Electric

Power Generation
March 4, 2020 by Electrical4U

We divide the power system into three parts; power generation,

transmission and distribution. In this article, we will discuss power
generation. Actually, in power generation, one form of energy gets
converted into electrical energy. We produce electrical energy from various
natural sources.
We classify these sources into two types renewable sources and non-
renewable sources. In present power system, most of the electrical energy
gets generated from non-renewable sources like coal, oil and natural gases.
But these sources are limitedly available. So, we have to use these sources
carefully and always to find an alternate source or move on renewable
sources.

The renewable sources include the solar, wind, water, tidal and biomass.
These sources are the environment-friendly, free and infinite resource
available. Let us get more information about renewable sources.

Solar Energy System

It is a best alternative source for power generation. There are two ways, to
generate electrical energy from sunlight.

1. We can create electricity directly by using photovoltaic (PV) cell. The

photovoltaic cell is made up of silicon. Many cells are connected in
series or parallel to make a solar panel.
2. We can produce heat (solar thermal) with the help of mirrors in the
sunlight, and we use this heat to convert water into steam. This high-
temperature steam rotates the turbines.
Advantages of Solar Energy System
1. Transmission cost is zero for a stand-alone solar system.
2. Solar electricity generation system is environment-friendly.
3. Maintenance cost is low.
 4. It is an ideal source for remote locations that cannot link to the grid.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy System
1. Initial expenses are high.
2. Require large area for bulk production.
3. Solar electricity generation system is weather dependent.
4. Solar energy storage (battery) is costly.

Wind Energy System

Wind turbines are used to convert wind energy into electrical energy.
Wind flows due to temperature change in atmosphere. Wind turbines turn
wind energy into kinetic energy. The rotating kinetic energy rotates the
induction generator, and that generator converts kinetic energy into
electrical energy.
Advantages of Wind Energy System
1. Wind energy is an unlimited, free and clean source of energy.
2. Operating cost is almost zero.
3. A wind electricity generating system can generate power in a remote
location.
Disadvantage of Wind Energy System
1. It cannot produce the same amount of electricity for all time.
2. It needs a big open area.
3. It makes noise.
4. The construction process of a wind turbine is expensive.
 5. It gives lower electricity output.
6. It poses threats from flying birds.
Hydro Energy System
The power obtained from river or ocean water is called hydro power.
Hydro power plants are works based on the gravitational effects. Here we
store water in a dam or reservoir. When we allow falling the water, the
movement of this water as it flows downstream towards the penstock
causes kinetic energy that rotates the turbines.
Advantages of Hydro Energy System
1. It can be used in the service instantly.
2. After this process, water can be used for irrigation and other
purposes.
3. Dams are designed for an extended period and so it can contribute to
the generation of electrical energy for many years.
4. Running and maintenance costs are low.
5. No fuel transportation is required.
Disadvantages of Hydro Energy System
1. The initial cost of a hydel power plant is high.
2. Hydro power plants are located in the hilly area, and it is very far
from the load. So, they require long transmission line.
3. Construction of dams can flood towns and cities.
4. It is also weather dependent.
Coal Energy System
Thermal power plant produces electricity by burning coal in the boiler.
Heat is used to convert water into steam. This high pressure and high-
temperature steam flowing into the turbine spins a generator to produce
electrical energy. After it passes through the turbine, the steam gets cooled
in a condenser and reuse in the boiler to generate steam again. Thermal
power plant works according to Rankine cycle.
Advantages of Coal Energy System
1. Coal is cheap.
2. It has less initial cost compared to renewable power plants.
3. It requires less space than a hydel plant.
4. We can construct a thermal power plant at any place because coal
can be transport to the plant irrespective of its location.
 5. Construction and commissioning of thermal power plant take lesser
time than a hydel plant.
Disadvantages of Coal Energy System
1. Coal is a non-renewable energy source.
2. Operating cost high and variable according to the price of fuel.
3. It pollutes the atmosphere due to smoke and fumes.
4. It requires huge quantity of water.
Nuclear Energy System
Working of nuclear power is almost same as a thermal power plant. In a
thermal power plant, coal is used in the boiler to produce heat. In a nuclear
power plant, uranium is used in the nuclear reactor to generate heat. In
both power plants, heat energy gets converted into electrical energy.
1kg of uranium can produce energy same as the energy produced by
burning of 4500 tonnes of coal or 2000 tonnes of oil.
Advantages of Nuclear Energy System
1. It requires less space than a thermal power plant and a hydro power
plant.
2. It can produce an unusually high amount of electrical energy from
the single plant.
3. It does not emit CO2
4. A nuclear power plant needs a small quantity of fuel.
Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy System

Source Generation (GWh)

Coal 944,861

Oil 275

Gas 49,094

Diesel

Nuclear 37,916

Hydro 122,313

Mini-hydro 7,673
Solar 12,086

Wind 46,011

Biomass 14,159

1. It has high initial construction cost.

2. It has high operating and maintenance cost.
3. It has radioactive waste.
4. It has a high risk of radio-activity and explosion.
Installed Electric Capacity in India
Yearly gross electricity generation by source (GWh) (2016-2017)

How Hydropower Works

Hydropower plants
capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A turbine converts the kinetic energy of
falling water into mechanical energy. Then a generator converts the mechanical energy from the
turbine into electrical energy.

