for the instructorEnergy part 3 covers alternative ways to

generate electricity using nuclear & wind the slide show starts with the next slide

Energy

Electrical Energy Alternatives Nuclear Energy IExisting form of electricity production,

producing >8% of electricity for the U.S.

Advantages:Existing form of energy productionDoes not produce CO2, and therefore does

not increase our impact on Global Warming

Electrical Energy Alternatives Nuclear Energy IDisadvantages:

Extremely expensive (in many aspects)Produces extremely toxic wastes that need

to be secured for (very) long periods of timeRequires very sophisticated and complex

operationsAccidents at these types of facilities can

result in widespread contamination by radioactive materials

Nuclear Energy III

Kashiwazaki, JapanWorld’s largest nuclear plant

Some other industrial countries depend heavily on nuclear power for their electrical generation.

Japan generates 34.5% of their electricity from nuclear power.

Nuclear Energy III

Paluel, France

France generates 78.8% of their electricity from nuclear power.

Electrical Energy Alternatives Wind Generation IExisting form of electricity production,

producing <1% of electricity for the U.S.Advantages:

Existing form of energy productionDoes not produce CO2

Though tall, wind turbines do not cover a large area

Turbines come in a range of sizes and can be used for a number of applications both on & off the grid

Electrical Energy Alternatives Wind Generation IDisadvantages:

Has intermittent energy production (based on the consistency of the wind)

The public may consider wind turbines to be unsightly

Can be a hazard to bird (& migrating bird) and bat populations

Electrical Energy Alternatives Wind Generation II

Relative costs for wind generation are a fifth of what they were in the 1980’s; and based on relatively conservative estimates are only 5% more then electricity from coal-fire power plants.

Electrical Energy Alternatives Wind Generation IV – Wind Strength

Locations of consistent wind generation in the U.S.

Note the locations in upstate New York; the Adirondacks, southern tier, and great lakes.

To distribute this power to market would especially require an integrated power grid.

Electrical Energy Alternatives Wind Generation V – Power Grid

NPR Story on Power Grid & Alt. Energy

To distribute electrical energy effectively from wind source areas to high-use regions (urban areas) requires a more integrated nation-wide power grid system

This is also a factor for other alternative energy sources like: nuclear power plants and large scale solar farms.

Electrical Energy Alternatives Power Grid Considerations I

This is the size of a 765kV line, note farmhouse for scale

The reason for these large lines is they are so much more efficient, comparison of 15 138kV lines to 1 765kV line

Electrical Energy Alternatives Power Grid Considerations II

The perception is that high voltage power lines are unhealthy. However several studies conducted in the 1990’s on the effects of electromagnetic fields (associated with power lines) concluded “that there was

no evidence that showed exposure to EMF from power lines presented a human health hazard.” Two of these studies were conducted with under the supervision of the National Academy of Science and by the National Cancer Institute.