Running head: IOWA ENERGY ANALYSIS

Iowa Energy Analysis:

Production, Consumption and Conservation in a Midwestern State
Unit 4 Assignment
Stephen Simmons
SC200-02: Discovering Science
Kaplan University

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Iowa Energy Analysis:

IOWA ENERGY ANALYSIS

Production, Consumption and Conservation in a Midwestern State

South East Iowa is notorious for its cold winters and hot summers. Only a few months
out of the year are the temperatures comfortable enough to shut off the furnace or air conditioner
and open the windows. However, these months are generally when 60%, or 21.92, of Iowas
average annual precipitation occurs (Iowa Department of Economic Development, n.d.). The
cold and hot temperatures coupled with the rainy skies require many households in Iowa to have
a diverse supply of energy sources. The portfolio of energy sources for my location include
fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), nuclear and renewables (hydro, wind, geothermal,
biomass, wood and ethanol). Along with the luxury of having a diverse portfolio of energy
sources comes the inherent responsibility to be good stewards to the environment by decreasing
the amount of pollution we create and not using more resources than needed. This can be done
by understanding what the different energy sources are, how they originate, their availability and
their role in our environment.
My daily energy portfolio includes fossil fuels that are supplied in the form of natural gas
for heating and cooking, coal for generating electricity for lights, appliances and the charge for
my electric car, as well as petroleum for transportation when the battery is drained on my car.
The necessities of these fossil fuels are reduced on days when renewable forms of energy are
able to meet the demand that I require. The renewables that are used to offset my reliance on
fossil fuels are wind energy and hydroelectric energy. However, these are only the energy sources
I utilize at my home and traveling. When I get to work, there are only two sources of energy
available. These sources are fossil fuels, coal and petroleum and are needed to produce the
electric generation to the Midwestern Transmission System for use in residential, commercial,
industrial and various other customers.

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Fossil fuels play a critical role in ensuring that my familys essential needs are met.
Natural gas is an extremely important source of energy for my home. When this fossil fuel
enters my home, it has only two responsibilities. The first is to provide fuel for the flame inside
my furnace and fuel for the flame on my range. These two responsibilities make it possible to
keep my family warm during the cold temperatures and to prepare the foods that keep them
nourished. Similar to natural gas, coal provides an essential service for my family. Although it
does not directly enter my home in its natural form, coal provides fuel for steam generation and
subsequent power generation, which in turn supplies my home with a stable supply of electricity.
This electricity, generated from coal, helps to regulate the temperature in my home by powering
the fan in my furnace or air conditioner, provide lighting when it is dark, cool and warm foods,
charge my vehicle and power my familys entertainment devices. The last of the fossil fuels used
in my familys home is a product derived from petroleum. Gasoline, which is refined from
petroleum, provides fuel for the portable electric generator that ensures my home is able to
maintain the essentials when other sources are not available. This fossil fuel provides
combustion for the motor that generates the power to run the lighting, sump pumps and other
essential needs.

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My homes need for energy, while supplied mostly from fossil fuels, is supplemented with
various forms of renewable energy sources when available. The supplier of electricity for my
home has increased its construction of wind turbines to reduce the amount of fossil fuels
consumed for power generation. Each wind turbine, in my area, is capable of providing 1.5
megawatts of power when the wind speed maintains between 4 m/s (8.9 mph) and 25 m/s (55.9
mph) (The Wind Power, 2015). When the wind meets this criterion, the fossil fuel fired power
plants reduce their base load and the wind turbines provide their maximum generation to the
transmission system. My home, being part of this system, is able to receive its power from these
wind turbines until the wind supply diminishes or increases outside the specified parameters. The
seamless transmission system of our area reduces the amount of generation from fossil fuel fired
power plants and replaces it with that of renewable wind energy. The wind energy then provides
the electricity to regulate the temperature in my home by powering the fan in my furnace or air
conditioner, provide lighting when it is dark, cool and warm foods, charge my vehicle and power
my familys entertainment devices.

IOWA ENERGY ANALYSIS

Biomass, a renewable energy source, is the second most commonly used renewable
energy source in my home. Biomass is one of the earliest discovered sources of energy and is the
second most commonly used renewable energy source still used today for electric generation
(Biomass Energy, n.d. para. 1). However, the use of wood in my home is not for generating
electricity, but for providing a source of heat for my family. Wood fuels arise from multiple
sources including forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests, co-products from wood
processing, post-consumer recovered wood and processed wood-based fuels (Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 2013, para. 3). This renewable source of
energy provides warmth for my home and family during the fall and winter months, when
temperatures are cooler. We use local wood from trees that have been taken down as well as
wood chips and pellets from local lumber mills. The wood products provide a source of fuel for
the fire that provides heat from the fireplace and for the wood boiler that supplies hot water to
our home for use in bathing and cleaning. The use of this renewable energy source reduces the
amount of fossil fuels that my home would require by providing the necessary heat that would
have required the use of natural gas.

