ACEP works to provide communities statewide information to make informed Energy choices

Transcription

1 The Alaska Hydrokinetic Energy Research Center (organized under ACEP) J. Kasper, J. B. Johnson, P. Duvoy, J. Schmid, A. Seitz

2 ACEP works to provide communities statewide information to make informed Energy choices High contribution renewables Stranded resources Value added processing Niche technologies (low temp geothermal, hydrokinetics)

3 Niche Technologies - Hydrokinetics Extracting energy directly from rivers, waves and tidal currents

4 Opportunities Alaska has: 90% of U.S. tidal current energy 40% of U.S. river current energy 40% of U.S. wave energy

5 Cook Inlet Tidal Power Potential for the Railbelt

6 Isolated Grid Opportunities False Pass Images from ORPC website

7 In-River Hydrokinetics Igiugig (Kvichak River) At mouth of Lake Illiamna Relatively little debris and ice Good resource identified Potential for 2 turbine technologies to be demonstrated in 2014

8 Yakutat Wave Energy Project Collaborative project between AHERC City and Borough of Yakutat Resolute Marine Energy Alaska Energy Authority Alaska DGGS

9 Opportunities Issued and pending preliminary FERC permits River Tidal Wave FERC staff, March 13, 2012 \ Economics of hydrokinetic power production at selected Alaskan locations (2010 dollars) Location Est. renewable cost/kwh Est. current Cost/kWh Igiugig (River) $0.68 $0.73 Eagle (River) $0.68 $0.47 Whitestone (River) Knik Arm (Tidal) Yakutat (wave) $0.19 $0.14 $0.11 $0.14 $0.28 $0.31

10 Open Questions Hydrokinetic energy technologies are pre-commercial ORPC s Cobscook Bay Installation Environmental concerns (fisheries and marine mammals) Economic questions can these devices reduce energy costs for Alaskans? High Hazards to operation in Alaska in debris, ice, shipping and both suspended and bed load sediment

11 AHERC s approach Systematically identify challenges to adaptation of hydrokinetic energy (e.g. debris) Form industry partnerships Identify and test solutions to these challenges Assemble a multidisciplinary team to address these challenges J. Johnson (AHERC Director, Geophysicist) J. Kasper (AHERC Ass. Director, Physical Oceanographer) P. Duvoy (ACEP Res. Eng., Hydrologist) J. Schmid (ACEP Res. Eng.) A. Seitz (UAF-SFOS, Fish Biologist) A. Scott (ACEP, Economist) M. Mueller Stoffels (ACEP, Power systems Integration) A. Kulchitsky (UAF-INE, Computer Scientist) Disseminate information to communities

12 Debris Challenges Debris accumulation damages infrastructure, disrupts operations, and creates maintenance and safety issues. Examples: Ruby 5 kw turbine demonstration Eagle 25 kw AP&T Demonstration Fort Simpson 25 kw New Energy demonstration Yukon at Ruby Bridge pier damage Yukon at Eagle

13 AHERC research focused on enabling technologies

14 Debris Video (Debris Diversion)

15 Highly leveraged state government support (CIP, AEA, UAF, Murdock Trust, Denali Commission, DOE) And favorable economics foster an emerging hydrokinetic knowledge and service industry in Alaska e.g. ORPC, Benthic Geoscience, Inc., UAF, UAA, Jon s Machine Shop, ABS Alaska, AP&T, Inland Barge Service, Crowley Marine Services, Ruby Marine Inc., Nenana Tribal Council This knowledge is enabling: UAF actively assisting communities evaluate hydrokinetic resources and build out infrastructure Igiugig Nenana Yakutat Conclusions

16 Acknowledgements A special thanks to: the City of Nenana, the Nenana Tribal Council, Jason Mayrand, Victor Lord, Robin Campbell, Inland Barge Service, Charlie Hnilicka, Ruby Marine Inc., Matt Sweetsir, Crowley Marine Services, Endil Moore, Jon s Machine Shop, Monty Worthington (ORPC), Bill Staby (RME), City and Borough of Yakutat (Bill Lucey, Skip Ryman, Ian Fiske), Ned Hansen (Oceana), Jonathan Colby (Verdant Power) and Tom Ravens (UAA)