ESD126 Renewable or Emerging Energy Technology Assignment

ESD126 Renewable or Emerging Energy Technology Assignment
Assigned: February 11
Due: March 11
 10 page (double-spaced) individual or small group paper of a technology assessment

of a renewable or emerging energy technology
 Short (10 minute) summary presentation of the technology assessment
Overview
The purpose of this assignment is for every member of the class to obtain a basic
understanding of both the technical characteristics (including an understanding of the
information required to model the technology for possible use in the final projects) and the
broader impacts of the use of a variety of energy technologies. Each report and
presentation will be made available to every other member of the class, so that this
material can be used by all for learning about and possibly modeling all the technologies.
Each individual student or small group will research a different energy technology and
prepare a 10 to 15 page, double-spaced, report as well as a 10 minute summary
presentation on the technology.
The Assignment
With your partner(s), prepare a 10 to 15 page, double-spaced, paper on your technology,
with a short (2 to 3 page) appendix as necessary. These papers should include:
 A description of the resource - where/when it is available,

 A basic description of how the technology converts its resource to electricity,
 A technical/engineering description of how the technology operates, including
basic equations (with clear explanations),
 Current research directions / anticipated future developments and their
significance
 A technology assessment (see next page)
Appendix:
 A section specifically on how to model this technology
- the inputs and how they are converted to estimates of kWh output (for
example, how wind speed data is characterized in order to calculate the
kWh output from a wind turbine)
- the data necessary for modeling and its appropriate format,
- the equations or graphs used (for example, the power curve for wind
turbines)
 A summary/fact sheet for all to refer to for the term project, including:
- Standard or typical capacities (in MW)
- Resource/fuel requirements
- Land or area requirements
- Construction time
ESD126 2002, Assignment 1 page 1

- Life time
- Outage time (EFOR=expected forced outage rate, for O&M...)
- Efficiency (for thermal plants - biomass, gas turbines...)
- Capital costs and projections
- Fuel costs and projections
- Operation and maintenance costs and projections
- Environmental impacts, i.e., typical NOx or SOx emissions
Note that your audience is the entire class. The two main sections for the body of the
report are the technology/resource description and the technology assessment. Each
section should each be about 5 to 7 pages in length. Do not slight either section. Hand
in a soft copy, as well as a hard copy, I will put them all into similar format, prepare a
table of contents, and provide them to the entire class as a reference.
General Comments:
 Include an abstract
 Be sure to have an introduction and a conclusion
Keep in mind that the purpose of the reports is to provide a tool for others to learn about
your technology. Describe the engineering operation of the technology, the potential
social, environmental, economic and political impacts, and also include an appendix with
modeling information.
Comments for Presentations

 Include an introduction/overview and a
summary/conclusion
 Keep presentations short and to the point, pull out the
most important issues. Speaking time is limited to 10
minutes. You will be cut off at 10 minutes
 Make sure all slides are readable – every word and
number – from the back of the class room. Do not pack
too much information on a slide.
The purpose of the presentations is two-fold:

1. Gain experience with public speaking, communicating information and keeping to
the time constraint
2. Teach the class about your technology and provide an incentive for others to read
your report.

What is Technology Assessment?
"Technology assessment is the systematic identification, analysis, and evaluation of the full
range of social impacts, both beneficial and detrimental, which may result from the
introduction of a new technology or changes in the application and utilization of existing
technology. In technology assessment, great emphasis is placed on unplanned and
unintentional consequences which affect social, cultural, institutional, political, economic,
and environmental systems and processes of society. Technology assessment is intended
to illuminate societal options and thereby provide a neutral and objective input into public
decision making."
- Vary T. Coates, 1972
OTHER THOUGHTS ON TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS:

- Analysis of the full range of consequences of technological developments,
- Inquiry into the interface between technology and the human habitat,
- Likely impact of technology in question on environmental goals and resources,
- Impacts on society of technological changes,
- Improving allocation of public resources,
- Better program and policy evaluation,
- Distinguish between technologies or technological systems and the supporting systems,
such as the legal and economic arrangements which do or do not put technologies in
society's control
Journals that may have information are (in Dewey, Barker and Rotch Libraries):
Annual Review of Energy Latin American Research Review

Energy Journal Latin American Perspectives
Energy Policy Journal of International Affairs
Energy Systems and Policy Journal of Economic Perspectives
Energy Modern Power Systems
Environment, Technology and Society Power Engineering Journal
EPRI Journal Solar Today
Journal of Developing Areas World Development
Journal of Developing Studies World Politics
Also, the proceedings of both US and European conferences on energy and/or renewable
energy often have country case studies, which are in Barker Library. Technical material
will also be in Barker Library.

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ESD126 Renewable or Emerging Energy Technology Assignment

 10 page (double-spaced) individual or small group paper of a technology assessment

 A description of the resource - where/when it is available,

 A technology assessment (see next page)

ESD126 2002, Assignment 1 page 1

Comments for Presentations

The purpose of the presentations is two-fold:

ESD126 2002, Assignment 1 page 2

OTHER THOUGHTS ON TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS:

Annual Review of Energy Latin American Research Review

ESD126 2002, Assignment 1 page 3

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