Commercial Scale Renewable PowerCommercial Scale Renewable Power

• CO2 is the most important greenhouse gas driving climate change

– Primary source is burning fossil fuels (ancient sunshine – geologic carbon)

– Increasing CO2 levels: 388 ppm & rising rapidly

– One of the largest sources is burning of coal for electrical power

– Our rapid emissions of ancient carbon has set the cycle out of balance

Clean Energy FutureClean Energy Future• Energy efficiency and renewable energy production are the

keys to building a clean energy future

• Reducing demand by improving efficiency buys time to bring renewable energy to maturity as a competitive option

• All energy options have pros & cons; we need to factor in all costs (both monetary and environmental)

Coal Plant Renewable Energy TechnologiesNuclear

Plant

What is renewable energy?What is renewable energy?Renewable energy (e.g. electrical power) is generated from natural resources that are inexhaustible and naturally replenished (renewed) at a rate comparable to its use

Which of the following power sources are renewable?a.Solar and Windb.Nuclearc.Coald.a & be.All of the above

Commercial Scale Renewable PowerCommercial Scale Renewable Power• Diverse technologies; varying maturity and viability

– 2008: 280 GW (excluding hydroelectric dams), up 16% from 2007

• Most based on traditional turbine generators– Mature & competitive: hydroelectric, geothermal & biomass – Deployed and growing: Wind & solar power– Developmental: Hydrokinetic power (tidal and wave)

• There is no panacea for our energy challenges– all options have pros & cons; we need to consider all factors

Watt – measurement unit for electrical flow1 KW – 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts1 MW – 1 megawatt = 1 million watts1 GW – 1 gigawatt = 1 billion watts

Hydroelectric Hydroelectric PowerPower

• 777 GW worldwide– 19% global electricity– >50% renewable power

• Base load power – available 24 - 7– low cost & maintenance

• Renewable technologies have “pros” & “cons”– land inundation– fish and habitat issues– most available hydro

resources being used– population displacement

Itaipu Dam – World’s largestItaipu Dam – World’s largest

On Brazil/Paraguay BorderOn Brazil/Paraguay Border

Geothermal PowerGeothermal Power• Use steam from underground

geothermal sources– Base load power plants

• 24 countries produce 10 GW– Top 5: US, Philippines,

Indonesia, Mexico, & Italy• 70 countries use 28 GW of

steam heat• Significant untapped potential

– 100 new sites available in U.S. western states (~13 GW)

• Issues– Corrosive gases; pollutants– Subsidence– Earthquake triggers

Nesjavellir Power Plant Iceland

The Geysers Complex The Geysers Complex California California

Biomass Power Biomass Power

Feedstock: Hybrid Willows

McNeil Generating Station, 50 MW

Burlington, VT

• Fueled by organic biomass from plant materials and animal by-products – Wood and paper production – Food production & processing waste – Trees and grasses– Gaseous fuels from solid biomass,

animal wastes, and landfills

• U.S. produces ~10,000 MW– 6200 MW wood & agricultural waste– 3200 MW municipal solid waste, landfills– 600 MW other [USDOE 2006]

• Issues– Emissions (nitrous oxides)

• Farm Power Northwest manure digester (Rexville)– 750 KW generator– Start fall 2009– Electricity purchased by

PSE Green Power

• Sierra Pacific (Hwy 20) cogeneration plant– 30 MW generator fueled

by sawdust waste– Power is used onsite for

operations and excess sold to PSE Green Power

Local Biomass PlantsLocal Biomass Plants

Wind PowerWind Power• Fastest growing and

cost competitive• Turbine technology

improving steadily– Today 2+ MW and

growing to 5MW

• Not base load– Available when the

wind blows– No current storage

• Issues– Birds– Noise– Aesthetics (views)

“A single 1-MW turbine displaces 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide, the primary global warming pollutant, each year (equivalent to planting a square mile of forest) …”

American Wind Energy Association

Wind Power Wind Power Global Global

• 2009: 160 GW capacity up 30%• Trend: worldwide capacity doubles in 3 years• US has most installed capacity - today• China is doubling capacity annually; 2009 up 14 GW

