RENEWABLE ENERGY presentations made in Track F at EUEC 2015, San Diego, CA.
F1.1 Best Practices for Voluntary Renewable Energy Programs
Robin Quarrier, Chief Counsel, Center for Resource Solutions; Sarah Busch
Renewable electricity & renewable energy certificate (REC) options continue to spring up throughout
the United States as customer demand increases for clean, environmentally-preferable electricity. The
purpose of this presentation is to share best practices in renewable energy program design & marketing
that protect the consumer. Key audience takeaways include: the effects of implementing consumer
protections on consumer confidence & satisfaction; how to understand & avoid common pitfalls when
selling or purchasing renewable energy; & appropriate claims to make as a renewable energy seller
or buyer. I will provide concrete examples, discuss why independent oversight is important & discuss
the role of third-party certification to ensure that the customer is getting what they paid for. Green-e
Energy is a consumer protection organization that sets national requirements for marketing & renewable
energy supply sold in the voluntary market. In 2012, Green-e Energy certified about 1 percent of the
total US electricity mix & approximately two-thirds of the entire voluntary renewable energy market.
We work closely with over 300 renewable energy providers (including utilities, competitive electricity
suppliers, & REC marketers) to provide confidence in clean, renewable energy.
F1.2 Industry Trends in Renewable Energy Systems
Joseph DiMatteo, Managing Partner, Engineered Solar
As the USA & global Renewable Energy Markets grow & mature there are clear trends that will prevail.
There will be: – continued industry consolidation, – a shift to more utility scale as a percentage of the
renewable market, – increased pressure to rollback residential net metering programs, – reduced
traditional solar thermal installations as a percentage of the overall market, – a move towards more
traditional project finance structures as the scheduled retirement of the 30% investment tax credit
approaches in 2016, – better & more cost effective storage solutions to help: – promote greater
penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the electrical grid – limit the effects of net
metering tariffs at the residential level & demand charges at the commercial level. Mr. DiMatteo will
highlight these trends based on his 15 years in both the traditional & the renewable energy industry.
F1.3 Structures and Strategies for Corporate Clean Power Procurement
Joshua Bushinsky, Associate – Energy & Infrastructure Finance, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
This presentation will attempt to facilitate transactions between Fortune 500 companies & solar project
developers. The talk first will discuss the major transaction structures by which data center owners &
other major corporate customers can acquire the various benefits of solar energy. The deal structures
will be discussed in a spectrum generally going from simple to complex: REC purchases, on-site solar
PPA/leases, renewable deals with non-utility energy service providers in deregulated markets, utility
green tariff opportunities, so-called synthetic or financial PPAs with utility scale solar project owners,
& true wholesale PPAs directly with such project owners. For each type of deal, we will talk through
schematics to make sure the audience understands the structure & the key agreements requried, &
we will discuss pros, cons, timeline & a likely range of transaction cost. Then, we will turn to key sticking
points in the more complex & emerging transactions, in particular wholesale PPAs, synthetic PPAs &
“bespoke” solar deals with ESPs in deregulated markets. This part of the presentation will aim to identify
the most pernicious buyer–seller differences in knowledge base, perspective, goals & approaches
to risk. The presentation will conclude with the suggestion of proposed strategies (which may involve
working groups, industry summits, form documents, etc.) for bridging these buyer-seller gaps in order to
get more deals done, industry-wide. These fina
F1.4 The Importance of Working Green While Generating Renewable Clean Energy
Paul Raiford, Director of Energy Services, Williams Scotsman
Many energy companies aspire to work green while they produce renewable clean energy. To that
end, wind farms & solar plants often seek products & services that are sustainable as well as functional.
