Description
Use this applet to explore some issues related to generation, demand, and transmission of electricity. When the applet opens, a coal powered generator and a natural gas generator are available to deliver electricity to three communities, but only the coal generator is producing. The wind farm is not yet connected to the system. As the demand from the communities changes over a 24-hour period, the generators adjust their power production. Fuel costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per hour for each of the generators is shown.
The total peak demand for the communities is set to be 750 MW. The Peak community power demand slider allows you to change the total peak demand. There are also sliders that change the wind farm capacity and the capacity of the transmission line between substation 1 and substation 2. There are buttons for plotting graphs that show costs, emissions, available wind power, branch flow, load and generation.
Challenges
Watch the clock and notice how the demand from the communities changes throughout the day. What do you see? At what times is the power demand from the residential load lowest? When is it highest? At what times are the power demands from the commercial load and industrial load lowest and highest?
Resources for Students and Teachers
Quick-Start Guide
Use this quick-start guide to learn about the features of this applet.
Lessons
Lessons have been created to help you use this applet in your classroom.
