How can renewable energy technologies be integrated into cities and

rural areas across the United States in a cost effective and wise
mechanical manner?

Benjamin Glenn

Senior Project Advisor: Steve Smith

12th Grade Humanities

Animas High School
27th February 2017

Part I: Introduction

The world consumes 15 terawatts of power every day on average, and that number only
continues to increase. With 15 terawatts of electricity you could power 150 billion one hundred

watt light bulbs simultaneously. This is how much power the human race consumes every day of

the year. 41.3% of that power still comes from coal/peat power plants, which produce the most

carbon dioxide (CO2) pollutant out of any other power generation source in the world. 21.7% of

the power comes from natural gas, which burns cleaner than coal, but if incorrectly handled can

release methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 16.3% of power

comes from hydroelectric generation, 10.6% from nuclear reactors, and 4.4% from oil burning.

The last 5.7% of power generated in the world is produced by renewable energies (Key World

Energy Statistics).

Renewable energies use sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat to

generate electricity and produce little to no carbon dioxide in their lifetime. Renewable energies

are growing at the greatest rate out of all sources of electricity. They are replacing old electricity

generation technologies (i.e. Coal, Natural gas, Petroleum). The transformation from older

electricity generation to the newer renewable energies is supported by a plethora of research and

reasoning. To maximize the effectiveness of implementing renewable energy technologies,

current energy grids need to be improved, and the incorporated technologies need to be climate

specific.

Part II: Historical Context

Climate change is the global or regional change of climate patterns on the Earth, caused

by increasing global temperature. This is the result of greenhouse gas emissions produced from

the combustion of fossil fuels. Climates naturally change over millions of years, but humans

have accelerated that rate making the global climate shift in a few hundred years. These rapid

changes spawn ripple effects across the whole world. The ocean, which covers 71% of the earth,

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is becoming more acidic and warm because the absorption of excess carbon dioxide from

surrounding air. This kills the coral, which in turn kills off fish, and can result in a lifeless ocean.

Extreme weather patterns have become more frequent. Increased/decreased precipitation, more

common natural disasters, and rising oceans will force relocation of cities, kill off species and

threaten the living conditions of every living organism. All of these events are the result of

increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere polluting the air. Air pollution does not just

include increased levels of CO2, but a surge of smog in urban areas consisting of nitrogen oxides

(NOx) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), making breathing harder as well.

In the increasingly industrialized and rising middle class world we live in today, we can

no longer afford to produce electricity with generation stations that turnout massive amounts of

carbon dioxide. As new environmental fees are being set in place and running costs are

increasing, these older sources have become economically insurmountable. Over the past half

century the old generation systems are being replaced and renewable energies are being

integrated. Renewable energies are predicted to grow at faster rates than any other electricity

generation system. This is because of incentives that governments offer, prices are decreasing for

this energy while others rise, and it is a long term investment in your own energy. To accomplish

further renewable energy integration small stepping stones have been used. Natural gas is one of

those stepping stones, which has been around for a few hundred years. Modern technology

makes the process of collecting the gas easier and cheaper, more now than ever before. Natural

gas burns cleaner than conventional sources of electricity. It has helped close coal power plants

because it has been deemed more efficient and less environmentally impacting (when properly

handled). It seems we have hit a tipping point in the world where implementing or increasing

renewable energies usage is our next crucial step. Countries like Germany, Sweden, Canada, and

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many others have created policies and taken actions to lower carbon emissions nationally and

state/city wide to raise the percent of renewable energy used (Beatley 34). In worldwide

movements, many nations work together to create common goals, they will all aim to achieve,

for example the Paris Accords and the Kyoto Protocol. Replacement of old power generation,

marks renewable energies huge steps in the correct direction. Although these methods have been

successful, and will continue to lead renewable energies in the correct direction, more steps need

to be taken to completely and successfully implement all renewable energies in a larger scale.

