[NatureNS] wind power storage

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:29:00 -0300
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Hi Paul,

On 29-Aug-12, at 11:32 AM, Paul MacDonald wrote:

> The compelling reason Dave would be cost.
> Although it is very possible, it would require somewhere in the order
> of twice the investment.

The amortized costs of building "pumped storage" reservoir systems are =20=

actually extremely modest. For example, the enormous Dinorwig Power =20
Station in Wales (a facility of this sort) cost =A3425 million (=3D $665 =
=20
million CAD) to construct, a substantial initial outlay, but =20
reservoirs of this sort have extremely long lives (on the order of =20
centuries, if not longer) so the amortized annual costs are very low.

	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station

Dinorwig operates at 74-75% efficiency returning 3/4 of the energy =20
involved in pumping the water into the reservoir. In adjusting to =20
energy use in the grid it can be ramped up from a dead start to full =20
speed in 75 seconds delivering 1,800 MW of power which it can sustain =20=

for up to 6 hours (it is normally used for very much shorter intervals =20=

in adjusting electricity load balance within the U.K. grid).

If you built this reserve capacity using conventional fossil-fuel =20
generating plants they would emit on the order of 140,000 tonnes of =20
carbon dioxide annual into the atmosphere, so Dinorwig provides a =20
substantial environmental savings that benefits climate change.

> In addition there would be the power leakage
> at the windmill, the pumps and the turbine all to consider not
> too mention water evaporation.

Some water can evaporate, but it can also rain, and with additional =20
runoff flowing into the reservoir, you get power for nothing!

> A great idea for our Great grand children!

Not just for our great grand children, but for us! This is an idea =20
that is happening today, and with the continued development of =20
renewable energy we are going to be seeing many more. Nova Scotia is a =20=

a bit of a disadvantage in this regard because of our topography. It =20
greatly helps to have mountains around where such facilities can be =20
located (the higher up you can pump water the smaller the reservoir =20
capacity required). In this regard, perhaps the most promising part of =20=

the province for such developments might be in the highlands of Cape =20
Breton. If reservoirs can be situated not far from wind power =20
generating facilities, then electricity transmission losses can also =20
be minimized.

Cheers,

Chris


Christopher Majka - columnist, Rabble.ca
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
http://rabble.ca/blog/26142
"The significant problems of our time cannot be solved by the same =20
level of thinking that created them." - Albert Einstein






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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Paul,<div><br><div><div>On =
29-Aug-12, at 11:32 AM, Paul MacDonald wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><div =
style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); =
font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: =
12pt; position: static; z-index: auto; "><div><span>The compelling =
reason Dave would be cost.</span></div><div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, =
0); font-size: 16px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, =
serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; ">Although it =
is very possible, it would require somewhere in the order</div><div =
style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-family: 'times new =
roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; =
font-style: normal; ">of twice the investment. =
</div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>The amortized costs =
of building "pumped storage" reservoir systems are actually extremely =
modest. For example, the enormous&nbsp;Dinorwig Power Station in Wales =
(a facility of this sort) cost&nbsp;=A3425 million (=3D $665 million =
CAD) to construct, a substantial initial outlay, but reservoirs of this =
sort have extremely long lives (on the order of centuries, if not =
longer) so the amortized annual costs are very =
low.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><span class=3D"Apple-tab-span" =
style=3D"white-space:pre">	<a =
href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station">http://en.wik=
ipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station</a></span></div><div><br></div><div=
>Dinorwig&nbsp;operates at 74-75% efficiency returning 3/4 of the energy =
involved in pumping the water into the reservoir. In adjusting to energy =
use in the grid it can be ramped up from a dead start to full speed in =
75 seconds delivering 1,800 MW of power which it can sustain for up to 6 =
hours (it is normally used for very much shorter intervals in adjusting =
electricity load balance within the U.K. =
grid).</div><div><br></div><div>If you built this reserve capacity using =
conventional fossil-fuel generating plants they would emit on the order =
of 140,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annual into the atmosphere, so =
Dinorwig provides a substantial environmental savings that benefits =
climate change.</div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><div =
style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); =
font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: =
12pt; position: static; z-index: auto; "><div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, =
0); font-size: 16px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, =
serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; ">In addition =
there would be the power leakage</div><div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); =
font-size: 16px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, =
serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; ">at the =
windmill, the pumps and the turbine all to consider not</div><div =
style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-family: 'times new =
roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; =
font-style: normal; ">too mention water =
evaporation.</div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Some =
water can evaporate, but it can also rain, and with additional runoff =
flowing into the reservoir, you get power for =
nothing!</di