in-conduit hydropower: public sector meets private inventions matt swindle, ceo, nline energy for...
TRANSCRIPT
In-conduit Hydropower: Public Sector meets Private
Inventions
Matt Swindle, CEO, NLine Energy for
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Urban Water InstitutePalm Springs, CA
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Agenda
• About TVMWD
• Existing Hydropower Unit and Operations
• Opportunity for New Hydropower Development
• TVMWD Partnership with NLine Energy
• About NLine Energy
3
About TVMWD
• Wholesale, municipal water agency formed in 1950 located in Claremont, CA serving 13 retail water agencies with a population of 525,000
• Supplement and enhance local water supplies ~70,000 AF/Year
• Surface water treatment plant – 25 mgd capacity (~20,000 AF/year)
• Hydroelectric Facilities - 4,000,000 kWh/year
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Miramar Hydro Station
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Miramar Hydro Station
• Commissioned in 1987
• 535 kW hydro station under Qualifying Facilities (QF) agreement with SCE
• Power offsets onsite electrical use
• Flow provided by the MWD Rialto Feeder – variable pressure & flow
• Operates mainly in winter (min. pressure = 60 psi)
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Opportunity for New Hydro Development
• Hydraulic grade changes in MWD feeder over time
• Significant bypass flows during “prime” summer months ($value of energy: summer vs. winter)
• Decreased power generated at Miramar hydro due to lower operating pressures in MWD feeder
• Loss of revenue when large hydro unable to operate
• Problem statement – “Is it technically and financially feasible for TVMWD to capture bypass flows with new hydro unit(s)?”
Miramar: Pressure & Flow Analysis(2007)
Flow (cfs)
Pre
ssur
e (p
si)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
0
2
0
40
60
80
10
0
12
0
Pmin = 60 psi
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cfs
28
cfs
Existing Hydro Operation
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TVMWD Partnership with NLine Energy
• ACWA’s Small Hydro Approved Preferred Provider
• Provided no-cost preliminary Feasibility Assessment (Jun. – Oct. 2011)
• Tasked to perform more detailed analysis (Oct. 2011)
• Two (2) pump-turbine units rated at combined 292-kW
• Capture bypass flows
• Offset new groundwater well pumping costs
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Timeline
• Board approved Development Services Agreement (DSA) with NLine using CA Code 4217 - June 2012
• Design complete – June 2013
• SCE interconnection approved – October 2013
• FERC conduit exemption issued – November 2013
• SCE SGIP grant reservation – December 2013
• Construction contract issued – December 2013
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Project Attributes
• Sized to meet current and future flows and pressures
• Serves on-site load requirements through self-generation
• Annual Generation ~ 580,000 kWh, Cost Estimate ~ $1.45M, Annual Revenue ~ $110k, Payback period ~15 yrs
• ~$100k required SCE interconnection upgrades
• Opportunity to secure outside funding - Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) grant ($125,000)
• Commissioning planned for July 2014
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Copyright © NLine Energy, Inc. 2013
NLine Energy:Overview
• Small-hydro singular focus
• In-conduit (pipelines)
• Conduit (canals)
• Retrofit / Rehabilitate existing
hydro
• Small pumped hydro storage
• California-based business
• Association of California Water
Agencies (ACWA) Approved Preferred
Small Hydro Provider
• 25 MW development pipeline
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Questions?