Last week saw a large wind farm opened by Duncan Stuart from the RTE programme Eco –Eye. The farm outside Ballybofey is said to be the largest one in the country. For all the positive news that comes out of this form of energy production there is a growing number of people that are questioning their viability. The first group of people that object are the organisations that say that the countryside should come first. There only needs to be a couple of turbines on a hill to ruin a landmark. The turbines kill a lot of birds as well so the bird societies are also wary of their use. Surveys have revealed that the increase of wind power can only decrease a tiny proportion of the greenhouse gasses that are used. This is because electricity generators account for only a third of the emissions. Transport and industry produce the rest. The other criticism that wind power generates is the fact that at present the system fluctuates with the production depending on the weather conditions. It simply cannot cope with big surges in demand on a still day. Solid fuel and oil are getting scarce and there will need to be a shake up in the use of energy. A start would be to use the energy that is produced more effectively. With conventional power stations, only about half of the fuel put in comes out as electricity. The rest is heat, which is lost. There is also a loss of ten percent during transmission and distribution. So the most obvious start to reducing emissions would be to use less electricity in the first place. Turn off lights; do not put electrical goods on standby etc. The other method of reducing emissions is to equip houses and offices with a system called microgeneration.
WHAT IS MICROGENERATION?
“Microgeneration” or micropower is the production of power on the smallest of scales. Micropower technologies emit low amounts of carbon dioxide, or in some cases, no carbon dioxide at all. Unlike large power stations, micropower appliances are situated very close to where their power is used.
Micropower takes the electricity industry full circle. Thomas Edison, father of the modern electrical age, had small-scale, localised power in mind when he built the worlds first power plant, Pearl Street Station, in New York in 1882. His vision was for a decentralised energy industry with dozens of companies generating and delivering power close to where it was to be used – or even putting systems in the homes and factories of their customers. By 1907, fifty-nine percent of American electricity came from small-scale generation.
Micropower units are growing in popularity because they are more efficient and less hazardous to the environment than large, centralised power plants, and with many units producing electricity, they provide greater diversity and security of supply. Some can even provide back-up power during blackouts. Micropower is cost-effective. Often micropower technologies are able to use heat that would otherwise be wasted. Micropower is good for the environment. Some forms of micropower use fuels or energy sources that produce no greenhouse gases. Those that do use fossil fuels do so with efficiencies typically of greater than 90%.
MICROPOWER AND THE CONSUMER
By putting generators in people's houses, micropower brings energy issues home to the public. Because they are visible, micropower technologies form a daily visual reminder of energy use and associated issues such as climate change. As a result, micropower could help bring about a shift in the way people use energy, and will help the country achieve its ambitions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The following are amongst the most common approaches being developed:
Microturbines
About the size of a refrigerator, a microturbine unit generates 30 to 60 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power a small business. Maximum thermal efficiencies can be achieved when the exhaust is used in a combined heat and power, or cogeneration, application. With its flexible design, generation capacity is unlimited when running in parallel to the electric grid -- up to 1.2 megawatts of electricity, coupled independent of the grid.
Like a jet engine, the unit mixes fuel with air to create combustion. This combustion turns a magnet generator, compressor and turbine wheels on a revolutionary single shaft, air-bearing design at high speed with no need for additional lubricants, oils or coolants. The result is a highly efficient, reliable, clean combustion generator with very low Nitrate emissions that, unlike diesel generators, can operate around the clock without restrictions. And, unlike combined cycle gas turbines, these power systems use no water.
Fuel cells
A fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen (from air) in a chemical reaction.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground Source heat pumps tap the heat within the ground and convert it into energy.
Solar Water Heating
This is the most commonly used form of solar energy currently used today. Solar water heating typically uses roof-mounted panels to provide 40-50% of a household’s hot water needs
Biomass Heating
This involves the use of fast-growing trees such as willow or poplar as commercial energy crops.
Wind turbines: Last but not least is the wind turbine. These devices don’t need to be plonked on a hillside. Smaller versions can fit on your chimney!
Environmental.
WHAT IS MICROGENERATION?
“Microgeneration” or micropower is the production of power on the smallest of scales. Micropower technologies emit low amounts of carbon dioxide, or in some cases, no carbon dioxide at all. Unlike large power stations, micropower appliances are situated very close to where their power is used.
Micropower takes the electricity industry full circle. Thomas Edison, father of the modern electrical age, had small-scale, localised power in mind when he built the worlds first power plant, Pearl Street Station, in New York in 1882. His vision was for a decentralised energy industry with dozens of companies generating and delivering power close to where it was to be used – or even putting systems in the homes and factories of their customers. By 1907, fifty-nine percent of American electricity came from small-scale generation.
Micropower units are growing in popularity because they are more efficient and less hazardous to the environment than large, centralised power plants, and with many units producing electricity, they provide greater diversity and security of supply. Some can even provide back-up power during blackouts. Micropower is cost-effective. Often micropower technologies are able to use heat that would otherwise be wasted. Micropower is good for the environment. Some forms of micropower use fuels or energy sources that produce no greenhouse gases. Those that do use fossil fuels do so with efficiencies typically of greater than 90%.
MICROPOWER AND THE CONSUMER
By putting generators in people's houses, micropower brings energy issues home to the public. Because they are visible, micropower technologies form a daily visual reminder of energy use and associated issues such as climate change. As a result, micropower could help bring about a shift in the way people use energy, and will help the country achieve its ambitions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The following are amongst the most common approaches being developed:
Microturbines
About the size of a refrigerator, a microturbine unit generates 30 to 60 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power a small business. Maximum thermal efficiencies can be achieved when the exhaust is used in a combined heat and power, or cogeneration, application. With its flexible design, generation capacity is unlimited when running in parallel to the electric grid -- up to 1.2 megawatts of electricity, coupled independent of the grid.
Like a jet engine, the unit mixes fuel with air to create combustion. This combustion turns a magnet generator, compressor and turbine wheels on a revolutionary single shaft, air-bearing design at high speed with no need for additional lubricants, oils or coolants. The result is a highly efficient, reliable, clean combustion generator with very low Nitrate emissions that, unlike diesel generators, can operate around the clock without restrictions. And, unlike combined cycle gas turbines, these power systems use no water.
Fuel cells
A fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen (from air) in a chemical reaction.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground Source heat pumps tap the heat within the ground and convert it into energy.
Solar Water Heating
This is the most commonly used form of solar energy currently used today. Solar water heating typically uses roof-mounted panels to provide 40-50% of a household’s hot water needs
Biomass Heating
This involves the use of fast-growing trees such as willow or poplar as commercial energy crops.
Wind turbines: Last but not least is the wind turbine. These devices don’t need to be plonked on a hillside. Smaller versions can fit on your chimney!
Environmental.
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