Changes in Electric Generation

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Changes in Electric Generation

• Scott Norr, PE
• ECE 1001
• October 14, 2007

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CHANGES IN ELECTRIC GENERATION

• Generation vs. Demand
• Demand growing 2 - 3 per year
• New Generation more difficult to build

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DEMAND
Source Energy Information Administrations
Annual Energy Outlook 2005
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World Energy Consumption
Source Energy Information Administrations
Annual Energy Outlook 2005
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Generation

• Large, Centralized Plants (Old Way)
• Small, Distributed Plants (New Way)
• Also, Site Renewable Generation where it makes
  Sense (and Profit)

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Large Plants

• Environmental Issues
• Fossil Fuels
• Location/Siting

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Large Plants (Cont.)

• New Ideas
• Clean Coal
• Wind,
• Solar,
• Geothermal,
• Biomass
• Oceanic Thermal Energy
• Gen IV Nuclear

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Clean Coal

• Coal Gasification (Combined Cycle) - Low
  Emmissions
• Could Happen on Iron Range (Excelsior Energy -
  Mesaba)

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WIND

• Wind Generators currently very popular
• More and more Cost Effective
• Not a Cure-All - never windy when you need it
  most

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Wind Farm

• Current Standard 2.0 MW WTG on 100 meter Towers
• Energy cost now in the 4 cents/KWH range

Source Town of Hendricks, MN
Source NEG-Micon
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NE Minnesota Wind Data
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Typical Service Drop to WTG
Source Aubrey McIntosh
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NEG Micon NM82
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Solar

• Photvoltaics
• Electricity Directly from Sunlight
• Low Conversion efficiency
• Fairly High Cost
• Solar Thermal - Solar One
• Could yet show some promise
• ONLY WHEN THE SUN SHINES

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Geothermal

• Hot Water from the Earth
• Use the Hot Water or Flash to Steam
• Currently 2700 MW capacity in US
• Capacity growing at 9 worldwide
• Excellent for Home Use - Heat Pumps

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Binary-Cycle Plant (Geothermal)
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OTEC

• Extract solar heat from Ocean Water
• Flash it to Steam for Turbine/Generator
• Can be combined with DeSalination
• Costly

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Nuclear .ITS BACK

• Next Generation Nuclear Reactors (Gen IV)
• Modular (example 25 MW Modules), add more
  modules to make a bigger plant
• Fuel Flexible Thorium, Uranium
• Promising Design Pebble-Bed Modular Reactor
• Temperature moderated with Helium or Nitrogen
• Fuel encased in pebbles safe, easy to handle

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Pebble-Bed Reactor
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• Typical Energy Costs for Various Generation
  Sources
• Type Installed Cost Energy Cost
• Fuel Cells 15,000-20,000/kW 15-20 cents/kwh
• Solar - PV Cells 6,000-8,000/kW 12-15
  cents/kwh
• Geothermal 5,000-10,000/kW 8-10 cents/kwh
• Biomass 2,000-2,500/kW 3-5
  cents/kwh
• Wind 1,000-2,000/kW 3-5
  cents/kwh
• Natrl Gas (Turbine) 1,500-1,800/kW 2-4
  cents/kwh
• Coal 1,500-2,000/kW 1.5-2 cents/kwh
• Hydro 2,000-3,000/kW 0.2-0.5 cents/kwh

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Cost Structure 10yrs, 20yrs
Source Energy Information Administrations
Annual Energy Outlook 2005
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Distributed Generation

• Make Electricity where and when needed
• Neighborhood
• Commercial Center
• Industrial Park
• Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Biomass
• Fuel Cells

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Fuel Cells

• Most common type PEM Polymer-Electrolyte
  Membrane
• Strips Electrons from Hydrogen to make
  Electricity
• Safety/Cost
• Where to get H2??
• H2 Energy Density

Source American Institute of Physics
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Making Hydrogen

• 3 ways
• Extraction from Hydrocarbons non-renewables
• Exposing Water to Reactive Metals such as Sodium
  environmental impact and cost
• Electrolysis of Water 1.4 Joules of Electricity
  to produce 1 Joule of potential energy in H2

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DEMAND SIDE

• Conservation Through
• Market Pricing
• Efficient Products

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Market Pricing

• Energy Prices becoming De-Regulated
• New Equipment to Automate Pricing
• Smart Meters
• Smart Appliances

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Smart Meters

• Talks to Electric Company
• Records Hourly Prices
• Tells Appliances what current Price is
• Shops Around for a Better Rate?

Source Electric Power Research Institute
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Efficient Products

• Smart Appliances run only when energy is
  cheapest, talk to each other
• Superconductors
• Cars

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Superconducting Motors

• Extremely Efficient - Zero Electric Losses
• Very High Torque - 140X increase in Power Density
• Costly?
• Not very Rugged - Bismuth-Cu Ceramic Tape
• US Navy Loves Them

Source American Superconductor
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Other Superconductors

• Transformers
• Transmission Lines
• Potential Savings
• Between 5 and 10 of all Electricity Generated is
  lost in Transformers and T-Lines

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Cars

• EVs - Electric Vehicles
• Biggest Problem is Energy Density
• Battery Powered - Poor Range/Heavy
• Fuel Cell Pwrd - Hydrogen is volatile, has poor
  energy density and no delivery system, LNG has
  emissions
• Hybrids - LEVs
• Gaining Market Share
• Good Next Step
• 33/29 MPG SUV Ford
• Escape

Source Tesla Motors
Source Ford Motor Company
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Battery Technology

• New Designs, such as Zebra from Rolls-Royce
• Lightweight (40 of Lead-Acid)
• Sodium/Nickel Chloride
• High Energy/Power Density
• Robust (Recharge many times)
• COMPLETELY RECYCLABLE

Source Rolls-Royce
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Ultra Capacitors(Super Capacitors)

• Use Carbon Aero-Gels or Carbon Nanotubes to
  vastly increase surface area
• Energy Densities will approach Storage Batteries
  (Now 5 Whr/kg, need 40 Whr/kg)
• Higher Power Density than Storage Batteries
• Low Environmental Impact
• Thousands of applications Cars, Jets, Portable
  electronics

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Capacitor Construction
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CONCLUSIONS

• More of the Same Old Stuff
• More New Stuff
• Greater Emphasis on Environmental Factors
• Conservation is Key

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WEB References

• National Renewable Energy Labs
• http//www.nrel.gov/
• Electric Power Research Institute
• http//www.epri.com/
• US Dept. of Energy
• http//www.energy.gov/
• Energy Information Association
• http//www.eia.doe.gov/
• Electric Vehicles
• http//www.evworld.com/