WSRL Electrical Page

WSRL.ORG / Rural Colorado Energy Issues - July. 2005 - Revised January 2011 - Page 1

At this point things are changing quickly in the power generation field. Natural gas with it's lower CO₂ emmissions is rapidly becoming the energy source of choice over coal. Horizontal drilling technology in shale formations has vastly increased the available supply as well. Fuel cells are starting to be installed in numbers again powered mostly by nartural gas. I'm hearing more and more about building nuclear plants but red tape seems to be mailnly holding things back. I also keep hearing rumblings regarding geothermal energy but I don't expect this source to contribute more than a small percentage to what is needed. Deep, high pressure injection wells in this field will continue to present the possibilities of earthquakes. There is more and more talk regarding smartgrid technologies but from my view, this area is heavily crowded with deep pocket manufacturers pushing their own agendas.

Geomagnetic Storm & EMP Warning -

As of this writing we are 24 months away from a potentially major and highly dangerous event. I would encourage everyone reading this page to carefully review the information referenced in the " Geomagnetic Storms" link section on the right side of this page. Rest assured that a major solar storm has the ability to easily turn off the entire U.S. electrical grid from a few days to a month or more. Such storms have happened before and it is only a question of when it will happen again. As with many other things in this crazy world, I fail to understand why national and local community leaders are not at least gearing up to educate their respective populations on what can potentially happen.

In terms of geomagnetic storms, enhancements to current systems are fairly easy to do and of moderate cost. As near as I or many other people can tell, however, nothing is really being done. Based on NASA data, during major storms, large electrical transformers need to be removed from the grid for their own protection. Because virtually all major transformers are now manufactured outside the U.S., it is estimated that replacement transformers for damaged ones would take years to acquire. During such an event and in my view, the most reliable source of energy for a homeowner is the on-site storage of propane in fairly large quantities and the knowledge of how to use it safely in the absence of commercial AC power. Natural gas is probably a close second and of course, commercial electrical service will be the least reliable and desirable to depend on.

Conversion Efficiencies -

Again, as of this writing, major coal fired power plants in the area are being converted to natural gas from coal. Motivation for these conversions comes from the vastly increased supply of natural gas and the environmental damage and toxic by products of burning coal. Converting a large boiler that has been optimized to burn coal into something that efficiently burns natural gas is not an easy task. I suspect a number of these conversions will result in lower overall efficiencies and resulting higher electrical costs to customers. The maximum efficiency on coal of the plants being converted is in the 33% range with fully two thirds of the remaining energy being dumped to the atmosphere. Coal to natural gas conversions will likely reduce the 33% figure to something slightly less.

On a positive note, fuel cells are finely starting to come into their own. Costs are still high but conversion efficiencies range from around 45% to nearly 100% assuming you can use the waste heat from one of these devices. Use of locally generated power is known as distributed generation (DG). Where natural gas is available for reasonable cost, DG has many advantages. One not insignificant advantage is the reduction in very expensive high voltage transmission lines required to transmit power from remote plants 100's of miles distant from the customer electrical load. Where the waste heat can also be utilized, the principals of "combined heat and power" come into play making such devices very attractive to those customers that can use them.

Cooling Towers -

This section left for historical purposes. It is somewhat surprising that people still believe that coal based power plants are highly efficient. The picture to the right, showing the typical very large cooling towers required at such

From "Big Coal" - Goodell

plants, should prove otherwise. Steam turbines require large quantities of cooling water circulating through a turbine condenser unit. Condensers turn the very pure exhaust steam from the turbine back into very pure water for reuse in the boiler. In an old technology coal plant, this is where approximately 66% of the energy in the coal is simply dumped to the atmosphere (wasted). Nuclear plants operating at similar pressures, temperatures and capacities are no better and require like amounts of cooling. The waste is inherent in the fuel to electrical energy conversion process. In addition to the loss you see at the right, one must add the housepower loss (power to run the plant) and the electric transmission loss (getting the power to the customer). This is why it's important to apply the principals of "combined heat and power" when ever and where ever possible to energy use.

Electrical Grid

Note that due to the current severe economic recession, actual electrical usage has been less than originally projected. The Beck, Schmitz, School of Mines report report (pages 56 & 58) details current (2006) as well as projected electric energy needs through 2025. It's important to realize that electric energy supplies in the U.S. operate in a controlled but basically open and competitive environment through a system known as OASIS. I don't see TriState or anyone else selling electrical energy at radically different prices apart from normal market values. Barring a major recession or depression and based on the load-balance graphics referenced above, I see the price of electrical energy trending higher as supplies get tighter. In my view, suppliers (generators) need do nothing but wait to see their price and profit margins increase (supply & demand). I also see, without the addition of sufficient generation and transmission resources and/or rigid regulation, price spikes just as we've seen with petroleum products. From the graphics, we'll be lucky to not see rolling blackouts should a major piece of equipment fail. TriState's OASIS neighbors can be viewed here.

Deregulated Power

If you are a COOP customer and if DMEA and other REA's screwup bad enough, you may eventually see a deregulated electric market option in Colorado. To view a sampling of current Colorado costs, go to this cost page. To view the costs and companies in Texas, see the links to the right. This option turns electric marketing into something much like telephone company marketing. As with telephone and cellular marketing (and some REA marketing), false claims and half truths already seem to be a major part of this picture.

Please continue to next page - - Oil -- Gas -- Propane

Local Colorado Links
Updated April 6, 2010

Geomagnetic Storms & EMP
Updated Jan. 2011

Electrical Links
Updated March 2010

Deregulated Power Sites
Updated Dec. 2007