World Wind Energy Association

• Europe leads globally– ~5% power from wind 2009– 39% of new installations– 3% EU wind is offshore

• EU 2020 Goal: 20% renewable power – Wind power key to energy

independence

• Germany, Spain are largest producers

• Denmark produces 20% of power from wind– Large offshore wind farms

Horns Rev - Denmark

Wind Power Wind Power EuropeEurope

Wind Power – United StatesWind Power – United States

TOTAL INSTALLED U.S. WIND ENERGY CAPACITY: 13 GW as of June 30, 2007 June 30, 2007

American Wind Energy Association

US Top 5 StatesUS Top 5 States

#1 Texas – 3352 MW

#2 California – 2376 MW

#3 Iowa – 967 MW

#4 Minnesota – 897 MW

#5 Washington – 818 MW

US Top 6 StatesUS Top 6 States#1 Texas – 9506 MW#2 Iowa – 3670 MW#3 California – 2723 MW#4 Oregon – 1920 MW#5 Washington – 1908 MW# 6 Illinois – 1848 MW

U.S. WIND ENERGY CAPACITY:

35 GW as of 6/30/09

10GW (5700 turbines) added 2009

Saves 62 M tons CO2 American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Washington Wind Power Washington Wind Power • Washington currently has

1908 MW installed capacity*

Wild HorseWild Horse

Big HornBig Horn

State Line (Walla Walla) 177 MW

Nine Canyon (Benton County) 96 MW

Hopkins Ridge (Columbia County) 157 MW

Big Horn (Klicitat County) 200 MW

Wild Horse (Kittitas County) 273 MW

White Creek (Klicitat County) 205 MW

Marengo (Dayton) 210 MW

Goodnoe Hills (Klicitat County) 94 MW

Windy Point (Klicitat County) 399 MW

Harvest (Cowlitz County) 99 MW*AWEA

• Two categories of technologies convert ocean energy to electricity– Tidal Power Systems– Wave Power Systems

• Marine environments pose harsh environmental challenges (e.g. salt corrosion, storms)

• A wide variety of approaches – Maturity varies from conceptual

designs to full scale prototypes– There are a few full-scale power

installations (Pelamis; Portugal)

Hydrokinetic Hydrokinetic “Ocean” Power“Ocean” Power

Tidal PowerTidal Power• Harnessing power of tidal

flow with two types of technologies– Tidal barrage (dam)– Tidal turbines

• La Rance Station oldest and largest barrage unit

• Korea building world’s largest tidal barrage plant

• First six tidal turbines installed in NY’s East River– first grid tied tidal

turbine system– Plans 100 to 300 turbine

farm generating 10+ MW

Tidal Barrage Plant (240 MW; 1966)

La Rance River, France

Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project East River NY, NY

(6 - 35 KW turbines)

South Korean Uldolmok Power Plant (1 MW)

South Korean Sihwa Power Plant (254MW)

• Snohomish PUD & US Navy planning tests in Puget Sound

• Navy will test tidal turbines off Marrowstone Island– One year pilot test then remove

and sell turbines

• PUD will test 3 Open Hydro turbines off Admiralty Head

Tidal Power Tidal Power in our neighborhoodin our neighborhood

Marrowstone Island

Admiralty HeadIndian Island Naval Base

Tidal Power – Coming AttractionsTidal Power – Coming Attractions

Blue Ocean Tidal Turbine

Clean Current Tidal Turbine

Severn Tidal Fence

SeaGen 1.2 MW Tidal TurbineStrangford Lough, Ireland

Wave PowerWave Power• Wave energy has the

potential to generate more power than tides– WA & OR have best

wave potential in lower 48 states

• Design types include:– Floats, buoys, and

pitching devices– Oscillating water

column– Tapered channel and

overhead topping

• Wave farms being developed in Scotland, England, Portugal

Atlantic City, NJ, 40 KW; Atlantic City, NJ, 40 KW; Oahu, HIOahu, HI U.S. Marine U.S. Marine

Base up to 1MWBase up to 1MW

Wave Dragon prototype Wave Dragon prototype (shown) 70 MW in 2010(shown) 70 MW in 2010

