Emerging Energy TechnologyNew Options for Alaska in the Global Energy Economy

What is “emerging energy technology”?

Energy Technology (SB220)

…technology that promotes, enhances, or expands the diversity of available energy supply sources or means of transmission, increases energy efficiency, or reduces negative energy-related environmental effects: “energy technology" includes technology related to renewable sources of energy, conservation of energy, enabling technologies, efficient and effective use of hydrocarbons, and integrated energy systems …

R&D D&D Commercial

Stages of Technology Developme

nt

R&D D&D Commercial

Emerging Energy

Technology

Importance of Energy Innovation*

• Reduce the costs of energy end-use forms to consumers

• Further reduce costs of energy services by increasing end-use efficiency

• Reduce dependence on oil in the USA and elsewhere

• Increase the reliability & resilience of energy systems against disruptions

• Increase the productivity of manufacturing

• Reduce the emissions of hazardous air pollutants

• Enhance the prospects for environmentally sustainable & politically stabilizing economic development

• Minimize the environmental impacts of energy-resource exploration, extraction, and transport

“Innovation is the mechanism to get from energy status quo to desired energy future”

Energy Use, GDP, and E/GDP for the U.S. Economy, 1949-2004

USDOE, EERE

Energy Consumption per Read Dollar of GDP, 1949-2008USDOE, EERE

Learning curve for power generation technologies(IPTS Energy, Transport and Climate Change Group)

Barriers to Technology Development

•Lack of applied technology research funding▫Death Valley

•“Commercialization” hurdle•New technology hurdle

▫Regulation▫Permitting

•Substantial risk•Long-term planning

0.0

1000.0

2000.0

3000.0

4000.0

5000.0

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7000.0

mill

ion

2000

$

Fission FusionEfficiency RenewablesFossil (including CCT demo) Electricty T&DHydrogen (non-fossil)

US DOE Energy RD&D Spending(Kelly Gallagher, Kennedy School of Gov’t, 2-13-07)

“The core force of innovation -- vision, experimentation and wise investments -- has

led to thousands of breakthroughs that benefit us all…

..We need the same serious commitment in the energy sector to developing the original

American energy supply: innovation.”

Why is emerging energy technology important to Alaska?

•Unique challenges▫Size▫Climate▫Population Density

•Substantial diversity▫Resources▫Geography

•Alaskan energy use•Alaskan economy•Energy security• Limited funding and

investment opportunities

Hatch Energy, http://www.hatch.com.cn

Opportunities

•Vast energy resources of Alaska▫Renewable▫Non-renewable

•Resources and conditions•High energy costs•Support

▫Public▫Political, legislative

•Developing national funding opportunities•Growing world-wide demand

Case Study: Technology Transfer

• Power Distribution▫ Decentralized, isolated,

or remote grids.▫ Comparable scale in

supply and demand.• Similar Energy Resources• Implementation

Challenges▫ Logistics▫ Natural challenges▫ Transportation

• Alaska’s position is ideal for technology development and export

Emerging Technology Funds• National Emerging

Technology Funds▫ New York State Energy

Research and Development Authority

▫ California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (Pier) Program

▫ Texas Emerging Technology Fund

▫ Michigan Emerging Technology Fund

▫ Massachusetts Emerging Technology Fund

• International Emerging Technology Funds▫ Sustainable Development

Technology Canada’s Tech Fund

▫ Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund

▫ World Bank Clean Technology Fund

• Alaska Emerging Technology Funds▫ Denali Commission

Emerging Energy Technology Grant

▫ State of Alaska Emerging Energy Technology Fund

Emerging Energy Technology Grant (EETG)

•Denali Commission, June 2009•$4mill available•Eligibility

▫Alternative or renewable energy▫Demonstration phase▫Viable in 5 years▫AK applicant▫Potential for both widespread deployment

in AK and reduced energy costs

Lessons Learned

“A critical element of funding emerging energy technology projects is the inclusion of a robust data collection and analysis component.”

Gov. Public IndustryLessons Learned

EETG: Results•50 applications

▫Academic entities, local governments, private investors, tribal groups, nonprofit organizations

•$29.5 million in requests▫Batteries and energy storage▫Electric vehicles for rural areas▫Hydrokinetic projects▫Underground coal gasification▫Seawater heat pumps▫Controls, smart grids, and monitoring

Project #1: Seawater Heat Pump Demonstration Project

•Recipient: Alaska SeaLife Center•Partners: Your Clean Energy, City of

Seward, Alaska Energy Authority

Install and monitoring a heat pump system that will “lift” latent heat from raw seawater at temperatures ranging from 35ºF to 55ºF, and transfer this heat energy into building heat at a temperature of 120ºF.

Heat Pump Cycle

COMPRESSOR

LIQUIDHOT VAPOR

VERY HOT VAPOR WARM VAPOR

EXPANSION VALVE

EVAPORATORCONDENSOR

43 F

39 F

98 F

120 F

RAW SEAWATE

R

CHILLED SEAWATER

HOT GLYCOL

WARM GLYCOL

Project #2: Psychrophiles for Generating Heating Gas

•Recipient:Cordova Electric Cooperative•Partners: Cordova Schools, UAF-INE,

Solar Cities

Research and application project, deploy the use of psychrophiles (cold loving microbes) to improve efficiency in biogas digestors for generating cooking and heating gas for Alaskan households.

Summary

•Cold Climates▫Cordova (-5°C to 20°C) vs. 15°C to 80°C

•Two Phase Project▫Compare efficiencies of mesophiles and

psychrophiles on common Alaska feedstock at various temperatures.

