Page 303 - Electrician - TT (Volume 2)

ELECTRICIAN - CITS

Electrical power generation by non conventional

methods

Objectives: At the end of this lesson you shall be able to:
• state the non - conventional energy
• explain the methods of generation power from bio-gas and tidal
• list out the merits and demerits of non-conventional power generation.

Non - conventional energy
Energy generated by using wind, tides, solar, geothermal heat and biomass including farm and animal waste
is known as non-conventional energy. All these sources are renewable or inexhaustible and do not cause
environmental pollution.
Merits of non - conventional over conventional sources of energy

1 Provide more energy
2 Reduce security risk associated with the use of nuclear energy.
3 Reduce pollutants
4 Less running and maintenance cost
5 Never destroyed

6 Despite the high initial investment and several limitations, use of solar energy to meet our ever increasing
energy demand seems to be the only answer.
7 Green house effect and global warming is avoided
8 Less environment problems.

Demerits of non conventional over conventional sources of energy
1 Many non- conventional sources are still in their infant stages and required a lot of development efforts.
2 High initial cost
3 Less reliable and efficiency

4 Can not be used for base load demand.
Bio-gas power generation
The method of generating the electrical energy by using bio-gas is termed as bio-gas power generation.
Bio-gas
Biogas is a good fuel. Bio mass like animal excreta, vegetable wastes and seeds undergo decomposition in the
absence of oxygen in a biogas plant and form a mixture of gases. This mixture is the biogas. Its main constituent
is methane. This is used as a fuel for cooking and lighting.

Electricity generating plant
Generating plant fuelled by biomass uses conventional steam turbine as used in thermal power stations with
modifications to the combustion chamber and fuel handling systems to handle the bulkier fuel. The schematic
arrangement is in Fig 1.
Co - generation
Because of the poor energy conversion efficiencies of biomass fuels, practical generating systems often employ
a co-coal generation to achieve reasonable utilization of the generating plant.
Environmental issues
While biomass crops provide an environment friendly fuel source for generating electrical energy. The land used
for disposing the slurry (waste) may be better employed for cultivation.

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CITS : Power - Electrician & Wireman - Lesson 106-116