1. Read the following texts about renewable energy sources.

2. Make the summary of the texts in English.

Electricity from Landfill Gas: New Technologies for an Industrial Approach

The production of electricity from landfill' gas can make a signifi­cant contribution to both reducing consumption of fossil fuels and re­ducing the emissions of greenhouse gases, in this case methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (C0₂). Operational reliability² can often be a prob­lem with innovative renewable energy technologies so the aim of this project is not only to produce electricity, but to generate it to meet the same conditions required of conventional power plants; to guaran­tee to supply 10 MWe, over a period often years, with an operational availability of 95%. The new power plant will be installed at a very large landfill site in the suburbs³of Paris.

With an annual waste input to the site of more than 350,000 tonnes, the plant is designed to use gas extracted from the landfill, at about 9,200 cubic metres an hour. The landfill gas, a mixture of C0₂ and CH₄ will be burned to raise steam in a boiler and the steam will then be fed to a high efficiency steam-turbine connected to an alternator⁴. About 11 MWe will be generated at the alternator terminals. The main aim of the project is to demonstrate 95% or more availability of the plant over ten year period. The minimum annual electricity production will therefore be 82,800 MWh. This will be fed to the local distribution network. The project incorporates several technical innovations designed to increase reliability. An innova­tive burner system allows constant steam production despite fluctuations⁵ in the low-rate and calorific value of the landfill gas. This is possible because a sophisticated monitoring and control system can allow the addition of heavy fuel oil to the burner's fuel supply as required, although this should constitute less than 5% of the fuel supply. By demonstrating levels of oper­ational availability comparable to that of conventional power stations, this project will help to break down technical barriers to the greater use of re­newable energy technologies.

1 - мусорная свалка; 2 - надежность; 3 — пригород; 4 - генератор переменно­го тока; 5 — колебания

117

В. Renewables

Combination of a Waste Incineration Plant with a Combined Cycle Power Plant in Netherlands

This innovative project linked a waste incineration furnace' with a combined cycle power plant. Three incinerator units were built, re­quiring some 80 t/h waste, with an average energy content of 10.45 MJ/ kg. The gross capacity of the integrated operation — the incinerator and the combined cycle unit — is some 73 MWe.

Recent analysis of the plant's performance indicates a 7% increase in the net efficiency of the integrated plant compared to a convention­al stand-alone waste incinerator. Nearly 70 GWh/y of extra electricity is generated as a result of this system, with a payback relative to the investment costs and extra operating/maintenance charges², of only three years.

Renewables Unite

Several renewable energy trade groups banded³together to promote renewable energy policy in the course of electricity deregulation: the Geothermal Resources Association, the California Biomass Energy Alliance, the National Biolndustries Association, the Solar Energy In­dustries Association and the American Wind Energy Producers Alliance. Members will be working to ensure future legislation to support renew­ables and commercialization programs for emerging technologies.

1 - печь для сжигания; 2 - расходы; 3 - соединились

Floating Nuclear Plant to Be Built in Russia

Barge-mounted power plants based on diesel engines, gas turbines, or oil-fired boilers are already a reality in many parts of the world. Developers in Russia hope to expand the concept to build the world's first floating nuclear heat and power station.

Many naval and marine engineers migrate to jobs in the electric pow­er industry when their seagoing days are over. It seems appropriate then, that floating power plants are beginning to follow the same migratory path, shifting from shipboard propulsion' duty to land-connected pow­er-generation applications.

118

Section II. Supplementary Reading

Over the past few years, numerous such barge-mounted power plants have entered commercial service around the globe, based on diesel engines, gas turbines, or oil-fired boilers. Now one of the most ambitious²projects is slated³to be developed: the world's first floating nuclear heat and power station.

Construction of the floating station is scheduled to begin this year to provide power by 2006 to Russia's Sevmashpredpriyatiye. Design­ers are envisioning⁴ a barge of 20,000-ton displacement, equipped with two nuclear reactors and two electric generators.

1 - двигатель; 2 - претенциозный, амбициозный; 3 - планируется; 4 - пред­ставляют

^{^^^ С. WAVE ENERGY ^^^}

1. Read the following texts about wave energy without a dictionary and answer the given questions.

I COUNTRY NOTES

Denmark • What is a new approach intended to? Wave research has been carried out' in Denmark since 1978, prima­rily on a system in which a heaving buoy operates a pump in a concrete²base. This was developed by Danish Wave Power Aps (now Ramboll). Following testing of a 1 kW experimental design, a 45 kW prototype was tested in 1989—1990. The experience gained³in those tests led to the design of a smaller system, which included short-term energy storage built into the base. This was tested at various periods throughout 1994—1995. Danish Wave Power has also coordinated work sponsored by the European Commission, such as a technical evalua­tion of all wave energy converters.

