Archive for Electricity

By Wayne Boakes

It does not make sense to ignore assets, leaving them idle, collecting dust and slowly degenerating (excuse the pun).  Ask yourself why we spend thousands of pounds on standby generation just to have it lying dormant, gathering dust?   Surely it makes much more sense to generate a profit from at least some of these assets.

With the continued expansion of wind energy the national grid need to increase their ability to cope with power fluctuations.  They are already discussing ways in which they can encourage increased participation in Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR).
What is the solution?  One solution is to increase use of embedded generation

What do we expect from a standby generator?  To run once in a blue moon, start first time, take the entire load thrown at it and to do this without a cough or splutter.  Strangely enough all too frequently the emergency arrives only to find the generator won’t start as the battery is flat or the fuel is not getting through or it fails during the run.  It’s not surprising really.  If the generator was a person and we expected immediate response at premium performance we would do something more that just sit around like some couch potato. We would join a gym, do regular exercise and have regular checks to make sure we were in tip top condition. Read More→

Nov
01

European Super Grid – press release

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Expert unveils plan for a European-wide renewable electricity solution

At the fourth Claverton Energy conference, hosted by Wessex Water, Bath, international energy expert Dr Czisch outlined his strategy for a European-wide super grid that would supply all of Europe with entirely renewable electricity. Speaking at the conference Dr Czisch of Kassel University, Germany, also said the move to a renewable electricity system could cost the UK consumer the same as what is currently being paid, and, if there is the political will, he added that it could in theory be achieved in decades.

Dr Czisch, who has conducted research of world weather patterns and European electricity consumption on an hour by hour, day to day basis, says Europe could ensure its energy security, slash its CO2 emissions and have a sustainable, renewable electricity supply by employing a network of wind turbines that stretch across the continent from Siberia to North Africa, where the wind is most constant. This would be supported by biomass, coupled with an extended transmission system and existing hydropower plants providing storage capacity. In Dr Czich’s Czisch’s system wind would account for 70% of the electricity mix. Biomass and hydro would provide storage and back up and the biggest part of the remaining electricity production. All of this is the result of a mathematical optimisation that allows for maximum objectivity in searching for the lowest cost renewable electricity supply for Europe and its neighbourhood. Read More→

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A Caterpillar bio-gas engine was fitted to Long Reach Sewage Works, operated by Thames Water Utilities.  This is a V16 engine running at 1500 rpm, on biogas which is typically 60 % methane.  Output about 1150 kWe electrical and 1.4 MW thermal energy which heats the digesters to 37 deg C . Electrical efficiency is about 38% HHV, thermal efficiency.  Life cycle maintenance costs about 0.9 /kWh. Caterpillar makes about 50 units per day of this basic engine in either gas or diesel (1.8MW) format at its US factory in Lafayette Indiana equivalent to some 23 GWe of capacity per annum. The fully installed cost of this kind of plant, ie the engine, heat exchangers, generator, enclosure, silencer, cooling system, controls, gas supply, commissioning is around £400/kWe.  Further info – Claverton Contact Form

See also http://www.claverton-energy.com/for-sale-66mwe-chp-station.html if you want to buy a gas engined power station,

and

http://www.claverton-energy.com/for-sale-complete-9mwe-power-station.html

http://www.claverton-energy.com/first-energy-offer-excellent-condition-complete-gas-engined-chp-system-for-sale-and-installation.html

http://www.claverton-energy.com/complete-wartsila-9-mwe-gas-engine-power-station-for-sale.html