Now that we have gone through the capabilities to step up and fill the power gap in an all-electric world, do you believe the solution relies on one technology itself? Probably not. If we are going to replace the transportation fuels of gasoline and diesel with electricity it will likely take a blend of everything. This includes natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind, and other renewables we did not discuss in detail, for example, hydroelectric and geothermal.
Remember, maintaining the same level of energy consumption in the United States will come at an increased cost. Expenditures will certainly be needed within the next twenty years to build improved wind and solar farms, nuclear, and natural gas fired plants. However, with a blended mix we just might fill the gap. Instead of looking towards one technology to satisfy the gap, now you’ll have the chance to think about the best mix of power sources to satisfy the projected demand in the new all-electric world.
Click on the link here that will take you to a Google Sheet where you will complete the design challenge. The Google Sheet is set to ‘view only’ so you will need to make a copy that you can edit for the design challenge.
Reflection Questions:
- What primary energy source did you choose to supply the most demand (quads)? What benefits do you see in choosing this power source? What challenges might be associated with this increase?
- What power source did you increase the most (consider the percentage of change) and why? What challenges might be associated with this increase?
- What power source did you choose to supply the least demand (quads)? Why did you choose this power source? Are there any challenges to lowering the use of this primary energy source?
- What power source did you decrease the most (consider the percentage of change) and why? What challenges might be associated with this decrease?
