epri renewable energy council (mar'10) - meeting...

Program 84:84B - Biomass

Stan RosinskiProgram Manager, Renewable Generation

Renewable Energy CouncilMarch 26, 2010

2© 2010 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategic Objectives for Biomass

• Sustainability– Resource availability– Fuel-type– Energy supply chain

• Power generation– Repowering– Co-firing– Gasification– Others

• Minimize impact on operationand environment


Technical HighlightsBiomass – Catalyst Deactivation

• Role of Co-firing Biomass Fuels With Coal on Deactivation of Catalyst for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) NOx Control– Economic impacts

• Modeling to determine impacts on catalyst management strategy, associated cost

• $0.5M/yr to $1.5M/yr– Investigated mitigation methods

• Additives• Washing• Reformulation


Technical HighlightsBiomass – Torrefaction

• Develop technology for torrefaction of various biomass feedstocks to facilitate direct co-firing– Woody biomass– Herbaceous

• Bench top testing of feedstocks• Torrefaction/pelletization• Chips/pellet characterization• Pilot scale feasibility



Source: ECN



• Evaluated seven species to date– Torrefied material– Pellets

• Initial modeling of torrefaction process– Optimize process parameters– Function of biomass species

• Technical update in April 2010

Torrefied Southern Yellow Pine Chips


P84B Biomass Scope - 2010

• Guideline for building a robustsupply chain

• Power generation from biomass– Biomass properties database

• Comprehensive data collection• Web-based Excel database

– Torrefied wood full-scale tests• Co-firing 10%, 20%, 100%• PRB and bituminous

• Life cycle analysis of biomass-basedpower– State of Knowledge– NREL collaboration– Preliminary assessments


Supplemental Projects – 2010

Biomass:• Guidelines on Permitting Biomass

Power Plants• Biomass Cofiring Impact on Environmental Equipment• Using Biomass Efficiently in Energy and Transportation

Applications • Biomass Milling Tests • Best Practices for Biomass Handling• Low Cost Options for Biomass Generation• Combustion Modeling of Biomass Systems


P84B Biomass Scope – 2011

• Biomass Supply Management– Including life-cycle analysis

• Power Generation from Biomass– Waste to energy technology summary– Biomass ash, co-fired ash utilization plan– Engineered fuels test burn– Biomass 101

Industry Technology DemonstrationPossible Biomass Demonstration


Major Biopower Technology Options

Multiple host sites are envisioned to cover the key options

• Wood (in various forms) is dominant fuel• Major technology options:

1.Direct Firing in Existing Boiler2.Cofiring in Existing Unit3.Modify Existing Boiler to Stoker or Fluid Bed4.Externally Gasify Biomass5.Modify Gas Steam Unit6.Replace Boiler with Turbine-Sized FBC/Stoker

being considered for Demonstration


Benefits: Accelerate deployment of renewable energy by supporting the demonstration of biomass technologies that leverage existing assets, help meet renewable targets, and dramatically reduce CO2 emissions

Possible Biomass Demonstration

EPRI Role: • Work with 2 or 3 host projects that are

converting existing fossil-fired stations or adding novel co-firing capability

• Support testing and data analysis during start-up and operation

• Perform independent evaluation of plant performance and operations• Assess best practices and lessons learned regarding planning,

design, fuel supply, construction, O&M, performance, economics, etc.• Develop guidelines, reports, workshops, etc. and disseminate

knowledge to those with interests in biopower


Possible Biomass Demonstration Scope

Phase 1: Strategy, Design, & Fuel Supply Retrospective

Phase 3: Operations & Testing

Phase 2: Final Design, Construction, & Startup

Task 1, Strategy Screening Assessment

Task 2, Preliminary Design & Specifications

Task 3, Fuel Supply Chain Development

Task 5, Test Program Development & Plant Startup

Task 4, Detailed Engineering, Final Design, & Construction

Task 6, Plant Operations & Testing

Program 84:84C - Solar




Strategic Objectives for Solar

• Improve cost/performance– Distributed PV– Central station PV– Concentrating solar thermal (CST)

