Renewable Energy in Europe and Challenges

This lecture covers the final energy consumption in the EU, focusing on electricity, natural gas, and petroleum derivatives. It also delves into renewable energy potentials, energy challenges, and the density of energy recovered per square meter. The instructor discusses the number of years of energy consumption that can be satisfied by solar irradiation, the potential of renewable energies, and the energy density recovered per square meter. Monthly capacity factors for select renewable fuels and technologies are analyzed, highlighting the intermittence at different scales. The lecture concludes with insights into the challenges of renewable energies, including thermal, wind, hydro, solar photovoltaic, and solar thermal energy.