USDA Proposes Blending Solar and Wind Power
A USDA scientist believes wind and solar power generating systems could be set up to complement each other.
A study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) agricultural engineer Brian Vick at the agency’s Renewable Energy and Manure Management Research Unit in Bushland, Texas says that by using solar power during doldrum days and wind at night could help offset the two energy sources shortcomings:
Vick discovered that in the Texas Panhandle and West Texas, as well as in northern and southern California, there is almost an exact mismatch between wind power production and peak energy demands over a 24-hour period. In these locations, at the heights of modern wind turbines, winds are lowest at mid-day, when power demands are greatest. In Texas, there is also a seasonal mismatch: The winds are weakest in the summer, when power demands are highest.
But the sun’s rays are most intense at mid-day and in summer months.
Texas is the top state for wind-generated electricity production, with Iowa ranking second and California third. California is the leader in solar-generated electricity production.
The most efficient storage system is one being used in solar thermal power plants, where the sun’s heat is used to heat water or other fluids. The fluids are kept hot long after the sun goes down, ready to be used later to produce steam to generate electricity.
The excess electricity generated by wind in the late night and early morning hours could be pumped into the grid and removed by storage facilities (like pumped-storage hydroelectricity or compressed-air energy storage facilities) to match the utility loading in the daytime.
The article goes on to say that Vick and his colleagues have also been testing wind/biodiesel hybrid systems.
2 Comments »
Kum Dollison
There’s a third leg to this “renewable” stool.
Anaerobic Digestion of lignin obtained from “cellulosic” ethanol production. The biogas from the AD powers a 57% efficient Turbine. These Turbines can be cranked up very quickly, and thus, are extremely adept at “load following.”
So now you have Solar during Peak, Wind at evening, and night, and biogas turbines from thousands of small cellulosic biorefineries filling in the gaps.
Quite an elegant deal, really.
Lee
Digester’s will become very popular if any of this green house gas pollution is proven. Was it Poet ethanol who has such process? Hot air turbine is extremely efficient upon plant processes. First electric generation and secondly process heat.
Solar electric still a drag for investment dollars. Wind turbines cost effective upon a good site. Guess it will continue to take much business calculations and good science to promote cost effective and environmental friendly power. Much of it depends on local conditions. Meaning no overall conclusions. The most practical and cost effective solutions will evolve and succeed if taking local conditions in account. Ethanol appears to be on a good trajectory in Midwest. Many other fuels could be produced but ethanol the easiest.
We shouldn’t race to conclusions and demand politicians blow tax dollars upon some Manhattan project of desires. Better to keep all the burgeoning technology simmering until ready for prime time. Just say no to big government programs that are justified in hope that mass production can make it cost effective. That’s just delusional desire for wants.
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