Nuclear Power

The Energy Matrix
A Science Ebook e-zine Summer 2009 Edition
List of all editions

The energy matrix examines the full spectrum of future energy sources and associated problems. It is meant to be a thought provoking publication for students who will be our future technocrats, engineers, and physicists. We will include concepts such as solar, DG, CHP and concepts that are not practical today such as ice engines. Send Comments to BilPat4342@AOL.com

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Solar and Wind Farms could pave the way for saver nuclear power plants

The US government and industry have proposed plans two build major solar farms in the southwest and major wind farms in the Midwest. Though the effort to develop these non green house gas producing energy sources have been slowed by the recent great recession, they are still the wave of the greener future. Since construction of this new power infrastructure is planned, the economic feasibility of the transmission of the power over a distance of about 1000 kilometers has already been accepted. This will require a new power grid that uses very high voltage AC or DC power lines.

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Corn Revisited

A considerable amount of energy, usually from coal, is required to produce ethanol. Getting heat directly from corn may be a better than producing ethanol with respect to global warming. For this reason, I found this email from a reader

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Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Many US homes or homes the world over for that matter use heating oil which is essentially #2 diesel for heating. Most people don't consider oil heat just one part of a hybrid heating system. These homes are actually heated by a combination of oil and electricity. In the cold of Winter, homes with oil heat are heated by a combination of oil and electricity. Even homes with no electric heaters are heated by electric lights, TV and other appliances. In cold weather every watt of energy saved by energy saving light bulbs has to be made up for by burning more heating oil to keep the home at a constant temperature.

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Cost of Coal for July,08

The cost of coal varies greatly with region according to US EIA (Click toVisit Site) The highest price coal is $130 ton (13000 Btu/lb) in Northern Appalachia and only $14 ton (8800 Btu/lb) in the Powder River Basin. The Appalachia coal cost calculates out two 200000 Btu per dollar. The Powder River cost calculates out to 1.25 million Btu per dollar.

Diesel oil is about $5.00 per the 139000Btu in a gallon. This calculates to 27,800 Btu per dollar. The most expensive coal is still over seven times cheaper than diesel or heating oil.

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US has System in Place to mitigate High Cost of Diesel in the short and long term.

US energy policy must be responsive to oil price changes. The new economic reality is that oil is now simply to expensive to burn. Yet that is exactly what millions of Americans plan to do this Fall, when they start using their oil burners to heat their homes.

All homes derive some of their heat from electricity; be it from lights, televisions, or computers. Oil, natural gas or propane furnaces provide the majority of home heating requirements. Many US homes are all electric and have electric baseboards, electric furnaces as their primary heat source. However, all US homes
use electricity, and therefore they get some of their heat from electricity. It could be from a light bulb, a television or a computer.

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Index for all Editions

Cogeneration

Combined Heat & Power (CHP)

Ice Energy Density versus Battery

Solar Heat Storage in CO₂

Solar Heat Storage in Water

Storing Carbon Dioxide

Stoves - Corn Burning

Stoves - Wood Pellet Burning

Stoves - Coal Burning

Tar Sand Oil

Waterfalls

Yucca Mountain

Nuclear Power Plants and the New Power Grid

Once such a power grid is constructed, it could also be used by nuclear power plants in low density population areas. These plants could be close to nuclear waste storage facilities such as Yucca mountain in Nevada, USA. Due to variability of solar and wind, either fossil fuel or Nuclear power will be required to guarantee utility base load requirements are met.

Past and Future Editions

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