IOWA ENERGY ANALYSIS

Another type of biomass renewable energy source that is used in my familys life is
derived from plants and other organic matter, it is biomass. In my area, this renewable energy
source is made from corn sugars, starches and cellulose and wood mainly. Ethanol is considered
a biomass fuel and can replace the use of gasoline in many newer vehicles. While one of my
vehicles operates on electricity, the other is a flex fuel vehicle. Flex fuel vehicles are designed to
use gasoline or ethanol as a fuel source. The abundance of ethanol in my area ensures a stable
supply and fair pricing. This renewable source of energy is sold at most fueling stations and
produces similar power for operation of my vehicle. While a high ethanol blend, 85% ethanol, is
able to be used for operating my vehicle for transportation purposes, a lower blend of ethanol is
suitable for engines that are not designed for a high blend of ethanol. The use of this blend of
low octane gasoline and ethanol reduces the amount of fossil fuels needed to produce the same
amount of energy.

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The last renewable energy source that my family utilizes comes from harnessing the
power of flowing water. Near to the location of the residence we visit, The Tugalo Hydroelectric
Plant can be found controlling the Tallulah River. The Tugalo Plant is the second largest in size
and was the second to be completed of the six plants in the North Georgia Hydro Group. It has
four generating units, each with a capacity of 11,250 kilowatts (Georgia Power, n.d. p. 16).
This hydroelectric power plant utilizes the flow of the Tallulah River to turn the turbine that
produces electricity. This electricity is placed in the transmission system that supplies the
residence my family uses during vacation. Whenever electricity can be produced at a hydro
plant, Georgia Power is able to reduce its fuel consumption and cost a benefit that is passed on
to customers (Georgia Power, n.d. p. 4). It provides the electrical energy to regulate the
temperature inside the home by powering the heat-pump heating system. This energy source is
also the supplier for the lighting that helps navigate the home during the time when the sun is not
sufficient. Due to the location of this residence, most energy sources are unable to be utilized
because of the inability to excavate the ground. For this reason, the energy supplied from the
hydroelectric generating station is essential to our familys enjoyment of this home.

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While the area that I live in enjoys an array of nonrenewable and renewable energy
sources, there are still a few renewables that are not being utilized to their full potential. Wind
energy is being utilized in my location but not to the potential it could be. According to the U.S.
Energy Mapping System (n.d.), my location is rated a class 2 area for 50 meter towers. Wind
Power Class 2 indicates that the winds available for energy production are between 5.6 m/s (12.5
mph) and 6.4 m/s (14.3 mph), which is ideal supply for the modern wind turbines (National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, n.d.). Construction of additional wind turbines would utilize this
energy source to decrease the base load of the fossil fuel fired power plants. The reduction in
base load would subsequently reduce the amount of coal burned, which decrease the excess CO2,
NOX and SO2 that is not part of the carbon cycle.
Aside from the environmental aspects, the economic advantages are increasing with the
increase in fossil fuel prices. After the initial investment, the cost are limited to maintenance and
down time due to wind excursions outside the operating parameters. This reduces the cost to
produce and the cost to purchase down to the individual home level. There are negative effects
of the current technology to harness the wind as a source of energy. These come in the forms of
limited funding for research to increase efficiency of the units themselves, ability to store
captured energy when there is no demand and the use of land for erection of these 50 meter
towers.

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Biomass is the second most abundant renewable energy resource that is available in my
area. The total biomass for the county I live in is 181,730 tons per the U.S. Energy Mapping
System (n.d.). While some of this biomass is currently being used for the production of ethanol,
many tons are not being used. The use of biomass as an energy source can be achieved in many
different ways. The most popular is through the combustion and release of stored energy for
heat. This energy, on an industrial and commercial level, can be used to reduce the use of fossil
fuels in power plants by replacing them completely or substituting in proportion to what the units
are capable of. At the home level, this energy can provide the needed heat to replace the use of
natural gas in appliances such as furnaces and hot water heaters. This is achieved through the
installation and operation of an outdoor wood boiler, wood stove or fire places.
The outdoor wood boilers use the biomass as fuel to heat the water in the coils of the
closed system. This water is supplied to the various areas that require hot water for bathing and
cleaning, as well as to the furnace where the heat is transferred to the air and distributed
throughout the home. The use of this energy source does not release the amount of excess CO2
into the air that fossil fuels release. Carbon emissions that result from converting poplar
biomass into fuel and from using the biofuels are balanced by the carbon that poplars sequester
in their trunks, stems, and roots as they grow (United States Department of Agriculture, 2011,
para. 3). Another advantage is the price when compared to the price of other fuels. The
abundance and availability of biomass ensures that the price will maintain a stable value.

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While the reduction in the greenhouse gases and abundance of biomass energy are
promising advantages, too many they do not outweigh the cost to setup this type of system. An
industrial scale biomass plant disturbs the local air quality for residents in the area. The
combustion of biomass can prove particularly odorous and unpleasant. The initial construction
cost are substantial and require extensive government oversight on an industrial and commercial
level. On the home level, the work that is required to ensure a stable supply of energy is
considered to be inefficient and tiresome. This reduces the optimism for many households to
utilize this source of renewable energy.