Part III: Research/Analysis

Smart Energy Grids

The United States current energy grid is in need of improvement and remodeling if more

renewable energies are to be set in place. The U.S. grid system is defined as three main sections.

The Eastern, Western, and Texas conference, support the United States with power. The United

States power grid produces energy at large power facilities across our territories. This limits the

amount of production in residential areas. Even though the U.S. provides most of the power for

these three sections, often power shortages happen in the eastern conference forcing power to be

bought from Canada in times when they have excess electricity (Rivard et al. 229). It is also hard

being able to locate where a power outage has occurred, resulting in longer power outages. These

outages and power shortages could become more frequent as electricity production is ramped up

and the grid is not improved for the incoming renewable energies.

The future of renewable energy integration lies upon a foundation made up of smart

energy grids. Smart energy grids include Advanced meters, sensors, energy storage, and others

that are crucial for the integration of more renewable and low carbon electricity into the electric

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power grid (Koenigs et al. 218).

Figure 1: shows a general smart grid setup that includes how a distributed generation system

works

A distributed generation grid or Decentralized Generation is the idea that is held at the core of

smart energy grid systems (Konopko 2). A distributed generation system gives the ability to buy

and sell energy locally, for example if you are at home and your neighbor is gone, his roof is

collecting energy through PV panels, you could be buying energy from his roof to support your

activities. In the article Future Evolution of Distribution Systems for Smart Grid- the

Challenges and Opportunities to using Decentralized Energy Systems, Konopko explains This

new system of distributed energy generation will provide customers with additional ways to

reduce their power costs, satisfy their desire for cleaner power choices, and manage their energy

production to ensure it meets their quality and availability requirements (1). Although

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renewable energies are a large part of smart grid integration the use increase is not the only goal

a smart grid can accomplish. Smart grids offer potential for stronger grid infrastructure that lasts

a long time and also helps meet goals that the United States has already set for our energy grid to

hit (Koenigs 225).

The path of getting to a distributed grid system includes smart meters. A smart meter is

better than conventional meters because as Depuru et al. explain, conventional energy meters

are based on a unidirectional communication while smart meter system is based on a bi-

directional communication respectively (qtd. in Wang et al. 669). This gives the ability for

better recordings of energy usage and energy being able to flow both directions so you can buy

and sell electricity. Most of these mechanics have been integrated or are in the process of being

integrated in cities across the world, proving their effectiveness. In recent years, Canada and

Mexico, neighbors to the United States, nations across the world Germany, France, Switzerland,

etc. have already installed smart meters and multiple sensors for millions of homes. These

nations are all advancing their energy grids and power generation systems as the United States

only takes small steps at a slower rate (Weiss 7). President Obama made a larger move with the

Clean Power Plan to implement smart meters and renewable energies in 2015. This act was being

contested in the Supreme Court which ruled in the end a 5-4 vote barely keeping the plan in

action.

The slow movement towards a smart grid system in the United States mainly comes from

the inability to handle bi-directional energy flow and the impacts of variable generation from

renewables in a larger scale (Weiss 11). Another large factor is the initial investment cost. It was

estimated by the Electric Power Research Institute that smart grid investments could cost

anywhere from $338-467 billion over a time period of 20 years. (Koenigs et al. 2). Although

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these facts are true and daunting to the U.S., many people believe that overcoming these

obstacles is the only way to succeed. The same institute that estimated the cost of investment for

a smart grid also estimated that $1.3-2 trillion could come in benefits from converting the current

energy grid (Koenigs et al. 2). Electricity providers have also taken large steps in

implementation: Over 10 million two-way advanced meters had been installed (Koenigs et al.

ap1). This pattern is occurring over all 50 states in varying amounts and is starting to affect how

we use and rely on the energy grid with renewable energies integrated. Renewable energies can

only be implemented in specific ways and geographic locations to have their maximum

effectiveness.

