EEE 463 Final Exam Question &
Answer Latest Updates 2026/2027
Verfiend Graded A
What are the three main components of generation costs? - ANSWER//Capital,
Operating and Maintenance (O&M), and Fuel costs.
What does capital cost in electricity generation include? - ANSWER//Land, equipment,
construction, and interest.
What are the two types of O&M costs? - ANSWER//Fixed O&M costs ($/kW per yr) and
Variable O&M costs (¢/kW·hr).
What is the relationship between plant size and costs according to the economy of
scale? - ANSWER//As the plant size increases, costs decrease.
What is the significance of capital costs in relation to the plant's operating lifetime? -
ANSWER//Capital costs must be distributed throughout the expected operating lifetime
to find an annual payment.
How are power plants classified based on capacity factor? - ANSWER//They are
classified as Base load, Peak, and Intermediate plants.
What characterizes base load power plants? - ANSWER//They operate 24/7 and have a
high capacity factor.
What is a key feature of peak power plants? - ANSWER//They are used only as
needed, typically during high demand periods.
What geological features are associated with geothermal power locations? -
ANSWER//Cracks in the Earth's crust, known as rifts, often near tectonic plate
boundaries.
,What are the three classifications of geothermal sources? - ANSWER//Hydrothermal,
Geopressurized water, and Petrothermal.
What is the typical thermal efficiency of geothermal power? - ANSWER//Approximately
20%.
What are the two types of hydrothermal systems? - ANSWER//Vapor dominated and
liquid dominated systems.
What is a flash steam geothermal plant? - ANSWER//A plant where geothermal water is
pumped under high pressure to the surface, where it flashes into steam to drive a
turbine.
What type of geothermal plant uses a binary cycle? - ANSWER//A plant that uses
geothermal water to heat a secondary working fluid with a lower boiling point.
What is the typical temperature range for liquid dominated geothermal plants? -
ANSWER//Between 225°F and 360°F.
What is the role of hot springs in geothermal locations? - ANSWER//They release
geothermally heated groundwater.
What is the main advantage of binary cycle geothermal plants? - ANSWER//They
produce no air emissions.
What is the typical depth range for drilling geothermal wells? - ANSWER//Between
3,000 to 9,000 feet.
What is the primary challenge associated with hydrothermal power plants? -
ANSWER//Mineralization problems that can affect components over time.
What is the purpose of drilling new wells in hydrothermal systems? - ANSWER//To
maintain production after existing wells have been used for a few years.
What is the significance of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' in geothermal energy? - ANSWER//It
is a region with significant geothermal activity due to tectonic plate movements.
What are the conditions for Geopressurized Water? - ANSWER//Approximately 350°F
and 16,000 psi.
Where is Geopressurized Water typically found? - ANSWER//Trapped in deep
underground aquifers.
What is one of the uses of Geopressurized Water? - ANSWER//Extracting and burning
the methane content within the produced hot water (brine).
,What is Petrothermal also known as? - ANSWER//Hot Dry Rock (HDR).
What is the temperature range for Petrothermal systems? - ANSWER//300-550°F.
What percentage of the U.S. geothermal resource potential does Petrothermal
represent? - ANSWER//85%.
What is a significant environmental impact of geothermal energy? - ANSWER//Land use
of 800-1000 acres for 100 MWe for 30 years.
What type of pollution can geothermal wells release? - ANSWER//Air pollution such as
radon gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), CO2, and methane.
What are the main components of geothermal energy costs? - ANSWER//Capital, O&M
(operations and maintenance), and fuel.
What is the installed capacity of geothermal energy in the U.S. as of 2014? -
ANSWER//3,442 MW.
What are the three solar energy conversion processes? - ANSWER//Photosynthesis,
photovoltaics, and heliothermal.
What is the primary use of solar thermal energy? - ANSWER//Heating purposes, such
as domestic hot water.
What is the solar constant just above the Earth's atmosphere? - ANSWER//About 1.353
kW/m².
What is solar insolation? - ANSWER//The total amount of solar energy falling on a unit
area.
What are the three components of solar insolation? - ANSWER//Direct (beam), diffuse-
scattered, and reflected short wavelength radiation.
What is the clearness index? - ANSWER//The ratio of average radiation on a horizontal
surface to average extraterrestrial radiation for the same period.
