ElectricityTakeHome

=**Electricity Test Take Home Question**= Fixed typo (changed 6 mW to 6 MW) You were shown [|this video] which made the connection between the magnetic effect created when electric current passes through a wire. This was discovered in 1820. It took [|Michael Faraday](your teacher's favorite scientist) 10 years to figure out how to do the reverse - create electricity given a coil of wire and a magnet. This [|PhET simulation] shows what he did (but he just had a magnetised needle as a current meter). This PhET simulation shows [|how an electric generator works]. The idea is either the magnet has to move relative to the coil or the coil moves relative to the magnet. Typically, the magnets are fixed (they are the size of a small car for large generators) and the coil is spun by a turbine. What is used to turn the turbine? You could use water, wind or steam. How is steam generated? You could burn coal, burn natural gas, burn garbage (biomass), or use waste heat from industrial processes (co-generation). Take a look at this infographic below (from 2007) to see how electricity is generated in Saskatchewan (note: [|this link] lists gas as 29%, but it //combines co-generation with pure natural gas generation//).
 * [[image:testingruo/SaskElectricityGraphic.png width="302" height="463"]] || [[image:power_sources_Apr2016.jpg width="358" height="463"]] ||

As you decide upon what combination of generating methods would be best for Saskatchewan, consider the following:
 * Coal is a problem because this type of generation does not meet new Federal laws on air quality
 * As a consumer, would you be willing to pay more for 'green power' such as wind?
 * A private company will be opening up a natural gas fired generation station in 2013. This will increase the percentage of gas fired generation in Saskatchewan.
 * The former Ontario premier, Dalton McGuinty, resigned over the fiasco about electricity generation in Ontario. Two natural gas fired plants were cancelled by the Ontario government and this cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. This new generation capacity was needed because a coal fired plant was demolished. Ontario has also embarked upon a solar generaiton plan. Ontario residents pay a nuclear surcharge on their power bill for maintaining the nuclear generation there. However, the costs for electricity in Ontario are high and this is driving away business.
 * Ontario has rotating brown outs (lower voltages are sent to the consumer) and some American centres have rotating black outs because the power system can't handle peak load.

Here are some links you can use to investigate your take home question in addition to page 269-283 of your text (make a table of pros and cons for each type of generation). It is suggested you team work this. Each person in the group works on a pro/con table for ONE of the topics listed below. Then you can share as a group your findings and INDIVIDUALLY decide what proportion of generation should be provided by each method for Saskatchewan (you are essentially redrawing the percentages in the infographic for Saskatchewan's future needs). [] [] [] Next two are VERY technical, but excellent [] [] (dead link) [] http://www.saskpower.com/about_us/generation_transmission_distribution/wind_facilities.shtml (dead link) @http://www.econet.sk.ca/solutions/energy/wind.html [] http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2010/11/16/sk-saskatoon-weir-power-meeting-1011.html (DEAD LINK) [|http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/Utility%20Services/Saskatoon%20Light%20and%20Power/powergenerationinitiatives/Pages/ProposedHydropowerGenerationatWeir.aspx (dead link)] @http://www.econet.sk.ca/solutions/energy/biomass.html http://www.saskpower.com/our-power-future/our-electricity/supply-options/cogeneration/ http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=2068e793-5061-4a25-97b5-684054f4627c dead link http://www.saskpowerccs.com/ http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=70ee704b-8beb-4d03-acb6-20f75d3defff dead link media type="youtube" key="pWg-rtt-h9s" width="560" height="315" http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2009/09/15/nuclear-plant.html (DEAD LINK) [] []
 * Large Scale vs Small Scale Generation (distributed generation):**
 * Wind power:**
 * Hydoelectric power:**
 * Biomass:**
 * Cogeneration:**
 * Clean coal:**
 * Nuclear Power:**

media type="youtube" key="1QxWg6mZ3Sk" width="420" height="315" [] [] [|Supply Options] http://www.saskpower.com/our-power-future/generation-options-being-considered/ (dead link)
 * Natural Gas Electric Power Stations:** [|SaskPower] Click on Natural Gas (they have info for the other types of generation too)
 * Sask Power's Plan (great resource for our province's situation) **

*NEW* [|Solar Generation System] from SHEC (a Saskatoon startup)

Here are some useful articles:
 * [|small scale co-generation at U of T]
 * [|Solar power boom hits a wall]
 * [|Forest Biomass]
 * [|Small turbines generate huge sales]