Method of Electricity Distribution Including Grid Energy Storage, Load Leveling, and Recirculating CO2 for Methane Production, and Electricity Generating System

Abstract

A method is provided for generating and distributing electricity via an electrical grid, wherein a fossil fuel plant and a renewable energy electricity generating station are interconnected with the electrical grid and are both operable to generate electricity output. The electricity output is directed from both the fossil fuel plant and the renewable energy electricity generating station to the electrical grid for distribution. Then, at the fossil fuel plant, at least a portion of the electricity output is directed to within the plant and utilized in generating hydrogen. The method provides further a reacting step wherein the generated hydrogen reacts with carbon dioxide to produce methane. Continued operation of the fossil fuel plant is conducted utilizing the produced methane as fuel, to generate electricity output, and also, capturing carbon dioxide exhaust and utilizing it in the reacting step.

1 . A method of generating electricity for distribution via an electrical grid, wherein a fossil fuel plant is interconnected with the electrical grid and incorporates a turbine and an electric generator operable to output electricity to the grid, the method comprising the steps of
 at the fossil fuel plant, employing a Rankine cycle to drive the turbine and electric generator to generate electricity, including burning a fossil fuel to generate heat and transferring the generated heat to a working fluid of the Rankine cycle;   providing hydrogen at the fossil fuel plant;   providing an alternative fuel to the fossil fuel by utilizing chemical energy in the hydrogen;   after burning fossil fuel, burning the alternative fuel to generate heat;   transferring the heat generated by the burning alternative fuel step for use in the Rankine cycle; and   continuing to employ the Rankine cycle to drive the turbine and electric generator to output electricity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing an alternative fuel includes reacting the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide at the fossil fuel plant to produce methane as the alternative fuel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the Rankine cycle is a power plant steam cycle employing water as a working fluid, the method further comprising the steps of:
 generating hydrogen by operating a hydrogen generator, wherein the reacting step utilizes the generated hydrogen as a reactant; and   wherein the steps of generating hydrogen and reacting hydrogen and carbon dioxide are performed at the fossil fuel plant, the reacting step including operating a reactor to produce methane.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the burning steps exhaust carbon dioxide, the method further comprising the steps of :
 capturing exhausted carbon dioxide from the burning steps and directing the captured carbon dioxide to the reactor for use in the reacting step as a reactant.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of directing at least a portion of the electricity outputted by the electric generator to the hydrogen generator, whereby the directed electricity is expended during the hydrogen generating step. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 interconnecting a renewable energy electricity generating station with the electrical grid;   operating the renewable energy electricity generating station to generate electricity;   directing electricity from the renewable energy electricity generating station to the electrical grid; and   re-directing at least a portion of the electricity outputted by the electric generator to the hydrogen generator, whereby, in the hydrogen generating step, the directed electricity is expended to generate hydrogen to supply the reacting step.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of
 during the step of re-directing at least a portion of the electricity outputted by the electric generator, reducing a supply of fossil fuel to the furnace such that the fossil fuel burning step is correspondingly reduced and the methane burning step is increased relative to the fossil fuel burning step.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising the step of:
 upon a change in demand on the electrical grid, redirecting at least some of the electricity re-directed to the hydrogen generator back to the grid to accommodate the change in demand.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of
 during the second re-directing step, increasing the fossil fuel burning step by increasing the supply of fossil fuel to the furnace.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 altering the step of generating hydrogen by directing at least some of the hydrogen generated in the hydrogen generating step to storage;   storing the directed hydrogen in storage at the fossil fuel plant; and   after the storing step, altering the reacting step by drawing at least some of the hydrogen for the reacting step from hydrogen storage.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 ceasing the step of burning fossil fuel such that the transferring heat step includes receiving about 100% of the heat used in the Rankine cycle from the step of burning alternative fuel produced by the reacting step.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of burning the alternative fuel includes combusting the hydrogen in a furnace of the fossil fuel plant. 
     
     
         13 . A method of generating and distributing electricity via an electrical grid, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a fossil fuel plant to generate electricity output;   at the fossil fuel plant, directing at least a portion of the electricity output to within the plant;   at the fossil fuel plant, generating hydrogen including utilizing the electricity directed within the plant to generate hydrogen;   utilizing chemical energy in the generated hydrogen to provide an alternative fuel for the fossil fuel plant; and   continuing the fossil fuel plant operating step utilizing the alternative fuel as fuel for a furnace of the fossil fuel plant, to generate electricity output.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 operating a renewable energy electricity generating station to generate electricity output;   directing electricity output from each of the fossil fuel plant and the renewable energy electricity generating station to the electrical grid for distribution;   reacting the generated hydrogen with carbon dioxide to produce methane; and   continuing the fossil fuel plant operating step utilizing the produced methane as the alternative fuel to generate electricity output.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of operating a fossil fuel plant includes utilizing fossil fuel as fuel in a burning step to generate heat; and
 wherein, after the step of continuing to operate the fossil fuel plant, the method further includes directing, at least a portion of the electricity output to within the plant and utilizing the directed electricity in the hydrogen generating step.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of operating the fossil fuel plant includes exhausting carbon dioxide, the method further comprising the step of:
 capturing at least a portion of the exhausted carbon dioxide and directing the captured carbon dioxide to the reacting step, whereby the carbon dioxide is reacted with hydrogen.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 altering the step of directing electricity output by re-directing all of the electricity output of the fossil fuel plant to within the plant and directing at least a portion of the electricity output of the renewable energy electricity generating station to within the plant, whereby the hydrogen generating step includes expending directed electricity output from both the plant and the renewable energy electricity generating station.   
     
     
         18 . A system for generating electricity for distribution via an electrical grid, the system comprising:
 a fossil fuel plant interconnected with, and configured to, direct electricity output to the electrical grid, the fossil fuel plant being further configured to operate a Rankine cycle to drive a steam turbine and electric generator combination, the fossil fuel plant including   a furnace for burning fuel to generate heat,   a hydrogen generator for generating hydrogen,   a reactor for reacting hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce methane.   a recirculating loop interconnecting the furnace and the reactor including a line for directing methane produced by the reactor to an inlet of the furnace and a line directing carbon dioxide captured from the exhaust of the furnace to the hydrogen generator; and   power transmission means for directing electricity output of the electric generator to the hydrogen generator; and   electricity output transmission means for directing electricity output to the electrical grid.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the hydrogen generator is an electrolyzer configured to draw electricity from the power transmission means for electrolysis of water; and
 wherein the reactor is a Sabatier reactor configured to pass a mixture of the carbon dioxide and hydrogen and initiate a reaction producing methane.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a renewable energy electricity generating station interconnected with, and configured to, direct electricity output to the electrical grid, wherein the power transmission means and electricity output transmission means are further configured to direct electricity output of the renewable energy electricity generating station to the hydrogen generator.