The New York Power Authority has announced plans to develop a microgrid to supply steam and electricity to the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza in Albany.
NYPA, officially known as the Power Authority of the State of New York, is a state-level public power organization, operating power plants and transmission lines.
On May 22, 2017, NYPA announced its plans to convert a former waste-recovery steam plant located in Albany into a site for two new 8-megawatt natural gas-fired turbine generators with dual fuel capability. The generators will be able to supply local needs, or sell power into the wholesale market, with the microgrid capable of operating in sync with the main grid or as an independent "island." According to NYPA, the "resilient power generation facility will enable government services to continue in an emergency while the Plaza can be used as an emergency shelter for Albany residents." The project is expected to supply 90 percent of the power for the state
office complex, to save more than $2.7 million in annual
energy costs, and to avoid the annual emission of 25,600 tons of
greenhouse gases.
The New York State Office of General Services will finance the project, supported by $2.5 million from NYSERDA. NYPA has issued a request for proposals by developers; proposals are due to NYPA on July 13, with awards expected this fall.
Energy powers society; society's choices shape energy policy. A blog about our energy resources and the choices they present for society.
Showing posts with label steam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steam. Show all posts
Solar, geothermal led new US capacity in January 2014
Friday, March 7, 2014
Solar and geothermal resources led the new utility-scale electric generating capacity installed in the U.S. in January 2014, according to a report by the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In all, the report identified 325 megawatts of new generation placed in service in January, substantially all of which is powered by renewable resources.
Solar power contributed the largest share of new generating capacity installed in January, with 287 megawatts of solar projects placed in service. The largest project, Exelon Corp.'s Antelope Valley Solar Phase II expansion project in Los Angeles County, California, added 130 megawatts of capacity to an existing 230 megawatt project. The power generated is sold to Pacific Gas and Electric under long-term contract. Other large new solar projects include MidAmerican Solar’s 61 MW Topaz Solar Farm Phase III expansion project in San Luis Obispo County, California, and two 20 MW projects (Duke Energy Corp.’s Dogwood Solar Power project in Halifax County, North Carolina, and NextEra Energy Inc.’s Mountain View Solar project in Clark County, Nevada). All of these projects rely on long-term power purchase agreements with utilities.
Geothermal steam power was the second largest category of new electric generating capacity placed in service in January 2014, in the form of Gradient Resources Inc.’s 30 MW Patua Hot Springs Geothermal project in Lyon County, Nevada. As with the solar projects described above, the power generated by the Patua Hot Springs project is sold to a utility -- in this case, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, under a long-term contract.
Rounding out the new capacity installations in January were 3 small biomass units with a combined capacity of 3 megawatts, and one wind project with an installed capacity of 4 megawatts -- Consolidated Edison Inc.’s 4 MW Russell Point Wind Farm project in Logan County, Ohio.
Despite this growth in solar and geothermal power resources, together these resources account for just over 1% of the nation's total installed operating generating capacity. Yet the relative growth in solar and geothermal power over the past years has been striking, and is expected to continue for the near term. Will these resources soon play a larger role in the nation's energy portfolio?
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| Old Faithful Geyser erupts in Yellowstone National Park -- a natural geothermal feature. |
Solar power contributed the largest share of new generating capacity installed in January, with 287 megawatts of solar projects placed in service. The largest project, Exelon Corp.'s Antelope Valley Solar Phase II expansion project in Los Angeles County, California, added 130 megawatts of capacity to an existing 230 megawatt project. The power generated is sold to Pacific Gas and Electric under long-term contract. Other large new solar projects include MidAmerican Solar’s 61 MW Topaz Solar Farm Phase III expansion project in San Luis Obispo County, California, and two 20 MW projects (Duke Energy Corp.’s Dogwood Solar Power project in Halifax County, North Carolina, and NextEra Energy Inc.’s Mountain View Solar project in Clark County, Nevada). All of these projects rely on long-term power purchase agreements with utilities.
