Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- What happens on the other end of the plug when something is turned on was one of the main points of Jamie Weber's presentation at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Thursday, Feb. 26. Weber is an electrical engineer for PowerWorld Corporation in Urbana, Ill.

The event was sponsored by the Chancellor's Office and hosted by UWP and Sustain Grant County.

"I think we take for granted where our energy comes from when we plug things in," said Linda Bernhardt of Sustain Grant County.

Weber began his presentation by elaborating on the significance of electricity. "Electrification was named the top engineering technology in 2000 by the National Academy of Engineering," said Weber. "We can't do anything in modern life without electricity. It really has enabled us to do all that we've done in the past 100 years."

Weber followed with an explanation of the difference between energy and power and how his job focuses on power. Energy is a measure of the work done or power used over time. Power is the rate the work is done or energy per second. When less power is used, the power can be used over a longer period of time.

Weber deals with power in his job by managing the electric grid. The grid distributes power according to use. Control systems measure the resistance to the generator and adjust it accordingly. The more electricity that is being used, the more resistance is put on the generator. Engineers build the grid to match the power being produced to the energy consumed at all times because power cannot be stored.

Weber went on to discuss the sources of energy including coal, solar, hydro, nuclear and wind, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. He said that currently 50 percent of the world's power comes from burning coal. While wind is a cleaner and cheaper alternative, Weber said switching would be more complicated than putting up a bunch of wind turbines.

"It's good because the best locations are where not a lot of people live, but if the wind isn't blowing, there's no power," said Weber. "Wind power would require more transmission lines to move to the power to where people live. The problem is getting the permission to build the line because there is no direct benefit to the property owner. Basically you have a line going through your backyard with no power going to you." Using more wind power would also require a new grid to move the power from the plains states outward through the rest of the country.

Weber concluded his presentation by stating that in the meantime, the best way to reduce the environmental effects of electricity is to use less energy. It is not something only for the individual to decide, but also businesses and the government as a whole.

Weber graduated from UWP in electrical engineering in 1995. He also holds a master's degree and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois.

Contact: Linda Bernhardt, Sustain Grant County, (608) 342-1081, bernhardtl@uwplatt.edu Written by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, kurdik@uwplatt.edu