To begin, these two videos neatly summaries how geothermal energy can be harnessed in the home for private use.
Figure 1: Explanation of geothermal energy with case study focus
Figure 2: Explanation of geothermal energy on a global scale.
Geothermal energy can be utilised to an effective extent as summarised in the figures 1 and 2. The possibilities that the earth energy possesses is now being used on a global scale as well as in the home and locally also.
Neal Hot Springs plant begins operation in and is generating 28 megawatts of electricity - enough to power over 25000 homes (The Associated Press, 2013). The plant system pumps water at around 300 degrees from a reservoir 2500 feet underground. This water vapor turns a turbine to run a generator - the water is returned to the ground at a temperature of around 140 degrees to be reheated again (The Associated Press, 2013). This process is completely renewable as the water vapor is recyclable back in to the system. It is estimated that the project cost $143.6 million (U.S. Geothermal Inc., 2013).
Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Plant. Source: reNews, 2012
Several hundred people worked on the construction of the geothermal plant and 20 ongoing jobs (The Associated Press, 2013a) are expected to continue to be offered in connection with the running of the plant. This shows how renewable energy power plant construction can have extra benefits on the wider community with the creation of jobs and more investment through salaries in to the local community. Many projects are associated also with training local people in running renewable energy programs.
This website provides a great source of information on the development of the project.
There are two types of solar panels: photo-voltaic (PV) and thermal. Figure 1 gives the best explanation I have found online of the main facts about solar power and its potential to be utilised in the home.
Figure 1: Introduction of Solar Power. Source: Solar century
PV panels use the suns energy to produce electricity, where as thermal panels use the heat energy from the sun to heat water. Both are feasible options, although it is thermal panels that are currently most popular in residential investment in England. Figure 2 shows a case study of a home owner who has installed renewable energy technologies and how he has benefited from this. The focus is on both solar PV and thermal panels along with a wind turbine that has been installed also.
Figure 2: Renewable Energy Technologies case study. Source: Energy Savings Trust, 2010.
There are Government initiatives to increase the interest in solar power potential at an individual level. The Green Deal is a Government initiative that is aimed at improving energy saving potential of homes and businesses. Figure 2 discusses the possibility of grants being available for help towards installation costs. As the Uswitch website shows, solar panels could be installed for free to lower the cost of energy bills if a scheme exists in the homeowners area. If qualification is not met then solar loans are available also, although this can be quite expensive in the long run. Figure 3 gives an explanation of the Feed-in Tarrif - another Government ran scheme that allows for homes to make a profit from their renewable technologies.
What is the Feed-in Tariff?
The Feed-in Tariff scheme is a government scheme that pays people for every unit of renewable energy they generate as an incentive to promote green energy. You install solar panels and start generating your own renewable electricity.
You use the free electricity you generate in your home, get paid for every unit you generate. If you need more, then you simply buy it from your energy supplier as usual.
You sell any extra electricity you're producing to the National Grid. You get paid per unit of electricity that you generate.
Tariffs are index-linked, which means they will track market prices and, depending on the type of technology you use to generate electricity, they're guaranteed for up to 20 years.
Information about solar panel installation is readily available on the web, with Tesco, Uswitch, Evo energy and the Energy Savings Trust all providing resources to help with progress towards greener energy production.
Tesco Home Efficiency makes solar panels more readily available and affordable to the public; however the prices are still quite expensive and it is not a cheap option in the short term despite the savings to be made in the future.
Evo energy provide much information to make solar panel possibilities seem much more accessible and feasible. The company works with the installation of Solar PV panels along with Solar Thermal panels.
The possibilities with solar power is a great investment as it is a technology that can pay for itself in the year after installation, however it is only available to those that are able to afford the initial cost. Uswitch state that the solar panels installed will pay for themselves within 9 years and will still be profitable for a guaranteed rate for a further 11 years. However, the rate at which electricity is produced or water heated is limited to the reliability that can be placed on the sun shining; less likely in winter months. Figure 4 shows that much can be earned from the PV installation as the money received is tax free.
Figure 4: Table to show how much can be earnt from the installation of solar panels. Source: Uswitch, 2013.
Benefits
The benefits from solar PV panels are plentiful.
The electricity produced is 'free' as it is powered by a public resource - the sun.
Uswitch (2013) claim that bills can be cut by up to 50%.
If solar panels are bought outright and the household qualifies for the 'Feed-in Tariff money can be earned on any excess electricity produced (Uswitch, 2013).
Produce electricity and heat water even when overcast - reliance is not upon the sun presence but more the intensity of the sunlight.
Hot water solar panels can be placed more freely.
