EE 526 L11 EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
Biomass Definition - Answers Energy from organic material (plants, waste, biomass fuels)
Biomass Sources - Answers Wood, biogas, landfill gas, waste-to-energy, biodiesel, ethanol, co-firing
Biomass Power Size - Answers Typically 0.1-75 MW
Biomass Advantages - Answers Low cost, widely available, dispatchable
Biomass Disadvantage - Answers Environmental concerns ("not pretty" emissions)
Why Biomass is Renewable - Answers Replenished at same or faster rate than consumption
Biomass Carbon Cycle - Answers CO2 released during burning is offset by plant regrowth
Biomass Climate Impact - Answers Can reduce landfill waste and net carbon impact
Biomass Conversion Methods - Answers Combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion
Direct Combustion - Answers Burning biomass to generate steam and electricity
Gasification - Answers Converts biomass to syngas (CO + H2) using limited oxygen
Gasification Key Point - Answers NOT combustion (uses partial oxygen)
Gasification Products - Answers CO, H2 (adjustable ratio)
Gasification Byproducts - Answers CO2 and solid ash
Gasification Benefits - Answers Lower emissions, produces renewable natural gas (RNG)
Gasification Process Steps - Answers Dry → gasify → clean gas → shift reaction → compress →
remove CO2 → methanation
Anaerobic Digestion - Answers Biological breakdown of organic waste → biogas
Co-firing - Answers Mixing biomass with coal in existing plants
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) - Answers Burning municipal solid waste (MSW) to produce electricity
MSW Definition - Answers Garbage (paper, plastics, yard waste, wood)
WtE Efficiency - Answers ~85% of MSW can be used as fuel
WtE Waste Reduction - Answers Reduces volume ~87%
WtE Types - Answers Mass-burn (most common), refuse-derived fuel (processed)
WtE Limitation - Answers Expensive but growing market
Biomass Plant Example - Answers McNeil Plant (50 MW, Vermont, wood fuel ~76 tons/hr)
Biomass Fuel Example - Answers Bagasse (sugarcane residue), rice hulls
Renewable Energy Integration - Answers Process of adding renewables into power grid
Key Integration Factors - Answers Cost, LCOE, dispatch, reliability, policy, environment
LCOE Definition - Answers Cost per unit energy over lifetime ($/MWh)
Simple LCOE Concept - Answers Total annual cost / annual energy production
Full LCOE Equation - Answers (FCR×ICC + LRC + O&M + LLC) / AEP
FCR - Answers Fixed charge rate (financing + ROI)
ICC - Answers Initial capital cost
LRC - Answers Replacement cost
O&M - Answers Operations & maintenance
LLC - Answers Land lease cost
AEP - Answers Annual energy production (MWh)
Key LCOE Drivers - Answers Capital cost, capacity factor, financing, O&M
Economic Dispatch - Answers Least-cost allocation of generation to meet demand
Economic Dispatch Note - Answers Does NOT decide which plants turn on/off
Economic Dispatch Equation - Answers C = α + βP
External Costs - Answers Hidden costs (health, environment, policy, security)
Examples External Costs - Answers Pollution, CO2, climate change, accidents
Capacity Credit - Answers Measure of reliability contribution of a generator
Low Capacity Credit Meaning - Answers Low output during peak demand
ELCC - Answers Effective Load Carrying Capability (reliability metric)
Capacity Credit Trend - Answers Decreases as renewable penetration increases
Typical Capacity Credit - Answers Solar (~25-75%), wind (~5-40%), tidal (<10-20%)
Dispatchability - Answers Ability to control power output on demand
Biomass Dispatchability - Answers YES (key advantage)
Renewable Challenge - Answers Intermittency (solar/wind)
Power System Control - Answers Needed to maintain stability with renewables
Policy Role - Answers Affects deployment, incentives, and grid integration
Biomass Definition - Answers Energy from organic material (plants, waste, biomass fuels)
Biomass Sources - Answers Wood, biogas, landfill gas, waste-to-energy, biodiesel, ethanol, co-firing
Biomass Power Size - Answers Typically 0.1-75 MW
Biomass Advantages - Answers Low cost, widely available, dispatchable
Biomass Disadvantage - Answers Environmental concerns ("not pretty" emissions)
Why Biomass is Renewable - Answers Replenished at same or faster rate than consumption
Biomass Carbon Cycle - Answers CO2 released during burning is offset by plant regrowth
Biomass Climate Impact - Answers Can reduce landfill waste and net carbon impact
Biomass Conversion Methods - Answers Combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion
Direct Combustion - Answers Burning biomass to generate steam and electricity
Gasification - Answers Converts biomass to syngas (CO + H2) using limited oxygen
Gasification Key Point - Answers NOT combustion (uses partial oxygen)
Gasification Products - Answers CO, H2 (adjustable ratio)
Gasification Byproducts - Answers CO2 and solid ash
Gasification Benefits - Answers Lower emissions, produces renewable natural gas (RNG)
Gasification Process Steps - Answers Dry → gasify → clean gas → shift reaction → compress →
remove CO2 → methanation
Anaerobic Digestion - Answers Biological breakdown of organic waste → biogas
Co-firing - Answers Mixing biomass with coal in existing plants
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) - Answers Burning municipal solid waste (MSW) to produce electricity
MSW Definition - Answers Garbage (paper, plastics, yard waste, wood)
WtE Efficiency - Answers ~85% of MSW can be used as fuel
WtE Waste Reduction - Answers Reduces volume ~87%
WtE Types - Answers Mass-burn (most common), refuse-derived fuel (processed)
WtE Limitation - Answers Expensive but growing market
Biomass Plant Example - Answers McNeil Plant (50 MW, Vermont, wood fuel ~76 tons/hr)
Biomass Fuel Example - Answers Bagasse (sugarcane residue), rice hulls
Renewable Energy Integration - Answers Process of adding renewables into power grid
Key Integration Factors - Answers Cost, LCOE, dispatch, reliability, policy, environment
LCOE Definition - Answers Cost per unit energy over lifetime ($/MWh)
Simple LCOE Concept - Answers Total annual cost / annual energy production
Full LCOE Equation - Answers (FCR×ICC + LRC + O&M + LLC) / AEP
FCR - Answers Fixed charge rate (financing + ROI)
ICC - Answers Initial capital cost
LRC - Answers Replacement cost
O&M - Answers Operations & maintenance
LLC - Answers Land lease cost
AEP - Answers Annual energy production (MWh)
Key LCOE Drivers - Answers Capital cost, capacity factor, financing, O&M
Economic Dispatch - Answers Least-cost allocation of generation to meet demand
Economic Dispatch Note - Answers Does NOT decide which plants turn on/off
Economic Dispatch Equation - Answers C = α + βP
External Costs - Answers Hidden costs (health, environment, policy, security)
Examples External Costs - Answers Pollution, CO2, climate change, accidents
Capacity Credit - Answers Measure of reliability contribution of a generator
Low Capacity Credit Meaning - Answers Low output during peak demand
ELCC - Answers Effective Load Carrying Capability (reliability metric)
Capacity Credit Trend - Answers Decreases as renewable penetration increases
Typical Capacity Credit - Answers Solar (~25-75%), wind (~5-40%), tidal (<10-20%)
Dispatchability - Answers Ability to control power output on demand
Biomass Dispatchability - Answers YES (key advantage)
Renewable Challenge - Answers Intermittency (solar/wind)
Power System Control - Answers Needed to maintain stability with renewables
Policy Role - Answers Affects deployment, incentives, and grid integration
