Transcript Biological Hydrogen

Solar Energy:
Location Is Everything?
Scott Peterson
Environmental Engineering Texas A&M
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Increasing population and decreasing fossil fuel reserves
require that we change our energy system from its current
reliance on fossil fuels (80%)
The successor chosen should be a sustainable energy
source
Sustainable means
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Renewable
Environmentally Friendly
Solar power has the possibility to meet these requirements
Energy Sources
Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2003
Energy Consumption
Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2003
Increasing Population
Source: Values for 1995-2050 for the low, medium, high and constant scenarios were obtained from World Population
Prospects:The 1998 Revision, vol. I, Comprehensive Tables (United Nations, publication, Sales No. E.99.XIII.9). All
other values are the result of the long-range projections.
Million Ton Oil Equivalent
Worldwide Energy Demand
14000
13000
12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
1970
1990
2010
2030
2050
Year
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Based on 1.5 ton oil equivalent per capita,
1.5-1.36 (1970s), and 1.5-1 respectively
CO2 Emissions
Is Solar Power Feasible?
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In 2003 Texas Consumed 322,685,955 MWhours
It would take roughly 11kmx11km in 7.66kWhm-2d-1 solar
area
What is CSP?
Parabolic Troughs Currently Best
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Sunlight is concentrated on pipe
150 MW Plant
Placement
Unfortunately it isn’t this simple
 We need to Consider
 Losses to Resistance
 Stability (e.g. Volcanic Eruptions)
 Existing Infrastructure
 Where is the power needed?
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Goals
Automate Process to a Degree
 Use Electricity Demand GIS Data
 Allow Users to Input Timeframe
 Output Desirability Map
 Enable the Process for Multiple Uses (Solar,
Wind, and so forth)
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Case Study: Dallas
Geographic Data of Demand is very
difficult to achieve
 Dallas Used to Test Different Concepts
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Initial Cost Allocation
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Cost allocation via
transmission lines and
arbitrary estimate for costs
of installing new High
Voltage lines
Cities are also included as
no new transmission line
cost
Resistance of a Wire
Resistance
Depends on Length and Area
Power inversely proportional to Length
High
Voltages increase power
Resistivity Has Great Affect
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Shows maps of ideal
placement only focusing
on different resistance/L
Vary the losses to
resistance
Time Cost Allocation
Must take into account the CSP efficiency
 kW/m2/day/($/m2)*days=kW/$ @ source
 Can be used to Calculate cost
 Plant life estimates for trough around 30yrs
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Total Cost
Break Even: Initial + resistance losses=sales
 This depends on the electricity sales value
 The value of electricity is increasing
 Market uncertainty makes prediction
difficult
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Other Ideas
Use Electricity Demand and Solar
Availability to create “Solar Shed” maps
 Then data tools designed for watersheds can
be used
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Electricity Demand Data
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Can be calculated on a per meter basis by
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Is this accurate? No. In 2003 Electricity Breakdown was
Residential
MWh
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121,354,826
Commercial
96,694,234
Industrial
104,546,895
Total
322,685,955
While these other distributions are not identical to population
they are close
Map of Electricity Demand
Difference at 0.001% Coverage
Conclusions
Our methods of providing power must
change
 Solar Power placement is important
 Interesting: PV systems not economically
feasible, CSP systems almost are, However
PV systems gaining market acceptance
faster.
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