5 - The Old Becomes New Again: More Sustainable Energy

Summary

The history of wind power is discussed, from pumping water that reclaimed land in the Netherlands in the 1600s to today’s megawatt-scale, grid-tied, electricity-generating behemoths. Installations in Denmark (Vindeby, Copenhagen), the US (West Texas, Wyoming, offshore Atlantic), Spain (100% wind in El Hierro), the UK (London Array, North Sea), and China (China’s Wind Base program is expected to reach 1 terrawatt of grid power by 2050) are examined as are novel horizontal-axis, vertical-axis, and vibrating turbine technologies. The number of onshore and offshore sites continues to increase the amount of grid-tied renewable energy year on year (now 10%). The problems of long-distance transmission, stranded power, and recycling are discussed.

The origin of the grid is explained, starting with Nikola Tesla and Westinghouse at Niagara Falls, high-voltage transformers, and central-power plant construction across the globe. Renewable-energy technologies are discussed, including hydroelectric dams, geothermal (Iceland, Italy, the US), and marine energy (Scotland, Canada). The advent of the modern prosumer who buys and sells power to a bi-directional grid, virtual power plants, and microgrids are examined as intermittent renewables require new means to manage distributed resources. The social consequences, reliability, and privacy issues of a growing smart grid are examined.