Geothermal steam power was the second largest category of new electric generating capacity placed in service in January 2014, in the form of Gradient Resources Inc.’s 30 MW Patua Hot Springs Geothermal project in Lyon County, Nevada. As with the solar projects described above, the power generated by the Patua Hot Springs project is sold to a utility -- in this case, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, under a long-term contract.
Rounding out the new capacity installations in January were 3 small biomass units with a combined capacity of 3 megawatts, and one wind project with an installed capacity of 4 megawatts -- Consolidated Edison Inc.’s 4 MW Russell Point Wind Farm project in Logan County, Ohio.
Despite this growth in solar and geothermal power resources, together these resources account for just over 1% of the nation's total installed operating generating capacity. Yet the relative growth in solar and geothermal power over the past years has been striking, and is expected to continue for the near term. Will these resources soon play a larger role in the nation's energy portfolio?
Solar energy led new installations in October 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Solar-powered projects led new electric generation capacity installed in October 2013. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's October 2013 Energy Infrastructure Update, most of the electric generation placed in service in October relies on solar energy technologies. Developers placed 504 megawatts of solar capacity online in October, out of 699 megawatts of total new capacity for the month. Solar also led the month in terms of the number of projects installed, accounting for 12 of 21 projects.
The solar energy projects placed in service last month vary widely in scale and in technology. The largest, Abengoa SA's Solana Generating Station in Arizona, generates up to 280 megawatts of power using a thermal concentrating solar power technology. 2,700 parabolic trough mirrors focus the sun's rays on a pipe containing a synthetic oil. This heat transfer fluid can reach 735 degrees Fahrenheit, and is sent to boilers where it produces steam from water. The steam turns turbines attached to generators, much as in a conventional thermal power plant. The Solana plant also features energy storage in the form of molten salt tanks that can enable it to generate electricity for up to 6 hours after sunset.
On the other end of the spectrum, Constellation Solar New York LLC placed its 2 MW Owens Corning Delmar Solar photovoltaic project online. The project, located at an Owens Corning factory in Delmar, New York, consists of about 9,000 ground-mounted, photovoltaic panels covering over 9 acres. Power produced by the project is sold to Owens Corning under a long-term power purchase agreement for use at the thermal and acoustical insulation factory; the project is expected to cover about 6 percent of the plant's annual electricity need.
While the use of solar energy is increasing rapidly, it remains a relatively small component of the nation's overall energy mix. Solar powered projects account for 6.79 gigawatts of capacity, just 0.59% of the 1,158 gigawatts of existing electric generation capacity nationwide. Nevertheless, the relatively small market penetration of solar technologies suggests that rapid growth may continue for the near term.
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| Solar photovoltaic panels line the roof of the visitor center at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts. |
The solar energy projects placed in service last month vary widely in scale and in technology. The largest, Abengoa SA's Solana Generating Station in Arizona, generates up to 280 megawatts of power using a thermal concentrating solar power technology. 2,700 parabolic trough mirrors focus the sun's rays on a pipe containing a synthetic oil. This heat transfer fluid can reach 735 degrees Fahrenheit, and is sent to boilers where it produces steam from water. The steam turns turbines attached to generators, much as in a conventional thermal power plant. The Solana plant also features energy storage in the form of molten salt tanks that can enable it to generate electricity for up to 6 hours after sunset.
On the other end of the spectrum, Constellation Solar New York LLC placed its 2 MW Owens Corning Delmar Solar photovoltaic project online. The project, located at an Owens Corning factory in Delmar, New York, consists of about 9,000 ground-mounted, photovoltaic panels covering over 9 acres. Power produced by the project is sold to Owens Corning under a long-term power purchase agreement for use at the thermal and acoustical insulation factory; the project is expected to cover about 6 percent of the plant's annual electricity need.
While the use of solar energy is increasing rapidly, it remains a relatively small component of the nation's overall energy mix. Solar powered projects account for 6.79 gigawatts of capacity, just 0.59% of the 1,158 gigawatts of existing electric generation capacity nationwide. Nevertheless, the relatively small market penetration of solar technologies suggests that rapid growth may continue for the near term.