Renewable Energy Technologies

Electricity generation from all types of renewable energy. Sun, wind, rain, tides, waves,

and geothermal heat are where part of the future of electricity lies. The up-front cost of

renewable energy infrastructure is large but is usually equal to or better than what non-renewable

energies cost (i.e. coal, natural gas, oil) in the long run. These energies have a lot of potential for

growth and cost reduction but each type does come with its own downsides. Capacity factors for

renewable energies is fairly low with current technology but, has the potential to become larger

with large advancements in technology. Capacity factors is the ratio of a power plant's actual

output (over a period of time) to its potential energy output if it never stopped producing power.

An example of this is when the sun goes down solar panels stop producing energy, making a

lower capacity factor. Each electricity has downsides and upsides. It is hard to treat them as one

group directly, if you explain them separately the technologies become more clear.

Photovoltaic Panels

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 Photovoltaic panels also known as PV panels, are currently growing at the fastest rate

and dominate production of renewable energies (Weiss et al. 3). Their widespread popularity

comes from how versatile solar panels are and how they can be implemented on many scales.

Photovoltaic panels collect the Sun's energy, it then gets transferred to a semiconductor material

that absorbs the light. The energy collected excites electrons and allows them to move freely,

now you have electricity that is usable. For the PV panels to be effective and worth being

installed they have to be placed with the correct location and orientation. Modern technology

helps this process with satellite imaging to predict where the sun will hit, how much energy can

be produced by a set of panels, and the potential savings in money. As PV panels are the most

popular and growing distributed small-scale renewable technology, the United States needs to be

able to handle the output of power these panels can generate, especially if it becomes a

widespread trend. One place that upgrades are mentioned to be crucial is in The Role of Smart

Grids in Integrating Renewable Energy by saying At the distribution level, rooftop PV may

accelerate the fatigue of distribution components, such as low-voltage transformers, moving

forward the need for grid upgrades (Speer et al. 3). Smart grid integration is crucial to the future

of these renewable energies. Although solar power can only support about 30 percent of the

power needed because of day-night cycles, smart energy grids can improve the percentage with

better distribution, less energy loss, and better paths to energy storage (Speer et al. 4). These

factors don't just apply to one energy, but can also affect all renewable energies especially wind

energy.

Wind Turbines

Capturing the wind to use as a power source has been around for longer than electricity

production itself. Wind turbines/mills have supported small tasks (i.e. grain milling, organs, ship

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props) for centuries and they are finally taking a very important role in modern energy

production. Traditionally wind turbines work with blades that are turned by wind, and that moves

a series of gears that connect to a generator. Wind farms can be rather unpredictable in their

energy output making it hard to rely on wind generation extensively (Speer et al. 2). With the

support of a smart grid, wind power can completely be captured at times of increased generation,

and fossil fuel planets can power down. In the report The Role of Smart Grids in Integrating

Renewable Energy the loss of wind energy is mentioned by saying When nighttime demand is

very low and wind is strong (for example on a windy springtime night), there may be insufficient

demand to utilize all of the wind power, and conventional generators may not be able or willing

to reduce their generation further to make space for wind power (Speer et al. 3). Not being able

to predict wind patterns like solar gain is a major challenge for this renewable energy. With

newer technology and better overall reporting of wind speeds in areas, professionals can better

place wind turbines in wind effective areas. Saudi Arabia had a wind projection map created that

can actually show areas worth placing wind capture (Mohamed et al. 5). Comparing the United

States to foreign countries in wind production, the U.S. only has a very small amount of wind

power per capita (Weiss 7). If mapping was used to place wind turbines and smart grid

technology was in place to support the uncertainty of wind power it is believed it would increase

greatly.

Biomass Generators

Unlike solar and wind turbines, biomass generators can consistently turn out power and

in a predictable manner just as a coal or nuclear power plant operate. Wind and PV panels both

only have 1 source of power production while biomass can generate power in many more ways.

