The Energy SuperGrid (Executive Briefing)

1. The Energy SuperGrid (Executive Briefing) For: By:

2. The 21st Century Energy Challenge Design a communal energy economy to meet the needs of a densely populated industrialized world that reaches all corners of Planet Earth. Accomplish this within the highest levels of environmental, esthetic, safe, reliable, efficient and secure engineering practice possible. …without requiring any new scientific discoveries or breakthroughs!

3. China “Factoid” • Current Population: 1.3 Billion Souls • All want to live like Americans • Chinese Family Priorities: • (1) TV, (2) Washer, (3) Fridge… • Next an Air Conditioner (200 USD, 1 kW) • Assume an average family size of three, then… An extra 500 GW of generation capacity must be added just to keep them cool!

4. “Boundary Conditions” • Givens • Energy Efficiency • Recyclables • Off-the-Table: Eco-invasive Generation • Fossils • Carbon Sequestration • Baseline Renewables • “Farms” – Wind, Solar, Biomass • On-the-Table • Nuclear (undergrounding) • Solar Roofs • Urban/Agro Biomass

5. The Solution A Symbiosis of Nuclear/Hydrogen/Superconductivity Technologies supplying Carbon-free, Non-Intrusive Energy for all Inhabitants of Planet Earth SuperGrids & SuperCities

6. NuclearPowerDiablo Canyon & Wind Power “Equivalent”

7. Diablo Canyon 2200 MW Power Plant 5 Miles HTGCR Reprocessing Breeders IMRSS NuclearPowerCalifornia Coast Power Wind Farm Equivalent

8. HydrogenThe Hydrogen Economy • You have to make it, just like electricity • Electricity can make H2, and H2 can make electricity (2H2O  2H2 + O2) • You have to make a lot of it • You can make it cold, - 419 F (21 K) P.M. Grant, “Hydrogen lifts off…with a heavy load,” Nature 424, 129 (2003)

9. US Oil Imports (2003)

10. Hydrogen for US Surface Transportation“You have to make a lot of it” The "25% 80-80-80 400 GW" Scenario Factoids & Assumptions

11. Hydrogen for US Surface Transportation:Water Requirements The "25% 80-80-80 400 GW" Scenario

12. Hydrogen for US Surface Transportation:Generation by Renewable Electricity The "25% 80-80-80 400 GW" Scenario

13. +v I I -v H2 H2 H2 H2 Circuit #1 “Hydricity” SuperCables:“Proton/Electron Power (PEP) to the People” +v I I -v Multiple circuits can be laid in single trench Circuit #2

14. SuperCable Monopole HV Insulation tsc “Super-Insulation” DH2 Superconductor DO Hydrogen

15. SuperCable Monopole (Alternative)

16. Electricity PSC = 2|V|JASC, where PSC = Electric power flow V = Voltage to neutral (ground) J = Supercurrent density ASC = Cross-sectional area of superconducting annulus Hydrogen PH2 = 2(QρvA)H2, where PH2 = Chemical power flow Q = Gibbs H2 oxidation energy (2.46 eV per mol H2) ρ = H2 Density v = H2 Flow Rate A = Cross-sectional area of H2 cryotube Power Flows

17. Hydricity Scaling Factor Dimensionless, geometry-independent scaling factor defines relative amounts of electricity/hydrogen power flow in the SuperCable: “Pressure” “Energy Density”

18. Electricity Power (MW) Voltage (V) Current (A) Critical Current Density (A/cm2) Annular Wall Thickness (cm) 1000 +/- 5000 100,000 25,000 0.125 Hydrogen (LH2, 20 K) Power (MW) Inner Pipe Diameter, DH2 (cm) H2 Flow Rate (m/sec) “Equivalent” Current Density (A/cm2) 500 10 3.81 318 Electric & H2 Power

19. Power Flows: 5 GWe/10 GWth

20. SuperCable H2 Storage One Raccoon Mountain = 13,800 cubic meters of LH2 LH2 in 45 cm diameter, 20 km bipolar SuperCable = Raccoon Mountain

