Distributed Energy Resources Site Visits

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Distributed Energy Resources Site Visits

• Presented by
• Bevan R. Smith Jr., Director
• Virgin Islands Energy Office
• September 23, 2006

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A Presentation for the Decisionmakers

• Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority
• and the
• Virgin Islands Energy Office

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Distributed Generation

• small scale environmentally friendly technologies
  
• installed on and designed primarily to serve a
  single end-users site
• any generation built near to a consumers load
  regardless of size or energy source

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Virgin Islands DG Public Policy Goals

• Secure Partnership with WAPA
• Research utilization of renewable/alternative
  energy resources as Distributed Energy Resources
• Conduct workshops for WAPA governing Board, the
  PSC and general public
• Development and Implementation of an
  interconnection policy for the Territory

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Formation of DG TEAM

• Jim Gibson May Cornwall, Guy Lacombe
  Bevan Smith Greg Willocks Melton Smith
• Park Service WAPA FPL
  VIEO WAPA
  WAPA

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USDOE funds and participates

• David Waldrop (USDOE)
• Joins team at utility sponsored sites

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• Leroy Prentice (WAPA)
• joins DG Team after volcanic ash delays flight.

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Virgin Islands DG Public Policy Goals

• Research utilization of renewable/alternative
  energy resources as Distributed Energy Resources

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Viable DG Technologies

• FUEL CELLS
• MICROTURBINES
• PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS
• WIND

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Birch State Park

• 5 kW grid tied fuel cell
• Unit contains two major components
• The fuel processor and power conditioner

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Findings on the Fuel Cell unit
Plug Power Model SU-1

• the fuel reformer processes a hydrocarbon fuel
  into a hydrogen rich gas
• the power conditioner converts the low voltage
  current produced by the fuel cell to a high
  voltage DC
• An inverter transforms the high voltage DC to 120
  or 240 volts AC
• Batteries in the power conditioner ensure
  sufficient coverage for power surges
• consider the more cost effective 200 kW model
  that uses a phosphoric acid membrane

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Findings on the Fuel Cell unit
Plug Power Model SU-1

• Provides 5 kW to park operations office
• Utilizes natural gas as an energy source (model
  Genesis 5C utilizes propane gas)
• H electrons and protons separate through PEM the
  (membrane) system
• Power produced per unit of energy has an
  efficiency rating between 30 55
• An interconnection policy exists
• Grid tied utilizing dual metering system

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Problems within Fuel Cell unit

• system is only about 25 efficient
• water purification problems caused by algae
• rodents/insects have chewed wiring
• costs upwards of 100,000.00
• operating cost is 7.00/mbtu
• inverter trips on power output efficiency,
  unstable or loss of grid power,low gas flow, high
  temperature and low water

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DG TEAM VISITSSt. Thomas University

• A stand-alone PV power system provides 5kW to
  the University.
• The Florida Power and Light and St. Thomas
  University have a Cooperative Fuel Cell and a
  Solar PV Project

15
Hillsborough Landfill

• Tampa Electric Company maintains a 30 kW Capstone
  microturbine at this condemned landfill site

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Hillsborough Landfill
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Noteworthy Findings on microturbine on landfill

• site is UL approved for interconnection
• process takes 2-3 of methane gas from the
  ground
• filters remove large particulates
• refrigerator gas dryer adjusts the temperature
• gas equipment is 70,000 and 30,000 for the
  microturbine

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18 kW grid-tied photovoltaic system

• TECO
• Subsidizes this system that utilizes 100 of
  solar energy produced

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Findings at Tampa Electric CompanySponsored DG
projects

• TECO is 3rd largest investor-owned utility
• Produces 4000 MW daily using 99 coal
• Believes economics for DG systems are
  unjustifiable
• Established an interconnection policy for small
  systems 10kWlt
• Enforces dual metering arrangement
• Disallows net metering

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One hundred fifty 120-watt panels
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20 kW grid tied PV array at University of South
Florida
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University of South FloridasParking/Electric
Car Charging Station

• Provides power for charging station
• Includes a switching system that allows batteries
  to be charge according to their need
• Excess is fed to the campus grid only
• USF conduct experiments on three semiconductors
  for pv cells silicon, copper indium gallium
  di-selenide and cadmium telluride.
• Seeks to get Hydrogen from non-fossil fuel source
  such as a by-product of fertilizer

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Cape Eleuthera Island School 23.5 kW hybrid
PV/Wind power system.
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Findings at the Island School

• 16 kW solar array and a 7.5 kW wind turbine
  provides 100 of schools power
• Solar water heaters assist in keeping school
  within its consumption limits
• Hybrid system operates the same as pv except you
  have a wind component
• A constructed wetland, camouflaged as a floral
  garden, aids in water resource management

