As the worldwide temperatures continue to rise, the switch to renewable energetic becomes a condition. Although they are disputed in certain areas of the world, they remain one of the most important ways to combat climate change by helping to achieve net noise goals.
By the end of 2023, renewable energy sources are justified 43% of the global installed power capacity And in 2024 the global capacity for renewable energy grew by a further 15.1%, largely driven by solar energy, according to A new report from the World Economic Forum. However, installations of renewable energy are confronted with obstacles that are linked to the climate change that they are trying to mitigate.
Hydroelectric power is influenced by flooding and drought
Hydroelectric power is still the largest source of renewable energy worldwide and plays an important role in stabilizing the grid through pump report that behaves like a gigantic, flexible battery that works together with intermittent power sources such as solar and wind.
The availability of water is the greatest care for hydro -electric power. It is subject to rain patterns and drought and is also influenced by glacial melts. Pierre Maruzewski“ Chairman of the IEC technical committee Who prepares the standards for hydraulic turbines expects that the challenge of climate change for hydropower will be a juggling between periods of low water availability and floods. He adds that 2026 will see in-depth conversations about updates to IEC standards that are linked to climate change.
“When the river levels fall, turbines get into trouble. Hydraulic instability can cause strong vibrations that influence and wear other turbine components,” he explains. “Melts or storms with snow, the turbines cannot handle the volumes and we have to evacuate water without operating it.”
He foresees that utilities may have to combine Francis, Kaplan and Pelton turbines, each of which work at different water levels. (Read more about these turbines here“.)” New, more flexible turbines are also introduced to give the possibility of generating electricity in low water levels that usually cause instability, but all these solutions require financial investments, or utilities are now the government possession or private. And if there is no water at all, nothing can work, “he warns.
IEC -standards for these different types of turbines already exist: IEC 62364 For example, states the guidelines for dealing with Hydro-Branse erosion in, for example, Kaplan, Francis and Pelton Turbines. A third edition of De Standaard is under development and must be published at the end of 2026.
As varying water levels increase the tiredness of the turbine, a new standard IEC 63230 Is on the maps, which is planning to assess the fatigue of hydraulic turbine runners, from design to quality assurance. This publication must be planned in mid -2026.
Wind turbines built for resilience
Wind turbines are increasingly exposed to extreme weather deliveries, such as tornados and typhoons, in different parts of the world. Ensure that they can resist strong wind IEC TC 88 and the IEC Conformity Assessment System Ecre (The IEC system for certification for standards with regard to equipment for use in applications for renewable energy) are here to help with.
Alistair Mackinnon, TC 88 expert and chairman of Iecre, acknowledges that climate change is a factor that must be taken into account, even if he believes that it will not influence his field. He emphasizes the role of conformity assessment in tackling resilience against climate change, something that is built into any aspect of the IEC 61400 Series of standards published by TC 88, which includes various aspects of wind turbine design, performance and control, including factors such as strong wind, extreme temperatures and knifeerosia. The generic standard IEC 61400-1 Now includes new appendices to deal with wind turbines in typhome areas specifically.
“Typhoon resistance is not about normal making turbines, but designing them to adapt more,” explains Mackinnon. “We need turbines that can work safely in strong winds or can be effectively closed to prevent damage, with the specific approach, depending on the precise environmental conditions.”
Extreme temperatures can also influence the wind turbine -speed bins, either in the middle -east or in the winter in the middle or very northern regions. “The challenges and opportunities are now in new, more sustainable materials and production processes, and when reusing and recycling materials,” he concludes.
Extreme temperatures influence Solar -PV -Panels
A recent fact sheet from the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems program (PVPS) Emphasizes the need to improve the reliability and performance of PV systems in harder climates and the need to further adjust their design.
According to the report, a drive to larger, cheaper modules with thinner glass, for example, is unsuitable for challenging climates. Billing, high temperatures and thermal bicycles, as well as salty fog, intense UV consumption and strong wind, can influence PV systems. Increased levels of moisture can corrode and break the components and encourage dust adhesion and biological growth, which reduces energy production. Lower temperatures can cause physical and thermal mechanical breakdown, leading to system errors. Snow can cause overloading the modules.
Important standards for PV systems include IEC 61215 for module design qualification and IEC 61730 For safety. Other important standards treat aspects such as Salt misses corrosion (IEC 61701). The IEC 62938 By default, a method for determining the tax-bearing possibility of framed PV modules when it is subjected to non-uniform snow loads.
Nuclear energy needs a lot of water
Nuclear facilities Do not transmit carbon dioxide or GREE HOUSE GASSESFor example, different countries are seen as a way to contribute to the global effort to Net-Zero. (For more information about plans for nuclear energy in different countries: Betting on nuclear energy to reduce carbon emissions | IEC E-Tech). Just as with hydropower, nuclear energy is also used to compensate for the fluctuations of wind and solar energy on the schedule. When it comes to climate change, one of the obvious disadvantages is that nuclear plants depend on large quantities of water to cool their systems. They are therefore probably increasingly influenced by water scarcity, which is expected to be one of the most important effects of climate change.
Conflicts about water use are already starting to arise as the precious source dries up. Even in areas where water remains in abundance for the time being, the requirements for nuclear energy can become a problem. Lake Geneva, which is surrounded by two countries, France and Switzerland, is central to international negotiations between the two countries about its use for nuclear energy. As part of his nuclear expansion, France is recently asked for control in management Van Lake Geneva Waters, because they influence the Rhône River, who leaves from the lake in the Swiss city and strives for his journey on the French country to Marseille in southern France. France wants to provide enough water volumes to cool four core stations that are stationed along the Rhône, one of which is expected to expand. With experts who predict a 20% decrease in the debit From the Rhône against 2055, and a fall of 75% against 2100 because of icy melts, water -related disputes such as these will probably increase.
IEC TC 45 has developed many standards with regard to the safety and performance of nuclear power plants, including water cooling. It recently also has the IEC 60911That, for example, defines the measurements for monitoring adequate cooling within the core of light water reactors under pressure.
It also works together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who sets worldwide safety standards for nuclear energy and its experts participate in the technical working group of the IAEA on instrumentation and control of nuclear power plants.
IEC -standards are already dealing with a number of problems with regard to climate change and how this influences renewable and clean energy systems. More and new standards, however, will have to be developed as new, more and more specific effects of our changing climate will take their toll.
Author: Monica Heck
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a global, non-profit membership organization that brings together 174 countries and coordinates the work of 30,000 experts worldwide. IEC international standards and conformity assessment are based on international trade in electrical and electronic goods. They facilitate access to electricity and verify the safety, performance and interoperability of electrical and electronic devices and systems, including consumer devices such as mobile phones or refrigerators, office and medical equipment, information technology, electricity generation and much more.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author, and do not necessarily reflect it by PV -Magazine.
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