SOLVING THE ENERGY CRISIS THROUGH HYBRIDIZED SOLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS

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1 Disclaimer This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose other than these authors partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk. SOLVING THE ENERGY CRISIS THROUGH HYBRIDIZED SOLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS Spencer Zacher (SIZ19@pitt.edu) A GLOBAL CRISIS Society is currently undergoing a crisis that affects everyone on the planet, despite it not being necessarily prevalent in the normal, daily life. This crisis is regarding civilization s overuse of fossil fuels. Fossils fuels, such as coal and natural gas, harm the environment and are nonrenewable energy sources. As humanity attempts to cut back on the use of fossil fuels, we must search elsewhere for cleaner, cheaper, and more sustainable sources of energy, such as solar energy. Engineers have the capabilities to develop the technology to produce alternative energy styles, and this ought to be supported by governments. However, many national governments, such as the United States, are hesitant to support alternative energy because fossil fuels produce trade in addition to being reliable and cost efficient. Alternative energy can be just as cost efficient as fossil fuels but without the negative impact on the environment. Solar energy may not be entirely cost effective and implementable on a large scale, but it certainly has the potential to become the one and only energy source that we depend on. Problems such as energy storage of solar energy can be solved by using systems that integrate pumped storage hydroelectric power. This source of power storage can be used on a large scale, such as the Bath County Pumped Storage Station. Engineers have the potential to produce the technology for a clean energy system that will help to change the world for the better. STOPPING CLIMATE CHANGE: SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY The demand for fossil fuels, namely, coal, was sparked in the 1830 s, with the invention of the steam engine. Since then, the demand for fossil fuels has only grown [1]. Fossil fuels power much of modern society s everyday life. In the United States, the average household used on average 10,812 kilowatt-hours(kwh) of energy in 2015 [2]. The United States is responsible for using 18% of the world s energy, while only containing less than 5% of the world s population [2]. Certainly, an easy fix to the energy crisis is to reduce the amount of energy that each person uses. Simply turning out the lights or limiting use of personal automobiles would reduce energy consumption. However, it is only a short-term fix that has two critical flaws. For one, it is not realistic to decrease the use of fossil fuels to the threshold where the climate is not effected. Secondly, fossil fuels are nonrenewable and will eventually need to be replaced. A long-term solution regarding renewable energy must be studied and developed on a much larger scale than before. Engineers can help to positively change the way that society impacts our plant. I would like to one day make an impact on such issues, and use my skills as an engineer to increase the standard of living. Although renewable energy (also known as alternative energy) can be produced, it is only a minority of the energy currently used. As depicted in the following chart released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 81% of the energy used in 2014 was from non-renewable sources [3]. This is mostly due to the cost involved. FIGURE 1 [3] The chart depicts the energy usage of the U.S. in It is divided based upon types of energy used. Comparatively, producing energy by burning coal is much cheaper than producing it using solar power. However, many nations have looked at implementing nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power as a long-term investment. While it is much cheaper to burn coal, investing into the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering

2 advancement of sustainable energy sources may be more economically and environmentally effective in the long run. Solar energy may not be cost effective initially, but down the road it may prove to be reliable and sustainable. In regards to the integration of solar technology, Jeffrey Ball of Stanford University proclaims that Fossil fuels aren't going away soon. But huge innovation is under way to come up with new solar technologies that could prove game-changers [4]. Solar energy may be the technology that will help pioneer civilization to even greater horizons and a more clean, healthy environment than ever before. It is still a very expensive technology, but it must be engineered to effectively harness the earth s most abundant energy source. SOLAR ENERGY: THE SMART CHOICE Solar energy is logically the next step in the solution to our energy crisis. The sun provides 10,000 times as much as all the commercial energy used and offers an attractive alternative. Its availability far exceeds any conceivable future energy demands according to the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering website [5]. Many experts believe that solar energy can be the answer to all our energy needs, including Daniel Lincot, the research director of the Institute of Research and Development of Photovoltaic Energy in Paris. He explains that the solar energy resource is enormous, and distributed all over the world, in all countries and also oceans. There is thus an enormous resource available from photovoltaics, which can be used everywhere, and can in principle cover all the world energy demand from a renewable, safe and clean source [6]. A solar powered world would have minimal adverse effects on the environment, and the quality of living would increase globally. Issues such as air pollution in China would become a worry of the past, if and only if society supports engineers in developing the technology to produce an efficient solar energy program. Production of Solar Energy Solar energy is produced using a complex system involving many components such as solar cells and energy storage. The sun s photons strike a panel filled with photovoltaic cells, which convert the photons to DC electricity. DC electricity is not an ideal form, so a transmitter must convert the DC electricity to AC electricity. From there, the AC energy can either be directly used, stored for later use, or sent straight into the power grid [5]. Solar (photovoltaic) cells are very complex technology, but they also have a lot of room for improvement. They currently have 10-20% efficiency, which contributes to the energy produced costing 3-6 times the price of energy from a coal burning generator [5]. The current system is inefficient and does not make solar technology economically viable. Although it is not a good short term investment, I believe that the long-term effects of investing in solar energy will help to grow the technology and reduce climate change. Improvements in solar cells will help to improve solar technology, but energy storage is also a key technology concern that must be addressed. ENERGY STORAGE When I was a child, I received a solar powered flashlight as one of my Christmas gifts. This may sound like a very bland and boring present to most people, but to young me, it was one of the most fascinating gadgets I had ever laid my hands on. I spent countless hours inspecting it and wondering how the little solar panel could trap the sun s light inside my flashlight. One of the most frustrating things about that solar powered flashlight was the short battery life. As a child, I realized that the flashlight could only keep a limited amount of sunlight inside of it. With an overly simplified conceptualization, I was not too far off from the real reason why that flashlight had such poor battery life. One of the biggest debates about solar energy is the unreliable nature of the sun as an energy source. Energy may be stored for use during night and cloudy weather, but the technology of energy storage has a lot of room for improvement. Energy storage is certainly one of the biggest drawbacks of solar energy that needs to be addressed for the usage of solar power to expand. Engineers may produce an energy storage system that will work for a small scale, but does not make economic or physical sense for a large-scale operation. Another problem encountered is that the energy storage cells must constantly be filled and emptied to maximize the life of the battery. Emptying the excess energy from a battery results in wasted energy, and a less efficient system. Industrial engineers may work on a system that would produce the least amount of wasted energy and thus maximizing usage of the energy that was produced from the sun s photons. One such way to use excess energy in a system is to divert it to a pumped storage hydroelectric facility. Such a facility can store energy for use during the time that the solar energy is unavailable. Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage In this solar-hydroelectric hybridized system, the solar panels would collect solar energy while the sun is out and send it to a generator. This generator would then pump water from a lower reservoir into a vertically positioned higher reservoir [7]. When the sun is not available to directly produce energy, the water stored in the higher reservoir will be released and turn a turbine as it travels into the lower reservoir. The turning turbine will then produce electricity; this is known as hydroelectricity. Energy may be lost through the pumping process or evaporation of water from the upper reservoir [7]. However, this system still increases the overall efficiency of solar energy. Hydroelectric energy is a resource that has already been utilized throughout the world for decades. However, there is a limited number of locations where dams and power stations can be built. By producing a man-made, cycled hydroelectric 2