Hydroplants range in size from "micro-hydros" that power only a few homes to giant dams
like Hoover Dam that provide electricity for millions of people.

The photo on the right shows the Alexander Hydroelectric Plant on the Wisconsin River, a
medium-sized plant that produces enough electricity to serve about 8,000 people.

Parts of a Hydroelectric Plant

Most conventional hydroelectric plants include four major components (see graphic below):

1. Dam. Raises the water level of the river to create falling water. Also controls the flow of water.
The reservoir that is formed is, in effect, stored energy.
 2. Turbine. The force of falling water pushing against the turbine's blades causes the turbine to
spin. A water turbine is much like a windmill, except the energy is provided by falling water
instead of wind. The turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical
energy.
3. Generator. Connected to the turbine by shafts and possibly gears so when the turbine spins it
causes the generator to spin also. Converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into
electric energy. Generators in hydropower plants work just like the generators in other types of
power plants.
4. Transmission lines. Conduct electricity from the hydropower plant to homes and business.

How Much Electricity Can a Hydroelectric Plant Make?

The amount of electricity a hydropower plant produces depends on two factors:

1. How Far the Water Falls. The farther the water falls, the more power it has. Generally, the
distance that the water falls depends on the size of the dam. The higher the dam, the farther
the water falls and the more power it has. Scientists would say that the power of falling water
is "directly proportional" to the distance it falls. In other words, water falling twice as far has
twice as much energy.
2. Amount of Water Falling. More water falling through the turbine will produce more power.
The amount of water available depends on the amount of water flowing down the river. Bigger
rivers have more flowing water and can produce more energy. Power is also "directly
proportional" to river flow. A river with twice the amount of flowing water as another river can
produce twice as much energy.

Can I Figure Out How Much Energy a Dam in My Area Can Make?

Sure. It's not that hard.

Let's say that there is a small dam in your area that is not used to produce electricity. Maybe the dam
is used to provide water to irrigate farmlands or maybe it was built to make a lake for recreation. As we
explained above, you need to know two things:

1. How far the water falls. From talking to the person who operates the dam, we learn that the
dam is 10 feet high, so the water falls 10 feet.
2. Amount of water flowing in the river. We contact the United States Geological Survey, the
agency in the U.S. that measures river flow, and learn that the average amount of water
flowing in our river is 500 cubic feet per second.

Now all we need to do is a little mathematics. Engineers have found that we can calculate the power of
a dam using the following formula:

Power = (Height of Dam) x (River Flow) x (Efficiency) / 11.8

Power The electric power in kilowatts (one kilowatt equals 1,000 watts).
Height of Dam The distance the water falls measured in feet.
The amount of water flowing in the river measured in cubic feet per
River Flow
second.
How well the turbine and generator convert the power of falling water
into electric power. For older, poorly maintained hydroplants this might
Efficiency
be 60% (0.60) while for newer, well operated plants this might be as high
as 90% (0.90).
11.8 Converts units of feet and seconds into kilowatts.

For the dam in our area, lets say we buy a turbine and generator with an efficiency of 80%.

Then the power for our dam will be:

Power = (10 feet) x (500 cubic feet per second) x (0.80) / 11.8 = 339 kilowatts

To get an idea what 339 kilowatts means, let's see how much electric energy we can make in a year.

Since electric energy is normally measured in kilowatt-hours, we multiply the power from our dam by
the number of hours in a year.

Electric Energy = (339 kilowatts) x (24 hours per day) x (365 days per year) = 2,969,000 kilowatt
hours.

The average annual residential energy use in the U.S. is about 3,000 kilowatt-hours for each person.
So we can figure out how many people our dam could serve by dividing the annual energy production
by 3,000.

People Served = 2,969,000 kilowatts-hours / 3,000 kilowatt-hours per person) = 990 people.

So our local irrigation or recreation dam could provide enough renewable energy to meet the residential
needs of 990 people if we added a turbine and generator.

Note: Before you decide to add hydropower to a dam, have a hydropower engineer review your
calculations and consult with the local resource agencies to be sure you can obtain any permits that are
required.