This presentation will examine the ways renewable energy companies are procuring space & other
services to ensure sustainable operations. From acquiring sustainable space to help achieve LEED
certification to taking small steps to improve the energy consumption of a company’s temporary
mobile space, this presentation will explore the options available. As part of this discussion, Williams
Scotsman will present case studies, testimonials & new products developed with the renewable energy
sector in mind. Sustainable mobile offices are a valid solution for the renewable energy sector. From
modular space enhanced with energy efficient light bulbs, motion sensors, weather stripping, caulk, &
programmable thermostats, to complete eco-minded interior & exterior, we’ll examine the possibilities.
We’ll also explore projects that utilize self-sustaining renewable resource systems to maximize energy
efficiency in temporary jobsite units.
F9.1 Renewable Energy from Food Waste: a practical case
Laetitia d’Ursel, Business Development Manager, Waterleau
Kitchen & Restaurant waste often contains a high percentage of moisture & organic material, making
it unsuitable for landfill where its degradation produces free methane & leachate, polluting the surface
water. Yet, this waste can be a valuable & sustainable source of energy. After pretreatment (removal
of packing material, plastic spoons…), the anaerobic digestion process turns the organic fraction
of KRW into biogas in a CSTR reactor. The mineral fraction is transformed into a valuable fertilizer
(NPK). Hygienization before or after the anaerobic digestion kills off pathogens such as Salmonella
& E.Coli thereby preventing contamination. The solid part of the digestate can be either turned into
a high standard fertilizer after drying in a dryer, or mixed with structure material & composted into a
commercial product. The liquid fraction can be treated in an aerobic post treatment to remove all
volatile carbon. The effluent of the aerobic treatment is evaporated to produce a valuable fertilizer
(NPK) concentrate. Waterleau operates a Biowaste to Energy plant designed to treat different types
of biomass: bio crops, manure & chicken litter, slaughterhouse waste & KWR. At full capacity, the plant
produces 7,5 MWth & 3,2 MWe, the equivalent of the energy needs for a city with 25.000 inhabitants.
The plant design allows flexibility in the nature of the incoming waste, responding to seasonal variations
of the influx…
Bijoy Chatt, Director, Energy, Navigant Consulting Inc.
The regional planning process typically focuses on transmission expansion, and as a result the demand
side resources have not played a significant role so far. However, the issuance of FERC Order 1000 has
changed that mind-set. While more efficient planning process through coordination and transparency
are expected from this FERC Order, it opens the door for renewable energy along with demand
response, and energy efficiency. It allows states to implement their renewable standard policies through
the planning process since the order has tremendous potential for changing the planning process by
leveling the playing field between demand side management and supply side resources. This paper
examines the non-transmission alternatives (NTAs) in light of FERC order 1000, and how renewable can
play a significant role in the process. The paper reviews regional planning process, and examines the
difference of time cycle between the transmission planning and resource adequacy planning. It then
recommends how the non-transmission alternatives could fit into the overall planning process. The
paper reviews the current planning process, where the transmission solution involves long lead time,
cost overrun, schedule risks, permitting, and environmental concerns. Subsequently, it compares with
the demand side management (DSM), and how renewable energy gets significant consideration in
the process since FERC Order 1000 requires state policies.
Shane Chrapko, CEO, Himark BioGas Inc.
Organic-rich waste material such as municipal waste or open-pen feedlot manure, present real
social, environmental and economic problems when generated at a large scale. This includes cost
of disposal, health risk, and air and water contamination all driving requirements for effective and
efficient waste handling strategies. However such organic waste is difficult to handle in environmentally
and economically sustainable systems due to high and variable solid content, significant quantities
of indigestible matter, and hard particulates. These contaminants can interfere with mechanical,
chemical, and biological processes. Traditionally anaerobic digestion systems could not access the
large concentrations of feedstock available from municipalities, industrial clusters, and large-scale
agriculture due to the materials handling limitations of wet digesters. Recently, some ?dry? type
digesters have been used in an attempt to overcome the problem of material contamination – with
limited success and lower overall energy yield. Himark BioGas offers the only Hybrid Anaerobic Digestion
system that efficiently and effectively processes mixed waste streams such as Source Separated
Organics (SSO) and open-pen feedlot manure with hard particulates, including sand, rocks, plastic
and metal. The hybrid approach allows for the robustness of a dry system and the optimal digestion
conditions of a wet system. Himark has already implemented this technology at Growing Power Hairy Hill.
