Download Origins of Electric Power

Origins of Electric Power

Cannot be used commercially
unless someone can figure
out away to store a
100,000,000 volts in a few
microseconds.

Most energy in a lightning
strike is converted to heat,
sound, and light energy, so
there is little left to capture
and store.
The first water turbine was used on August 26th,
1895 at Niagara Falls,
 The power generated was used to manufacture
aluminum and carborundum,
 The following year, Buffalo, New York became the
first city to receive power from the Niagara Falls
turbines.
 This power was used to power street lights and
street cars,

The first practical widespread use of electric power
was the telegraph.
 The first telegraph’s used batteries to produce
electric current,

 This current traveled via wires over substantial distances,
 electromagnets produced an effect at one end when a switch
was closed at the other.
 By using magnets with many windings telegraphs were able to
operate with low electric currents.
 This was important because the long conducting wire had an
appreciable resistance to the flow of the current, resulting in
lost energy.
The modern electric utility industry in the United
States can be traced to the invention of the practical
light bulb in 1879 by Thomas Alva Edison.
 Always looking toward the marketplace, Edison
realized that his light bulb would mean nothing
unless he developed an entire electric power system
that generated and distributed electricity.
 By 1882, he had developed such a system, and he
installed the world's first central generating plant on
Pearl Street in New York City's financial district.
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Electric power transmission is
the bulk transfer of electrical
energy;
 the first step in the delivery of
electricity to consumers.
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“Transmission” of electric
power moves electricity over
long distances.
Electricity can be transmitted in
two forms,
 AC- Alternating Current
 DC- Direct Current
Power is usually transmitted as alternating current
(AC) through overhead power lines.
 Electric power transmission allows distant energy
sources (such as hydroelectric power plants) to be
connected to consumers in population centers.
 Underground power transmission is rarely used
because of its higher cost of installation and
maintenance, compared to overhead wires, as well
as the difficulty of voltage control on long cables.

Electricity is transmitted at high voltages (110 kV or
above) to reduce energy loss during transmission.
 Lower voltages such as 66 kV and 33 kV are usually
considered sub-transmission voltages but are
occasionally used on long lines with light loads.
 Voltages less than 33 kV are usually used for
distribution.
 Voltages above 230 kV are considered extra-high
voltage and require different equipment designs
compared to that used at lower voltages.

In the early days of
commercial use of electric
power, electric power was
tranmitted at the same
voltage as used by lighting
and mechanical devices,
 This restricted the distance
between generating plants
and consumers.
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Then came the “Universal
System”,
Regarded as one of the
most influential innovations
for the use of electricity, the
"universal system" uses:
 transformers to step-up
voltage from generators to
high-voltage transmission lines,
 Transformers then step-down
voltage to local distribution
circuits or industrial customers.
Electricity travels at nearly
the speed of light, arriving
at a destination at almost
the same moment it is
produced.
 Unlike oil or natural gas in
a pipeline, electricity
cannot be easily stored.
 It must be generated and
delivered at the precise
moment it is needed.

Distribution is the final stage in the delivery of
electricity to end users.
 A distribution system's network carries electricity from
the transmission system and delivers it to consumers.
 Typically, networks include:
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medium-voltage (less than 50 kV) power lines,
electrical substations and
pole-mounted transformers,
low-voltage (less than 1 kV) distribution wiring, and
electricity meters.
Example of a Typical
Residential Service Line

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Power distribution line
Grounding line
Step-down transformer
Service line to house
A power transmission network is referred to as a
"grid".
 Multiple redundant lines between points on the
network are provided so that power can be routed
from any power plant to any load center (the
customer).
 Much analysis is done by Power companies to
determine the maximum reliable capacity of each
line in the Grid,

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Transmission Grid “Inputs”
 At the generating plants the energy is produced at a relatively low
voltage between about 2,300 volts and 30,000 volts, depending on
the size of the unit.
 The generator voltage is then stepped up by the power station
transformer to a higher voltage (varying by country) for transmission
over long distances.

Transmission Grid “Exit Points”
 At substations, transformers reduce the voltage to a lower level
for distribution to commercial and residential users.
 At the point of use, the energy is transformed to low voltage (100 to
600 V, varying by country and customer requirements).

