biomass gasification chp pilot project...biomass chp pilot project motivations 3. intro to biomass...

Fairbanks North Star Borough – Department of Public Works

Biomass Gasification CHP Pilot Project

FNSB and ACEP

Ben Loeffler, Energy Management Engineer

April 11, 2018

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OUTLINE

1. FNSB-ACEP Partnership2. Biomass CHP Pilot Project Motivations3. Intro to Biomass Gasification CHP4. Pilot Project Progress and Plan

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FNSB-ACEP Partnership

ObjectiveProvide coordination of programs and projects

involving the development, implementation, and evaluation of

energy efficiency, energy delivery, and alternative and renewable energy systems in FNSB.

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FNSB-ACEP Partnership

- Information and resource sharing

- Joint grant applications

- Undergraduate Internship – Energy data

analysis

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Biomass Pilot Project Motivations

6 http://alaskarenewableenergy.org/index.php/programs/renewable-energy-atlas/


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Biomass Pilot Project MotivationsS

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Biomass Pilot Project MotivationsB

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Energy Management Engineer“Work with Borough stakeholders and ACEP researchers to evaluate emerging and existing energy efficient technologies relevant to the

Borough.”

ACEPMission: “Develop and

disseminate practical, cost-effective, and innovative energy

solutions for Alaska and beyond”

Vision: “Alaska leading the way in innovative production,

distribution, and management of energy”

Fairbanks Comprehensive

Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)

COMMUNITY PRIORITY #1:

“Lower and stabilize FNSB energy costs by expanding the energy portfolio with a focus on local

resources.”

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Fairbanks Galena

Electricity Cost $/kWh $0.20 $0.67

Fuel Cost $/Gallon $2.20 $5.76

Value of 280,000 kWh $ $56,000 $164,000

Value of 2,380 MMBTU $ $45,000 $102,000

Cost of 370 tons Wood Chips $ -$32,000 -$37,000

Cost of Maintenance $ -$30,000 -$40,000

Annual Savings $ $39,000 $187,000

Annual Local Impact $ $64,000 $77,000

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Intro to Biomass Gasification CHP

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• 25% Carbon Monoxide• 17% Hydrogen• 8% Carbon Dioxide• 2.5% Methane• 47.5% Nitrogen

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Pilot Project Progress and Plan

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Proposed Technology – Volter 40

– Operates on wood chips (spruce and aspen)

– 40kW Electric

– 340,000 BTU/hr Thermal

– Small-scale, packaged unit suited for both railbelt and rural installations

– Load-following, but not grid-forming

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Proposed Site – Big Dipper Ice Rink

• Demand Charges

• Year round heat load

• Chip Access

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10/26/2016 10/28/2016 10/30/2016 11/1/2016 11/3/2016 11/5/2016

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[k

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Grid

Volter

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0

100

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1,000

July

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MM

BT

U]

Estimated Heat Usage with Volter

Volter Heat Utility Heat

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100

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1,000

July

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May

Jun

e

En

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sag

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BT

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Estimated Electricity Usage with Volter

Volter Power Utility Power

PM2.5 Emissions

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64

8.763

0.010

10

20

30

40

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60

70

Hydronic Heater EPA CertifiedWood Stove

Pellet Stove WoodGasification CHP

PM

2.5

em

issi

on

s [l

b/t

on

]

PM2.5 Emissions

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0.03

0.0022

0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025

0.03

0.035

Tier IV Diesel Wood Gasification CHP

PM

2.5

em

issi

on

s [g

/kW

h]

PM2.5 Emissions

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2.69 2.59

0.844

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Oil Boiler Wood GasificationCHP

Natural Gas Boiler

PM

2.5

em

issi

on

s [g

/BT

U]


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Expected total project cost $918,000

Equipment cost - $250,000

Design and Construction - $500,000

Data collection and testing (2 years) - $170,000

Funding Sources:

$290,000 in EETF Grant + $290,000 required FNSB Match = $580,000

$218,000 USFS Wood Innovations Grant award

$120,000 FNSB Energy Reductions Projects Fund

RFP – Phase I - Qualifications Opening: April 20, 2018

RFP – Phase II - Design-Build Issue: April 27, 2018

RFP – Phase II - Design-Build Opening: May 29, 2018

Assembly Approval of Award: June 21, 2018

Execute Design-Build Contract: July 13, 2018

Construction Documents Approval: August 1, 2018

Volter 40 System Arrival: November 1, 2018

Substantial Completion: December 1, 2018

System Commissioning: January 16, 2019

Final Completion: January 31, 2019

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Project Goals

Evaluate and Disseminate:

Fuel Suitability

Performance

Reliability

Maintenance Costs

Emissions

Micro-grid Compatibility

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FNSB Testing Objectives

Fuel Consumption

Ash Production

Integration with Building

System Reliability

Track every fault event and system downtime

O&M Costs

Track all consumables and parts

Track all labor hours

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ACEP Testing Objectives

Instrumentation of Heat and Power

Grid-Connected Monitoring

Islanded Mode Performance Testing

Disconnect from Grid

Operate in Parallel with Diesel Genset and Load Bank

Data Processing and Analysis

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Why Project Should be Pursued

Alaska energy costs are high

Biomass is plentiful and sustainable

New technology to produce commercial scale electricity from wood

Reduced costs to building operators

Commercial potential

Reduce impact of biomass energy on air quality

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Why Project will be Successful FNSB provides:

Reliable, visible proving ground for technology

Funding for Energy Advancement and CEDS mandate to pursue new technologies

Dedicated staff to manage this project and oversee implementation

ACEP provides: World-class technical expertise

Rigorous testing, data collection, and reporting capabilities

Experience to evaluate technology for suitability in rural Alaska

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Questions?

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Ben Loeffler

FNSB Energy Management Engineer

[email protected]

Why Biomass? Plentiful, Renewable, Local

Currently Equivalent to $1/gal Diesel

Produce High Value Electricity from Biomass

Keep Fuel Expenditures in Local Economies

FNSB Assembly - 16 March 201734

Why Biomass?


Biomass – Sustainability AIDEA Data – 165 Alaska communities with biomass for

>30% non-residential buildings

Sustainable Annual Harvests

AEA Biomass Resource Assessments

• Chalkyitsik

• McGrath

• Fort Yukon

• Kiana

• Tanana

• Tok

• Koyukuk

• Nulato

• Kaltag

• Anvik

• Holy Cross

• Hughes

• Ruby

• Nikolai

• Kenai Peninsula

• Galena

• Ambler

• Shungnak

• Kobuk


Other Wood Chip Projects Tok – 5 MMBTU/hr, 50kW, $3.2 million

Craig – 4 MMBTU/hr, $1.5 million

Mentasta Lake – 500,000 BTU/hr, $510,000

Sealaska – 750,000 BTU/hr, $750,000


Chip Handling Walking Floor Trailer for drying and delivery

Auger feed system from “day bin” to Volter


Regulatory Compliance Building Codes – IMC 2012

NFPA 70 (electrical), NFPA 37 (stationary engine)

UL 2200 (stationary generator)

GVEA Interconnect Specifications

Alaska DEC permit not required

EPA 40 CFR 60 Subpart JJJJ (Standards for Stationary Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engines)

Fairbanks Division of Air Quality
