• Energy Research
• Danish close
• Roskilde University close

The purpose of this project is to seek solutions to the fact, that there is a great potential for energy savings in households, which is not realised in spite of the economic advantages related to these savings. Many technological solutions for bringing down energy use in households are well known and well tested, but barriers by the end users, such as lack of interest and lack of knowledge are standing in the way of implementing them. By creating a new commodity, energy services, it may be possible to overcome some of the traditional barriers. An Energy Service may for example be the provision of 20C in the end user home, lighting and use of selected appliances. By offering this commodity, the number of decisions made by the individual household in order to meet their fundamental needs in a cost effective way is reduced. The research question; How can an efficient market for energy services aimed at households be build? takes its point of departure in the fact, that in Denmark, no companies offer such a service and no costumers are demanding it. Thus, there is no market for Energy Services and the commodity itself is undeveloped. The research field is both the demand side and supply side of such a market. On the demand side, the greatest potentials for savings in buildings are located. Ownership forms such as social housing, co-op apartments and self-owned apartments are researched with the aim of discovering, which ownership forms are suitable for a start-up market, and how energy services can be integrated in the decision-making process. On the supply side, it is researched how the energy service can be developed, how companies wishing to offer energy services (Energy Service Companies, ESCOs) can organise themselves, and how contact to potential costumers can be established. The conclusion of the project contains two elements. Firstly, three concepts for energy services have been developed. The first concept is an energy service based on well know technologies, where the main task for the ESCO is to provide methods of finance for energy savings, that the household would not else wise find attractive. The second concept involves the implementation of sophisticated technological solutions where the technology will help to further optimize the energy consumption and make it possible to consume electricity when the price is low. The last concept will focus on a better adaptation of household into the energy system by making it into an active player. The second part of the conclusion contains a range of recommendations on measures that should to be taken in order to create an efficient market for these concepts. The recommendations are aimed at policy makers, and stakeholders on both the supply side and demand side of the market. In a wider perspective, the conclusions from this project may also be used to develop markets for energy services aimed at other sectors than households.

Since the world’s fossil fuel resources are limited there is need for alternative fuel sources, as for example renewable energy. This could be bioethanol. Bioethanol is produced from crops containing sugar, starch or lignocelluloses. This energy source will be more consistent, because it is produced from organic material. The most accessible crops in Denmark are wheat, where the sugar is easily fermented, and straws which contain lignocelluloses. The advantage in using bioethanol is that it produces less contamination than fossil fuels. It is CO2-neutral and can contribute to a cleaner environment especially in the transportation sector. The problem we have chosen to address is: Which form of bioethanol production is the best to reduce the energy consumption and CO2-contamination in the Danish transportation sector? And what are the possibilities of a conversion of this? We have chosen to describe the research methodology in producing bioethanol and discuss the environmental consequences of bioethanol production. Furthermore we have interviewed people with expertise in different production methods of bioethanol, and analyzed reports on future alternative fuels in Europe with focus on “cradle-to-grave” analysis. In the first generation technology growing of crops has only one purpose; the production of bioethanol. Whereas in the second generation technology it is a residual product, which is used in the production and the residual product from this production can be used in combined heat-and-power and as animal feed. As a result second generation technology is best suited for the reduction of CO2-contamination and to reduce the consumption of energy. We have concluded that the first generation technology is the most promising way to start a market for bioethanol in Denmark and afterwards the most environmental beneficial way is by changing the production into second generation technology. In Denmark it would be possible to convert gas stations and refineries to cope with admixing of ethanol to gasoline. However this will require a onetime cost for conversion, improvement and cleaning of reservoirs and tank lorries. Flexi Fuel Vehicles are already existing. Da verdens fossile energi er ved at slippe op, er der behov for alternative brændstoffer, såsom vedvarende energikilder. Dette kunne være bioethanol. Bioethanol produceres ud fra sukker- og stivelseholdige råvarer samt råvarer, der indeholder lignocellulose. Derfor vil denne energikilde ikke blive udtømt, på samme måde som fossile brændsler. I Danmark vil oplagte råvarer være kornsorter som fx hvede, hvor sukkeret er let tilgængeligt, eller halm som er et restprodukt fra landbruget, som indeholder lignocellulose. Bioethanol har også den fordel at det ikke forurener lige så meget som fossile brændstoffer, da det er CO2-neutralt, og derved kan bidrage til et renere miljø, specielt i transportsektoren. Vi har valgt at arbejde ud fra følgende problemformulering: Hvilken form for produktion af bioethanol er den bedste til at nedsætte energiforbrug og CO2-udslip i den danske transportsektor? Og hvad er mulighederne for en omstilling af denne? Vores metode har været at beskrive de grundlæggende processer i fremstilling af bioethanol, og vurdere miljømæssige konsekvenser af bioethanolproduktionen. Vi har foretaget interviews med ekspertpersoner indenfor de forskellige områder af bioethanolfremstilling, og analyseret litteratur om fremtidens miljøforbedrende brændsler til transportsektoren i Europa, fokuseret på ”vugge-til-grav” analyser. Indenfor 1. generationsteknologien er dyrkning af en afgrøde kun til ét formål, nemlig til produktion af bioethanol. Hvorimod indenfor 2. generationsteknologien er der tale om et restprodukt, der bruges både til ethanolproduktion, ligesom restproduktet herfra igen kan benyttes til enten kraftvarme eller dyrefoder. Derfor er 2. generationsteknologien bedst egnet til at reducere CO2-udslippet og energiforbruget. Vi har diskuteret os frem til, at der er behov for 1. generationsteknologi for at få startet et marked for bioethanol i Danmark, og derefter miljømæssigt mere forsvarligt at gå over til 2. generationsteknologi. Vi mener, at det i Danmark vil være muligt at omstille tankstationer og raffinaderisektoren til at kunne håndtere iblanding af ethanol i benzin. Dette vil dog kræve en engangsudgift til omstilling, udbygning og rensning af tanke og tankbiler. Der findes køretøjer, der allerede kan køre på bioethanol, de såkaldte Flexi Fuel-biler.