“How can renewable energy sources give back to the grid?”
Grid connected renewable energy systems can easily receive energy from local power generation units when there is a deficit. However, would it also be possible to send over energy to the grid when there is a surplus?Well, let’s think about it. If electricity can be received from a power generation station (such as a coal plant) one way, then wouldn’t it be logical to send electricity generated (such as from a solar panel) the other way? Furthermore, since individuals are billed for every time they receive electricity from the grid, couldn’t individuals bill the electric company for this activity? This is the fundamental idea behind net metering, which uses a bi-directional meter to measure the net energy received/given off by a housing unit to determine the compensation. Net metering has already spread it’s away across the United States, and hopefully one day the entire world!
The Netherlands’ electric is now completely powered by renewable energy
01/13/17
“How is it that the Netherlands’ electric train system is now completely powered by renewable energy?”
A most riveting milestone in global renewable energy adoption has just been reached. The Dutch national railway company NS has just announced that the entirety of their electric train fleet is running on renewable energy! This means that transportation systems that carry 600,000 passengers every day have and consumes 1.2 billion Kwh each year has just had their carbon footprint sabotaged! However, work is not done, as the company also plans to decrease energy used per passenger by 35% by 2020
“How can we ensure that a battery does not get depleted or overcharged while we are using it?”
Much of our current technological operating infrastructure rests upon battery technologies. These simple devices allow us to store energy in a portable format for later use, such as in electric vehicles and micro-grid systems. However, because they are so vital for many systems, if they become depleted or overcharged, then all operation could be thrown into catastrophe. So how can we modify such systems to ensure that the state of charge for batteries are always at a stable level? Well, let’s use our engineering mindset to solve this issue. For this sort of problem, it looks like some sort of monitoring would be needed. So what if we made a device that could sense if a battery was becoming overcharged or over discharged it would shut down current? This is the operating principle behind a technology known as charge controllers, which have become an essential part for numerous renewable energy systems.
“Can we combine both the series and parallel hybrid car drivetrains?”
Both series and parallel hybrid car drivetrains offer their distinct advantages and disadvantages. The exclusionary principle of the series drivetrain allow for greater efficiency at lower speeds, while the combined efforts model of the parallel drivetrain allow for a smaller battery. However, would it be possible to combine both types in an attempt to have our cake and eat it too? Well, it turns out such a wild idea is indeed possible through the use of a series/parallel hybrid car drivetrain. These drivetrains are set up so that the electric motor and internal combustion engine can operate independently of the condition of the other. This allows for much greater efficiency than either component acting completely discrete or in union. However, these systems will come at a higher cost, making it prohibitive for many individuals to purchases such systems. Perhaps one day, the cost of the systems will plummet to the point that they will threaten to encapsulate the entire market.
“How can both an electric motor and internal combustion engine be integrated into a hybrid vehicle?”
Hybrid cars are truly captivating machines, being able to combine the ingenuity of electric motors with the range of internal combustion engines. However, both of these components are designed to work independently of each other. So how can we use our engineering mindset to create a system that can integrate both types of power sources? Well, let’s think of it. If we think back to electronic circuits, we know that we can have multiple batteries supplying a common load by placing the batteries in parallel with one another.So why not do the same thing with our electric motor and ICE to simultaneously power the wheels? This setup is known as a parallel hybrid vehicle drivetrain and is used to power lower cost hybrid vehicles.
“How can we combine traditional internal combustion engine vehicles with electrical ones?” Many consumers face a dilemma when purchasing a motorized vehicle. On one hand, they want to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly by purchasing an electric vehicle. On the other hand, they would like to have a large driving range with an internal combustion engine type vehicle. So how can we solve this problem? Well, why can’t have our cake and eat it two by combining them? This is the operating principle behind hybrid car technology, and it is becoming more prevalent in the automobile market every year.
“How can we minimize the impact that cars have on the environment?”
As of the time of writing, most cars use internal combustion engines (also knowns as ICEs) to power movement. This technology is highly pollutive and needs to be quelled soon to ensure the survival of humanity. But since cars and road infrastructure have become so intrinsic to the fabric of developed countries, it would consume too much energy to try to replace them all together. So how could we develop cars that are much less damaging to the environment? Well, let’s look at it like engineers would. Most cars use internal combustion engines to induce rotative movement to be transferred to the wheels via a drivetrain. However, this setup can be easily replaced with an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery. When the car wants to move, the battery simply sends current to the motor to move the drivetrain to move the wheels. These Battery electric vehicles are becoming cheaper by the year, and may one day replace traditional vehicles all together!
Drivetrains are responsible for transferring the power from internal combustion engines to the wheels of a car. However, Electric vehicles often lack internal combustion engine technology in place of a motor powered by a battery. So how does the drivetrain for such automobiles differ? Well, let’s use our engineering mindset to solve this problem. We know that motors can be thought of as electrically charged wheels and that wheels connected with a shaft will move together. So how about we implement this type of system into an electric vehicle? If this sounds quite similar to a traditional powertrain, it’s because it actually is! However, electric vehicle powertrains do have a few differences, namely being much less energy intensive (consuming nearly 0% of available energy when compared to the 5-6% of ICE units) and having a more minuscule part count.
“Is it possible to have your own autonomous grid?” Electrical grids usually have a leviathan-like size to them. This immense magnitude often comes with numerous drawbacks, such as lack of autonomy for local stations in case of a power outage. So what if were to develop our own grid that would connect and disconnect at will to the larger grid? This is the fundamental idea behind a technology that engineers term a microgrid. Microgrids are self-sustaining structures that can be separated from the larger grid through the use of a switch. Because of their autonomous nature, microgrids can be used to create stable islanding areas with renewable energies. These islanded microgrids are often used for high-security areas, such as the Alameda County Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California.
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