Posters (Missouri Energy Summit 2009)
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This collection contains the posters presented at the Missouri Energy Summit 2009. Please enter text in the search box above or click on one of the browse options to explore this collection.
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Item Defining the SMART Grid for Electric Utilities [abstract](2009-04) Beehler, Michael J.; Cupp, James G.; University of Missouri (System); Missouri Energy Summit (2009 : University of Missouri--Columbia)World-wide demand for fossil energy resources, fuel transportation costs, climate change, renewable portfolio standards, and aging infrastructure: everyone agrees that retail electric rates and bills are going up. In fact, average electric rates nationwide are up over thirty-five (35) per cent in the last six (6) years. Jim Sullivan, Chairman of the Alabama Public Service Commission and the longest serving utility regulator in the nation, said recently to attendees at the 2008 EEI Annual Meeting, “The days of serial rate increases may soon be upon us.” Electric utilities must be prepared to offer solutions to their customers or potentially face a firestorm of protest in years to come. Many believe that the intelligent or SMART Grid is one such solution, however, electric utilities across America are struggling to answer the question: What is the SMART Grid? Simply stated, the SMART grid is the convergence of information and operational technology applied to the electric grid allowing sustainable options to customers and improved security, reliability and efficiency to utilities. This paper identifies the fundamental challenges to meeting the sustainability goals of regulators and concludes with a practical deployment strategy. The three major challenges are: 1. The DA or AMI build-out requires a secure, robust telecommunication network for mission critical and non-mission critical data transport 1. Meter data integration and management for billions of meter readings turning data into information and, ultimately, action will be culturally disruptive for utilities 1. Demand response and demand side management programs allowing for “prices to devices” for residential and small commercial customers must be part of an ultra simple, readily accepted rate structure. Thoughtful and prudent attention to these fundamental challenges of implementing the SMART Grid will lead to sustainable options for customers and satisfied regulators that will allow full recovery and return on investment. When that is accomplished, utilities can confidently use the SMART Grid to achieve other security, reliability and efficiency objectives. However, without early success in telecommunications, data integration management and customer programs, the industry will find that it has simply given old ideas a new name.Item University of Missouri Led Energy Efficient Projects in Global Market: Application of Sustainable Ground Energy in Olympic Facilities [abstract](2009-04) Xu, Shawn Yunsheng; University of Missouri (System); Missouri Energy Summit (2009 : University of Missouri--Columbia)University of Missouri, Columbia (MU) faculty members are involved in energy efficient projects in China with grant support by both the U.S. and Chinese governments. A large commercial building was selected by the Beijing City Government to demonstrate sustainable energy applications for space heating and cooling, prior to the construction of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Facilities. A large underground heat exchange system with 700 borehole matrix was designed by Dr. Shawn Xu to provide full heating and cooling of a building with a space of 287,000m2 (309,000 ft2). Economic analysis with actual initial installation investment and operation costs for the project showed the feasibility of this technology. After successful operation of the demonstration project, Dr. Xu assisted the Chinese developers in adopting similar energy efficient technologies for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Facilities. Detailed engineering aspects of the energy efficient utility system for the National Stadium (Bird Nest), Olympic Athlete Village, and the National Olympic Forest Park will be given in the presentation. MU opened its Environmental and Energy Technology Office (ENTECH) in Beijing in 2006 through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce. ENTECH serves as a resource center for information on US environmental and energy efficient technologies and products for use in China.Item Energy Education Park at the Graves Chapple Research Farm [abstract](University of Missouri Extension, 2009) Crawford, Jim; University of Missouri (System); Missouri Energy Summit (2009 : University of Missouri--Columbia)An office and educational building will be built on the Graves Chapple Research Farm in Atchison County. The building will start out as a shell with energy features being added as money can be obtained for them. The building is being designed for energy efficiency with ample insulation and an efficient heating and lighting system. The building shell will accommodate continual modifications to the mechanical systems. This building will be easily visible to the thousands of people who drive past on I-29. The public can see, touch and learn the intricacies of smart energy design. Addition of turbines, solar voltaic, wind breaks, etc. will further identify the building signature and the location as a destination for learning. Funding for this project is from the Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative Fund. It has a total budget of $600,000 with $450,000 for the building proper.Item Nitrogen: The key to biofuel energy balance [abstract](2009-04) Scharf, Peter C. (Peter Clifton), 1959-; Palm, Harlan Lee, 1943-; Kitchen, Newell R.; Sudduth, Kenneth A., 1958-; University of Missouri (System); Missouri Energy Summit (2009 : University of Missouri--Columbia)Vigorous debate continues regarding the net energy that can be gained in producing liquid fuels from crop materials. However, it is clear that the net energy gain from the process is small relative to the energy demands of producing the fuel. Thus, a small reduction in the energy required to produce biofuels would result in a much larger increase (proportionally) of net energy produced. Nitrogen nutrition of crops is one of the most promising places to gain a small reduction in energy invested in fuels. Most estimates of energy required to produce corn, for example, suggest that nitrogen fertilizer represents nearly half of the energy budget. Grass-based fuels would also require large energy inputs in the form of nitrogen fertilizer. Our research has shown that the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed by corn varies widely from field to field and from place to place within a single field. However, corn producers generally apply the same nitrogen fertilizer rate over whole fields and often whole farms. This results in many areas being over-fertilized and represents a large energy input that produces no energy return. Convenient, accurate, and spatially intensive diagnostic tools are needed to match fertilizer use to crop need. Crop sensors are the most promising technology to achieve this goal. They can be mounted on fertilizer applicators, diagnose fertilizer need, and control fertilizer rate within seconds. In 41 on-farm demonstrations of this technology from 2004-2007, we were able to improve system nitrogen efficiency (nitrogen removed in grain/nitrogen fertilizer applied) from 81% (current producer practice) to 96%. This was accomplished by producing the same grain yield with 16% less nitrogen fertilizer, thus decreasing the energy input for corn ethanol and increasing the net energy return. Current funding for this project is $723,000 for two grants. Total funding over the duration of this work is about $1.7 million.Item Engineering of biofuel crops for improving alternative energy production [abstract](2009-04) Yin, Xiaoyan, 1979-; Zhang, Zhanyuan; University of Missouri (System); Missouri Energy Summit (2009 : University of Missouri--Columbia)Genetic engineering plays a unique and important role in improving crop traits. Teaming up with three other laboratories (Drs. Gary Stacey, Xu Dong, and Monty Kerley) at MU and several other institutions in Missouri, we are developing an engineering approach to improve biofuel production as an alternative source of energy. A two-year funded project with a total of $355,635 has been awarded to our MU team. One of the most important crops in this project is switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). To be successful in this project employing engineering approach, it is essential to develop an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation process in switchgrass. In spite of previous reports, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of this crop has been proven to be very difficult. Therefore, since our project started we have optimized a number of critical conditions affecting switchgrass transformation. These conditions included the switchgrass genotypes, cocultivation temperatures and medium salt concentrations, Agrobacterium strains, transformation vectors, selection system and selective agents. We also plan to examine the impact of types of promoter driving selectable markers on transformation. These works will lay a good foundation for efficient transformation of switchgrass via Agrobacterium. Some of the significant progresses will be presented.