More recently, publicity and attention has been given to the Wave Plane, an invention of Erik Skarup who has formed the company Wave Plane International and raised 6 million Danish Kroner from private investors. This is a new approach, which is intended to act somewhat like a floating Tapchan.

During 2004-2005, 20 million Danish Kroner will be made avail­able by the Danish government for wave energy research. This will be used to develop new devices, as well as optimization and model testing of more advanced ideas. An advisory group⁴ is about to be set up to put together a strategy for this program.

1 - выполнены; 2 - бетонный; 3 - полученный; 4 - консультативная группа

India

• When and where was a 150 kW prototype OWC with harbour walls built?

The Indian wave energy program started in 1983 at the Institute of Technology, Madras and has concentrated almost exclusively on the OWC concept. A 150 kW prototype OWC with harbour walls was

120

Section II. Supplementary Reading

С. Wave Energy 121

built onto the breakwater of the Vizhinjam Fisheries Harbour, near Trivandrum on the south-west coast of India, in 1991. This scheme has functioned well, producing data that have been used to design and build an improved demonstration scheme at the same site. This will have sev­eral new features, including a superior generator and turbine. Following the successful testing of this new scheme, it is proposed to build a com­mercial scheme of 10 caissons (опоры), each 21 m wide, at Thangas-sery, on the west coast of India. Each caisson will have two power mod­ules, both with a 55 kWe rating leading to an overall rating of 1.1 MWe. These caissons will be spaced at an optimum distance apart, in order to increase their overall capture efficiency to above that of a single caisson.

Ireland • What invitation has the Irish Department of Public Enterprise issued?

Considerable wave energy research has been carried out in Ireland. Much of this work — on evaluating wave resource, modelling the hydrodynamics of wave energy devices, model testing and device design (primarily OWC's) — has been carried out at University College Cork. The College also co-ordinates the Wave Energy Research Net­work for the European Commission and has played a role in develop­ing the European wave energy atlas (see Portugal).

As part of its third Alternative Energy Requirement (AER III), the Irish Department of Public Enterprise has issued an invitation to tender' for wave energy schemes to operate in Irish waters. In addition to receiving a capital grant of Ecu² 930,000, the successful scheme will be paid a premium price for its output for a fixed period of time (~15 years). The successful device will be installed and operating in 2004.

The McCabe Wave Pump (MWP) is a hinged-raft wave energy con­version system, which has been studied both theoretically and experi­mentally. In August 1996, Hydam Technology deployed a 40 m long prototype off the coast of Kilbanna, County Clare, Ireland, where it is still undergoing tests. The device is particularly suited to swell³ condi­tions and is primarily intended for desalination: several Pacific islands have already expressed an interest.

1 — оплатить; 2 — экю (валюта ЕС); 3 — возвышенный

Japan

• What are the results of extensive wave energy research undertaken in Japan?

Extensive wave energy research has been undertaken in Japan, with particular emphasis on the construction and deployment of prototype devices (primarily OWC's).

A five-chambered OWC was built as part of the harbour wall at Sakata Port in Japan. The device became operational in 1989 but, after a test program, only three air chambers were used for energy production. A turbogenerator module of 60 kW has been installed and is being used as a power generator unit for demonstration and monitoring purposes. This is expected to be replaced later by a larger and more powerful turbine (possibly 200 kW).

In 1983, a 40 kW steel and concrete OWC was deployed on the shoreline structure at Sanze, for research purposes. This functioned for several years and was then decommissioned and examined to in­vestigate its resistance to corrosion and fatigue'.

A scheme comprising 10 OWC's was installed in front of an existing breakwater at Kujukuri-Cho. The air emitted from each OWC was manifolded² into a pressurised reservoir and used to drive a 30 kW turbine.

A prototype 130 kW OWC was deployed at Haramachi in 1996. This uses rectifying valves to control the flow of air to and from the turbine, in order to produce a steady power output.

A floating OWC known as the Backward Bent Duct Buoy was de­ployed in Japan. This is similar to a conventional OWC but the opening faces towards the shoreline. Another, more conventional floating OWC (the Mighty Whale) is also being developed.

1 - усталость металлов; 2 - пропущен по трубе