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The third renewable energy source that is present in my location utilizes the Mississippi
River. Utilizing the flow of this river to create energy could prove to be the most promising.
The use of hydroelectric dams to create power is being replaced by new in-stream turbine
technologies. Unlike traditional hydropower facilities requiring dams, these in-stream devices
rely on the kinetic energy generated by the waters motion making them more adaptable to a
bustling river corridor like the Mississippi (Pace, 2009, para. 4). This river has been limited in
its potential to create energy because of its shipping ability. However, the new technology does
not interfere with the shipping lanes or require additional dams to be built. The potential of this
technology is immense and can provide a sustainable, stable and efficient renewable source of
energy. As with all energy sources in the world, along with great potential comes grave concern.
The disadvantages at this moment are based on the unknown. The new technology has not been
tested thoroughly enough to implement on the scale that would prove effective. This technology
is still in trial, which makes the price of it unjustifiable for many energy producers. Other
concerns come in the form of the disruption in the ecosystem that could be incurred when these
turbines are installed. The potential to damage the ecosystem is a big concern to the citizens that
utilize it for their businesses.

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The consumption of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources are determined at the
home, by each individual member. Energy does not consume itself for no purpose, it is the user
that determines the consumption and subsequent production. The increased need for electricity
to supply the devices of our daily lives coupled with the distances traveled on a daily basis are
the major areas that have increased our energy consumption. Advancing technologies, providing
education and being environmentally responsible are all areas that can reduce the usage of fossil
fuel energy sources. This all begins with the implementation of a sound conservation strategy at
the individual level.

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The use of at home conservation plans are another component to reducing consumption
of energy from nonrenewable and renewable energy sources alike. Over the past three years, my
household has converted from the normal 60w incandescent lightbulbs to the replacement 5w
LED lightbulbs. The reduction in usage leads to reduced production for my use. The economic
advantages are very encouraging when figured over a few years. At 10 cents per kilowatt hour,
the old bulb cost a little more than $20/year, whereas the new LED bulb cost about $2/year.
Over the entirety of my home, my reduction in cost is over $500/year for 30 lightbulbs in
operation approximately 10 hours a day. In addition to reducing our electricity usage, we
reinsulated the walls and attic, replaced windows and resided our home to lower our natural gas
consumption. The natural gas supplier provided a free audit of our homes energy usage and
recommended the improvements that would reduce our usage. The largest conservation effort I
have performed in my life came in the form of transportation. When purchasing a vehicle, I
researched electric operated vehicles and began searching. I purchased a Chevy Volt that utilizes
electricity for its drive and has a range of 40 miles. Since this purchase, I have reduced my
yearly gasoline consumption by half of what I had used prior to this purchase. Conservation
practices are essential to my home and family, they provide lessons far beyond monetary savings
by teaching us all too only use what we need and to not be wasteful.

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Fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable are the major categories of energy that is available to
the world. Fossil fuels require extensive periods of time to form and are not easily replaceable
during the lifetime they are used in. The rate of their consumption is far greater than that of their
production. Nuclear energy requires nuclear material that is not reusable. Once the material is
used it adds no further value to the creation of energy. However, renewables such as wind, solar,
hydro, geothermal and biomass are able to be reused and replaced in a relatively short period of
time. When utilized and integrated correctly, renewables provide a source of energy that is
cleaner, cost effective and less destructive to the environment than all other sources of energy
available today.

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References

Biomass Energy. (n.d.). Biomass Energy. Alternative Energy. Retrieved from

http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/biomass.html
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2013, September 24th). Wood Energy.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved from
http://www.fao.org/forestry/energy/en/
Georgia Power. (n.d.). North Georgia Hydro Group. Southern Company. Retrieved from
http://www.georgiapower.com/docs/about-us/N.GA%20Hydro%20Group.pdf
Iowa Department of Economic Development. (n.d.) Iowa Profile: Quick Facts About Iowa.
Retrieved from http://publications.iowa.gov/135/1/profile/8-14.html
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. (n.d.). Table 1-1: Classes of Wind Power Density at
10m and 50m. Retrieved from http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/tables/1-1T.html
Pace, Nikki. (2009). Mississippi Rivers Flow Potential Source of Renewable Energy.
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program. Retrieved from
http://masglp.olemiss.edu/Water%20Log/WL29/29.3renewable.htm
The Wind Power. (2015). General Electric 1.5s. Wind Energy Market Intelligence. Retrieved
from http://www.thewindpower.net/turbine_en_54_ge-energy_1.5s.php
U.S Department of Agriculture. Biomass and the Carbon Cycle. Advanced Hardwood Biofuels.
Retrieved from http://hardwoodbiofuels.org/biomass-and-the-carbon-cycle/
U.S Energy Information Administration. (2015, October 15). U.S. Energy Mapping System.
Retrieved from http://205.254.135.7/state/maps.cfm?src=home-f3