Oil sands: an "unconventional" oil resource
Monday, January 28, 2013
New technologies enable the production of petroleum from unconventional oil resources such as "tar sands" and oil shale. While traditional oil wells have been drilled for over 2,000 years, unconventional resources offer the opportunity to develop new petroleum sources - and by extension, to shift the balance of power and economics away from traditional sources. At the same time, producing oil from oil sands may have environmental impacts that are different from traditional wells. What are tar sands or oil sands?
Oil sands, also known as bituminous sands, are loose sand or partially consolidated sandstone saturated with a dense and viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen. Oil sands are often called "tar sands" due to bitumen's sticky, dark nature. ("Tar" technically refers to a product made by distilling pitch from the wood and roots of pine trees, and was historically used to describe the sticky black residue left behind when distilling coal gas.)
Bitumen is so viscous that it cannot be pumped directly from the ground through traditional wells. Oil sand deposits are typically mined using open pits or strip mining. The mined material is mixed with water at an extraction plant, where the bitumen can be separated from the remaining minerals, sand, and water. The bitumen can then be transported for upgrading or conversion into synthetic crude oil.
Alternatively, bitumen can be extracted by heating the raw sands in place. In-situ production methods include injecting steam or solvents, or piping in oxygen and igniting some of the bitumen. These methods rely on the use of large amounts of water and energy.
According to the U.S. government's 2012 oil shale and tar sands programmatic environmental impact statement, about two tons of tar sands can produce one barrel of oil. Extraction and processing typically require several barrels of water for each barrel of oil produced. Some of this water can be recycled.
About three-quarters of the bitumen can be extracted from the raw material. Spent sand and other materials are typically returned to the mine after processing.
Producing oil from bitumen derived from tar sands can have significant environmental impacts. The mining and upgrading processes are energy-intensive and result in emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Mine sites are typically significantly disturbed, and impacts to water may be both local and throughout the downriver watershed. The association between the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and oil sand resources in Alberta, Canada led to environmental opposition to that pipeline.
Producing oil from oil sands may be controversial, but Canada possesses the world's largest known resources and is developing them rapidly. Canada points to environmental regulations and controls, as well as economic development benefits. Developing oil sand resources creates jobs and economic growth, and mine sites are typically in rural areas eager for opportunity. If the U.S. does not approve the Keystone XL pipeline, Canadian producers may push for an alternative route to refineries or export terminals in British Columbia, obviating the need for U.S. approval.
Economically, synthetic crude oil produced from oil sands bitumen can be cost-effective if the price of oil produced from traditional wells is high. On the other hand, if oil from wells or other unconventional resources like oil shales can be produced cheaply, oil sands may not be economically competitive. The significant capital investment required to produce bitumen from oil sands means that producers must often make long-term investments that risk losing money in some years. Producers may also face the risk of tighter environmental standards, the cost of compliance, and any penalties for noncompliance.
Oil sands, also known as bituminous sands, are loose sand or partially consolidated sandstone saturated with a dense and viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen. Oil sands are often called "tar sands" due to bitumen's sticky, dark nature. ("Tar" technically refers to a product made by distilling pitch from the wood and roots of pine trees, and was historically used to describe the sticky black residue left behind when distilling coal gas.)
Bitumen is so viscous that it cannot be pumped directly from the ground through traditional wells. Oil sand deposits are typically mined using open pits or strip mining. The mined material is mixed with water at an extraction plant, where the bitumen can be separated from the remaining minerals, sand, and water. The bitumen can then be transported for upgrading or conversion into synthetic crude oil.
Alternatively, bitumen can be extracted by heating the raw sands in place. In-situ production methods include injecting steam or solvents, or piping in oxygen and igniting some of the bitumen. These methods rely on the use of large amounts of water and energy.
According to the U.S. government's 2012 oil shale and tar sands programmatic environmental impact statement, about two tons of tar sands can produce one barrel of oil. Extraction and processing typically require several barrels of water for each barrel of oil produced. Some of this water can be recycled.
