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PhD Thesis - Energy Systems Research Unit - University of Strathclyde

PhD Thesis - Energy Systems Research Unit - University of Strathclyde

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on different generation mixes depending on the type <strong>of</strong> area, suitable sites, and<br />

available local resources.<br />

Distributed generation will also bring a number <strong>of</strong> other benefits. If electricity<br />

is generated closer to the end user by smaller plants it will not need to be<br />

transmitted as far, and at such large power densities. Transmission line and<br />

conversion losses will therefore be reduced, though remote networks containing<br />

generators may need to be upgraded. Also, if power transmission densities are<br />

reduced, it may allow more overhead lines to be economically replaced with<br />

underground cables, alleviating the health, safety and visual disturbance issues<br />

relating to overhead cables [11]. Although the exact effects need to be<br />

investigated, distributed generation should help strengthen the grid, and allow<br />

greater autonomy and a better security <strong>of</strong> supply, particularly in remote areas.<br />

Inevitably, the way the electricity supply grid is organised will change radically<br />

with the inclusion <strong>of</strong> increasing amounts <strong>of</strong> distributed renewable electricity<br />

generation. The situation will gradually change as individual thermal power<br />

plants reach the end <strong>of</strong> their lives and are replaced by increasing numbers <strong>of</strong><br />

distributed renewable generators. Unfortunately, the intermittent nature <strong>of</strong> the<br />

most easily exploited sources (wind and solar) is likely to cause problems as<br />

ever-increasing amounts <strong>of</strong> these intermittent sources are used to supply the<br />

electricity network. This has implications for the management <strong>of</strong> this<br />

transitional period as the balance between supply and demand must be<br />

maintained as efficiently and reliably as possible while the system moves<br />

towards the ultimate goal <strong>of</strong> a 100% renewable energy supply over the next fifty<br />

to one hundred years.<br />

Opinion is divided as to the effect that a significant amount <strong>of</strong> intermittent<br />

electricity sources would have if integrated into a larger-scale electricity supply<br />

network. McLarnon and Cairns [8] state that energy storage is critical to<br />

systems supplied with intermittent energy, while Grubb [7] states that it should<br />

be possible to have large systems with well over half <strong>of</strong> their power from<br />

intermittent sources, provided that there is a large amount <strong>of</strong> fossil fuelled<br />

spinning reserve. This reserve, however, could be supplied by plant run on fuels<br />

21

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