I also sent this yesterday but think it failed to go. Gene
Begin forwarded message: > From: Eugene Coyle <[email protected]> > Subject: more on the Structure of the energy system: fossil vs renewables > Date: March 24, 2012 2:36:21 PM PDT > To: Progressive Economics <[email protected]> > > > On Mar 24, 2012, at 11:35 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > <snip> > >> >> >> (5) Transmission: With the present fossil-fuel-powered >> system, transmission lines from the large-scale fossil fuel >> or nuclear power plants to the consumers are needed. This >> transmission and distribution network has tree structure: >> electricity always flows in one direction, from the >> generator to the consumers. > > snip> > >> This is how I see it. I may have overlooked things. >> Please comment. >> >> Hans > > Hans, what I sent a few minutes ago implied what I'll add here. I disagree > that Transmission has a tree structure, or only one direction of flow. > > The interties between the Northwest and Southwest are a simple example. In > general the seasonal loads, North vs South, are opposite -- peak in the North > in the winter, peak in the South in the summer. So both areas have larger > baseload capacity than they need for much of the year, and employ that year > round by the swap that transmission enables. > > It is also true that adjoining utilities all over the country plan their > systems with contracts with neighbors that enable them to build and run the > most appropriate system. Let me make up an example. Suppose utility A sees > a need for new capacity in the near future amounting to 400 mW. And suppose > the most efficient (in the heat rate sense) plant on offer from manufacturers > is 700 mW. If utility A anticipates future load growth beyond 400 mW, it > might build the 700 mW plant and contract with a neighbor to buy 300 mW for > the first year of operation, 250 in the second year, 150 in the third year, > etc. And utility B, the purchaser, might meanwhile make plans and then begin > building a new plant of its own, larger than its own needs (at first) and > selling its expected excess to utility A in the far future when utility A > begins to need capacity beyond what the 700 mW plant will provide. > > This was for decades a very common planning practice among utilities, often > involving more than a simple pair. > > Gene >
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