Electrical Engineering Students Investigate Energy Alternatives

For decades, at least in the United States, we’ve taken it for granted that electricity comes from large companies and travels through miles of power lines. This is changing rapidly, as scientists examine alternative sources of energy and new ways of transporting it. Two graduate students in the University of Arkansas electrical engineering department, Jean Marie Bikorimana and Art Barnes, are researching different ways of producing and storing electricity in the community where it will be used.

Their work is supported by the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission and Grid-Connected Advanced Power Electronic Systems.

Bikorimana is studying the potential of low power floating turbines, which could be used to produce electricity for rural villages in Africa. "These are similar to wind turbines, but they use kinetic energy from the river," he explained.

The turbine, which is about the size of a small wind turbine, floats in a river and is connected to a generator. Depending on the size of the generator and the speed of the river, this device can supply two or more kilowatts, enough electricity for about 10 houses.

Barnes is looking at energy storage for local area networks. "Local area networks is a recent concept," he explained. "It combines the traditional distribution system with new concepts."

These networks are small groups, such as a residential neighborhood, a college campus or an industrial complex, which could produce their own electricity using microturbines, diesel generators or photovoltaic panels, then distribute the electricity through a small grid as it’s needed. In effect, local area networks would have their own tiny power plants, which would reduce the need to build more large plants.

Specifically, Barnes is looking at ways these networks can store electricity when they aren’t using it. He is examining different types of batteries and considering factors such as cost, size and location, as well as the power electronics that are necessary to interface the battery and the grid. Barnes is using the solar panels at the Enterprise Center, the Fayetteville Library and Engineering Hall to collect data for his research.