F9.4 DEVELOPING A MODEL TO SELECT THE BEST SITES TO INSTALL WIND FARMS
Nazanin Naderi, Phd candidate and Instructor, Texas Tech University; Dr.Milton Smith professor at Texas Tech University
Since worldwide demand for renewable energy is increasing rapidly because of the climate problem
and the limitation of fossil fuels, technologies of alternative energy sources have been developed and
the electric power network now includes renewable energy resources such as wind energy. This study
is trying to assess and analyze wind behavior and present a model to find the best places to build wind
farms. Five potential sites in Texas have been selected as a case study and two years wind data has
been gathered for these sites. Texas is the second state after North Dakota with most wind energy
resource. Wind data are analyzed by Windographer. Windographer is the industry leading software
for analyzing wind resource data. By analyzing two years wind data for all sites, 5 required important
elements are calculated. The elements are used as criteria to compare the different sites. The criteria
are mean wind speed which is the fundamental parameter in the design and study of the potential of
wind energy in certain areas, wind power density, turbulence intensity, annual energy production and
frequency of field shutdown. So, the inputs of the model are achieved from the analyzing part. There
are two processes including analytical hierarchy process and correlation analysis which are applied on
the inputs. The output is prioritized alternative sites.
F9.5 High Speed Micro-Turbine Modeling & Control for Micro Grids Applications
Dr Adel El Shahat, Visiting Assistant Professor (UIC, USA); Assistant Professor, Suez University, Egypt, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
Due to the importance of microturbine & High Speed Microgenerator in Micro Grid Applications, this
paper is proposed. A state-space model of the microturbine is developed which has fuel demand
signal as input & torque & speed of the turbine governor & turbine exhaust temperature as the output.
The developed model is tested too in MATLAB Simulink & the output of the turbine is measured &
plotted. The turbine torque follows the changes in the load torque & produces the required demand
torque. The turbine exhaust temperature has a similar characteristic as the turbine torque. Initially
when there is an increase in the turbine torque, the temperature also increases & then settles down
to steady state value less than the reference temperature. A microturbine is used in conjunction with
a generator in order to produce electrical energy. The generator model used here is a two-pole
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator. The electrical & mechanical parts are represented by
a second order state space model. The purpose of this model is to analyze the behaviour at different
operating conditions. Then a controller with good stability performance is added to the model to can
have desired behaviour for the same operating conditions. Thus the next part of the work is the proper
designing of a suitable controller for the microturbine which have desired load following properties, &
good voltage profile after connecting the microturbine with the generator.
F2.1 Microturbine Distributed Generation & Permitting Update
Peter Moore, Principal Engineer, Yorke Engineering; Judith Yorke, Yorke Engineering; Steve Acevedo, Regatta Solutions
Distributed generation is becoming a larger portion of the energy markets, both with green energy
such as solar and wind, but also with microturbines. GHG emissions, energy efficiency, and energy
security are high-priority issues being addressed by businesses today. Microturbine generators are a
highly reliable, low-emissions, energy-efficient technology that provides a steady, hot exhaust stream to
address customers’ Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation opportunities. Many management
teams have taken steps to increase energy efficiency by replacing load-bearing equipment with
newer, more efficient, or cleaner microturbines and avoiding wasted energy through improved load
management and thermal insulation. Customers with hot air, hot water, and/or cooling loads have
a unique opportunity to take advantage of on-site CHP generation. This presentation by Regatta
Solutions, the Western US distributor of Capstone Turbine Corp., will give an update of the microturbine
market with trends and specific case studies to give the audience a feel for this part of the energy
market, a fast-growing area of energy generation. Once the turbine configuration is selected, the
turbines may be certified through CARB, or they may need California Air District permits. Either way they
can be permitted and Yorke Engineering will explain the New Source Review permitting process as it
applies to the microturbine market, in detail for California and in general for the country.
