Agreement Technologies Applied to Transmission Towers Maintenance

In the context of Smart Cities, one of the main indispensable elements required by a city is the electric power, for which electric towers are used to distribute it. Transmission towers have electrodes which need to be reviewed on a regular basis by controlling its resistance in order to assure avoidable malfunctions not to appear. From the point of view of Smart Cities, it is possible to address this maintenance task by trying to minimize the cost of operation through the estimation of values and the reduction of the size of the population sample. To do so, the use of an intelligent-agent virtual-organization based architecture is proposed within this working environment, which by using mathematical estimation models and agreement based negotiations it is capable of maximizing the estimations, minimizing the associated cost. The proposed model is evaluated in a simulator through a real case study, which allows validating the proposed approach.European Commision (EC). Funding H2020/MSCA-RISE. Project Code: 64179

Financial viability of offshore wind on the Texas Gulf Coast

Offshore wind is already a significant component of the electricity generation mix in Europe, and improvements in technology and cost are enabling increased offshore wind penetration in new markets around the world. Thus far, the US has struggled to materially participate in this industry, with only a single 30 MW offshore project in operation. Navigating a complicated regulatory framework, the lack of a coherent national policy, and facing local opposition, the industry has experienced some spectacular failures in recent years. However, the US now has an opportunity to take advantage of the lessons learned from years of (primarily) European development and combine them with excellent offshore wind resources close to transmission-constrained load centers. By far the leader of the US onshore wind industry, and with a long history of offshore oil and gas development, Texas has some major advantages when it comes to offshore wind. Wind resources in the Gulf of Mexico are more than adequate for economic production. With shallow depths and relatively calm seas, the Texas Gulf Coast is also well suited to offshore wind construction. These factors, coupled with a pro-development state regulatory scheme and extended jurisdiction over submerged lands, suggest that Texas is an ideal candidate for offshore wind development. With no currently active projects in the pipeline, this thesis examines the economic viability of offshore wind development on the Texas Gulf Coast at the project level. Using an ideal location and cost data from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Energy Information Administration (EIA), and industry sources, a hypothetical “test project” was developed and evaluated against three cost estimate cases and ten regulatory scenarios. These inputs were fed into a Discounted Cash Flow model to determine potential competitiveness in the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) market in the ERCOT region. Results indicate that without significant cost reductions or major changes to either market conditions or federal/state incentive schemes, Texas Gulf Coast offshore wind cannot compete with other forms of onshore renewable generation. With ever-decreasing costs, it is not impossible that offshore wind could become viable at some point in the future, but given current conditions, it is not likely that any projects are on the near-term horizon.Energy and Earth Resource

Preliminary assessment of industrial needs for an advanced ocean technology

A quick-look review of selected ocean industries is presented for the purpose of providing NASA OSTA with an assessment of technology needs and market potential. The size and growth potential, needs and problem areas, technology presently used and its suppliers, are given for industries involved in deep ocean mining, petrochemicals ocean energy conversion. Supporting services such as ocean bottom surveying; underwater transportation, data collection, and work systems; and inspection and diving services are included. Examples of key problem areas that are amenable to advanced technology solutions are included. Major companies are listed

Assessment of the environmental aspects of the DOE phosphoric acid fuel cell program

The likely facets of a nationwide phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) power plant commercial system are described. The beneficial and adverse environmental impacts produced by the system are assessed. Eleven specific system activities are characterized and evaluated. Also included is a review of fuel cell technology and a description of DOE's National Fuel Cell Program. Based on current and reasonably foreseeable PAFC characteristics, no environmental or energy impact factor was identified that would significantly inhibit the commercialization of PAFC power plant technology

Opportunities for and challenges to further reductions in the “specific power” rating of wind turbines installed in the United States

A wind turbine’s “specific power” rating relates its capacity to the swept area of its rotor in terms of Watt per square meter. For a given generator capacity, specific power declines as rotor size increases. In land-rich but capacity-constrained wind power markets, such as the United States, developers have an economic incentive to maximize megawatt-hours per constrained megawatt, and so have favored turbines with ever-lower specific power. To date, this trend toward lower specific power has pushed capacity factors higher while reducing the levelized cost of energy. We employ geospatial levelized cost of energy analysis across the United States to explore whether this trend is likely to continue. We find that under reasonable cost scenarios (i.e. presuming that logistical challenges from very large blades are surmountable), low-specific-power turbines could continue to be in demand going forward. Beyond levelized cost of energy, the boost in market value that low-specific-power turbines provide could become increasingly important as wind penetration grows

Análise de custo nivelado da energia da perspectiva de um contrato de compra de energia para a tecnologia de energia eólica aerotranspotadora

