Gasificación de biomasa con astillas de madera.

[ES]Este proyecto tiene como objetivo generar energía eléctrica y térmica para un conjunto de viviendas aisladas, sin acceso a la red eléctrica, con una potencia requerida de 12KW. Se pretende plantear una solución que satisfaga las necesidades básicas de auto-abastecimiento de una forma económicamente rentable. Para comenzar, por un lado de cara al objetivo 20/20/20 se realizará un acercamiento a la utilización de las energías renovables como fuente de energía, disminuyendo así el impacto ambiental. Por otro lado, se plantearán diferentes alternativas para la generación de energía eléctrica y térmica, finalmente haciendo hincapié en el estudio de una planta de gasificación de biomasa mediante astillas de madera. De modo que, a lo largo de este documento se analizarán los principios y fundamentos necesarios para el diseño de una planta de generación eléctrica mediante gasificación de biomasa. Para ello se estudiarán los diferentes modelos de gasificadores existentes, el desarrollo del proceso de gasificación con sus respectivas etapas y la limpieza y adaptación del gas obtenido antes de introducirlo en el MACI. Se realizará una descripción de la planta junto al dimensionamiento tanto del almacenamiento de la materia prima como el de los equipos a instalar. Finalmente, para valorar si se trata de un proyecto viable. Se realizará el estudio económico analizando el presupuesto y análisis de rentabilidad. Asimismo, se plantearán los diferentes riesgos a los que puede exponerse una instalación como esta.

Addressing students' difficulties with Faraday's law: A guided problem solving approach

In traditional teaching, the fundamental concepts of electromagnetic induction are usually quickly analyzed, spending most of the time solving problems in a more or less rote manner. However, physics education research has shown that the fundamental concepts of the electromagnetic induction theory are barely understood by students. This article proposes an interactive teaching sequence introducing the topic of electromagnetic induction. The sequence has been designed based on contributions from physics education research. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between experimental findings (macroscopic level) and theoretical interpretation (microscopic level). An example of the activities that have been designed will also be presented, describing the implementation context and the corresponding findings. Since implementing the sequence, a considerable number of students have a more satisfactory grasp of the electromagnetic induction explicative model. However, difficulties are manifested in aspects that require a multilevel explanation, referring to deep structures where the system description is better defined.

Proyecto de un parque eólico para la alimentación de las bombas de la central hidráulica de Belesar (Lugo).

[ES]El proyecto consiste en el estudio de las necesidades energéticas de las bombas de una central hidráulica y la construcción de un parque eólico para satisfacer dichas necesidades. Para ello será necesario llevar a cabo un estudio del área y así encontrar el lugar más adecuado para ubicar los aerogeneradores, teniendo en cuenta la frecuencia, velocidad y dirección de los vientos predominantes del lugar. Después habrá que estudiar el mercado y elegir el aerogenerador adecuado para las condiciones del lugar y del viento, atendiendo también a otras cuestiones de relevancia. Se estudiará, además, la posibilidad de inyectar un posible exceso de electricidad a la red general. Una vez hecho esto, habrá que calcular el coste del proyecto.

Análisis del mercado eléctrico en Canada

Canadá tiene que hacer frente al aumento de demanda de electricidad y al envejecimiento de su sistema eléctrico. Durante los siguientes 20 años, el sector eléctrico canadiense necesita invertir de manera significativa en el sistema a todos los niveles, modernizando infraestructuras actuales y con proyectos nuevos, con el fin de mantener la fiabilidad del sistema.

Evolución y transcendencia del sector de las energias renovables en España

Nowadays the energies that still prevail on a global scale as a source of generation of electricity are those that come from fossil resources. Nevertheless, in a few years the future of energy will center on renewable energies. Those countries that are not involved in their development will be at a clear disadvantage at economic level, since the electrical power is the base for the development of human society and the renewable energies are essential for its production. The present work has as a target to show, in a clear and concise form, the current situation of the sector of renewable energies in Spain. In addition, we present in a brief and summarised form, an aspect that has been essential in the development of the renewable energies in Spain is tackled. This is, the legislation on the matter as well as the development plans that Spain has carried out for its promotion. Finally, the study considers the compared situation of the sector of the renewable energies and of the energy sector in general in Spain in the context of the EU. IDIOMA: Ingles

Valuation of Wind Energy Projects: A Real Options Approach

We address the valuation of an operating wind farm and the finite-lived option to invest in it under different reward/support schemes: a constant feed-in tariff, a premium on top of the electricity market price (either a fixed premium or a variable subsidy such as a renewable obligation certificate or ROC), and a transitory subsidy, among others. Futures contracts on electricity with ever longer maturities enable market-based valuations to be undertaken. The model considers up to three sources of uncertainty: the electricity price, the level of wind generation, and the certificate (ROC) price where appropriate. When analytical solutions are lacking, we resort to a trinomial lattice combined with Monte Carlo simulation; we also use a two-dimensional binomial lattice when uncertainty in the ROC price is considered. Our data set refers to the UK. The numerical results show the impact of several factors involved in the decision to invest: the subsidy per MWh generated, the initial lump-sum subsidy, the maturity of the investment option, and electricity price volatility. Different combinations of variables can help bring forward investments in wind generation. One-off policies, e.g., a transitory initial subsidy, seem to have a stronger effect than a fixed premium per MWh produced.

Strategies for Power Line Communications Smart Metering Network Deployment

Smart Grids are becoming a reality all over the world. Nowadays, the research efforts for the introduction and deployment of these grids are mainly focused on the development of the field of Smart Metering. This emerging application requires the use of technologies to access the significant number of points of supply (PoS) existing in the grid, covering the Low Voltage (LV) segment with the lowest possible costs. Power Line Communications (PLC) have been extensively used in electricity grids for a variety of purposes and, of late, have been the focus of renewed interest. PLC are really well suited for quick and inexpensive pervasive deployments. However, no LV grid is the same in any electricity company (utility), and the particularities of each grid evolution, architecture, circumstances and materials, makes it a challenge to deploy Smart Metering networks with PLC technologies, with the Smart Grid as an ultimate goal. This paper covers the evolution of Smart Metering networks, together with the evolution of PLC technologies until both worlds have converged to project PLC-enabled Smart Metering networks towards Smart Grid. This paper develops guidelines over a set of strategic aspects of PLC Smart Metering network deployment based on the knowledge gathered on real field; and introduces the future challenges of these networks in their evolution towards the Smart Grid.