Re: Math question, CO2?

Posted by George Marsh on January 04, 2015 at 05:31:50 from (50.104.121.187):

In Reply to: Re: Math question, CO2? posted by MarkB_MI on January 04, 2015 at 04:23:46:

Mark, here are my calculations.
1. Calculate the BTU's in 3000 kw-hrs.
Ans. 10.236M BTU's
2. Calculate the CO2 produced by the most efficient power plant to generate 3000 kw-hrs:
A. using coal? Bitumious coal 2.08#/1 kw-hr
Ans. 6240# CO2
B. using NG? NG = 1.22#/1kw-kr
Ans. 3669# CO2
3 Then using the best geo-heat pump on the market, calculate the CO2 generated by the best power plant to produce the BTU's in question 1:
I found geo-heat pump water closed loop with COP = 3. So this calculation was easy, heat pump would only use 1000 Kw-hrs.
A. using coal? Bitumious coal 2.08#/1 kw-hr
Ans. 2080# CO2
B. using NG? 1.22#/1kw-kr
Ans. 1467# CO2
4. Calculate the CO2 produced the make the BTU's in question 1 by using the most efficient:
I found the most efficient gas furnaces to be 97%. 1 M BTU's NG = 117# CO2. 1M BTU's LP = 139#
A. NG furnace?
Ans. 1235# CO2
B. LP furnace?
Ans. 1423 # CO2

If my critics like, I will post links to the data I used in my calculation. However, there are many things my calculation don't show.

Energy needed to mine and transport the coal.
Energy needed to pump NG or LP in pipelines or transport in trucks.
I question if the COP includes operating the circulating pump.
The energy for blowers and draft fans are not included.
Energy losses in power lines.

Conclusion,
Old people don't like cold houses and my house is not cold. Most months, I use around 800 kw-hrs. My average rate is about $.16/kw-hr. If I use 3000 kw-hr my rate is a little under $.10. I had my NG turned off about 10 years ago and installed cheap inefficient baseboard heaters in every room with room thermostats. My fixed electric bill with Duke energy is $135/mo plus tax. So, my dirty inefficient electric is cheaper than my NG plus electric bill. Gas company charged for reading the meter. An extra charge for boosting the gas pressure that increased the heating value a few points. So total electric is the best deal for me.

It stands to reason that if a power station is only ABOUT 33% efficient at converting heat to electricity, that burning the fuel in a furnace at 97% would produce more heat.
So in order of the best to worst for producing CO2:

NG furnace, LP furnace, Geo closed loop using electricity produced by NG, followed my Geo closed loop using electricity produced by coal and last place baseboard electric, toaster heat.

If I were in charge of coming up with an environmentally friendly energy policy, I would have an incentive to lower the price of NG and LP. Perhaps give tax incentives to convert to 97% NG and LP furnaces. Put the country to work building pipelines to get the NG to market instead of burning it off at the well.

If you agree with my numbers, please post yours.
Have a nice day.
George

Replies:

• Re: Math question, CO2? massey 333 07:03:20 01/04/15 (0)
• Re: Math question, CO2? MarkB_MI 06:53:20 01/04/15 (1)
  • Re: Math question, CO2? George Marsh 07:18:58 01/04/15 (0)

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