Feed-in Tariff.
Lasts up to 25 years.
Excess electricity produced by PV panels can be exported to the grid.
Solar thermals save vast amounts of fueling costs on heating hot water, especially in summer months.
An understanding is gained of exactly how much energy is needed for living and where it can be saved
Disadvantages
Initial installation cost.
Ideally need to be South facing to be most efficient.
Are more efficient when the sun is bright (mainly the summer months)
The inverter will need replacing at some point within the 25 year life span - costing around £1000.
Maintenance.
Solar thermals need to be checked regularly for leaks.
Both PV and thermals need to be kept relatively clean to be most productive.
Uswitch (2013) Solar Panels, [online] available at: http://www.uswitch.com/solar-panels/ [accessed on 12th March 2013]Describe the two different types of panels & their success / costing / opinions.
Following on from my recent post on the Three Gorges Dam, I'd like to look at the productive possibilities that these hydroelectric wonders are capable of. Dams have long been used as a protective barrier against river flow and due to them being predictable and reliable the use of dams has developed in to an efficient way to produce and retain electricity.
The Hoover Dam is a great example of the prowess and incredible constructive capabilities of America around the time of the Great Depression. The aim of Davis the constructor was to build a high dam and deep canyon upstream to tame the out of control river. The dam spans Construction of the Dam was begun in March 1931 and shared between 6 major construction firms. It took two years to divert the river flow and bore out enough rock before work on the structure could start.
"no more floods, no more droughts"
This was Davis' aim. This has certainly been achieved and the Dam is classed as a modern civil engineering wonder and is recognised as one of the seven wonders of American construction.
Benefits of dams
Can be used to control the river flow; increasing irrigation of land whilst also preventing droughts and floods.
Electricity can be generated reliably, predictably and efficiently.
If constructed well a dam is safe and long lasting.
Drawbacks of dam construction
The construction of a dam is dangerous, although not so much nowadays as a century ago (96 people died building the hoover dam).
The cost is great.
The river flow is altered and the creation of a reservoir can lead to the displacement of thousands of people (as seen with the Three Gorges Dam where over a million people were displaced).
Loss of land also needs to be taken in to consideration with the reservoir construction.
Whilst researching I came across this recent Guardian article about the dangers of large dams in China on both national and global stability. The article focuses on China's five year plan from 2011 to 2015 that includes building 60 dams and 12 along their last free-flowing river. This is predict to harm ecosystems, displace people and cause catastrophic seismic events; due to the increased pressure of the water on an already earthquake prone area. The link to the article is below:
This is an interesting article I came across today; highlighting future problems with the increasing development of renewable energy in America. The adaptations for the growth in this sector is not yet in a position to be able to cope with increased production and subsequent distribution.
The article focuses on how Germany produces renewable electricity with much success:
"It’s not magic — it’s actually pretty logical and straightforward. And the benefit Germany gets is tremendous: a high proportion of 100 percent clean electricity with solid reliability."
Much can be learnt from how Germany has developed within this sector. Both these articles provide insight in to the issues that can arise from increased use of renewable energy technologies.
Three Gorges Dam. Source: China Absolute Tours, 2012
Hydroelectric power has huge potential to play in increasing the development of renewable energy. The power of water is strong and many other benefits, like flood control, can be reaped from a dams construction.
One such project that has aimed at capturing this energy whilst also implementing many other benefits is the Three Gorges Dam that was built across the Yangtze River in the Hubei province of China. It took 15 years in construction and although officially completed in 2006 it was not fully operational until July 2012, when the last 32 hydropower generators went in to action. The dam is the worlds largest power station and is hailed as one of the great construction feats of the 21st century; symbolizing China's engineering prowess.
Location map of the Three Gorges Dam. Source: ecobuddhism.com
It is more than 2km in length and has a height of 185 metres (Chaudhuri, 2003). With the functioning of the last turbines the combine generating capacity has been increased to 22.5 gigawatts, amounting to 11% of China's total hydropower capacity (BBC News, 2012).
Water being realised through the Dam after heavy flooding. Source: Clark 2012.
Benefits
- Hydroelectric Power. The rate of energy production, equivalent to burning 11,000 barrels of oil per hour, is enough to supply Beijing with power for one year. By 2020 15% of total energy production is to be from renwable resources (BBC, 2012). This is a large step towards the aim.
- Flood Control. In 1998, a flood of such catastrophic level in the Three Gorges area caused 4,000 casualties, left 14 million people homeless, and created $24 billion in economic loss. The dam can be used to prevent such tragic events. The dam can also be harnessed to alleviate drought risk upstream.