Many experts have been calling for power
companies to create a “Smart Grid”,

A smart grid is an electric distribution system that
leverages computer technology: software, sensors at
power plants, and power-line improvements to
increase the efficiency of the transmission of power
from the producer,

Smart Grids can make it easier for consumers to cut
their energy use.
In early October, 2009, then Energy Secretary,
Steven Chu warned that China was ahead of the
United States in the development of “smart grid”
technologies.
 The 2009 Energy Department announced it would
spend $100 million to train workers to upgrade the
electric transmission system.
 New worker-training programs are currently being
paid for by federal stimulus money.

Improving the grid is central to another goal: expanding
renewable energy usage.
 The availability of Renewable energy varies from community
to community, which makes it much tougher for utility
engineers to design systems that utilize renewable energy.
 Wind Power
 Even windy areas have calm days,
 Solar Power
 sunny regions can be cloud-covered from time to time.
 Like most matters involving energy, transmission of
electricity is a political issue.
 Controlling who builds transmission lines involves state
versus federal rights and has been a difficult issue for
Congress.
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Along with developing to develop a Smart Grid, increased
use of Alternative Energy would eliminate some of the
load on the current aging Electric Grid,

But, the United States is already behind in the
development an implementation of Alternative Energies,

Solar photovoltaics, manufacturing of hybrid vehicle
batteries, energy efficiency, and nuclear power are all
options that many countries have already implemented.

Chu said "They (China) are ahead of the rest of the world
right now,” and he added, "We are the pioneers. But, We
are not the leaders."
So how do we develop Alternative Energies?

Produce as much energy and power as they use.

And many times, they produce more power and
energy than they use, and in doing so, if connected
to the grid with “Net Energy Metering,” the meters
reverse and the building or home owner receives
one or more credits for the power supplied to the
grid.

Eco-generation refers to a power and energy system
that uses the “natural” energy or fuel that is
available for a specific site or location (e.g., solar,
wind, biomethane, geothermal, and ocean power,
including ocean tidal and ocean thermal energy
conversion.)

Ford has developed an
onboard device for car owners
to program when and for how
long to charge their cars.

Consumers would program
the charging of their car, via
an onboard touch screen.

They could even decide
whether to charge their cars
only when renewable power is
available over the grid.
The car's computer would
send charging instructions
to the grid via advanced
electric meters (smart
meters) provide by the
utilities.
 Ford has received about
$100 million in grants from
the U.S. DOE, of which
$30 million will be used for
vehicle demonstration
and grid integration.
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Unlike the conventional meters that have been
around for decades, this new breed of meter comes
with sensors and wireless communications abilities
that enable it to report each customer's energy
consumption in real-time and to alert utilities of any
equipment problems.

Smart meters transmit their data back to
headquarters, without the aid of a meter reader,
and can be used, with a customer’s permission, to
remotely manipulate energy-using devices like air
conditioners.

Another function would
be telling customers,
hour by hour, what the
price of electricity is,
thus giving
homeowners or
business owners the
ability to limit use
during peak periods,
when power is more
pricey.
• That, of course,
requires pricing power
by the hour.
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Current technology would allow a standard communications
protocol so that the grid and appliances could talk to each
other.
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Thus, a smart grid would allow an electric system to absorb
more intermittent power sources, like wind and sun, and stay
balanced, by shedding load as required.
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Simply having detailed information about use and price
would lead many consumers to shut off devices they are not
using.
Cyber-Warfare
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The Federal government admits the power grid is susceptible to
cyber-warfare.
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Massive power outages caused by a cyber attack would cause a
crisis making it difficult for government and emergency workers
to respond to critical concerns.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security works with industry
to identify vulnerabilities and to help industry enhance the
security of control system networks.
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The federal government is also working to ensure that security is
built into the next generation of “smart grid” networks.
Credits
Dr. Richard J. Fogg
Associate Vice President
Institutional Advancement
Manhattan Area Technical College
Manhattan, Kansas
Dr. James Barger
Department Chair, Pre-Engineering
Landstown High School and Technology Academy
Virginia Beach, Virginia