F2.2 The ROI of Distributed power generation vs. traditional centralized production
Brian Korgaonkar, Sr. Product Manager, Enphase Energy
Large enterprises and SMBs alike are installing solar systems to reduce their environmental footprint,
while simultaneously reducing their operating costs. These savings are achieved by increased energy
efficiency and decreased consumption. Today, choosing between centralized and distributed power
conversion is an important decision for business leaders with far reaching implications across system
economics, smart grid compatibility and energy storage. Whether their goals are to deploy energy
production and storage that provides superior economics (10% lower LCOE), increased financial
returns, decreased risk or to bolster business process efficiencies, by providing greater energy supply
security, businesses will be fundamentally affected by their energy system choices for years to come.
Business leaders should take note that the distributed approach to energy production and storage will
not only optimize business performance, but also enable high-velocity energy data to be captured,
analyzed and managed in support of a wide variety of corporate processes and services. Just as
business leaders in other capital markets have learned to realize that right-sized resources can provide
economic advantages over a centralized approach, distributed power users will also achieve superior
return on their energy production and storage investments that far outweigh the conventional
advantages of centralized KWh production.
MRIGlobal Logo. (PRNewsFoto/MRIGlobal)
F2.3 Rugged & Reliable Microgrid Systems for Tough Environments: Experience & Evolution from a Decade of Deployments & Its Applications for the Civilian Sector
Frank Pendleton, Program Manager, MRIGlobal; Sayan Chakraborti & Dr. Martin Smith
Interest in off-grid microgrid systems is growing worldwide because supplying diesel fuel in many
remote locations is expensive & subject to interruption. In addition, costs of building power
transmission & distribution infrastructure can be significant. For example, it is estimated that insurgent
attacks during the transport & delivery of fuel to remote & hazardous locations may have caused
more than 3,000 US military convoy casualties to date. In the civilian sector, many of the international
development agencies & multilateral development banks are actively looking to foster access to
electricity for thousands of small, off-grid communities & villages around the world. MRIGlobal has
been designing microgrid systems for the military & operating them for more than ten years in remote
& harsh environments. The systems are designed to be modular, scalable, rugged, & transportable
units that combine energy from diesel generators, renewable energy systems, & energy storage units.
This paper will present the results from field proven methods where several microgrid systems were
custom designed, installed, & operated to achieve significant energy reduction in harsh environments
in remote locations. Results will be presented from a soon to be completed system challenge at the
National Renewable Energy’s Energy Systems Integration Facility.
F2.4 Energy Storage using Hydrogen for Clean Distributed Power
Susan Schoenung, President, Longitude 122 West, Inc.
Energy storage is becoming an essential component in the electric utility grid to allow growing
integration of renewable energy sources, especially wind and solar power. Energy storage therefore
enables a cleaner power mix. In addition, energy storage can lead to optimal use of existing power
generation by load-leveling, peak shaving, peak shifting, and ramping. Finally, locally-sited energy
storage can improve energy efficiency at the distribution level, as well as deferring investment in new
wires. While many energy storage technologies provide some of these features, hydrogen energy
storage can provide them all. A hydrogen energy storage system consists of an electrolyzer to take
power from the grid or directly from a renewable generator, a means of storing the hydrogen produced
by electrolysis, and a power generator to use the hydrogen for electricity production. This paper
describes and compares three different approaches to generate power from the stored hydrogen:
fuel cell, hydrogen turbine, and conventional turbine using blended hydrogen / natural gas fuel. The
benefits and value propositions of hydrogen energy storage are also presented.