- Navigation. Yangtze River trade, which counts for 80% of China's inland shipping, possibilities have been boosted. This new transportation system is said to cut transport costs by one third and increase shipping on the Yangtze from 3 million tons to 50 million tons per year (Bosshard, 2009)
Two barges inside the 9 story high ship lock. Source: Chinadaily.com
- Huge investment and creation of thousands of jobs.
- Engineering feat, recognised Worldwide.
Negative Implications
- 1.24 million people were displaced. Compensation was offered from the Government but it has been argued that this has not been enough. The Government have not been able to keep up to their promise of rehousing all affected people and it has become clear that with such a large population space would be limited. The compensation is said to be with many local officials.
Reservoir flooding. Source Yang, 2006
- Slope instability in the basin. (Bosshard, 2009)
- River pollution. (Bosshard, 2009). During construction the River became stagnent and this caused the pollution and dirt in the water to become trapped. Millions of tons of raw sewage has been trapped from the city of Chongqing.
- Reservoir has immersed villages, ancient temples, burial grounds and canyons that were a major tourist attraction. Although the Dam itself will have generated more tourism than these it is argued. 13 cities, 140 towns and 1350 villages were submerged in total (BBC, 2012).
- Many species have been endangered. The Yangtze River dolphin for example.
- Sediment retainment. The dam will 70% of the sediment discharge from the upper reaches of the river in the first two decades after 2009; over its first 100 years, the reservoir behind the dam is expected to retain more than 44% of the river’s sediment from the upper reaches (Yang et al. 2006).
- Huge cost. It is not known exactly how much the dam cost overall. Some estimate $27.2 billion and the Government insist the project was built within budget. Others claim that many costs do not appear in the official calculations, and that the project may cost up to $88 billion (Bosshard, 2009).
The dam is an incredible example of technical engineering and modern technology.
Documentary on the Dam
References: BBC News (2012) Bosshard, P. (2009) "Lessons from China’s Three Gorges Dam," The Asia-Pacific Journal, 48-2-09
Chaudhuri, A. (2003) Three Gorges Dam, MURJ, 8, 31-36. China Absolute Tours (2012) Three Gorges Dam [online] Available at: http://www.absolutechinatours.com/Yangtze-River-attractions/Three-Gorges-Dam.html [accessed on 28th February 2013]
Yang, Z., Wang, H., Saito, Y., Milliman, J., Xu, K., Qiao, S. and Shi, G. (2006) Dam impacts on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River sediment discharge to the sea: The past 55 years and after the Three Gorges Dam, Water Resources Research, 42.
Wind turbine safety has recently been in the news when two turbines collapsed. As the BBC (News England, 2013) report the first 35m turbine collapse occurred on 27th January on East Ash Farm in Bradworthy and was closely followed by an unconnected collapse of a 17m turbine on Winsdon Farm in North Petherwin on 30th January.
The East Ash Farm turbine had been installed by Dulas where as the Winsdon Farm turbine was a Gaia-wind construction. Both firms are now in the process of investigation in to the reasons for the incidents.
Dulas stated that they had never experienced an incident like this (Collins, 2013). At first there were claims that the turbine had caught fire, although Dulas have said this is not the case (Collins, 2013). The turbine was built to last 25 years with a 5 year warranty but it is expected that the 50mph winds were simply too much for the £250,000 structure (Gray, 2013) despite it being built to withstand winds up to 116mph (Collins, 2013).
Gaia-wind, however have potentially established the issue that caused the collapse of their 17m turbine and have written to 15 owners of the same model of turbine to ensure that further checks are carried out on those also. The issue effects their first generation towers built before 2010 (BBC News Cornwall, 2013) which have since been replaced.
East Ash Farm collapsed turbine (Gray, 2013. Source: SWNS)
Collins (2013) reported on 1st February how the investigation in to both collapse is not ruling out suspicions of sabotage as it is claimed that bolts were missing from the base of the turbine on East Ash Farm. Councillors have suggested that foul play may have been involved (Collins, 2013).
Both incidents are still under investigation and it is not yet known what the outcome may be.
For more information on the Bradworthy collapse click here.
For more information on the Winsdon Farm collapse click here.
BBC News England (2013) Wind turbines 'safe' despite collapses, says industry, BBC News England, [online]3 February, Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21304669 [accessed on: 20 February 2013]
In the news recently there has been a focus on the evidence provided by Porté-Agel on how wind farms can create individually localised changes in weather patterns. Both the Guardian and Oilprice.com share the same views on the research article, published in December 2012; that the new research may impact on planning consent and developers designs.