• Impact of large penetration– Baseload cycling– Integration

• Large-scale• Distributed

• Minimize effects of solar variability


Solar Thermal Hybrid Projects• Conceptual design study and

detailed case studies• Included solar technology review,

site and regulatory assessment, integration, reliability, and O&M analysis

• Calculated LCOE and NPV for various operating scenarios and plant design options

• Provided due diligence on the viability and economics of solar thermal hybrid

• Identified potential hosts for both coal and NGCC plant

Pulverized Coal

Natural Gas Combined Cycle

Technical HighlightsSolar


Technical HighlightsSolar - Underway

Rate Solar Thermal Hybrid Candidate Plants

• Qualitative ranking of solar augmentation potential– Solar resource– Plant capacity– Available land/topography – Plant age

• Mapping feature using NREL’s Solar Power Prospector webtool


Technical HighlightsSolar - High Efficiency Photovoltaic (HEPV) EPRI-EdF-CNRS

• Objective– 50%+ PV efficiency proof of

concept• Strategy

– Begin developing real-world potential of 3rd-Generation PV devices

• Initial success metric– Lab demo of PV device

capable of commercial 40% energy conversion

• Timeframe: 2011


Technical HighlightsSolar - HEPV

New concepts for near-term improved efficiency at lower cost• Up conversion: turn wasted IR spectrum into usable photons

– Demonstrated at record 17% energy conversion efficiency– ‘Combines’ IR photons to Si-usable photons

Long-term research• Search for promising new materials

– Materials suggested through modelingwith >50% conversion efficiency potential(published in June 09)

• Examine hot-carrier solar cell concepts– Research on hot-carrier solar cells with multiple quantum wells

showed promisingly slow thermalization rates under high light concentration


P84C Solar Scope - 2010

• Solar Augmented Steam Cycle Applications Analysis– Greenfield applications for solar-

natural gas– Integration with biomass

• Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC)– Benchmark PV/CPV technologies– SolarTAC demo projects

• Solar Thermal Storage Technology Assessment – Technology state-of-art– Compile information and available

field data for pilot and full scale installations


Supplemental Projects – 2010Under Development

• SolarTAC projects (multiple)• Parabolic trough testing in southeast• Solar water use• Solar-biomass case studies• Solar-geothermal case studies• Solar augmented steam cycle plant screening study• Molten salt storage for coal plants


P84C Solar Scope – 2011

• Solar augmented steam cycles• SolarTAC

– Codes and standards– Solar fact book

• Thermal energy storage

Potential New Areas• Photovoltaic performance assessment • Solar thermal modeling

– Benchmark solar thermal technologies– Advanced power cycles

Industry Technology DemonstrationSolar Thermal Hybrid


Technology Approach

• Utilize heat from a solar field in a fossil-based plant– Gas turbine combined-cycle – Pulverized coal

• Maximum input depends on solar steam conditions, available land, and existing equipment limitations


Solar Thermal Hybrid Industry Technology Demonstration Projects

Project Description• Demonstrate integrated solar thermal technology in fossil-fired

power plants• Separate projects for natural gas and coal plants

EPRI Role• Support host in selecting design • Evaluate process flow/instrumentation diagrams and simulate

integrated plant operation• Track project development• Prepare test plan and lead the testing and monitoring program

to characterize performance• Conduct economic analysis and future cost improvement

projections, based on lessons learned


Natural Gas: NV Energy• Host Site: 1102-MW Chuck Lenzie Station, north of

Las Vegas, NV• Solar Field Size: ~95 MW proposed• Unique Features: One of the largest proposed

integrations in the world; superheated steam design boosts solar use efficiency

Coal: Tri-State G&T• Host Site: 245-MW Escalante Station in Prewitt, NM• Solar Field Size: ~36 MW proposed • Unique Features: Potentially first large-scale solar

project for pulverized coal main steam

Demonstration Project Hosts

Photo courtesy of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association

Program 84:84D - Wind




Strategic Objectives for Wind Power

• Improve cost/performance characteristics• Impact of large penetration

– Cycling of baseload– Integration

• Minimize effects of ‘erratic’ wind– O&M improvements– Hardware/control changes

• Optimization of wind performance


Technical HighlightsWind – Advanced Nondestructive Evaluation

• Cost-effective inspection of windturbine components duringfabrication and in-service

