Violation of Laws of Thermodynamics required by Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), 6

[MJCronin]

ONLY FROM THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF MASSACHUSETTS ! !

After several years of development, the builders of a much desired biomass power plant have finally given up.

(Biomass power plants, you may recall, are carbon "neutral"..... no "new" CO2 is considered to be released to the atmosphere)

The plant design was subject to the ever escalating environmental requirements of MASS DOER

The "cream on the cake" is the requirement by the fat ladies with flowered skirts, to violate laws of physics



DOER finalized restrictions in August that require all woody biomass plants to generate power at a minimum 50 percent efficiency in order to receive one half of a renewable energy credit (REC), and 60 percent efficiency to receive one full REC, up from the previous 25 percent efficiency standard. The restrictions also include regular Forest Impact Assessments, which are used ensure preservation by determining the biomass industry’s influence on the environment, and power plants much achieve a 50 percent reduction in lifecycle emissions over 20 years.



Now, these are the same people who hate all coal fired generation, nuclear power plants and gas fired power.....


Read the following:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com...lant-cancelled-the-start-of-an-industry-trend

also

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com...inalizes-strict-regulations-on-biomass-plants

Comments ???......... anyone out there study Thermodynamics ???

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer
Venture Engineering & Construction

http://www.VentureEngr.com

 

[SomptingGuy]

Maybe their definition of efficiency is different to that used in thermodynamics?

- Steve

 

[bridgebuster]

What do you expect from liberals, or progressives, or whatever they call themselves?

 

[Ron]

Nope! You're not the only ones. In Florida, the violation is that of fatigue for repetitive stress in amusement rides. According to state law, one must be able to see fatique failure before it happens. Nice trick if you can do it.

 

[DistCoop]

I have nothing of use to contribute, other than perhaps to lighten the mood and remove frustration. Simpsons fans will appreciate it.

 

[Comcokid]

DistCoop - That link you provided shows that the writers for the Simpsons are far smarter than politicans behind DOER.

 

[GregLocock]

Perhaps they'll mandate very low temperatures in Mass. in the future, thereby increasing the efficiency of all heat engines, if they don't freeze. What a masterstroke for the greenies.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[moltenmetal]

I like the Laws of Thermo, Redux, that I think I probably first read here:

Oth Law: you must play the game
1st Law: you can't win
2nd Law: you can only break even on a really, really cold day
3rd Law: it never gets that cold...

 

[btrueblood]

I've always seen it as "2nd law: you can't break even, and 3rd law: you can't get out of the game".

 

[moltenmetal]

Yours is probably a better statement of the 2nd law, but not of the 3rd really. But each is good.

 

[rb1957]

maybe ... 3rd if it got that cold, you'd be dead.

Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

 

[btrueblood]

I think the statement of the 3rd law (in my post) is really a restatement of Murphy's law.

 

[rb1957]

? murphy's law is "if something can go wrong, it will", sometimes with "at the worse possible time" added

Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

 

[btrueblood]

Hmm...no, I had it "right" the 1st time according to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginsberg's_theorem

Allen Ginsberg, whodathunkit. I do agree the 3rd law isn't quite what that quote says (but it does ring poetic, hey?)

 

[BiPolarMoment]

I like the corollary to Murphy's law that I've seen attributed to more than one source: "Murphy was an optimist."

 

[davefitz]

Well, anything is possible in politics. I seem to recall a proposal to mandate seatbelts on motorcycles.

But it is my guess that the DOER is referring to HHV boiler thermal efficiency.

"Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad "

 

[MartinLe]

I did not look at the definition of efficiency the massachusets DOE used. Here's what many eastern european countries mandate for biogas plants: USEFUL Energy output has to be >50%, meaning: Elctricity production - electricity own demand + heat used for stuff not immediatly conected with the biogas process (drying digestate is ok, heating for the process not) must be > 50% of the energy content of the feedstock.
MAybe they mean something like this?

 

[TenPenny]

Without referring to the definition of 'efficiency' used by the DOER, the whole discussion is meaningless.

 

[moltenmetal]

Wow- seriously? Ginsberg? Whodathunkit?

 

[djs]

I heard that the three laws are:
1. You can't win
2. You can't even break even
3. Things are going to get worse before they get better