Renewable Electricity Futures Study. Volume 2. Renewable Electricity Generation and Storage Technologies

Abstract

Chapter 6. Biopower TechnologiesBain, R.; Denholm, P.; Heath, G.; Mai, T.; Tegen, S. (2012). "Biopower Technologies," Chapter 6. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Renewable Electricity Futures Study, Vol. 2, Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory; pp. 6-1 -6-58. Chapter 7. Geothermal Energy Technologies PerspectiveThe Renewable Electricity Futures Study (RE Futures) provides an analysis of the grid integration opportunities, challenges, and implications of high levels of renewable electricity generation for the U.S. electric system. The study is not a market or policy assessment. Rather, RE Futures examines renewable energy resources and many technical issues related to the operability of the U.S. electricity grid, and provides initial answers to important questions about the integration of high penetrations of renewable electricity technologies from a national perspective. RE Futures results indicate that a future U.S. electricity system that is largely powered by renewable sources is possible and that further work is warranted to investigate this clean generation pathway. The central conclusion of the analysis is that renewable electricity generation from technologies that are commercially available today, in combination with a more flexible electric system, is more than adequate to supply 80% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2050 while meeting electricity demand on an hourly basis in every region of the United States.The renewable technologies explored in this study are components of a diverse set of clean energy solutions that also includes nuclear, efficient natural gas, clean coal, and energy efficiency. Understanding all of these technology pathways and their potential contributions to the future U.S. electric power system can inform the development of integrated portfolio scenarios. RE Futures focuses on the extent to which U.S. electricity needs can be supplied by renewable energy sources, including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind.The study explores grid integration issues using models with unprecedented geographic and time resolution for the contiguous United States. The analysis (1) assesses a variety of scenarios with prescribed levels of renewable electricity generation in 2050, from 30% to 90%, with a focus on 80% (with nearly 50% from variable wind and solar photovoltaic generation); (2) identifies the characteristics of a U.S. electricity system that would be needed to accommodate such levels; and (3) describes some of the associated challenges and implications of realizing such a future. In addition to the central conclusion noted above, RE Futures finds that increased electric system flexibility, needed to enable electricity supply-demand balance with high levels of renewable generation, can come from a portfolio of supply-and demand-side options, including flexible conventional generation, grid storage, new transmission, more responsive loads, and changes in power system operations. The analysis also finds that the abundance and diversity of U.S. renewabl...

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle as a Power Plant: Techno-Economic Scenario Analysis of a Renewable Integrated Transportation and Energy System for Smart Cities in Two Climates

“…The wind turbine park performance is based on the 4.2 MW land-based Enercon E-141 EP4 [335] for the Near Future scenario, and, for the Mid Century, it includes future power curve improvements based on [336]. In both scenarios, the hub height is 159 m, and the rotor diameter 141 m. The wind electricity production (E W ) is calculated using the hourly wind speed values from both Almeria (see Table A1, footnote 1) and Hamburg [179][180][181][182].…”

Impact of a Warming Climate on Hydropower in the Northeast United States: The Untapped Potential of Non-Powered Dams

“…Nearly 50% of that electricity is expected to come from variable wind and solar photovoltaic generation, 20% from hydroelectricity, and the rest from other renewable sources [3]. Hydropower is the second largest source of electricity after fossil fuels.…”

Dc Microgrid Stabilization Through Fuzzy Control of Interleaved, Heterogeneous Storage Elements

“…Despite rapid advances in other fields, mechanical energy storage technology has continued to develop as well. Common modern storage systems [5] include flywheels, pumped-storage hydroelectrics, compressed-air storage, and gravity potential storage. Many of these types are best suited towards bulk energy storage rather than grid stabilization 1 , as the responsiveness of such systems is rather slow despite the ability to store large quantities of energy [6].…”

“…5 shows the schematic used as the basis for implementing and simulating the stochastic power source. It include basic loss modeling in the form of added resistances on both the low side and high side of the switch.…”

“…5) to relate nominal power, nominal bus voltage, actual bus voltage, and load resistance (which are all fixed or measured values) to the actual voltage that must be imposed upon the load.…”