Country's Electricity Research Articles

An analysis of Grenada's power sector and energy resources: a role for renewable energy technologies?

Presently, Grenada's power sector is fully dependent on fossil fuel imports for meeting the country's electricity demand. Electric utilities in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in general, face high cost of electricity generation due to diseconomies of scale in production, consumption and logistical aspects. Grenada's private power monopoly is no exception and the high cost of import dependent electricity generation places an increasing burden on economic development. In light of rapid technological and economic improvement of renewable energy technologies (RETs), the country's abundant sources of renewable energy should be harnessed. Benefits are envisaged to include lower electricity cost, better environmental performance and a safer and diversified supply of energy. However, barriers for shifting power production towards meaningful contributions from RETs exist, both in government and industry. This work analyses important economic interactions between the power sector and economic development, bringing to attention the importance of power sector reform. Further, present problems of integrating RETs into the grid, ranging from technical and regulatory issues to shareholder interest are investigated. A summary and analysis of past research into renewable sources of energy (RES) underscore the potential for power production from RETs in Grenada.

Environmental implications of upland run-of-river hydro schemes

The UK Government is committed to providing 10% of the country's electricity supplies from renewable energy sources by the year 2010, and has set a target of 20% by 2020. The steps by which these goals could be achieved will clarify their planning implications and hence prospect of being realised. Hydroelectric power brought electricity to many world communities for the first time and some still depend heavily upon it. Most others, like those in the UK, long ago had to look elsewhere for supplies as demand outstripped the potential of this source. The World Bank is now exploring the prospects for adding significantly to the capacity of hydroelectric power in countries with unexploited resources. Renewed interest in hydroelectric power comes as a direct result of international concern about the effects on the environment of burning fossil fuels. However, not all hydroelectric projects have been blemish-free. The purpose of this paper is to review this aspect of the hydroelectric industry as it relates to upland run-of-river projects—the aim being to establish how governments can best look to this form of hydroelectric power to meet some part of their renewable energy targets. The ever more stringent and strongly precautionary approach to new projects of all types being taken by the regulatory bodies is significant in this respect. It is concluded that the commonly-voiced message that the development potential of hydroelectric power in the UK is exhausted merits careful re-examination in view of the fact that historic schemes were intended for a variety of purposes, not all of which are pertinent to current requirements. In particular, just as changing circumstances have encouraged the growth of the ‘no-storage’ windpower industry, so too has hydroelectric power moved from a dependence on reservoirs to the ‘take-it-as-you-find-it’ run-of-river solution. The present political will for economic solutions to the growing international energy dilemma is also a new factor, upland run-of-river schemes often providing viable solutions for electricity production when assessed against all criteria. This paper focuses on the environmental issues that are likely to arise when assessing this type of project.

Meeting Sri Lanka's future electricity needs

This paper traces the history of the electricity power sector in Sri Lanka from the introduction of electricity to the country by a private company called Baustead Brothers Ltd. in 1895 during the colonial period to date. The historical development provides an introduction to the present generating system of the country and serves also to highlight the principles of methodical development of power generation in the country. The main state sector agency in electricity generation and distribution is the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). The CEB is also entrusted with generation planning and it is empowered to make its decisions on the basis of least cost to the national economy. The country faced its most severe power crisis in 1996 and is facing another such crisis today. How CEB plans to meet the country's future electricity needs is thus discussed against this climate of power shortages and uncertainty. Providing all related information such as low growth in 1996 and economic scenarios that preceded these events the paper attempts to answer the key question, “Can we blame this on lack of planning and foresight on the part of CEB planners?” The CEB planning exercise is presented in detail and shows how the plans were developed in keeping in view the country's needs at various times. The generating options considered involve both conventional energy sources and renewables, and the selection is based on an analysis based in turn on the International Atomic Energy Agency's WASP 111 simulation model, the software of choice of CEB's generation planning division. It is shown that the Sri Lankan power system is in a state of transition from being predominantly hydro-based to predominantly coal-based within the first decade of this century. After giving details of why, how, and what, and outlining the capacity development plan after demand analysis, the paper concludes that the proof of the effectiveness of the plan will be in its implementation.