21. Hydrogen Energy Content H2 Gas at 77 K and 1850 psia has 50% of the energy content of liquid H2and 100% at 6800 psia

22. “Hybrid” SuperCable

23. US Natural Gas Imports (BCF, 2003) 22,000

24. SuperCable Prototype Al-Can Gas Pipeline Proposals

25. Mackenzie Valley Pipeline 1300 km 18 GW-thermal

26. Gas Pipelines Under Construction

27. Electrical Insulation “Super-Insulation” Thermal Barrier to LNG Liquid Nitrogen @ 77 K Superconductor LNG @ 105 K 1 atm (14.7 psia) LNG SuperCable

28. Technology Challenges • Nuclear • Hydrogen • SuperCable

29. Nuclear • HTGCR Design Downselect • “Waste” • Proliferation • Re-processing • FBR • Underground Construction

30. Hydrogen • Generation • Electrolysis (new methods, e.g. high-pressure • Thermochemical (EPRI Entergy Report) • Distribution • SuperCable ? • Storage • SuperCable ? • End Use • Hydricity and/or Electricity

31. Voltage – current tradeoffs “Cold” vs. “Warm” Dielectric AC interface (phases) Generate dc? Multi-pole, low rpm units (aka hydro) Ripple suppression Filters Cryogenics Pulse Tubes “Cryobreaks” Magnetic Field Forces Splices (R = 0?) Charge/Discharge cycles (Faults!) Power Electronics GTOs vs IGBTs 12” wafer platforms Cryo-Bipolars SuperCable (Electrical)

32. SuperCable (Construction) • Pipe Lengths & Diameters (Transportation) • Coax vs RTD • Rigid vs Flexible? • On-Site Manufacturing • Conductor winding (3-4 pipe lengths) • Vacuum: permanently sealed or actively pumped? • Joints • Superconducting • Welds • Thermal Expansion (bellows)

33. EPRI Opportunities • Re-define and “re-package” SuperGrid in a larger context, with emphasis on the vision • Solicitation of funding organizations (letters, personal visits, brochures, etc.) • Identify & document opportunities for deployment of dc superconducting cables as SuperCable entry technology • Canvas EPRI membership, focusing on inter-RTO links

34. EPRI Funding – $1 M/yr • Co-fund Ongoing DOE and NSF Programs That Support the Vision • DOE: Offices of Nuclear, Hydrogen, OEEA • NSF: Engineering Directorate PE Programs • Deployment Studies for DC Superconducting Cables • Of high interest in DOE, identified in Omnibus Energy Bill • Canvas membership interest, focusing on inter-RTO links • Bi-Directional Control of Power Flow on a Point-to-Point Superconducting LVDC Cable Inter-Tie (ORNL) • I/C designs to manage power flow through voltage control • Energize/de-energize and fault management • Expand Studies for Underground Nuclear Construction (LANL, INEEL)

35. Appendix Material • Nuclear • Hydrogen • Superconductivity

36. Nuclear • HTGCR • Reprocessing • Breeders • IMRSS

37. Particle/Pebble Nuclear Fuel Back

38. High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Back

39. Eskom Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Back • Helium gas cooled (Brayton Cycle) • Won’t melt down • Direct turbine drive • “Baseball” packaged fuel • Continuous fuel replenishment and removal • Theoretical 100% availability • Modular Design • Scalable: 100 – 500 MW units • High safety and security factor • Economical • 1.2 cents/kWh … cheaper than coal

40. Co-Production of Hydrogen and Electricity Back Reactor Vessel O2 Source: INEL & General Atomics

41. Source: General Atomics Nuclear “Hydricity” Production Farm Back

42. Reprocessing “Spent” Fuel Back

43. JNFL Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant Back • $20 B, 5 Year Project • 800 mt U/yr • 1 mt U -> 50 kg HLW

44. Fast Breeder Technologies Back

45. IMRSS Back • Internationally Monitored Retrievable Storage System (a proposal by Chauncey Starr) • Take control of all material exiting cooling ponds • Provide transportation to (a few) storage locations • Use “banking” paradigm • Title remains with nation of origin • Withdrawal allowed for recycling or burial • All activity monitored by IAEA • Financed by nuclear per MWh charge on participating nations