Electrical Energy Generation,

Transmission and Storage

 Brief History
• Electricity was discovered in the nineteenth
century when the electrical generator and motor
that converts mechanical and electrical power
from one form to the other with little loss of
energy was invented.
• Electrical power generation is made possible via
electric transmission lines.
• Electrical energy via electric lights and
communication devices have contributed to one-
third of the world energy needs.
• Most of the electric power generating plants rely
on fossil fuels.
Biomass power plant
 Basic principles
• The two most important aspects of electrical flow are described by
current and voltage
• Current i flows in a wire when there are n charge carriers per unit
volume of wire ;
i = v n e A , where v = drift velocity, e= charge on 1 electron
i.e. (1.60 E(-19) Coulomb) and A= CSA of wire
e.g. Estimate the drift velocity in a Cu wire, if there is one free
electron in Cu or 8.5E(28) electrons/m3.
Diam = 1 mm and i = 1 A.
• Note that there is resistance to the flow of current.
• Voltage or potential difference serves as the driving force that create
the electric field and electricity flows
• Power is the output of energy (usually work) resulting from the
voltage and current flowing.
 ELECTROMECHANICAL POWER
TRANSFORMATION
• The principal devices underlying the transformation process are
electric generator and electric motor
• Basic elements of both motor and generator are a magnetizable
rotor and a stationary magnetic field, either or both of which are
connected to external electric circuits that adjust the amount and
direction of the magnetic fields.
• See Fig 4.2, and Fig. 4.3
• Alternating current (AC) power is generated when the electric
potential changes algebraic sign as the armature loop rotates
through 180º provided magnetic field B maintains its direction.
• Various forms of armature and magnetic field circuits give rise to the
several types of AC and DC motors and generators.
• AC synchronous generator must rotate at precise speed to produce
60-cycle or 60 Hz AC power. Generators maintain fixed voltage in
the transmission and distribution system, while the current varies to
suit the power needs of electricity customers.
• The efficiency of electric motors and generators is greater for large
than for small machines.
• See Fig 4.4, and Fig. 4.5
 ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION

• Electric power is transmitted via electric cable consisting

of two wires that conduct electrical current at different
electric potentials.
• For Direct Current (DC) system, the electric current flows
in one direction only
• For AC systems, the currents reverse direction every half
cycle.
• The electrical power transmitted in the cable
Рel = (∆Φ)I
and time averaged power, Рel = √(∆Φ)2 (I)2 cos φ
where Рel = potential difference bet wires and I = current
and φ = phase angle bet current and pot. diff. for AC
• In both AC and DC transmission systems there is a loss
of electric power in the transmission lines in the amount
I2 R , R = resistance of the line.
• To minimise the loss, reduce the resistance by using
large size copper wires and current minimised with
increasing the pot. diff. (So, this is why long transmission
lines carry very high voltage to reduce transmission
losses and transformers are use to bring down the
voltage)
• The main reason for generating AC currents is because
it is easily transformed to very high voltages for
transmission via a national grid.(See Fig. 4.6 )
• However DC power cannot be easily transformed to
different voltages hence use is restricted to special
applications such as electric rail trains.
 AC/DC Conversion

• Although nearly all electric power is generated,

transmitted and utilised in AC form, special applications
require DC power.
• e.g. Communications systems such as telephone and
computer where the circuits utilise DC power through the
use of rectifiers.
• Another application is observable in automobiles where
the alternating current generated via the engine is
changed by the alternator to 12V DC power charging the
battery for lighting, fans and radio electrical needs.
• PV cells and fuel cells generate DC power and if need to
be converted to AC power then an inverter is used.
 Energy Storage
• There is very little energy stored in the electric utility
system that supplies electric power to consumers
• Electric power must be supplied at the same rate it is
being utilised.
• If demands exceeds supply, then electrostatic energy
storage devices such as capacitors must be installed.
• Other important forms of energy storage are
electrochemical energy storage and mechanical energy
storage such as primary batteries, secondary batteries
(e.g. car batteries) and hydropower plant.
 Energy Demand and Supply
• The demand for electricity can be met in 2 ways :
i. Primary method – public or private utilities to construct large scale
centralised projects to generate and transmit the electricity required
for economic activities
• However they have unpleasant environmental effects – air or
radiation pollution and the flooding of large areas of land during
construction.
ii. Distributed generation – Smaller, distributed projects with the
advantages;
- protect from blackouts caused by closure of decentralised power
plants or transmission lines for maintenance, market manipulation or
emergency shutdown
- Reduce pollution
- Allow smaller players to enter the energy markets.
Off-Peak and On-Peak Electricity Supply and Effect of
them on Electric Bill

Depending on the time in a day and the season in a year, electricity

demand fluctuates. The “On-peak” is the time when electricity demand
is high but it is a short period of time, for example- 4 pm to 8pm in a
day. The “Off-peak” is the time when electricity concussion is lower than
base load.

“On-peak” time is the time when most of the people stay in home and
engaged with house hold activities with almost all of the electric
devices. For example, people turn on the microwave, refrigerator, air
conditioner, ironing, television, cooking heater and many more. It
creates some problems to the base load production and electric grid
operators. To make constant supply of electricity at “on-peak” time,
some small scale and less effective producer add some electricity to the
grid.
 Effect of On-Peak and Off-Peak on Electric Bill
Base load is usually coal, nuclear, or natural gas fuelled generation using
technology that is relatively efficient but cannot be dead started and
stopped easily. Shoulder and peaking load uses quick-start, less efficient
technology such as a gas turbine, an enormous diesel consuming engine
or something similar. Thus it is reasonable to think that the price of the
electricity generated from diesel generator is expensive which increases
the electricity price at consumer level at on-peak time.
Ppeople can save money on electricity bill if anybody can significantly
reduce the amount of electricity use during on-peak times. We can see all
the usual charges for basic service on monthly bill, and also can see three
new line items. One line item will be monthly meter charge. The other two
additional line items will be for on-peak and off-peak time of use
adjustments. We receive a credit for the number of kwh of electricity used
during off-peak hours and an additional charge for the electricity used
during on-peak hours. So if we can reduce the use of electricity at on-
peak hours, then we can significantly reduce the electricity cost.
• Diurnal variations in the electric power demand is shown
in next slide.
• As can be observed, the trend shows an uneven pattern
with a peak usually in the afternoon.
• To match with the demand, the utility power suppliers
turn on the individual plants during the rising portion of
the demand and then take them off line as the demand
declines.
• A sufficient number of plants must be run continuously to
supply the minimum demand, called the base load.
• Hence the electricity utilised by the consumer is also
charged based on the demand pattern.
 Tariff of Electricity

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