Offshore Project Financing: Issues relating to wind farm developments in the UK

The development of the renewable electricity generation industry is set to speed up now that the UK Government has stated its commitment, via the Renewables Obligation, to increase the level of the country's electricity needs met from renewable sources to 10% by 2010. With up to £150m proposed as grant funding for offshore wind farms and the prospect of up to 18 developments that recently pre-qualified for a sea bed lease from the Crown Estate, offshore wind is set to make an important contribution to the UK Government's targets. Neil Robertson, of NORD/LB London Project Finance gives an outline of the rationale behind, the mechanisms of and the potential issues relating to the raising of non-recourse, cost efficient project finance for offshore wind farm developments.

Eskom's Chairman Reuel Khoza on the transformation of South African business

Executive Overview Eskom, South Africa's state-owned electricity utility, has 24 power stations with a nominal capacity of 40,585 megawatts. It is among the top seven utilities in the world in terms of size and sales, and is presently one of the lowest-cost producers of electricity in the world. Eskom supplies approximately 95 percent of the country's electricity requirements, which equals more than half of the electricity generated on the African continent. Its 26,461 kilometers of transmission lines span the entire country, and also carry power to neighboring countries. Eskom is among the Big Four state-owned enterprises that will be restructured as part of the government's economic vision. State-owned enterprises in South Africa represent massive financial, investment, labor, technology, and infrastructure resources. The restructuring strategy aims at maximizing the contribution that state assets can make to the development of South Africa. Reuel Khoza has been chairman of Eskom since 1997. Previously,...

… But whither research

Technology and the beginning of competitive forces are driving a restructuring of this country's electricity industry. Research and development will be an essential element of a survival strategy, but how much will be done, and by whom?

95/00907 Nuclear electric's approach to environmental management systems

Nuclear Electric operates the thirteen nuclear power stations in England and Wales that together contribute over 20% of the country's electricity generation. The company was formed in 1990 following the reorganization of the Uk electricity industry, taking over all the nuclear stations previously operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). Nuclear Electric (NE) competes in the Uk electricity market with the privatized generators National Power and PowerGen who inherited the fossil fuelled stations of the CEGB. This Paper outlines the nature of Nuclear Electric's existing environmental management systems, considers the implications of the adoption of a company environmental policy and looks at the exercise currently underway to incorporate the requirements of the policy into current management practices using VS 7750 as a vehicle

Large-scale wind power in Denmark

The goal of the official energy plan for Denmark is to produce 10% of the country's electricity from wind power. A total of 3% has so far been achieved, but it now looks as though there will be a moratorium on further wind power development. If the 10% target is to be reached stricter planning control will be required so as not to destroy the landscape through the building of windfarms and clusters of wind turbines, and in the long run offshore windfarms will be the way forward. However, there are currently obstacles arising from conflicting interests, and there is also a ban on private ‘windmill guilds’ as operators of offshore windfarms. The private guilds have during the last 20 years been the primary driving force behind the dissemination of wind energy in the national energy system.

Nuclear Electrics Approach to Environmental Management Systems

Nuclear Electric (NE) currently operates the 11 nuclear power stations in England and Wales, generating 61 TWh of electricity in 93/94, constituting over 23% of the Country's electricity consumption. The company is also decommissioning 2 nuclear power station, Berkeley and Trawsfynydd, and is progressing commissioning of the PWR station at Sizewell to time and cost. NE was formed in 1990 following the re-organisation of the UK electricity industry, taking over all the nuclear stations previously operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). The company competes in the UK electricity market with the privatised generators National Power and Powergen who inherited the fossil fuelled stations of the CEGB. This paper outlines the nature of Nuclear Electric's existing environmental management systems, considers the implications of the adoption of a company environmental policy and looks at the exercise currently under way to incorporate the requirements of the policy into current management practices using BS7750 as a vehicle.