A conventional biomass generator consumes a type of biomass (i.e. wood chips, plant

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overgrowth, compost, etc.) and then it is incinerated at incredibly high temperatures minimizing

how much CO2 is released. The heat is captured by a boiler system turning water into steam

which rotates a turbine connected to a generator. This whole system can be contained and put

into a relatively mobile arrangement, or on the other hand it can be expanded to a bigger scale to

produce larger amounts of energy. This means it is a strong addition to a distributed energy grid

as one system can be large or small. Comparably, biomass is one of the easiest to implement into

a smart grid network and can potentially make energy production much higher. The source of

fuel for biomass generators can be collected from forests, and places of excess plant growth like

parks, residential neighborhoods, sides of highways. Since this biomass is very abundant

biomass generators have to be treated with special care so they do not destroy environments. In

Renewable Energy Sources within Urban Areas: Results from European Case Studies

implementation of biomass is mentioned by saying Large urban renewable power plants are

often based on biomass due to a good economic return of investment in countries with a green

feed-in tariff (qtd. in Eicker 73). With this being said, implementing biomass generators is a

good idea, but with the restriction of making sure there is enough excess biomass and thinning of

natural environments is not increased. Germany has plans to implement more biomass and has

cities with the potential to have 53.4 GWh of energy provided by just biomass. In the United

States, many plans have been created with biomass as an eligible renewable technology to be

integrated with a smart grid system (Koenigs et al. ap4). Biomass is already being implemented

in many other countries leaving many great examples for integration techniques. One renewable

technology that the United States currently has the most potential and dominates in availability is

hydroelectricity.

Hydroelectricity

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 The idea of using gravity fed water to produce power is not a new idea. The potential for

this technology is immense and could potentially output a larger amount of the energy in the

United States. Hydroelectric power works by feeding water from a water source (lakes, rivers,

reservoirs) to a turbine that spins when the water is fed around the turbine. That turns a standard

generator producing the power. Damming rivers can and has destroyed whole ecosystems if they

are not properly implemented and it can prevent fish migration. Even though dams have hurt

existing environments, most dams that were implemented a long time ago have now merged into

that ecosystem which in turn has created a whole new system. Globally hydroelectric power has

seen an increase in generation capacity by more than 60% (Konopko 4). This has for the most

part been in countries such as Germany and Canada. In Ontario, Canada 24% of the renewable

energy sector comes from hydroelectric power (Rivard et al. 227). According to Hydropower

Resource Assessment and Characterization the United States has over 50,000 potential dams

that could output at least 12 gigawatts each. This could bring our 68% of hydroelectricity up

substantially, reducing electricity generated from fossil fuels. The current U.S. power grid can

support the amount of electricity produced by hydroelectric stations. If more hydroelectric plants

and other renewable energies are integrated the power created will increase significantly and

could potentially cripple the grid without more advanced substations and electrical transfer

(Speer 1). All of the renewable technologies that are mentioned in the above sections have down

sides, but the larger upsides overall benefit the environment. While we implement renewable

energies, they will only become a larger portion of generated electricity if overall consumption

levels are lowered.

Consumption levels

The total world electrical energy consumption is an astonishing 15 terawatt hours a day.

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The United States produces 18% of that power out of the entire world and only has roughly 13%

renewable energies producing it (Key World Energy Statistics). Current consumption levels only

allow 20-30% of a average cities power to come from renewable energies. The only way these

percentages can change according to Ursula Eicker in Renewable Energy Sources within Urban

Areas: Results From European Case Studies is Consumption has to be significantly decreased

for cities to become climate neutral, as the renewable potential on a municipality level is not

sufficient (qtd. in Eicker 80). Currently cities and individuals are reducing consumption mainly

for the price incentives. You can get tax breaks for using better light bulbs, a refund bill if you

give back energy into the grid, or even if you lower your yearly electricity consumption. These

incentives need to continue, or large masses and cities have no reason/incentive to reduce

consumption. LEDs or light emitting diodes can create an equivalent amount of light to a CLF or

