Sustainable in Suburbia


Electricity
March 13, 2008, 1:21 pm
Filed under: 90% Reduction, Electricity

shocking

2. Electricity. Average US usage is 11,000 kwh PER HOUSEHOLD, PER YEAR, or about 900 kwh PER HOUSEHOLD PER MONTH. A 90% reduction would mean using 1,100 PER HOUSEHOLD, PER YEAR or 90 kwh PER HOUSEHOLD PER MONTHSolar Renewables are deemed to have a 50% payback - that is, you get twice as many watts.Hydro and Wind are deemed to have a 4 to 1 payback over other methods - you get 4 times as many.

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So we average 30 kWh per day?

When I started this I was averaging about 17 kWh. That probably was at the low point of the year as it was the middle of the Dry. In the Wet fan use goes up considerably.

When I do my Coolmob readings every week I tend to be between 12-14 kwH.

The single biggest contributor is the spa pump. Especially if the water is threatening to go green. My pump is electrically powered. I wonder if a solar pump/generator option exists?

The next one is the fans and lights. So it is a case of everyone trying to remember to switch things off.

The other thing is all of those little things we forget to switch off. Like rechargers.

I’ve taken to switching off the house at the fusebox when I go out. All except the fridge/freezer circuit.

Doing cold washes as opposed to hot washes in the front loader also makes a considerable difference.

Now where does Darwin’s power come from? Is it coal-fired or is it something else?

This report suggests that most of it is sourced from the natural gas of the Mereenie gas field in Central Australia. Given there are offshore supplies of natural gas soon to come on line this is reasonably positive. It also has an ammonia thermal storage system which avois the need for a refrigeration plant and is a much greener option.

Elsewhere you might find the odd diesel powered turbine but solar options have been quietly replacing these.

A methane gas powered plant can be found at the Shoal Bay tip.

While this sounds pretty good [and it is compared to a lot of places] there is a lot of pressure on the system as we seem to be in a transition phase:

  • 14 February 2008
    Power and Water to ‘power through’ gas field supply transition    Power and Water Corporation confirmed today that due to the expected decline in gas supply from the Mereenie and Palm Valley gas fields, it is currently supplementing gas supplies with diesel for power generation at the Channel Island Power Station.

    The Darwin grid is currently only requiring about 15% diesel supplementation and while Channel Island usually runs on gas it is designed to run on ‘dual fuel’ if necessary. The amount of diesel being used to top up gas supplies is equal to approximately 30MW of the total capacity of 240 – 300MW to meet peak requirements. Generally, gas is used as much as possible as it is the cleanest of fuels available and more cost effective overall.

    General Manager, Generation, John Linton said

    “For the past 20 odd years the Mereenie and Palm Valley gas fields have supplied gas to generate electricity for the Territory and as they come to the end of their lifespan, variation in supply from these fields is expected and has been planned for.

    “A number of our power stations, in particular Channel Island, are designed to run on a combination of gas and diesel when necessary and can readily meet the peak loads we experience during the hotter months.

    “Power and Water has secured a new, 25 year gas supply via the Blacktip Field and supplies, via the Bonaparte Gas Line, are scheduled to come on line in late 2008, early 2009.

    “In the meantime, it’s business as usual and the cost of any periodic, increased use of diesel for peak generation is offset by less gas being purchased.”

    The gas sale agreement between the Power and Water Corporation and Eni Australia will see Power and Water purchasing around 750 petajoules of Blacktip Filed gas, which will be used to run power stations in all regional centres from Alice Springs to Darwin.

    So it is no wonder that PowerWater are encouraging people to reduce their consumption.

    So where is all of the power going?

    Air conditioners make up 70% of peak load with the worst occurring around 2 pm. Think of all of those shops and offices that have you shivering when you walk in the door. The workplaces where you take a cardigan to keep you warm because the aircon is too cold. The newer houses with dubious hot box tropical design.

    Urban Ecology Australia has some suggestions. They aren’t necessarily that pleasant so we really need to do behavioural changes. Turn the aircon down a couple of degrees. Use the timer functions. Switch the thing off especially if there is noone in the room. Use fans instead. Dress for the climate.

    Any other suggestions?

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