CHAPTER 3

3.5 GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY SOURCES OF ENERGY y y y Used to generate electricity can be described as renewable and non-renewable. Renewable energy sources are those which are continually being replaced. Non-renewable energy sources are those energy sources is being used faster than it can be replaced, it will be depleted.

Generation of electricity

Renewable sources

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

Hydroelectric energy Geothermal energy Biomass energy Solar energy Wind energy Tidal or wave energy

Non-renewable sources
(a) (b) (c) (d) coal petroleum natural gas nuclear energy

Importance Of Renewable Energy

y Non-renweable of energy such as crude oil,coal and natural gas es are fast depleting except for nuclear energy. This causes the price of such sources, especially crude oil, to rise to new levels yearly. Nuclear energy appears to be the most viable enerdy source of the future but the use of nuclear energy comes with lots of safety problems. Renewable sources of energy are actually better than that of non-renewable sources as they do not pollute the environment. Apart from hydroelectric energy and geothermal energy, the technology to convert the other sources of energy into electricity is still costly and is not yet fullydeveloped. Furthermore. Most suitable sites for large-scale hydroelectric power plants in developed countries have already been developedand the areas where geothermal energy is avaible are quite limited.

y y y y

Electricity Transmission

y y

The power supply is switched on, the lamp power station is lighted up brightly while the lamp at the consumer s end only grows dimly. When the power supply is switched on the lamp at the consumer s end become almost as bright as the lamp at the station .

Energy Loss In Electricity Transmission

y y y y Due to that the heat generated in the cables The formula E=I2 Rt shows that the energy loss during transmission is directly propotional to the square of the current flowing through the cables. The energy can therefore be greatly reduced if the transmission current is reduced significantly. This can be achieved by transmitting electricity at very high voltages since I=P/V, that is the transmission current, I is inversely propotional to the transmitting voltage,V.

Example question Electric power is transmitted from a power station to a town via transmission cables with a total resistance of 50. If the power station generates 8 MW of power,calculate the power loss in the cables if power is transmitted. (a) At 80 kV (b) At 400 kV Solution (a) At 80 kV. The current I flowing through the cables is given by: Power loss P = I2P = 100(100)(50W) = 500 kW (b) At 400 kV, the current I flowing through the cables is given by: I= P/V = 8(106)/400(103) = 20A Power loss P = I2R = 20(20)(50W) = 20 kW

National Grid Network

y y y y A network of high-voltage cables, mostly supported on polygons, which connect all the power stations throughout the country to consumers. Generated at 25kV at the power station. It is then stepped up in a transformer to 132 kV before it is sent to the grid network. The purpose of increasing the voltage to 132 kV is to lower the current flowing through the grid, and thereby reducing power loss during transmission. Heavy industries wil be supplied with power ay 33 kV. Light industries will be supplied with power at 11 kV. Offices will be supplied with power at 415 kv while domestic users will be supplied with power at 240 V. The national grid enables power to be transmitted at very high voltages, thereby reducing power loss along the cables. This helps to reduce cost and enables powr to be transmitted more efficiently. The grid network also enables less efficient stations to be shut down at off-peak periods, thereby reducing the overall cost of generation and transmission.