[SGVLUG] Off-topic - US govt energy site - interesting statistics

[Stan Schwarz]

> While the EIA has some significant data, I can't seem to find some of
> the most important data using this "homepage" url.  One important item
> is the thermal efficiency of generation electricity from fuel,
> expressed as an inverse of efficiency in BTU/kwh and known at the
> "heat rate".  In 1960 it was about 10,760 BTU/kwh and today it's not
> much better (10,400 +- BTU/kwh).  That's 45 years of stagnation in
> improving energy efficiency.  One reason: save $ on capital
> investment.

It's my understanding from the energy lecture series here at
Caltech that the efficiency of converting heat to electricity
is about as efficient as it's ever going to get. There are
some fundamental thermodynamic limits on it. Steam turbine
technology is pretty mature, so it's about as close to the
theoretical limit as is possible.


-- 
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Stan Schwarz              |"Sun likely will have to embrace Linux
stan at iron.gps.caltech.edu | and eat their own children, or watch 
                          | IBM and HP do it instead." - crn.com
- http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/stans -----------------------------