Pembrokeshire, EnglandPembrokeshire, England

Oscillating water Oscillating water column plant column plant

250KW - Germany250KW - Germany

Source: BBC News

Wave Wave PowerPower

OperatingOperating

Pelamis Wave Energy Project

2.25 MW Portugal

(Pitching system, commercially

available)

Limpet Power Station 500 KW, UK (OWC)

Wave Power – Coming Wave Power – Coming AttractionsAttractions

Stingray Wave Generator

Oyster Wave Sea Water

PistonFinivera Wave Buoy

Wavebob Buoy

Solar Power GenerationSolar Power Generation

• Two types of solar power technologies are used on a commercial scale today– Concentrated solar power (CSP, thermal)– Photovoltaic power (direct conversion)

At year end 2009, the U.S. had 2,108 MW installed solar electric capacity

1,676 MW of PV power432 MW of CSP power

Issues• Solar incidence varies

• Acreage required

• Water (CSP)

• Cost (PV)

CSP Parabolic TroughCSP Parabolic Trough

• Parabolic mirror focuses sunlight on fluid filled tube– Trough tilts to follow sun

– ~5 acres for 1MW power

– Water use is major issue

– Smaller scale and superheated compressed air being developed

• US has 432 MW installed• US SEGS (CA) is largest

• Spain largest producer• Morocco, Algeria, ItalyKramer Junction, California

CSPCSPTowerTower

• Reflectors focus sunlight onto target generating superheated fluids (water, oil, molten sodium) within the central collector

• Hot fluids can be stored in insulated tanks allowing extended operation (when sun isn’t shining)

• Spain has largest number of installations– Solar Tres (Andalusia, 15MW sodium design, 2008) and

PS-10/20 (Seville, 20 MW, direct steam design, 2007/2009)

PS-10 PS-10 Seville, SpainSeville, Spain

Sierra SunLancaster, CA

Photovoltaic Photovoltaic (PV) Power(PV) Power

• PV arrays directly convert solar energy to electricity

• Germany has been world leader in development and installation– Most plants are 20 MW to 60 MW– Integrate with farming/grazing land– Install on residential & commercial

buildings (distributed generation)– Installations increase ~20% per year

Waldpolenz Germany 40MWWaldpolenz Germany 40MW

• 23GW worldwide

• Europe 10GW– Germany 3.8 GW

• 2009 increases– 3.8 GW Europe– Japan 484 MW– US 475 MW

Photovoltaic (PV) PowerPhotovoltaic (PV) PowerWorldwideWorldwide

• Using existing commercial, governmental, and residential rooftops and parking lots for distributed grid-tied power

Distributed Distributed PV PowerPV Power

Comparing Comparing Zero Carbon Zero Carbon Options Options

Nuclear Plant Nuclear Plant 1,000+ MWe 1,000+ MWe

$5B to 9B*$5B to 9B*Big Horn 200 MW Big Horn 200 MW

11,000 Acres, ~$130M 11,000 Acres, ~$130M Klicitat County, WAKlicitat County, WA

5X

Waldpolenz Germany Waldpolenz Germany 250 acres, 40MW, $185M 250 acres, 40MW, $185M

25X

Kramer Junction CA Kramer Junction CA Solar Trough, 150 MW, Solar Trough, 150 MW,

1000 acres, ~$900M1000 acres, ~$900M

McNeil Biomass Plant McNeil Biomass Plant Burlington, VT 50 Burlington, VT 50

MW, $67MMW, $67M

20X

*Does not include *Does not include subsidies, fuel, subsidies, fuel,

waste disposal & waste disposal & decommissioningdecommissioning

6.7X

100X

Proposed Tide Proposed Tide Turbine SF Bay Turbine SF Bay 1MW, ~$5.5M1MW, ~$5.5M

1000X

$5.5B$5.5B

$6B$6B

$2.8B$2.8B

$1.4B$1.4B

$4.6B$4.6B

$650M$650M

BEST BUYBEST BUY

PS-10 Solar Tower Spain PS-10 Solar Tower Spain 10 MW, 150 acres, $28M10 MW, 150 acres, $28M