Public Information Centre Barrie Water Pollution Control Centre Biogas Utilization Upgrades

Barrie City Hall Rotunda Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

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Welcome

Welcome to the Barrie WPCC Biogas Utilization Upgrades Public Information Centre!

Please sign in, review the display materials, and fill out a

comment form.

The City of Barrie Staff and study consultants are available to discuss the study, answer questions, and receive your comments.

Your input is appreciated.

Project Background

The City of Barrie aims to minimize its environmental footprint by investing in renewable power. The City has been using biogas from the Barrie Water Pollution Control Centre (WPCC) to generate electricity and heat since 1996. This combined process of producing energy and heat is called cogeneration. The amount of biogas currently generated is sufficient to reduce plant power load by 30-40% which equates to nearly $200,000 in annual electricity cost savings. Biogas, also known as digester gas, is a high-energy by-product of wastewater sludge treated in an anaerobic digester. Microorganisms in an oxygen-free environment produce this gas (mainly methane) when they break down the sludge.

N

The Barrie WPCC in 1978.

The Location of the Barrie WPCC

History of the Barrie WPCC

City of Barrie Population

1981 1991 2001 2006 2023

43,452 62,728 110,000 128,430 210,000

Existing Environmental Features

Bradford Street

Barrie WPCC Existing Site Layout

Barrie WPCC Proposed Site Plan

Wastewater Treatment Process

* Intermediate pumping and recycling streams are not shown in this flow diagram

Existing Biogas Utilization and Challenges

4000m3 of biogas is produced each day. The biogas can be sent to the boilers to produce heat or to the cogeneration engines for electricity generation. Two 250kW engines run in a duty/standby mode. The cost of producing electricity is 9¢/kWh

The existing digesters have limited capacity to store biogas. Excess biogas is flared through a waste gas burner or combusted in a boiler. There is currently insufficient biogas to operate two engines simultaneously.

980 kW Boiler

Engine 2 Engine 1

Waste Heat (Effluent Water)

The Cogeneration System at the Barrie WPCC

540 kW Boiler

Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Planning and Design Process

Identify Alternative Solutions to Problem or Opportunity

Inventory, Natural, Social, and Economic Environments

Identify Impacts of Alternative Solutions on the Environment

Evaluate Alternative Solutions: Identify Recommended Solution

Select the Preferred Solution and Prescribe Mitigation Measures

Consult Review Agencies, Public and Other Stakeholders

Design, Construct, and Monitor Project

PHASE 1 Problem or Opportunity

PHASE 2 Alternative Solutions

PHASE 5* Implementation

Identify Problem or Opportunity

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A Schedule B Class EA is being undertaken in order to determine the preferred solution to optimize energy recovery from biogas with the existing cogeneration system at the Barrie WPCC.

*Please note that Phases 3 & 4 are completed only for Schedule C Projects.

Phase 1: Opportunity Statement

Phase 1 is the development of an Opportunity Statement. Opportunity Statement: The City of Barrie is undertaking a Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify the preferred solution to optimize energy recovery from biogas.

The preferred solution will consist of two components:

1. Biogas Storage 2. Biogas Usage

Phase 2: Alternative Solutions

Phase 2 involves identifying and evaluating alternative solutions. They are: I.Do Nothing (as a baseline for comparison) II.Upgrade the Biogas Facility by:

1. Construct a biogas storage facility with a: a) Pressure gas vessel; b) A concrete tank with a steel gas cover; or c) Double membrane storage

2. Modify cogeneration system controls based on biogas usage to: a) Displace Plant Energy Load; b) Enrol in Provincial Transition Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program; c) Displace plant energy load and enrol in FIT; or d) Transport gas off-site for use at the Historic Allandale Train Station

1. Biogas Storage Technologies

The project team considered the most commonly used storage technologies in North America.

a) Pressure Gas Vessel A medium to high pressure vessel that stores compressed gas at 30-40 psi (pounds per square inch). Pressure vessels are made of steel or stainless steel and are commonly cylindrical or spherical in shape. This system requires a compressor to compress gas to the desired pressure level within the vessel.