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Florida Solar Energy Center

• Review Industry-accepted Standards
• Photovoltaics Economics
• PV Sytems design review program
• Inverter non-islanding
• feature Tests

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Development of an interconnection policy

• Investigate interconnection standards
• UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY (UL) 1741
• INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL
  ENGINEERS (IEEE) 929 1547
• Investigate site permitting and design
• Investigate building energy codes

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Florida Solar Energy Center

• Photovoltaics Economics

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Inverter non-islanding Test
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Meter turns in reverse
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Inverter can start up generator
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Back-up Battery Bank provides power during outages
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IMPORTANCE OF DG RESEARCH

• Implementation of Act No. 5006 which amended
  Section 1, Title 30, of the Virgin Islands Code.
  This allows small power production facilities to
  interconnect with the local electric utility and
  sell excess generated electric energy to that
  utility.
• To pilot ten photovoltaic grid-interconnected
  small power production systems for grantees who
  submitted innovative renewable energy proposals

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IMPORTANCE OF DG RESEARCH

• Assist the PSC determining such requirements
  relative to the minimum size, fuel use and
  efficiency of a Qualifying Cogeneration
  Facility.
• Assist WAPA in addressing safety issues
  pertaining to interconnectivity to the utility
  grid

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Piloting Grid-tied PV Power Systems of VIEO
Grantees/Partners

• Innovative Renewable Energy Grant recipients
  10kW
• Nature Conservancy 8 kW
• Stefan Larsen 6.5 kW (hybrid)
• Estate Concordia Eco 5kW

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BAMBOULA HAVEN

• 1 KW PV SYSTEM OPERATES EQUIPMENT IN THE
  MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM OF THE CENTER

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WERNER WERNICKE S INVERTER CONSOLE

• Sharp 165W (24 V nominal) 2Sx3P
• Xantrex 5548 with GTI
• Xantrex Combiner box
• Xantrex C40 Charge Controller
• Outback mounting panel
• Rolls 4 V, 546 Ah, 12Sx1P

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LlOYD WILLIAMS BATTERY BANK

• Batteries provided 26 kWh of energy storage

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EDWIN HATCHETTES RACK MOUNTED PV PANELS

• Sharp 175W (24 V nominal)
• 2Sx3P
• Xantrex 5548 with GTI
• Xantrex Combiner box
• Outback mounting panel
• Rolls 4 CS 17PS 4 V, 546 Ah, 12Sx1P
•  

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ROOF MOUNTED PV PANELS
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BRIAN EMERICHS TILTED ARRAY

• Sharp 175W (24 V nominal) 2Sx3P
• Xantrex 5548 with GTI
• Xantrex Combiner box
• Outback mounting panel
• MK 8G4DLTP 12 V, 183 Ah, 4Sx1P

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INSIDE THE OUTBACK INTEGRATED SUB-PANEL
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DUAL METERS INCREASE COSTS

• Electricity drawn from WAPA appears on the IN
  meter and Electricity sent to WAPAs grid appears
  on the OUT meter

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MT. VICTORY CAMP

• PV Module Kyocera KC-50
• PV Array 4S x 5P

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INVERTER CONSOLE AND BATTERY BANK

• Battery Deka Marine Master
• Battery Bank 4S x 3P
• Inverter Xantrex 4048 w/ GTI

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CURTIS JOHNSON

• Mobile 1 kW unit with Grid Tie capabilities

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Solar Water Heater Collector

• Solar thermal energy for water heating is
  commercially viable
• WAPA look into the bulk purchase of solar water
  heaters and market them as a replacement for
  electric water heaters

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WIND ENERGY CASE STUDY

• St. Thomas diurnal wind speed range from 14.5
  mph to 16.9
• St. Johns is 12.3 mph to 13.2 mph
• St. Croixs is 15.8 to 16.9 mph

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Tilt-down type machines or fixed machines

• A determination of the added cost of hurricane
  risk mitigation for wind power development needs
  to be conducted

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Stand Alone Hybrid System on St. Croixs East End

• Stefan Larsen and Jan Mitchell anxiously awaits
  Net Metering to store renewable energy on the
  grid and run A/C units at nighttime

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DG Teams Next Steps

• Coordinate workshops for WAPA governing Board and
  the PSC on behalf of the Executive Director
• Identify and conduct training for local Building
  Inspectors
• Immediate approval for the Implementation of an
  interconnection agreement for the Territory
• Produce videos, reports, and workshop packages
  for distribution

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THANK YOU

• U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS DISTRIBUTED GENERATION
• Team Member
• Bevan Smith Jr.
• Director
• VI Energy Office