Todd Upton
Rocket ship builder, pizza expert, loves the Ravens, parent.
Distributed generation. Distributed generation, also called on-site generation, dispersed generation, embedded generation, decentralized generation, decentralized energy, distributed energy or district energy,[1] generates electricity from many small energy sources. Most countries generate electricity in large centralized facilities, such as fossil fuel (coal, gas powered), nuclear, large solar power plants or hydropower plants.
These plants have excellent economies of scale, but usually transmit electricity long distances and can negatively affect the environment. Distributed generation allows collection of energy from many sources and may give lower environmental impacts and improved security of supply. Local wind generator, Spain, 2010 Economies of scale[edit] Historically, central plants have been an integral part of the electric grid, in which large generating facilities are specifically located either close to resources or otherwise located far from populated load centers. Grid parity[edit] Microgrid[edit] Microgeneration. Microgeneration is the small-scale generation of heat and electric power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs, as alternatives or supplements to traditional centralized grid-connected power.
Although this may be motivated by practical considerations, such as unreliable grid power or long distance from the electrical grid, the term is mainly used currently for environmentally conscious approaches that aspire to zero or low-carbon footprints or cost reduction. It differs from micropower in that it is principally concerned with fixed power plants rather than for use with mobile devices.
Technologies and set-up[edit] Microgeneration technologies include small-scale wind turbines, Micro hydro, photovoltaic solar systems, Plant Microbial Fuel Cells, ground source heat pumps, and Micro Combined Heat and Power (MicroCHP) installations.[1] The power plant[edit] Extra equipment needed besides the power plant[edit] A complete PV-solar system Safety equipment[edit] Efficient energy use.
A spiral-type integrated compact fluorescent lamp, which has been in popular use among North American consumers since its introduction in the mid-1990s.[1] There are many motivations to improve energy efficiency. Reducing energy use reduces energy costs and may result in a financial cost saving to consumers if the energy savings offset any additional costs of implementing an energy efficient technology. Reducing energy use is also seen as a solution to the problem of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the International Energy Agency, improved energy efficiency in buildings, industrial processes and transportation could reduce the world's energy needs in 2050 by one third, and help control global emissions of greenhouse gases.[3] Energy efficiency and renewable energy are said to be the twin pillars of sustainable energy policy[4] and are high priorities in the sustainable energy hierarchy. Overview[edit] Other studies have emphasized this. Appliances[edit] Industry[edit] Wind power in Alaska. Wind power in Alaska has the potential to provide all of the electricity used in the U.S. state of Alaska.
From its installation in July 2009 though October 2012, the Pillar Mountain Wind 4.5 MW wind farm has saved the use of almost 3,000,000 gallons of diesel fuel in Kodiak, Alaska.[1] Potential[edit] Alaska wind resources In early 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the first comprehensive update of wind energy potential by state since 1993, showing that Alaska has the potential to install 494,700 MW of wind power, capable of generating 1,620,000 million kWh/year.[2] Alaska used 6,291 million kWh in 2011, so Alaska has the potential to generate all energy used in the state from windpower.[3] Projects[edit] Eva Creek Wind ProjectFire Island Wind Project[4]Pillar Mountain Wind Project See also[edit] Wind power in the United States References[edit] External links[edit] Renewable Energy Projects.
Carbon neutral fuel. Carbon-neutral fuels can refer to a variety of energy fuels or energy systems which have no net greenhouse gas emissions or carbon footprint. One class is synthetic fuel (including methane, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel or ammonia[1]) produced from sustainable or nuclear energy used to hydrogenate waste carbon dioxide recycled from power plant flue exhaust gas or derived from carbonic acid in seawater. Other types can be produced from renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar panels, and hydroelectric power plants.[2][3][4][5] Such fuels are potentially carbon-neutral because they do not result in a net increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases.[6][7] Until captured carbon is used for plastics feedstock, carbon neutral fuel synthesis is the primary means of carbon capture and utilization or recycling.[8] Production[edit] Carbon-neutral fuels are synthetic hydrocarbons. Researchers have also suggested using methane to produce dimethyl ether. The U.S.
History[edit] Hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity generation – 3,427 terawatt-hours of electricity production in 2010,[1] and is expected to increase about 3.1% each year for the next 25 years.
Hydropower is produced in 150 countries, with the Asia-Pacific region generating 32 percent of global hydropower in 2010. China is the largest hydroelectricity producer, with 721 terawatt-hours of production in 2010, representing around 17 percent of domestic electricity use. There are now four hydroelectricity stations larger than 10 GW: the Three Gorges Dam and Xiluodu Dam in China, Itaipu Dam across the Brazil/Paraguay border, and Guri Dam in Venezuela.[1] The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of renewable electricity. Geothermal electricity. Geothermal electricity is electricity generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power plants, flash steam power plants and binary cycle power plants. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 24 countries,[1] while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries.[2] Estimates of the electricity generating potential of geothermal energy vary from 35 to 2,000 GW.[2] Current worldwide installed capacity is 10,715 megawatts (MW), with the largest capacity in the United States (3,086 MW).[3] El Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland and Costa Rica generate more than 15% of their electricity from geothermal sources.
Geothermal power is considered to be sustainable because the heat extraction is small compared with the Earth's heat content.[4] The emission intensity of existing geothermal electric plants is on average 122 kg of CO 2 per kilowatt-hour (kW·h) of electricity, about one-eighth of a conventional coal-fired plant.[5] Resources[edit] AEA Home Page. Alaska Center for Energy and Power | Home. 2014 Alaska Rural Energy ConferenceSeptember 23 – 25, 2014Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference CenterFairbanks, Alaska The 2014 Alaska Rural Energy Conference will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska, this September and the Conference Organizing Committee would like to invite you and your organization to attend!
To view more information on this year’s conference or to register visit www.akruralenergy.org. If you would like to participate in this year’s Conference as a sponsor or a vendor please take a moment to view our sponsorship levels at www.akruralenergy.org/sponsor.html. The Westmark Fairbanks Hotel and Conference Center is offering reduced rates for Alaska Rural Energy Conference attendees. Call the Westmark directly at 1-800-544-0970 and give them the hotel code AREC092814 for discounted rates or book online at Conference rates will expire August 28th, 2014, or when room block is filled. Book your room now and save!