Biogas Storage Technologies (Continued)

b) Gas Holding Steel Cover on a Concrete Tank A concrete tank with a floating steel cover that moves up and down vertically depending on gas volume along rail guides. This is an established technology and is commonly seen in North American municipal sewage treatment plants

Source: WesTech Engineering Source: Ovivo

Biogas Storage Technologies (Continued)

c) Double Membrane Gas Storage A dome-shaped structure made of PVC coated polyester fabric. An external dome covers an inner dome that expands or contracts based on gas volume. An air blower provides air to the space between inner and outer membrane. It can be a stand-alone unit mounted on a concrete or semi-spherical dome that is mounted on a concrete tank.

Source: WesTech Engineering

Storage Technology Evaluation

The three technologies were evaluated according to the criteria listed below. The higher the number of “” the more favorable the technology.

Evaluation Criteria a) Medium Pressure Steel Gas Vessel b) Steel Gas Cover c) Double Membrane Storage

Construction Cost

(lowest cost) O&M Cost

Technology Maturity

Public Safety (greatest public safety)

Code Compliance System Reliability

Frequency of Maintenance

(high)

(medium)

Footprint (Land Area Requirement)

(smallest footprint)

Total number of “” 18 17 14

Most Undesirable Factor(s) High Capital and O&M Cost Largest Footprint Required High risk of Code incompliance

and public safety

Preferred Technology: Compress and store biogas in a medium pressure steel gas vessel

2. Biogas Usage

The biogas can be used for three main purposes:

1. Strategic Plant Load Displacement The WPCC could generate additional electricity (up to 500 kW) for a few hours during peak electricity rates to offset electricity costs.

2. Transition Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program The City could enrol in the Transition FIT Program and sell electricity back to the grid at premium electricity pricing. The City of Barrie submitted an application for the Transition FIT program in December 2010 and is awaiting approval from the Ontario Power Authority.

3. Transport gas off-site for use at the Historic Allandale Train Station The biogas can be conveyed for use at the refurbished Historic Allandale

Train Station.

The Provincial Feed-In Tariff Program

In 2009, the provincial government introduced the Green Energy and Economy Act. A component of the Green Energy Act is the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program, which was implemented by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in September 2009. The program encourages independent generators to produce electricity using renewable energies (wind, solar, hydro, and biomass) by providing a guaranteed pricing structure for renewable energy production over a contract term of 20 years. The City of Barrie would like to take advantage of this program as it is in line with the City of Barrie’s objectives to facilitate the development of renewable energy systems and to support the establishment of a green economy.

Renewable Energy Sources

2. Biogas Usage Options Evaluation

Based on three main purposes of using biogas, there are four options of modifying the cogeneration system. These options were evaluated.

a) Plant load displacement

b) Feed to power grid (FIT)

c) Displace plant energy load and enrol

in FIT

d) Transport gas off-site for use at the

Historic Allandale Train Station

Modify to make 2 cogen engines available for plant load displacement. This would allow additional cost savings but no revenue generation through the FIT Program.

Modify to make 2 cogen engines available for feeding power back to the utility grid only. Will not be feasible if FIT contract is not available.

Modify to make 1 or 2 cogen engines available to either feed power back to the grid, or for plant load displacement. This is the most flexible option.

Construct gas pipeline and convey gas to the Historic Allandale Train Station. Scenario not feasible due to space limitations for a dual fire boiler at the train station.

Preferred Option: C) Modify existing system to allow the operator to choose to use cogeneration power for plant load displacement or feed to the grid at any given time.

Preliminary Preferred Solution

Feed to Power Grid Displace Plant Power Load Switchgear

Biogas Storage: A medium pressure vessel that stores compressed gas at 30psi.

Biogas Use: Allow two cogens to either feed power back to the grid, or for plant load displacement through a switchgear

Schematic for the Preliminary Preferred Solution

Contact Information

Consultation with interested stakeholders is an important and necessary component of the Class EA process. All comments received will be considered and incorporated into the Class EA documentation. Please provide comments on the study by Tuesday May 1st, 2012. Any additional comments or questions can be forwarded to:

Thank you for attending and providing your valuable input.

Martin Shaw Project Coordinator The City of Barrie 70 Collier Street, Box 400 Phone: (705) 739-4220 x5242 Fax: (705) 739-4243 Email: mshaw@barrie.ca

Graeme King Project Manager The City of Barrie 70 Collier Street, Box 400 Phone: (705) 739-4220 x4532 Fax: (705) 739-4243 Email: gking@barrie.ca