What is the main disadvantage of solar energy? - ANSWER//Intermittent availability and
high capital costs.
What is the efficiency range for photovoltaic cells? - ANSWER//10%-20% for standard
cells, 20%-30% for expensive cells.
What is concentrating solar power (CSP)? - ANSWER//Solar thermal energy that
utilizes a thermal cycle to generate electricity.
, What is a parabolic trough in solar thermal systems? - ANSWER//A type of solar
collector that concentrates energy along a line.
What are the environmental impacts of solar energy? - ANSWER//Habitat loss, avian
mortality, intensive land use, and water use in arid regions.
What is the benefit of dual-axis tracking in solar panels? - ANSWER//Increases incident
energy collection and decreases variability.
What is the primary function of solar thermal collectors? - ANSWER//To concentrate
solar energy for heating applications.
What is the Rankine cycle used for in solar thermal power plants? - ANSWER//To
convert thermal energy from the sun into mechanical energy for electricity generation.
What is the impact of geothermal energy on land subsidence? - ANSWER//Land
subsidence has occurred in areas like Mexico and New Zealand due to geothermal
extraction.
What is the role of tracking units in photovoltaic installations? - ANSWER//To ensure
solar panels are always pointed at the sun for maximum efficiency.
What is a major concern regarding geothermal energy and geysers? -
ANSWER//Geothermal can destroy the internal Earth piping of geysers and fumaroles.
What is the significance of the AM1.5 spectrum? - ANSWER//It is the standard for
testing photovoltaic devices, normalized to a total power density of 1 kW/m².
What are heliostats? - ANSWER//Mirrors used to focus sunlight at a large single point.
Where is Solar Two located? - ANSWER//Mojave Desert near Barstow, California.
What was the purpose of Solar Two's mirrors? - ANSWER//To focus light to a single
collector atop a 95-meter tower.
What was the operational period of Solar One? - ANSWER//From 1982 to 1988.
What working fluid was used in Solar Two? - ANSWER//Molten salts (60% NaNO3 and
40% KNO3).
What was the capacity of Solar Two? - ANSWER//10 MWe (megawatts electric).
What is the function of thermal energy storage in solar thermal systems? -
ANSWER//To allow operation during inclement weather or nighttime.
Answer Latest Updates 2026/2027
Verfiend Graded A
What are the three main components of generation costs? - ANSWER//Capital,
Operating and Maintenance (O&M), and Fuel costs.
What does capital cost in electricity generation include? - ANSWER//Land, equipment,
construction, and interest.
What are the two types of O&M costs? - ANSWER//Fixed O&M costs ($/kW per yr) and
Variable O&M costs (¢/kW·hr).
What is the relationship between plant size and costs according to the economy of
scale? - ANSWER//As the plant size increases, costs decrease.
What is the significance of capital costs in relation to the plant's operating lifetime? -
ANSWER//Capital costs must be distributed throughout the expected operating lifetime
to find an annual payment.
How are power plants classified based on capacity factor? - ANSWER//They are
classified as Base load, Peak, and Intermediate plants.
What characterizes base load power plants? - ANSWER//They operate 24/7 and have a
high capacity factor.
What is a key feature of peak power plants? - ANSWER//They are used only as
needed, typically during high demand periods.
What geological features are associated with geothermal power locations? -
ANSWER//Cracks in the Earth's crust, known as rifts, often near tectonic plate
boundaries.
,What are the three classifications of geothermal sources? - ANSWER//Hydrothermal,
Geopressurized water, and Petrothermal.
What is the typical thermal efficiency of geothermal power? - ANSWER//Approximately
20%.
What are the two types of hydrothermal systems? - ANSWER//Vapor dominated and
liquid dominated systems.
What is a flash steam geothermal plant? - ANSWER//A plant where geothermal water is
pumped under high pressure to the surface, where it flashes into steam to drive a
turbine.
What type of geothermal plant uses a binary cycle? - ANSWER//A plant that uses
geothermal water to heat a secondary working fluid with a lower boiling point.
What is the typical temperature range for liquid dominated geothermal plants? -
ANSWER//Between 225°F and 360°F.
What is the role of hot springs in geothermal locations? - ANSWER//They release
geothermally heated groundwater.
What is the main advantage of binary cycle geothermal plants? - ANSWER//They
produce no air emissions.
What is the typical depth range for drilling geothermal wells? - ANSWER//Between
3,000 to 9,000 feet.