With the extra draughts experienced from the accumulation of many turbines in one area, the way heat and moisture is lost from the land can be altered. This is caused by the updraft and downdraft of turbines that often superimpose when they are positioned in neat rows (Ravilious, 2013). As Ravilious (2013) summarises, the main effects are not always negative but include crops wilting as the land drys out and the distribution of species living beneath the turbines being altered. The positive effects can be seen in Iowa where wind turbines cool the airm in the summer which helps crops growing under the turbines thrive (Ravilious, 2013).
With this new development companies in the wind energy industry will have to take this new research into consideration when planning for wind farms. As Peixe (2013) states this new research could increase opposition to wind farms. I agree with Peixe's opinion as with this research in addition to the other concerns involving the placement of wind turbines, such as endangering birds and causing an eyesore, views against farm construction by residents of local areas and also councils could most certainly increase. Although it will not yet be the strongest cause for opposition as it is currently not so well known.
Diagram to show Porté-Agel's work
Fernando Porté-Agel has been researching the effects of turbulent flows surrounding the construction of wind farms for some time. His 2011 article had a more broad focus on general turbulent flows, whereas the 2012 article was specifically aimed at these flows and the effect that is had on the atmosphere and weather conditions.
I recently visited the Glyndebourne wind turbine. Famous for its Opera House and arts contributions the arts organisation is the first to have installed a turbine in an attempt to become independent.
The Turbine
They want to focus on being more environmentally friendly and one project that had strong backing was the construction of a wind turbine. Initial predictions from Northern Energy suggested that on average 100% of Glyndebourne's energy would be produced by a 70m turbine, however after further research it was brought down to an estimate of 90%. For Glyndebourne this project was the largest financially-viable initiative that could be undertaken to reduce their own carbon emissions (Glyndebourne, 2012)
"There is a great beauty in seeing humanity working together with nature rather than against it. How paradoxical it is that while most people think eighteenth-century windmills are beautiful, some consider these twenty-first century windmills to be ugly. Wind turbines provide a most valuable way of reducing our carbon dioxide emissions and I fully support Glyndebourne’s initiative."
- Sir David Attenborough
Attenborough clearly supports the project in its entirety and for all those who do not agree with the chosen location he states that the electricity has to be generated in new renewable ways to make progress towards a more sustainable future: "If people don't like the rhythmic puffy noise it makes then that's their choice, but I can't help feeling such people haven't really grasped where energy comes from. What do they imagine happens when they turn on a light switch or drive their cars?" (Kennedy, 2012).
Gus Christie on the Turbine
The wind turbine was constructed over a period of 3 days; being completed on 3rd December 2011. The turbine is an Enercon E44 with a rotor blade length of 20.8m, standing at 67m tall with a 900kW rated power.
Construction of the turbine
Although controversial the turbine itself is now providing for the vast majority of the opera house's electricity requirements. The opinions of it being a 'blot on the landscape' (Tarver, 2012) still remain among certain residents and also The Campaign for National Parks who joined in the protest against its construction; not disagreeing with the turbine concept but its location in such an idyllic setting. However despite the contrasting opinions it is clear how much of a success the project has been from these figures below:
December 2012 and cumulative figures of turbine output (Glyndebourne,2012)
The remains of an old windmill, destroyed in 1921 are still in evidence on the site; highlighting how wind energy has been used as a natural resource to produce energy for over 5000 years.
Turbine and information board
Old windmill remains
Old & New
The turbine has built-in lightning protection and storm control features which reduces operation when extremely high wind speeds occur; preventing shutdowns causing energy generation losses. It is expected to reduce carbon emissions of the opera house by around 50%.
I believe the Glyndebourne project to be a very successful example of individual construction of a turbine. Being the first UK arts organisation to have taken this initiative, Glyndebourne are at the forefront of the increasing trend of adopting more environmentally friendly energy production methods.
To read more on Glyndebourne's commitment to protecting the environment click here or to specifically see more information about the wind turbine that has been constructed click here.
The aim of this blog is to allow for a broad exploration of the many different aspects of energy and power production; potentially proving that to move away from the use of coal and nuclear in production will have many more beneficial effects than their continued use, with supply being even more scarce in years to come.
I aim to focus around solar energy, wind energy and hydroelectric power in the production of future electricity on a global scale and see if it really is feasable to increasingly adopt these alternate methods of electricity production.
The following video from Richard Branson was brought to my attention and I think it highlights how we as a nation and globally need to reconsider how we can continue to live the lives that we lead. It focuses mainly upon climate change as a whole and it is this aspect of energy resources that I want to revolve my blog around; seeing as it is so topical in the current World climate.