F2.5 Implementation Options for Meeting Net Metering Policy Objectives
Joseph Daniel, Associate, Synapse Energy Economics; Dr. Tommy Vitolo
Net metering is a financial incentive to owners or leasers of distributed generation resources. Fortyfour
states plus the District of Columbia have codified net metering policies with legislative and utility
commission action, but no two states’ polices are the same. Synapse has assembled data on key
facets of net metering policies, analyzed implementation options for each facet, and summarized the
implications of each implementation option. Ideally, net metering policy aims to prevent regressive
cost shifting, keep administrative costs low, limit barriers to entry to net metering, and promote fuel
diversity within the state. Our analysis investigates how choices related to various policy levers impact
each of these objectives. Policy levers may constrain the eligibility of projects by limiting installation sizes;
placing caps on net metering penetration; restricting the eligibility of virtual net metering, community
net metering, and/or third-party ownership; or limiting certain technologies. Decisions surrounding how
to treat payments for generation, including forms of compensation for behind-the-meter generation
and net excess generation and special charges or rate treatment for net metering customers, will also
impact these objectives. The analysis presented will represent our most up-to-date understanding of
how best to balance competing policy objectives and will include examples from states across the nation.
F3.1 Promoting Hydropower Development through Permitting Opportunities
Sarah Howard, Senior Environmental Scientist, Black & Veatch
The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 was signed into law on August 9, 2013. This law is
designed to promote the development of untapped hydropower by easing regulatory requirements
and provide developers other benefits. This presentation details FERC’s new permitting processes and
newly available opportunities for hydropower development, including: Qualifying Conduit Hydropower
Facilities; Conduit Exemptions; The 10-MW Exemption. Under the Act, conduit hydropower facilities up
to 5 MW that meet the qualifying criteria are approved through the new Notice of Intent procedures.
The maximum installed capacity for a conduit exemption has increased from 10 MW to 40 MW. The
maximum allowable capacity for a small hydropower exemption project
feature] has increased from 5 MW to 10 MW. Private and municipal hydropower producers, water
utilities, and non-hydropower dam owners will obtain an understanding of the modified exemption
process and whether it is likely to encourage hydropower development, as purported.
F3.2 Optimizing the Level of Renewable Penetration in a Hybrid System
Peter Lilienthal, CEO, HOMER Energy
Hybrid power systems combine renewable sources like solar and wind with conventional sources that
rely on fossil or bio-fuels. We describe the diversity of applications and designs for hybrid systems,
which come in all sizes, from small micro-grids to interconnected continent-scale grids. There are many
factors that influence the design of least cost power systems, including system size, technology cost
and performance, resource quality, load management opportunities, and fuel costs, including carbon
prices. We present sensitivity analyses from the HOMER Pro Hybrid Optimization Model that show the
impact of these factors. The results are generalizations from real world analyses that have been done
for locations around the world. The same optimization and sensitivity analyses leads to powerful insights
into innovative load management opportunities and tariff design that take advantage of some of the
unique attributes of hybrid systems.
Ken McKinnon, Chair , Yukon Environmental & Socio-Economic Assessment Board
Chapter 12 of the Umbrella Final Agreement and Yukon First Nation Final Agreements called for the
establishment, through Canadian federal legislation, of an assessment process that would apply on all
lands within Yukon: federal, territorial, First nation and private. The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN)
and the Government of Yukon agreed to work with the Government of Canada to establish a unique
development assessment process for Yukon. YESAA, the federal legislation establishing this process,
has functionally replaced previous assessment regimes. YE$SAA was given Royal Assent in 2003 and
came into full force with its regulations in November 2005. The opening of our doors coincided with
the largest mining exploration boom seen in Yukon since the days of the Klondike gold rush. Staked
claims escalated from 10,000 yearly to 100,000. We have now conducted some 2000 assessments
under stringent rules and timelines, receiving accolades from industry, governments and First Nations
as probably outperforming all other assessment regimes across Canada.