About three-quarters of the bitumen can be extracted from the raw material. Spent sand and other materials are typically returned to the mine after processing.
Producing oil from bitumen derived from tar sands can have significant environmental impacts. The mining and upgrading processes are energy-intensive and result in emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Mine sites are typically significantly disturbed, and impacts to water may be both local and throughout the downriver watershed. The association between the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and oil sand resources in Alberta, Canada led to environmental opposition to that pipeline.
Producing oil from oil sands may be controversial, but Canada possesses the world's largest known resources and is developing them rapidly. Canada points to environmental regulations and controls, as well as economic development benefits. Developing oil sand resources creates jobs and economic growth, and mine sites are typically in rural areas eager for opportunity. If the U.S. does not approve the Keystone XL pipeline, Canadian producers may push for an alternative route to refineries or export terminals in British Columbia, obviating the need for U.S. approval.
Economically, synthetic crude oil produced from oil sands bitumen can be cost-effective if the price of oil produced from traditional wells is high. On the other hand, if oil from wells or other unconventional resources like oil shales can be produced cheaply, oil sands may not be economically competitive. The significant capital investment required to produce bitumen from oil sands means that producers must often make long-term investments that risk losing money in some years. Producers may also face the risk of tighter environmental standards, the cost of compliance, and any penalties for noncompliance.
Pilgrim nuclear plant down temporarily
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts, was shut down temporarily yesterday due to an apparent malfunction. Media reports suggest a problem with a condenser, a piece of equipment that converts the steam produced by the plant back into water.
Nuclear power plants typically produce electricity by using fissile nuclear material to produce heat. This thermal energy vaporizes water into steam. In turn, this steam spins one or more turbines, each of which is connected to an electric generator. In this regard, nuclear power plants' reliance on steam resembles other thermal power plants such as those fired by combustion fuels like coal or biomass.
As with many other steam-based power plants, nuclear power plants often include steam condensers. A steam condenser takes the steam that is passed through the turbines and converts it back into liquid water. This enables the turbines to extract more energy from the flow of steam, and improves plant efficiency. It appears that a condenser at the Pilgrim station stopped working, leading to a shutdown of the plant.
Any time major equipment at a nuclear power plant sales or malfunctions, operators typically take it very seriously. Plant owner Entergy has reportedly said that it will not restart the plant until it figures out what went wrong.
Pilgrim Station is a relatively large generating facility, capable of producing up to 688 megawatts of power. The plant was reportedly operating at 30% of its capacity prior to yesterday's shutdown. As result, the short-term impacts on electricity markets in New England may be relatively minimal. However, if the plant continues to be down for an extended period of time, particularly as temperatures heat up and air-conditioning loads increase, the region may experience marginally higher power pricing as result of the shutdown.
The Pilgrim plant is also undergoing a relicensing process through the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Nuclear power plants typically produce electricity by using fissile nuclear material to produce heat. This thermal energy vaporizes water into steam. In turn, this steam spins one or more turbines, each of which is connected to an electric generator. In this regard, nuclear power plants' reliance on steam resembles other thermal power plants such as those fired by combustion fuels like coal or biomass.
As with many other steam-based power plants, nuclear power plants often include steam condensers. A steam condenser takes the steam that is passed through the turbines and converts it back into liquid water. This enables the turbines to extract more energy from the flow of steam, and improves plant efficiency. It appears that a condenser at the Pilgrim station stopped working, leading to a shutdown of the plant.
Any time major equipment at a nuclear power plant sales or malfunctions, operators typically take it very seriously. Plant owner Entergy has reportedly said that it will not restart the plant until it figures out what went wrong.
Pilgrim Station is a relatively large generating facility, capable of producing up to 688 megawatts of power. The plant was reportedly operating at 30% of its capacity prior to yesterday's shutdown. As result, the short-term impacts on electricity markets in New England may be relatively minimal. However, if the plant continues to be down for an extended period of time, particularly as temperatures heat up and air-conditioning loads increase, the region may experience marginally higher power pricing as result of the shutdown.
The Pilgrim plant is also undergoing a relicensing process through the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
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