3 system, the energy collected from solar power may be more effectively stored. This technology is taking the simplicity of hydroelectric systems and solving the storage needs of the solar energy systems. Another benefit of this hybridized system is that the minimal carbon dioxide that is produced has almost no negative effects on the environment. Pumping stations like the one described are already in operation (not necessarily utilizing solar energy), and they produce about 2.5% of the energy used in the U.S. [7]. There are 40 pumping stations in the United States, including the Bath County Pump Storage Station, which is the largest in the world [8]. BATH COUNTY PUMPED STORAGE STATION The Bath County Pumped Storage Station(BCPSS), located in the Allegheny Mountains in Virginia, began operation in 1985(pictured below in Figure 2). It is truly an engineering marvel and energy powerhouse, as it has a capacity of 3,000 megawatts(mw) [8]. The larger of the reservoirs has 555 surface acres of water, and the water may fluctuate up to 105 feet in depth. The dam has the capacity to release up to 13.5 million gallons of water per minute and has a pumping power of almost 500,000 kilowatts(kw) [8]. This station provides energy to millions of customers in six states. FIGURE 2 [9] An overhead view of the Bath County Pumped Storage Station, in the mountains of Virginia. Although the BCPSS stores a significant amount of energy, it does not operate using energy from a solar power station. Rather it is powered from nuclear and coal power stations. The purpose of such stations is not to generate power, but rather to store it so other power plants can run at optimal efficiency. One day, the BCPSS may operate to store clean energy only. Stations such as this one would help to solve the problems that are connected to solar energy. A movement that embraces both solar and hydroelectric technology would be a large step forward for humanity. Additionally, I believe that the concept of such station is an engineering masterpiece in itself. When faced with a problem that effects society (energy storage), engineers can create a system using both existing technology (hydroelectric power) and new ideas (man-made reservoirs) to improve the standard of living for years to come. It is the duty of engineers to use their knowledge and skills to help the rest of the world to evolve and improve. Without engineers, the world would be limited to burning fossil fuels as the sole source of energy. THE DIRECTION OF OUR ENERGY NEEDS If the world is to move forward from fossil fuels, it may begin by implementing a system that uses multiple facets of technology hybridized into one efficient system. One type of energy cannot be the saving grace for an entire planet. Solar energy will not work on its own, but with the addition of energy storage using a hydroelectric pumped storage system, the goal of 100% clean energy is more attainable. Rather than using the already made hydroelectric storage stations to store energy produced by fossil fuels, the United States should focus its attention on updating and revolutionizing this system with the implementation of solar energy. The U.S. has the available resources to pioneer civilization into a cleaner, more sustainable future. Pumped storage stations are already built, and the solar energy technology is improved upon each day. Governments must support engineers in the production of more advanced and efficient solar energy systems in order to stop climate change. There is still a long way to go to attain alternative energy, but this work must be done to produce this technology that will certainly shape the way that we live. SOURCES [1] Micah L. Issitt, Tom Warhol. Alternative Energy Exploration: An Overview Accessed efc8-48b0-84daf5a0b2bd7e24%40sessionmgr4006&vid=4&hid=4204&bdata =JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#AN= &db=pwh [2] How much electricity does an American home use? U.S. Energy Information Administration Accessed [3] What are the major sources and users of energy in the United States? U.S. Energy Information Administration Accessed urces_and_users.cfm 3

4 [4] T. Myers. The Experts: What Renewable Energy Source Has the Most Promise? Wall Street Journal. Accessed [5] Making Solar Energy Economical. NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering. Accessed [6] J. Hill. Expert Says Solar Energy Can Meet All World s Energy Demands. Clean Technica. Accessed [7] M. Owens. Is pumped storage hydro power the answer to storing wind and solar? Fairfax Climate Watch Accessed [8] Bath County Pumped Storage Station Dominion. Accessed [9] Locating Power Plants Virginia Places. Accessed ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to my peers for proofreading my paper and constantly helping me to use better grammar. Thank you to the University of Pittsburgh s Writing Center, which is always a huge help in helping me to evaluate the content in my paper. Thank you especially to the other Freshman Engineering students in the Pitt Drumline, Mark, Kevyn and Mike. They helped me immensely in the process of writing this paper. 4

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