With the need to diversify the national electric matrix to expand the generation capacity, the searches for new technologies capable of contributing to supply the national demand are fundamental. In this sense, the development of wind energy technology, but specifically high-altitude wind energy using wired airfoils, is an attractive possibility, given the high national wind potential. This research aimed to analyze the cost models used in the literature to assess the leveled cost of energy (LCOE) from the perspective of an power purchase agreements (PPAs) and to simulate the leveled cost of energy for a wind farm with the innovative technology of wired airfoils. For this, we chose two cities Fortaleza (CE) and Florianópolis (SC) to carry out the simulations. The wind farms are identical, with the same number of wind turbines, the parameters that have been modified are, the amount of energy supplied by each of the scenarios, to visualize the influence of the capacity factor of each scenario within the real and nominal LCOE and the PPA real and nominal after 20 years of analysis. As wind energy is not a constant source of supply, the simulation considered the limits of energy delivery that are above or below the minimum limit of energy delivery. The results demonstrated economic viability in almost all scenarios, with greater attractiveness for scenarios with an increase in the capacity factor. When financial parameters such as federal and state charges are varied downwards, all scenarios investigated are attractive to development with an IRR greater than the reference value.Com a necessidade de diversificar a matriz elétrica nacional para expandir a capacidade de geração, são fundamentais as buscas por novas tecnologias capazes de contribuir para suprir a demanda nacional. Nesse sentido, o desenvolvimento da tecnologia de energia eólica, mas especificamente a energia eólica de alta altitude, utilizando perfis aerodinâmicos com fio, é uma possibilidade atraente, dado o alto potencial eólico nacional. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar os modelos de custo utilizados na literatura para avaliar o custo nivelado de energia (LCOE) da perspectiva de um contrato de compra de energia (PPAs) e simular o custo nivelado de energia de um parque eólico com a inovadora tecnologia de aerofólios cabeados. Para isso, escolhemos duas cidades Fortaleza (CE) e Florianópolis (SC) para realizar as simulações. Os parques eólicos são idênticos, com o mesmo número de turbinas eólicas, os parâmetros que foram modificados são a quantidade de energia fornecida por cada um dos cenários, para visualizar a influência do fator de capacidade de cada cenário no LCOE real e nominal e o PPA real e nominal após 20 anos de análise. Como a energia eólica não é uma fonte constante de suprimento, a simulação considerou os limites de fornecimento de energia que estão acima ou abaixo do limite mínimo de fornecimento. Os resultados demonstraram viabilidade econômica em quase todos os cenários, com maior atratividade para cenários com aumento no fator de capacidade. Quando os parâmetros financeiros, como os encargos federais e estaduais, são variados para baixo, todos os cenários investigados são atraentes para o desenvolvimento com uma TIR maior que o valor de referência

Figure of merit studies of beam power concepts for advanced space exploration

Surface to surface, millimeter wavelength beam power systems for power transmission on the lunar base were investigated. Qualitative/quantitative analyses and technology assessment of 35, 110 and 140 GHz beam power systems were conducted. System characteristics including mass, stowage volume, cost and efficiency as a function of range and power level were calculated. A simple figure of merit analysis indicates that the 35 GHz system would be the preferred choice for lunar base applications, followed closely by the 110 GHz system. System parameters of a 35 GHz beam power system appropriate for power transmission on a recent lunar base concept studied by NASA-Johnson and the necessary deployment sequence are suggested

Protecting Species or Endangering Development? How Consultation Under the Endangered Species Act Affects Energy Projects on Public Lands

Executive Summary Throughout its forty-three-year history, the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) has been one of the most celebrated environmental laws but also one of the most reviled. After passing with strong bi-partisan support in 1973, the ESA has recently faced growing opposition, amid concerns that it has failed to adequately protect species, while unreasonably impeding economic development. Much of the criticism has been directed towards section 7 of the ESA, which requires federal agencies to ensure that actions they undertake or authorize do not jeopardize threatened or endangered species, by consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”). Industry groups have argued that the consultation requirement frequently stops or delays much needed energy, transportation, water supply, and other projects. This study seeks to assess the impact of consultation, under section 7 of the ESA, on energy development on public land. To this end, the study analyzes 179 consultations undertaken between FY2010 and FY2014 with respect to oil, gas, solar, and wind energy projects on public land managed by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”). Basic information about each consultation, including a brief description of the project involved and a list of species affected, was obtained from FWS’s Tracking and Integrated Logging System. We also reviewed the biological opinions and concurrence letters issued by FWS and, for a subset of consultations, interviewed agency staff and industry representatives involved. Key findings from the analysis include: A relatively small number of energy projects authorized on federal lands between FY2010 and FY2014 went through the consultation process. The majority (eighty percent) of consultations that were carried out involved oil and gas drilling projects. Fifteen percent of consultations related to solar energy projects and five percent to wind energy projects. Only a small proportion (ten percent) of all oil and gas drilling projects approved by BLM from FY2010 to FY2014 were subject to consultation. In contrast, eighty-two percent of BLM approved solar energy projects and seventy-one percent of BLM approved wind energy projects underwent consultation. Most of the energy project consultations undertaken between FY2010 and FY2014 were completed within the 135 day time limit set in the ESA. There was, however, often significant back-and-forth between FWS, BLM, and the project proponent prior to the official start of consultation. This is a concern for industry, as pre-consultation discussions can add significant time to the review process and thereby lead to project delays. The need to consult can also give rise to significant uncertainty for industry. The assessment of project effects and the measures required to mitigate those effects often differs markedly between, and even within, FWS offices. Similar projects may, therefore, be assessed differently depending on the FWS staff handling the consultation. FWS has recently taken steps to address industry concerns regarding the potential for project delays and inconsistencies in the review process. To this end, FWS has issued a number of programmatic biological opinions, which cover multiple similar actions. Where a project is covered by a programmatic biological opinion, consultation tends to proceed more quickly, and there is less need for pre-consultation discussions. The existence of a programmatic biological opinion can also greatly reduce the complexity of consultation and generally leads to increased certainty for project developers.The Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law, and Busines