Under that growth strategy, Tokyo aimed to have the nation's economy expand a real 2% or more on average by fiscal 2020, by focusing budgetary allocations and accelerating deregulation on seven designated areas such as energy and the environment.I have a bit of trouble sorting that out, but "accelerating deregulation on seven designated areas such as energy and the environment" suggests to me the Kyoto protocol is under scrutiny.
Under the revised growth strategy, however, Japan reportedly will put more emphasis on the development of renewable energy such as power generated by solar, wind, and geothermal heat, as well as the enhancement of electric accumulators.
More to the point, Japan will seek to secure electricity without depending on nuclear power too much.
Without an engineering background, I don't know the technical difference between a battery, a storage battery, and/or an electric accumulator. Interestingly enough, the first three pages of "google" hits were not helpful. Until someone provides a better explanation, it sounds like the term "battery" is used when one is talking about a unit that provides electricity on a regular basis to operate a vehicle or power a flashlight. An electric accumulator, on the other hand, is a storage battery that "accumulates" electricity (is being charged) by the source it will eventually provide backup electricity under conditions when the primary source is not operating.
Aha, here it is:
Accumulator is characterized as an electrochemical device that can transform electrical energy into stored chemical energy and by reversing the process, release energy again.That is, when wind turbines are turning, excess electricity is accumulated in a standby unit that will turn the turbine when the wind is not blowing or when there is an unexpected outage.
Moreover, accumulator refers to an apparatus for accumulating or increasing the intensity of an electric charge. It is known as capacitator in modern terms.
Had the Japanese had electric accumulators to back up the nuclear power plants, Japan could have returned to "normal" electric output sooner. Something tells me FEMA might be very interested in such technology.
The only issue with a capacitor, from my understanding of them, is that they are great for a short burst of high power, but horrid and long bursts of normal power. I'm going to guess that the storage batter is much like the design of a marine battery where the battery is designed more for giving a long continuous amount of power at random intervals, but takes forever to charge (More in less out) compared to a standard battery.
ReplyDeleteThe electric accumulators referenced are storage batteries not capacitors. The accumulators supply stored power to the grid during short term periods when the solar and/or wind does not keep up with the load either due to peak demand or reduced ability to generate the power. What constitutes short term is a design criteria based on someone's interpretation of weather patterns and judgement that is basically a cost tradeoff. The more money spent on batteries the lower the frequency and duration of brownouts. Accumulators really have nothing to do with nuclear of fossil fuel generaqtion plants as these plants are designed to supply a peak load and periods of sun blockage or low wind do not need to be taken into account. In other words natural disasters aside, the way a nuclear or conventional plant would experience a brownout is under load conditions that exceed plant design capacity. The limit could be either the ability of the plant to generate steam or the ability of the electrical generator to supply the load.
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to me that the deregulation of energy that was in the original plan because Japan thought that deregulation would lead to lower energy prices (fossil fuel?) which would in turn spur growth. The new strategy seems to place more emphasis on alternative energy development and less on fossil fuel.
Bloom energy box has a similiar ability with solar and can burn fuel to create electrity. Really worth reading up on it.
ReplyDeletebrian
I appreciate that. I spoke to an experienced nuclear engineer and he was unsure what an "electrical accumulator" was also. The first thing he said was, "you mean a capacitor?"
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. Thank you. I really appreciate folks taking the time for provide in-depth explanations.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get a chance I will note these comments in a stand-alone post since many folks may not read the comments.
You may be correct about Japan's efforts to spur alternative energy. I may have misread their press release, or misunderstood it. (Which is not unusual.)
You have no idea how many times I have read up on the Bloom energy box. It seems so cool, no incredible, and yet, it seems so many people have not heard of it. I talk with a nuclear engineer on a regular basis and he is very excited about the Bloom Energy Box, and yet it seems -- there has to be some catch. Why has it not taken off?
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