Incandescent light bulb all the while using 60 watts while LEDs uses on average 10 watts. Street

light all around towns are now solar and led powered (Beatley 35). Consumption levels have

gone down in cities across the world including the United States, but not enough to make a

substantial impact on energy used, that's why buildings with smart grid integration also need to

be built with solar passive architecture in mind. Forcing buildings into lower energy

consumption could dramatically affect how energy is consumed. Laws and regulations are hard

to change, but would be worth changing with the intentions to create a more sustainable energy

grid. People consume electricity at random rates that are hard to predict with the United States

outdated energy grid. Peak usage and off peak usage are times when large or minimal amounts of

electricity are needed by the grid to meet energy demands. When pricing electricity, you are able

to sway when the high demands are because of more expensive electricity prices. An example of

this would be 1-5pm, electricity cost 12 cents per kWh and all other hours it cost 30 cents per

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kWh. This method is effective and used all around the United States. Although this method

ceases to work once the price of electricity rises too much. This then results into more erratic

electricity consumption just as before this method was used, like what was experienced in

Ontario, Canada. Ontario had smart meters and sensors installed so they can accurately predict

peak demands and release the right amount of energy (Rivard 227). This allows them to waste

little to no energy and can show real time data of customer usage to the customers. Without

cutting consumption down, renewable energies cannot make a larger impact to form a healthier

and electrically cheaper world.

Part V: Conclusion

In order to successfully integrate renewable energies into the United States there has to be

a sequence in order to create the most cost effective and reliable energy production. This whole

system has to be started with an effective and completely configured smart energy grid. A smart

energy grid has shown its effectiveness in supporting current energy production not to mention

renewable energies. With the slow decentralization of energy production local communities and

whole states can profit from the renewable energies. Smart meters, sensors, and smart inverters

will be able to report real time usage and support the user's personal renewable energies. Both of

these components (real time usage and support of renewable energies) are a part of making the

grid stronger and able to adapt minute by minute to supply and demand of a power user. Finally a

smart grid will prepare the United States energy grid for more massive overhaul programs not

just renewable energies.

Once the smart energy grid is in place more renewable energies can be implemented to all

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cities and states, with the right conditions for those energies to succeed. Compared to

conventional fossil fuel energy production, renewable energies produce little to no CO 2

emissions over their lifetime, and can have a faster return on investment. There will never be a

day without flowing water, the suns uv rays, or a small breeze. These new energy types have to

be looked at and evaluated in order to build them in the most effective environment. When this

has been accomplished renewables will start to produce electricity and continue to for the rest of

their duration, setting fossil fuel energy productions lower.

Both a smart grid and climate specific renewable energies go together hand in hand, to

help further progress in implementing renewable energy technologies and reduce CO 2. Both of

these entities move in sync to help renewable energies, but one thing does not which is

consumption levels. Consumption levels need to drop drastically to make the effectiveness of

renewable energies larger. We can implement a smart energy grid that saves electricity, while

also producing more renewable energy from precisely placed energy collectors, but both of these

become null when put up to the test of the crazy over consumption of the 21st century. Everyday

people can lower their consumption by switching to LED lights, making more conscious heating

and cooling decision, and buying electricity when off peak hours occur. This will make

renewable energies be a larger piece of a smaller electricity consumption. The states, local

communities, and even the federal government can give better incentives for people to reduce

their consumption. This can put more money back into the hands of the users making a whole

loop of money savings for everyone while also saving the earth.

While other countries continue to excel towards a renewable energy future, the United

States needs to immediately take action to catch up and see how beneficial these cost effective

and climate specific renewable energies can be. Looking into a smart grid system for the entire

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U.S. should be step number one. This should be accompanied by a fast integration of renewable

energies that are placed into environmentally smart locations to maximize their total output. As

both of these are being set up, citizens/public officials can take action into their own hands to

lower consumption levels in their homes, counties, states, and our nation. Without effectively

implemented renewable energies and the immediate lowering of CO2 emissions, the United

States could be facing an irreversible eradication of species and environmental habitats.

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