▫Deploy digester(s) in practical household scale project(s)

•Partnerships▫CEC, TH Culhane (Solar Cities), Dr. Katey

Walter Anthony (UAF-INE), Cordova Schools (Adam Low)

Project #3: Feasibility of Solar Hot Water Systems

•Recipient:Kotzebue Electric Association•Partners: Kotzebue Community Energy

Task Force, ABS Alaska, Susitna Energy, NANA

Assessing the feasibility of solar thermal hot water heating systems integrated into elder housing in the NANA region.

Project #4: Commercial Scale Wood Pellet Fired Boiler

•Recipient: Sealaska Corporation

Sealaska Corporation will be converting their corporate headquarters building from a diesel fired boiler to a wood pellet fired boiler, demonstrating commercial scale application of the technology and assessing the market potential of biomass in South East Alaska.

Project #5: Organic Rankine Cycle Heat Recovery System

•Recipient: Tanana Chiefs Council•Partners: UAF, Alaska Energy

Authority

Demonstrating the potential improved fuel efficiency of the diesel power plant in a village in the TCC region through the use of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system for heat recovery from engine jacket water and exhaust.

Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)

Cost = $128,000, Fuel efficiency = 14 kW-hr/gal, Operation = 24 hr/day

Project #6: Nenana RiveGenTM Hydrokinetic Turbine

•Recipient: Ocean Renewable Power Company

•Partners: UAF – AHERC, NREL

ORPC proposes to build, install and test the RivGenTM Power System, a hydrokinetic energy unit, at the Nenana hydrokinetic test bed and analyze resource and technology results.

Turbine-Generator Unit (TGU)

Project Components:•Permitting, site evaluation

and analysis •Foundations and debris

study•Turbine development and

testing

Project #7: Wales Diesel-Off High Penetration Wind System

•Recipient: Kotzebue Electric Association

•Partners: AVEC, Western Community Energy

Kotzebue Electric Association will demonstrate diesel-off configuration for a remote wind-diesel high penetration hybrid power system through the retrofit of existing equipment and controls.

Project #8: High Penetration Hybrid Power System

•Recipient UAF – WiDAC

The Wind Diesel Application Center will analyze state of the art power electronics to assess options for wind-diesel hybrid power systems to operate in a diesel-off mode.

Project #9: Flow Battery Energy Storage Systems

•Recipient: Kotzebue Electric Association

•Partners: NRECA, UAF, Premium Power

Kotzebue Electric Association’s goal for this project is to analyze and demonstrate flow battery systems and their potential for energy storage in rural wind systems.

Project #10: High Voltage Direct Current Transmission

• Recipient: Polarconsult Alaska• Partners: Princeton Power, Manitoba

HVDC Research Center

Polarconsult Alaska, in partnership with Princeton Power Systems, is developing High Voltage Direct Current transmission and converter technology, with a goal to assess and demonstrate the technical and financial feasibility of low-cost small-scale HVDC interties for rural Alaska.

250kW Demonstration System – ‘Demonstrator’

Output:

3-phase

480VAC

HV Bridge Stack

LV DC

Bridge

Stack

Input:

12kV

HVDC

LV AC

Bridge

Stack

250kW Transverse AC-Link Bridge

The demo system design is scalable to 1MW and 50kV by stacking multiple modules together.

BI-Directional power Flow

Project #11: Yukon Hydrokinetic Project

•Recipient: Alaska Power and Telephone

•Partners: New Energy Corp, ABS Alaska

Alaska Power Company’s goal for this project is the development and assessment of a hydrokinetic project in the Yukon River, near Eagle, Alaska.

Emerging Energy Technology Fund•Established by 2010 Energy Omnibus Bill•Administered by the AEA

▫In consultation with an Advisory Committee appointed by the Governor

•Financed by State appropriations, Federal appropriations, and other contributions▫$2.4 million State appropriations▫$3.14 million Denali Commission match

EETF Projects

•Test emerging energy technologies or methods of conserving energy;

•Improve an existing energy technology; or•Deploy an existing technology that has

not previously been demonstrated in the state.

EETF Eligible Applicants

•Electric utilities;• Independent power producer;

•Local government, quasi-governmental

entity, or other governmental entity, including a tribal council or housing authority;

•Business holding an Alaska business license

•Nonprofit organization

EETF Priorities

•Alaska residents, associations, organizations, or institutions;

•Projects that demonstrate partnership with the University of Alaska or another Alaska postsecondary institution;

•Projects supported by matching funds or in-kind partnerships; and

•Projects with potential for widespread deployment in the state.

Final Thoughts on EET in AK•Critical step in overall energy development•Technology development is based on Alaskan

needs and conditions•Many crucial energy projects have little

opportunity for funding•Demonstrates commercial success of new

energy technologies •Accelerate industry growth, and guide the state

in future energy funding decisions•Develops opportunities to fully utilize our

energy resources

Questions?Jason MeyerProgram ManagerEmerging Energy

Technology Programjason.meyer@alaska.edu(907) 306-9900

www.uaf.edu/acepwww.energy-alaska.comwww.flickr.com/acep_uafwww.legis.state.ak.uswww.denali.govwww.aidea.org/aea

*”Energy-Technology Innovation” Lecture, John Holdren, April 24, 2007Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's ELSI Projecthttp://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/research-main.html

US Energy Information Administrationhttp://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/energyconsumption.html

USDOE, EEREhttp://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/economic_indicators.cfm/state=AK