Integrating Conventional and Renewable Power Generation in Future Energy Systems
Using renewable energy is gaining widespread support from governments, especially wind and solar energy since they generate electricity without emitting any carbon dioxide. Providing energy and electricity through these sources is, however, dependent on the efficiency and cost of technology, which is gradually improving hence cutting back its costs per peak kilowatt as well as per kWh at its origin. Harnessing electricity from wind and solar energy in a grid is challenging due to the complexities that come with the activity, especially at high levels. Despite the global call and support for fully adopting renewable energy sources in the future, a back-up generating capacity is needed due to the uncertain nature of wind and solar. Power will first have to be generated from renewable sources, integrated with that from conventional methods before the supply from renewable energy sources can fully meet the demand needed.
As the globe heads towards non-sustainable energy scenarios, developing and using renewable energies has been identified as the most viable solution to meeting the ever-rising demands of the energy market. Policies advocating for applying solar, wind, hydropower as well as biomass energy are in-line with the global future energy requirements while avoiding the problematic conventional energies. These policies are assisting nations in realizing a complete phase-out of fossil fuels as a core energy source. Germany is a good example that aims to phase out energy sourced from nuclear power by 2021. Germany’s legislation, like the Renewable Energy Sources Act, assists in offering feed-in tariffs as well as other financial aid. The country purposes to source over 80 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050 (World Nuclear Association). Through such policies and legislation enactments, generating power from renewables can be gradually increased alongside generating from conventional methods. The policies assist in setting milestones and cutting costs of producing and distributing power from renewable sources while ensuring the gradual replacement of conventional power generation to offset the demand.
Hybrid systems will also allow conventional power generation to be used together with renewable energy sources. Concentrating solar power can be used to boost fossil fuel power. An example of hybrid systems is steam being released from solar energy being applied in enhancing conventional steam-cycle power stations. Australia’s Creek solar Boost Project would have been among the largest hybrid systems that integrate solar power into a coal-fired power station. The project involves a field almost 30-hectares in size, arranged with Areva Solar’s compact linear Fresnel reflectors at the current Creek power station. The Fresnel solar reflectors would produce steam that is directed to the advanced supercritical 750MWe coal-fired unit (World Nuclear Association). Resultantly, it would assist in powering the intermediate pressure turbine, displacing heat from coal. The maximum production of the solar boost is 44MW at peak sunshine, which would increase the power generated by 44 million kWh per year. However, due to challenges and delays, the Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project was aborted back in 2016.
The USA is also considering hybrid systems as a probable solution to its future energy needs. The country’s federal government operates a SunShot initiative integrating concentrating solar power together with fossil fuel power plants as hybrid systems. Around $20 million is allocated to two to four projects. US Department of Energy asserts that 11 to 21 GWe of concentrated solar power could be fused with current fossil fuel plants by applying transmission infrastructure and turbines (World Nuclear Association). Despite Concentrating Solar Power being more expensive to solar PV, they offer thermal storage, which can be dispatched to offer affordable steam for current power plants. Additionally, Concentrating Solar Power has the capacity to offer heating and cooling for industrial processes and desalination.
Conventional and renewable power-generating sources could also be used alongside each other in the future by interchanging the power sources with regard to the alternating demand for power. The practice is already being implemented in some regions whereby pumped hydro storage is used in balancing the load produced daily by pumping water to a high storage dam on the weekends and during off-peak hours. Nuclear, as well as low-cost coal sources, are used in powering the excess base-load capacity (World Nuclear Association). When demand for power is high during peak hours, the water is used to generate hydroelectric energy. Pumped hydro storage suits offering peak-load power for systems entailing fossil fuel and nuclear energy sourcing. By changing how we perceive the entire power supply from a 24-hour week-long cycle to one that implements peak load equipment only in meeting the day to day peaks, conventional energy sources could be used alongside renewable energy sources (World Nuclear Association). Conventional peak-load equipment could be applied in a restrictive manner to offer infill capacity to a system that depends on variable renewable energy (VRE) sources like solar and wind. Such load equipment is characterized by quick start-up, often with a surge in fuel expenses as well as inadequate capital. Such capacities assist vast production of power from wind and solar thermal sources, offering power at short notice when these VREs have insufficient capacity to do so.
Additionally, effective software will be critically essential in integrating renewable power into the energy grid. As much as renewables are technologically innovative methods of generating power, the extent of controlling these renewables is limited in comparison to coal, gas, or nuclear. For energy systems to meet the climate change objectives, the software is necessary for ensuring the vast application of renewable energy is managed into the grid. Correctly deploying the energy systems’ software is the only way to sustainably scale up renewable energy into the grid. Efficient software is necessary for balancing the grid in the event of excess supply or insufficient power supply (Newland). The software will assist in interchanging the supply source in a cost-efficient manner. Once grids reach peak capacity, a lengthy amount of response time is needed in getting the supply of renewable power operational. Resultantly it requires a huge capacity to drop since fluctuations in power output occur in real-time. For renewable energy to grow efficiently, its value shifts from generating power to the manner it is managed and supplied to consumers. Renewable energy sources require self-supporting innovative technology firms to control the volatile renewable energy sources and make sure the grid is well maintained.
In summary, the energy demand globally is rising, and generating more power in the future will be necessary to meet the surging demand. Despite the international efforts that aim to see the complete phasing out of non-renewable energy sources, some of these sources will have to be used alongside the emerging renewable energy sources to offset the demand. Hybrid systems combining conventional and renewable power generation will be necessary for the near future to accomplish the transition.
Works Cited
Newland, Rupert. The future of renewable energy. 2019. 14 April 2020.
World Nuclear Association. “Renewable Energy and Electricity.” May 2019. World Nuclear Association. 14 April 2020.