• Laser shearography– Tested in collaboration with

NREL and Sandia– Initial results very favorable

• Participation in Sandia Wind Turbine Blade Collaborative

• Expand research to address other renewable energy source materials degradation issues


P84D Wind Scope - 2010

• Wind Power Technology Assessment– Drive train, generators, blades,

towers, sensors and controls– Engineering and economic

assessment• Wind Power Asset Management

– Status of O&M and asset management technologies• Condition Monitoring and NDE• O&M procedures

Vestas V-80, 2 MW


Supplemental Projects – 2010

• Available:– Field Verification of New Wind Power Technology– Improved Wind Turbine O&M Procedures– Wind Energy Component Maintenance Guideline

• Under Development:– Trends Analysis of Wind Turbine SCADA and Online

Condition Monitoring Data– Field Verification of Wind Turbine Rotor Monitoring – ORAP Component Data Collection for Wind


84D Proposed Wind Scope - 2011

• Wind Power Technology Assessment– Drive train, generators, blades,

towers, sensors and controls– Engineering and economic

assessment• Wind Power Asset Management

– Wind turbine asset management guidebook

Program 84:84E - Geothermal




Strategic Objectives for Geothermal

• Improved resource assessmentand exploration technologies

• Enhanced geothermal systems• Hybrid technologies• O&M• Permitting/siting• Improved cost/performance


Technical HighlightsSingle-Well Engineered Geothermal System (SWEGS)

• Single-well approach– Existing depleted wells– Minimizes impact

• Applicable for lower-temperature resources

• Heat exchanger modeling and design

© 2009 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

UTCGenerator

Grout

HeatExchanger

HeatNest

HeatReservoir

BinaryGenerator

Closed Cycle System


P84E Geothermal Scope - 2010

• Geothermal Operations and Maintenance– Plant evaluations and assessments– O&M handbook– Training and technology transfer

• Assessment of Geothermal Power Technologies– Engineering and economic analysis

of low- and moderate-temperature geothermal resources and technologies

– Identify demonstration projects for advanced geothermal or EGS


Supplemental Projects – 2010Under Development

• Co-produced geothermal power generation utilizing existing oil and gas wells

• Advanced cooling technologies• Geothermal/Solar Hybrid


84E Geothermal Scope – 2011

• Assessment of geothermal power technologies• O&M best practices handbook • Co-production of geothermal power with oil and gas

extraction• Novel business models for geothermal ownership

Industry Technology DemonstrationGeothermal


Possible Geothermal Demonstration

• SWEGS technology– Front end engineering and design (FEED)– Conceptual and detailed design analysis– Preliminary engineering

• EPRI Role– Validation of the SWEGS technology– Assist in development of plant design– Independent performance assessment

Benefits: Accelerate deployment of geothermal energy from non-productive abandoned oil and gas wells to produce low cost renewable electricity with minimum environmental impact.


Renewable Generation Program 84Proposed Scope – 2011

Title Activities Funding84A Renewable Energy

Economics & Technology Status

Update cost/performance data and update Renewable Energy Technology Guide; detailed engineering & economic evaluations for geothermal, biomass repowering, energy storage; enhance NESSIE modeling activities and perform plant-specific analyses; renewable interest groups; overall P84 management

$2.25K

84B Biomass Analyses of supply issues to develop vigorous, durable fuel delivery for power stations; develop information and technologies to cost-effectively adopt biomass power within utility generation and renewable energy portfolios

$1.25M

84C Solar Updates on solar thermal hybrid projects – design and performance guidelines; SolarTAC; thermal energy storage; PV performance assessment; solar thermal modeling

$1.00M

84D Wind O&M and asset management guidebooks; technology assessments

$0.75M

84E Geothermal Assess geothermal technologies; O&M best practices; Co-production with oil and gas extraction; Novel business models for geothermal ownership

$0.75M

Total $6.0M


Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

epri renewable energy council (mar'10) - meeting...

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