What is the primary challenge associated with hydrothermal power plants? -
ANSWER//Mineralization problems that can affect components over time.
What is the purpose of drilling new wells in hydrothermal systems? - ANSWER//To
maintain production after existing wells have been used for a few years.
What is the significance of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' in geothermal energy? - ANSWER//It
is a region with significant geothermal activity due to tectonic plate movements.
What are the conditions for Geopressurized Water? - ANSWER//Approximately 350°F
and 16,000 psi.
Where is Geopressurized Water typically found? - ANSWER//Trapped in deep
underground aquifers.
What is one of the uses of Geopressurized Water? - ANSWER//Extracting and burning
the methane content within the produced hot water (brine).
,What is Petrothermal also known as? - ANSWER//Hot Dry Rock (HDR).
What is the temperature range for Petrothermal systems? - ANSWER//300-550°F.
What percentage of the U.S. geothermal resource potential does Petrothermal
represent? - ANSWER//85%.
What is a significant environmental impact of geothermal energy? - ANSWER//Land use
of 800-1000 acres for 100 MWe for 30 years.
What type of pollution can geothermal wells release? - ANSWER//Air pollution such as
radon gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), CO2, and methane.
What are the main components of geothermal energy costs? - ANSWER//Capital, O&M
(operations and maintenance), and fuel.
What is the installed capacity of geothermal energy in the U.S. as of 2014? -
ANSWER//3,442 MW.
What are the three solar energy conversion processes? - ANSWER//Photosynthesis,
photovoltaics, and heliothermal.
What is the primary use of solar thermal energy? - ANSWER//Heating purposes, such
as domestic hot water.
What is the solar constant just above the Earth's atmosphere? - ANSWER//About 1.353
kW/m².
What is solar insolation? - ANSWER//The total amount of solar energy falling on a unit
area.
What are the three components of solar insolation? - ANSWER//Direct (beam), diffuse-
scattered, and reflected short wavelength radiation.
What is the clearness index? - ANSWER//The ratio of average radiation on a horizontal
surface to average extraterrestrial radiation for the same period.
What is the main disadvantage of solar energy? - ANSWER//Intermittent availability and
high capital costs.
What is the efficiency range for photovoltaic cells? - ANSWER//10%-20% for standard
cells, 20%-30% for expensive cells.
What is concentrating solar power (CSP)? - ANSWER//Solar thermal energy that
utilizes a thermal cycle to generate electricity.
, What is a parabolic trough in solar thermal systems? - ANSWER//A type of solar
collector that concentrates energy along a line.
What are the environmental impacts of solar energy? - ANSWER//Habitat loss, avian
mortality, intensive land use, and water use in arid regions.
What is the benefit of dual-axis tracking in solar panels? - ANSWER//Increases incident
energy collection and decreases variability.
What is the primary function of solar thermal collectors? - ANSWER//To concentrate
solar energy for heating applications.
What is the Rankine cycle used for in solar thermal power plants? - ANSWER//To
convert thermal energy from the sun into mechanical energy for electricity generation.
What is the impact of geothermal energy on land subsidence? - ANSWER//Land
subsidence has occurred in areas like Mexico and New Zealand due to geothermal
extraction.
What is the role of tracking units in photovoltaic installations? - ANSWER//To ensure
solar panels are always pointed at the sun for maximum efficiency.
What is a major concern regarding geothermal energy and geysers? -
ANSWER//Geothermal can destroy the internal Earth piping of geysers and fumaroles.
What is the significance of the AM1.5 spectrum? - ANSWER//It is the standard for
testing photovoltaic devices, normalized to a total power density of 1 kW/m².
What are heliostats? - ANSWER//Mirrors used to focus sunlight at a large single point.
Where is Solar Two located? - ANSWER//Mojave Desert near Barstow, California.
What was the purpose of Solar Two's mirrors? - ANSWER//To focus light to a single
collector atop a 95-meter tower.
What was the operational period of Solar One? - ANSWER//From 1982 to 1988.
What working fluid was used in Solar Two? - ANSWER//Molten salts (60% NaNO3 and
40% KNO3).
What was the capacity of Solar Two? - ANSWER//10 MWe (megawatts electric).
What is the function of thermal energy storage in solar thermal systems? -
ANSWER//To allow operation during inclement weather or nighttime.
