Asking The Big Questions:

Joel TallaksenWest Central Research and Outreach Center

University of Minnesota

College of Food, Agriculture, andNatural Resource Sciences

Renewable Energy Work at WCROC

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Research and Outreach Centers

WCROC

NWROC

SROC

NCROC

SWROC

St. Paul

Overview:1. Agricultural Research

Station

2. Developing Community Scale Renewable Energy Systems

3. Serve as Living Lab and Public Access Point

4. Focus on Local Ownership

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Community Energy Projects

Benefits:

• Reliable energy supply

• Stable prices

• Employment opportunities

• Revenue for the community

• Environmentally sound energy production

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Energy Resources are Regional

Regions have a unique set of resources that lend themselves to particular technologies

Resource limitation/opportunities examples– Weather– Habitat– Infrastructure– Economic Capital

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Wind Resource

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Solar

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Agricultural Biomass (corn)

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Core Systems

• Wind energy

• Biomass energy

• Conservation efforts

• Anaerobic Digestion

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

• The goal of these projects is not to invent new technology.

• The goal is to use existing off the shelf or heavily researched technology in novel ways or locations that are economically and environmentally sustainable.

• Deploy technologies to work synergistically.

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Wind & Wind to Ammonia

• Turbine Began Energy Production in 2005

Around 5.4 Million kWh per year

Construction Start Spring 2009

350 Tons per year Ammonia

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Biomass Gasification

Old technology used when petroleum products were not available

Gasification was widely used until the 1960’s for ‘town gas’. Coal was gasified to make a pipeable vaporous gas similar to natural gas.

B

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Biomass Research at UMM

• Sustainability

• Economics

• Facilities/Equipment

• Cropping Systems

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Conservation

Renewable Energy Addition to WCROC Admin Building:

Double the square footage

Same energy Consumption

LEED Silver Certification

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Building Technologies

• Geothermal heating/cooling

• Increased natural lighting

• More efficient lighting/automatic shut off

• Added insulation

• Rain garden for controlling water run-off

• Plug and play bays for small scale electrical technology

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Anaerobic Digestions

• Feasibility study completed

• Somewhat replicated by gasification

• Local private group has pursued this option

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Renewable Energy Partners

West Central Research and Outreach Center

Acknowledgements

• Mike Reese, – West Central Research and

Outreach Center

• Lowell Rasmussen,– U of M Morris

Photos:» WWW.NREL.GOV

» www.woodgas.com

Visit us at http:// renewables.morris.umn.edu