Topic: Definition of Process Efficiency Subscribe | Previous | Next
Juan Camara 5/21/2024
Hello everyone, in the transformation block to model electrical energy generation, the parameters of efficiency and maximum availability are required. In the LEAP help "Efficiency" is defined like this: The default method is to specify the percentage ratio of energy outputs (not including any co-product energy recovered) to feedstock An input fuel consumed by a Transformation conversion process. energy inputs in each process. All efficiencies must be greater than zero. When entering efficiencies for processes, around 33% is typical for base-load steam generation. This also may be used as a nominal value for hydro-electric stations so that primary resource A fuel that has not been converted or processed such as coal, crude oil, hydropower, solar, wind, etc. requirements for fossil fuels and hydro can be easily compared. Another common approach is to use a 100% efficiency for hydropower and renewable electricity generation systems. If you specifically enter imports as one of the process types, enter 100% for their efficiencies.
When referring to 100%, are we talking about useful energy and final energy in the case of renewables? Because we understand that when it refers to the efficiency of the process related to wind energy, for example, there are some losses to convert the wind into electricity and then it cannot be 100%.
Thank you in advance for your time, we look forward to your response.
Best regards, Juan.
Charlie Heaps 8/16/2024
Yes, you are quick right! Hydro, wind, solar, tidal, and wave power plants are by no means 100% efficient. But by convention most people (and organizations like the UN and IEA) specify 100% efficiency for these plants, which just means that in doing so are only going to consider the electricity generated from the plants while ignoring the primary energy content of the sources (wind, solar, hydro).
Interestingly, some people advocate for NOT using this approach since it tends to underestimate the primary energy delivered from renewable energy, while nuclear power plants are usually specified with an arbitrary 33% efficiency for just this reason (to make them seem more important in terms of their contribution to primary energy). Geothermal power plant efficiencies are also typically specified with arbitrary efficiency values (I'm not sure why!).
When using LEAP, you can decide which approach you want to use by simply specifying different efficiencies.
When using LEAP, you can decide which approach you want to use by simply specifying different efficiencies.
For more information, I recommend looking at the IEA's energy statistics manual.