Future production technology

In one of our development programmes, we are studying future resources that have not yet been commercialised. Focus is on energy resources that have the potentials to be important in the long term, such as Ocean Energy, that consists of wave- and tidal power as well as marine currents. We are also closely following the development of other energy sources, such as solar energy.

Ocean Energy

Vattenfall is evaluating several ocean energy technologies, such as wave- and , salinity power as well as tidal and marine current technologies. Substantial research is in progress and considerable demonstration activities are initiated around the world. Most of the attention is focused on wave energy, which is estimated to be the next renewable technology to be commercialised (after wind power). Vattenfall is gaining knowledge by supporting research in this area.

It has been estimated that the total wave energy resources of all European coastlines are around 2000 TWh per annum. The economic potential depends on the costs of the specific techniques, the transmission costs and the efficiencies. The most interesting places for Vattenfall, right now, are on the Swedish and Norwegian west coasts, outside of Denmark, the UK, Ireland and Portugal.

Full-scale test

Vattenfall is caring on a full-scale test at Islandsberg, outside of Gullholmen on the Swedish west coast. The project started out 2004 and will be finnished 2014. Ten buoys will be connected to ten linear generators on the bottom of the sea. The influence on the environment will be investigated.

Solar energy

The sun is the origin of most of the energy sources we employ. However, when talking about "solar energy", we usually mean the utilization of direct solar radiation in solar cells and solar collectors.

• Electricity is generated in solar cells
• Heat is generated in solar collectors

Since the early 1990s, we have been participating in various international research programmes concerned with solar electricity. We have been developing the solar heat technique since the end of the 1970s. The objective of our continued work on solar energy has been to increase our knowledge of the technical and economic conditions, particularly for solar electricity.

Solar cells for electricity

Today's solar cells have a maximum efficiency of 15 percent. This means that 15 percent of the solar energy impinging on the solar cell is converted into electricity. Our energy demand is at its highest when the solar intensity is at its lowest. In the longer term, local small-scale power generation may become an attractive alternative to centrally generated electricity for certain applications and in parts of the world in which solar radiation is stronger that in northern Europe. But heavy subsidies will be needed for many years before the technique is sufficiently cost effective.

Solar collectors for heat

Today's solar cells have a maximum efficiency of 15 percent. This means that 15 percent of the solar energy impinging on the solar cell is converted into electricity. Our energy demand is at its highest when the solar intensity is at its lowest. In the longer term, local small-scale power generation may become an attractive alternative to centrally generated electricity for certain applications and in parts of the world in which solar radiation is stronger that in northern Europe. But heavy subsidies will be needed for many years before the technique is sufficiently cost effective.