F3.4 “Bankable” Renewable Energy Projects in Asia: Potential & Challenges
William Byun, Managing Director, Asia Renewables; William I.Y. Byun
Expanding to booming overseas markets is always an attractive strategy, especially so in Asian
emerging markets which have seen a sustained economic and financial boom over the past
half-century and counting. In addition to rising wealth, growing populations and industries also
translate into strong demand for electricity as well as the ability and track record to pay for
it. Asia is an especially attractive market for renewable energy since the market drivers are not
just policy or environmental drivers – but additionally, hard-nosed energy security concerns as
well as the very basic need for electricity — from every source both traditional and renewables.
However, the realization of such opportunities for international firms, has lagged and too often, projects
are either of the non-commercial variety or have stalled in implementation or execution. Are the root
hurdles due to the specific nature of the renewables (ie, a technology issue), business culture issues (the
murky “Asianess” argument), or a straightforward implementation misdirection (business strategy and
execution issues)? This session will provide an introductory overview of the Asian renewables markets in
terms of the business potentials and challenges, looking at specific insights from actual cases such as
solar in Japan, WTE in China, biomass in Thailand, etc.
F3.5 Using Social Media in Your Public Outreach Campaign
Brian Lee, President, Revelation PR, Advertising & Social Media
Proposed power plants, wind farms & transmission lines are monumental public relations projects. That’s
because they require working with many stakeholders, conducting community outreach, changing
public opinion & fighting misinformation. Due to advancements in technology & the way consumers
have evolved, tried-and-true tactics such as open house meetings, op-eds & printed newsletters have
been complemented or supplanted by Google Hangouts, blogging & e-newsletters, respectively.
In other words, energy & utility companies seeking approval of their projects must use social media
platforms like Facebook, Twitter & YouTube if they want to effectively communicate messages & solicit
public input. This presentation will explain how to incorporate social media into your public outreach
efforts, with strategies on branding your campaign, engaging stakeholders & spreading your messages.
Brian Lee, APR, is the president of Revelation PR, Advertising & Social Media. He is a frequent presenter
on social media & teaches the subject at Madison Area Technical College.
F3.6 Three cent per kWh power from space by 2023
Keith Henson, Retired, L5 Society
Solar power satellites are an excellent renewable energy source for base load power. This was
apparent when they were invented 46 years ago. Unfortunately, they are too expensive. One study
pegged the cost at $145,000/kW. Electricity would have to sell for almost two dollars a kWh for this to
make economic sense. The high cost is almost entirely due to transport cost to GEO. In the last few
years, new transport mechanisms have emerged that are expected to lower the cost dramatically.
First among them is the Skylon rocket plane. It will reduce the cost to low earth orbit to around a
hundred dollars a kg. It should enter service in 2021. The second is a very large microwave powered
LEO to GEO stage first studied by the late William C. Brown. The current design proposes electric
thrusters powered by a one km rectenna. It requires a multi km diameter, 8 GW microwave transmitter
located right on the equator. If preliminary estimates hold up to deeper analysis, a cost of $2.4 B/GW
seems possible at an initial production rate of 20 GW per year. This corresponds to approximately 3
cents per kWh. The capital cost for this production rate is about $30 B.
F3.7 THE EFFECT OF A ROOF GRASS ON THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A HOUSE IN A HOTARID REGION
Nasser Alhemiddi, Professor, King Saud University
This study describes an experiment to investigate the effect of a roof grass on the thermal performance
of a house in hot-arid region. The site of the experiment is Deerab village, situated in the countryside
around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Statistical analysis of data recorded during the summer of 2014 was
carried out. The results indicate that the roof gives high efficiency in providing cool indoor air. A
statistical module and its validation for natural cooling are presented. The aim is to estimate the indoor
daily average dry-bulb temperature as a function of outdoor temperature and solar radiation.