Energy scenario of Zambia: Prospects and constraints in the use of renewable energy resources

The importance of the pattern of energy production, conversion and consumption in ensuring sustainable development necessitates stock taking of national energy supplies and demands so as to enable adequate policy formulation. In this paper, the state of energy resources, supply and demand in Zambia is described and analysed. Wood, the only non-commercial energy resource, constitutes 66% of the energy consumed in the country through its use as firewood in rural areas and as charcoal in urban areas. Hydropower with an existing installed capacity of 1670 MW supplies 94% of the country's electricity and meets 13% of the national energy demand. Shares of electrical energy consumed in mining, industry, household, government and agriculture sectors are 72%, 10%, 8%, 7% and 3%, respectively. With average annual output of about 470,000 tons and vast reserves of over 80 million tons, coal is also abundant and meets 9% of the national energy demand. Mining and industry have nearly equal share to account for over 90% of the domestic coal consumption. Petroleum contributes 12% of the energy demand and is fully imported. Its share in transportation, mining, industry, household, agriculture and services sectors is 49%, 27%, 14%, 4%, 3% and 3%, respectively. With annual average sum of solar radiation amounting to 7.1 GJm −2 for Zambia, solar energy potential is high but scantly exploited. The same is the case with biomass. Wind potential is weak as the average wind speed is 2.5 ms −1. Photovoltaic power is being put to some practical applications. While hydropower will continue to remain the mainstay of Zambian electricity supplies, renewable energy sources need to be exploited for applications in remote areas.

East Germany Struggles to Clean Its Air and Water

East Germans are working hard on a strategy to improve their polluted environment. Industrial plants are largely responsible for this pollution. A shroud of haze veils the suburbs of East Berlin. Far to the south the giant power plants around Leipzig pour more dust and sulfur dioxide into the air than in any other country in Europe. More than 90% of the country's electricity comes from brown coal, accompanied by prodigious quantities of dust and sulfur dioxide: almost 6 million tones of sulfur dioxide and more than 2 million tones of dust in 1988. East Germany enjoys some of the cheapest energy in the world, and the world's third highest energy consumption per capita, behind the United States, and Canada. Naturally, is also suffers air quality and health problems. The country is trying to cut down on consumption and clean up on generation. Actually, water quality is the number one priority, which unlike air is in very short supply.

Exemples d'application de la gestion optimale des reservoirs à buts multiples

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeThe "Decision-Risk" dynamic programming method is a mathematical tool designed to complement the simulation method in order to compare the relative priorities involved in the various uses made of a reservoir. The use of "money" as a common unit for measuring all the advantages and disadvantages related to reservoir exploitation requires that economic functions be established in relation to each of the various uses made of the reservoir (fig. 1 and 2). These functions make allowance not only for the advantages gained by programmed exploitation but also for the cost of failing to meet requirements. Since it is difficult to estimate these costs directly, it is often preferable to take a "permissible probability of failure" into consideration and to adjust the failure penalty introduced into the calculation in such a manner that the exploitation results respect this probability. In the case of the Jatiluhur Dam, in Indonesia, it was necessary to determine the power output guaranteed nine years out of ten and the reservoir operating procedure, so that the monthly deficit of irrigation water, did not exceed 10 % of the requirements except during one year in ten. The failure penalties were determined by successive approximation, complementing the operating procedure optimisation model with an operation simulation model based on this procedure. The same method was used to specify the program for equipping the hydroelectric plant of the Selingue dam in Mali, so that the power house can meet the country's electricity requirements up to 1990 whilst at the same time keeping within the limitations imposed by controlled discharge release related to irrigation and shipping needs. The model which combines the determination of optimum exploitation procedure according to the "Decision-Risk" process and the simulation of the procedures obtained, is just one necessary part of an overall planning study. The model is designed mainly to specify the performance of a multi-purpose dam for a given set of characteristics and targets. Due to the fact that the calculation response is very rapid and that the results are presented in a very comprehensive form (statistical distribution of reservoir levels throughout the year, failure probabilities with respect to each target, expectation of the overall benefit) a model of this type plays a very important synthesising role in multi-disciplinary studies.

The Canadian nuclear power program

Nuclear-electric generating stations, predominantly the 2000 MWe Pickering station near Toronto, currently produce 5 per cent of Canada's electric energy. By the year 2000 nuclear plants will probably supply more than 40 per cent of the country's electricity. The CANDU system, featuring pressure tube reactors, heavy water moderator and natural uranium fuel, is the preferred type and will remain so for many years to come. Envisaged is the evolutionary development of the CANDU fuel cycle to embrace the use of thorium and thereby extend nuclear fuel resources by a matter of centuries. The history of the Canadian nuclear power program, its present status and future outlook are reviewed, as are the safety and environmental aspects of nuclear power.