| Abstract: | ABSTRACT. The Heat Storage Well concept evolved at TEMPO in 1972. Technical, economic, institutional, and legal aspects of implementing the concept are being studied. Heat Storage Wells offer the possibility of conserving a substantial part of the heat energy now wasted in generating electricity and of reducing thermal pollution caused by the waste heat. Large thermal electric power plants would produce heat at useful temperatures such as 300–400°F. Combined electric- and heat-generating systems will require low-cost, low-loss storage of large amounts of hot water for periods of 90 to 180 days to serve both electric loads and seasonally-varying heat loads. Compared to conventional electricity-only systems, combined electricity-heat systems can save more than 20 percent in energy, reduce the cost of both electricity and heat, and eliminate the need for cooling water or towers. Possibilities for changes in legal and institutional practices are suggested, such as making resource-allocation decisions on the basis of energy units rather than dollars. |
