(123d) The Effects of the Renewable Portfolio Standards in the State of Alabama

The growing concern about global warming and the effects that humans have on the environment have been the driving force behind finding other environmentally friendly alternatives to operating human necessities throughout the world. Currently, in the United States, 86% of energy consumption is generated from fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuels has proven to produce negative effects on the environment, causing many of our leaders to explore other alternatives to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels [1]. The focus is to reduce our reliance on finite resources. One way of achieving this goal is to implement a program that requires a certain percentage of energy generation to come from renewable resources. This standard is known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which is a state set standard specifying that electric utilities generate a certain amount of electricity from renewable resources. Presently, half the states in the United States have already implemented this program and are reaping its numerous benefits [2].

The acceptable renewable resources include wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biomass, of which location is the determining factor of which resource each state has the potential use for. Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, which can be accomplished using wind turbines. Solar energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, which can be accomplished through photovoltaic cells or by heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator. Hydro power is energy generated from moving water, the amount of energy generated is based on the flow or fall of the water. Geothermal energy is the conversion of hot water or steam from deep beneath the earth's surface into electricity. The primary resources that provide geothermal energy are volcanoes, hot springs, fumaroles, geysers and pools of boiling mud. Biomass energy is biological material derived from living or recently living organisms (i.e., plants, animals and vegetables). Biomass is the most available resource throughout the United States. Wind power generation is predominant in the mid-western states. The western United States has a large potential for geothermal, solar and biomass power generation.

This project focuses on Alabama's potential to implement this standard, by quantifying if it is possible to replace finite resources, for power generation, with renewable resources. Analyzing growth production, local weather trends, current energy use, and availability of these resources, will help to determine how realistic it is to implement such a standard in Alabama. The conclusion will be based on quantitative data that will be collected and analyzed from state records, calculations to determine if these resources will produce a comparable amount of energy to that of finite resources, computer simulations, sensitivity analyses, and a prediction analysis to determine if other industries will be affected by the implementation of this standard in the state. Several areas need to be analyzed to assist in providing an accurate solution for the state of Alabama.

Research has shown that the state of Alabama has a potential for solar, biomass, and hydro power. Currently, the hydropower resource is exhausted. Forests make up approximately 22 million acres of Alabama's 32 million acres. These statistics shows a great potential for converting biomass into electricity. There are 36 power generation plants in Alabama, of which 7 are hydroelectric, 2 are nuclear, 18 are natural gas and 9 are coal powered. Through this research, it will be determine if some of these plants can potentially be retrofitted to support the conversion of renewable resources to useful energy.

Case Studies:

1. McNeil Power Station in Burlington, Vermont (Biomass Energy)

In 1998, the first U.S. commercial scale biomass gasification demonstration plant based on the SilvaGas process began at the McNeil Power Station in Burlington, Vermont. The SilvaGas process, a particular form of biomass gasification, indirectly heats the biomass using heated sand in order to produce a medium Btu gas. The McNeil power station is capable of generating 50 MW of power from local wood waste products. This case study was selected to determine the process for biomass energy production. The process and methods used to run this power station will be analyzed to form a systematic chain of events for converting biomass to energy.

2. The Geysers San Francisco, California (Geothermal Energy)

The largest dry steam field is The Geysers, 72 miles north of San Francisco. The Geysers began in 1960, have a 1360 MW of installed capacity and produce 750 MW net. It is the United States largest producer of renewable geothermal energy. The geysers are recharged by injecting treated sewage effluent from treatment plants of nearby cities in California. This sewage effluent used to be dumped into rivers and streams and now it is piped into to the geothermal field where it replenishes the steam produced for power generation. This case study was selected to compare energy production results for another method of renewable resource power generation. The amount of energy produced from the geothermal conversion will be compared to fossil fuel energy generation, and analyze these results to biomass energy production.

3. The Basin and Range Western United States (Geothermal Energy)

The Basin and Range geological province in Nevada, southeastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, Arizona and western Utah is now an area of rapid geothermal development. Several small power plants were built during the late 1980's during times of high power prices. Rising energy cost have spurred new development. Plants in Nevada at Steamboat near Reno, Brady/Desert Peak, Dixie Valley, Soda Lake, Stillwater and Beowawe now produce about 235 MW, per year. This case study was chosen to determine if this renewable resource energy production is comparable to that of fossil fuel energy production. These results will be used to determine if biomass energy production as good or better energy source than that of geothermal energy generation.

References Cited:

[1]. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/1190084/resources_waste...

[2]. http://www.pewclimate.org/what_s_being_done/in_the_states/rps.cfm