L5 - Methods and tools 1: Energy systems analysis

Question 1

What is peak load, intermediate load and base load?

Answer 1

Peak load (gas turbinesfueled with oil)

Intermediate load(e.g. natural gas)

Base load(e.g. coal, nuclear)

Question 2

What is the merit order?

Answer 2

The merit order (the order in which you choose to run existing plants) is based on variable (running) costs.

Question 3

What is the capacity factor?

Answer 3

Capacity factor is the average annual capacity utilization of a technology.

Question 4

What is load duration curves?

Answer 4

A load duration curve (LDC) is an illustration of the relationship between generating capacity requirements and capacity utilization.

Question 5

What is marginal and average electricity?

Answer 5

• Marginal electricity is the electricity generation technology that supplies an additional very small(“marginal”) amount of demand.
• Average electricity is the mix of all generation technologies in a system, over a certain amount of time (typically a year).

Question 6

How does short-term and long-term marginal electricity differ?

Answer 6

Annual (short term, existing capacity)̶

Strategic (long term, possible capacity expansion)

Question 7

Which are the rule of thumb when it comes to instantaneous, annual and strategic marginal production?

Answer 7

In the Nordic system, instantaneous marginal production is usually hydropower. But annualmarginal production can be something completely different –often European coal or gas power.

In countries with little or no hydro storage, annualmarginal production is a mix of various instantaneousmarginal production sources over the year (often gas & coal).

Long term strategicmarginal production can consist of a mix of existing and new capacity, even new wind, solar or nuclear power –if extra investments in these technologies are induced by the (marginal) system change!

Question 8

There are four complications with net energy analysis, which?

Answer 8

:)