far from meeting
proposed targets for
renewable energy
contribution.
There is enough potential
offshore energy to meet and
exceed demand but the means
of transporting this electricity
to the mainland represents a
significant technical challenge.
The University of Aberdeen has
been focussed on tackling this
issue for a number of years and
the research is beginning to
bear fruit.
Onshore power grids operate
using Alternating Current (AC)
but given the massive distances
involved in transporting
electricity from offshore
windfarms to the rest of Europe, a
subsea power grid would require
Direct Current (DC).

18

The technology required to

carry electricity via DC across
such complex networks did
not exist and as such formed
the basis of a 718K research
project at the University led by
Dr Dragan Jovcic and funded
by the European Research
Council to develop modelling
tools to support the design and
management of such a grid.
The ongoing 36 month research
project which started in 2010
addresses the technological
challenges of designing the
undersea electricity grid, which
would consist of high-voltage
subsea cables with multiple
connections to North Sea
countries with multiple DC
substations to connect offshore
power parks.
The Power Systems group
has participated in a range
of research projects funded
by various government
organisations including the
European Research Council,
Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council,
Knowledge Transfer
Partnership, Royal Academy
and Scottish Enterprise.

More recently the industry has

directly supported research
projects including one with
Scottish and Southern Energy
(Scottish Grid operator) and RTE
(Rseau de Transport d'lectricit,
French grid operator). The group
has 10-12 research members
working on various aspects of
developing DC grids, main grid
components and modelling/
simulation tools.

The power systems group has

built multiple AC/DC and
DC/DC converter prototypes in
the 30-40kW power range. These
converters are interconnected in
the power laboratory in a unique
900V DC grid demonstrator
which emulates essential DC
grid operating principles and
the group hosted a rangeof
demonstrations to key
industry players.

Dr Jovcic said: Recently, the

Aberdeen team has proposed an
electronics-based DC hub, which
can become a building block for
connecting multiple DC lines.
This single component takes
multiple roles in DC grids: DC
voltage stepping (each DC line
can have different DC voltage);
DC fault isolation (it achieves
automatic power regulation for
DC faults on any DC line) and
Power flow control (individual
power regulation in each DC line
is possible).

The current work is focused

on developing a prototype for
multiport DC hubs and expanding
the DC grid to multiple DC
voltage levels 900V DC and
200V DC.

The group has three

technologies in various stages
of patenting process, which are
related to DC circuit breakers
and DC/DC conversion. The
commercialisation activities with
industry partners are ongoing.

The DC grid prototype is nearing

completion and is one of very few
hardware DC test rigs in the UK,
and probably the largest.

For more information contact:

Dr Dragan Jovcic
d.jovcic@abdn.ac.uk

www.abdn.ac.uk/energy

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

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19

COME HERE.

GO ANYWHERE.
THATS THE DIFFERENCE

OUR ENERGY COURSES

The University of Aberdeen offers a wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate
and CPD programmes designed to meet the industrial needs of the energy sector.

Courses on offer include:

Undergraduate

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Development
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Undergraduate Open Day

The University will host its Undergraduate
Open Day on Tuesday 27th August 2013.
For details visit
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