- Date
-
- All
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
By Stefan Fassbinder / Published on Tue, 2010-01-26 13:52
When you look inside an AC locomotive, you may notice that there is a transformer in it. You may figure out that the rating of said transformer is ≈5 MVA, its efficiency is ≈95% and the mass ≈10 tons. A utility transformer of comparable rating (same frequency – the odd 16.7 Hz in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden) would have a mass of 50 t and an efficiency of 99%.
Read full story
By Fernando Nuno / Published on Sat, 2010-01-16 22:25
Over-sizing the cross section of a cable beyond the result of voltage and current theoretical calculations is, in most of cases, a worthwhile investment that is easily amortised by the electricity bill savings (reduction of Joule losses). In the case of a photovoltaic (PV) installation, the allocated price for energy (feed-in tariff) is much higher than the market price, getting amortised much faster.
Together with an improved profitability of the project, there are additional advantages when using bigger cable sections:
Read full story
By HDK / Published on Fri, 2010-01-15 16:35
This paper describes the performance of the network of a typical future residential concept area, as has been studied in the Intelligent E-Transportation Management project. Several scenarios have been elaborated by load flow simulations. The study investigated what level of introduction of electric vehicles, heat pumps, photovoltaic systems and micro combined heat and power plants is feasible in this network. Possible overload situations are examined and the opportunities of demand side management for the power grid are investigated.
Read full story
By Fernando Nuno / Published on Tue, 2010-01-12 15:46
The European power system has changed considerably in the last 15 years. The liberalisation and unbundling of the electricity market has led to increased international power flows and reduced influence of the system operators. Meanwhile, renewable and other small-scale uncontrolled and variable energy sources are being installed in the system.
Read full story
By Fernando Nuno / Published on Tue, 2010-01-12 15:01
The European power system has changed considerably in the last 15 years. The liberalisation and unbundling of the electricity market has led to increased international power flows and reduced influence of the system operators. Meanwhile, renewable and other small-scale uncontrolled and variable energy sources are being installed in the system.
Read full story
By Fernando Nuno / Published on Tue, 2010-01-12 12:23
The intention of the organisers is to give an opportunity to academics, scientists, engineers, manufacturers and users from all over the world to come together in a pleasant location to discuss recent development in the areas of Renewable Energies and Power Quality.
Read full story
By Roman Targosz / Published on Tue, 2010-01-12 11:43
Leonardo ENERGY Academy launches its e-learning initiative with a comprehensive programme on power quality. The first course introduces the topic of power quality and then focusses on voltage dips and short interruptions.
The course should take between 12 to 20 hours for participants with an electrical engineering background. Participants are expected to finish the course by the end of February (28-02-2010).
Read full story
By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2010-01-07 06:30
'Searching for a miracle'
Last September, an interesting new analysis was published by two California-based think tanks: Searching for a miracle / "Net Energy" limits & the fate of industrial society. The report, written by Richard Heinberg, is a joint initiative by the International Forum on Globalization and the Post Carbon Institute.
As with the book Sustainable energy / Without the hot air by David Mc Kay (on which we reported earlier on this blog), the report by Heinberg has as its principal merit a comprehensive analysis of the energy problem. With global warming becoming an increasingly important topic and the all-time peak of global oil production most probably behind us (July 2008, 87.9 million barrels per day), we can no longer hide behind local solutions. The world’s energy use will need a radical change in the upcoming decades.
But contrary to David Mc Kay’s book, Heinberg’s study also takes the cost, the reliability, and the potential transition speed of possible energy resources into account, as well as their physical and technical potential. However, Heinberg looks at the energy solutions separately and does not propose scenarios in which demand and production figures are added up and matched, as Mc Kay did.
It is worth noting that both experts put emphasis on the need for energy conservation and on the advantages of electricity as an energy carrier. Another common viewpoint of both experts is that they see only a very limited potential for biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel. Both also view wind energy and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) as very powerful options for the future.
Read full story
