JP Pinard, PhD, P.Eng. Presented at Yukon Energy s Wind Workshop 18 March 2013

Transcription

1 Mt Sumanik Haeckel Hill JP Pinard, PhD, P.Eng. Presented at Yukon Energy s Wind Workshop 18 March 2013

2 Researching wind climate of Yukon since 1996 Who s JP Pinard? Installed over 40 wind monitoring stations Collaborated on many prefeasibility studies for wind energy projects PhD on Wind Climate in Yukon Mountains Collaborated with Environment Canada on their wind modelling in mountainous terrain Research with Aurora Research Institute, Inuvik; and, the Energy Solutions Centre Working with Kluane First Nation on the Kluane Wind Project Eagle Plains

3 Outline Bear Mt wind farm near Dawson Creek: 102 MW Yukon s Wind Energy Potential. ETS and Space Heating. The Kluane Wind Project. Cost of Wind Energy Present direction in our Energy future.

4 Note the Date Renewables in Remote Microgrids MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, Canada Monday, June 24, 2013 Microgrids meeting (NRCan) Wind-diesel 101 Tuesday, June 25, 2013 Workshop Welcome and Introductions Early adopters, project experiences Community engagement and ownership models Smart microgrids Emerging technologies and opportunities for power storage Wednesday, June 26, 2013 Local planning for local needs Bullfrog Power Pembina Institute Large megawatt-scale systems for mines and large off-grid communities Getting policies right to support remote communities A road map to renewables in remote communities in Ontario

5 Boreal Alternate Energy Centre Late 1980's was formed to study the wind energy climate of the Yukon. Dr Doug Craig (in 2001) Initial investigation: no wind potential according to Environment Canada. But the Whitehorse weather balloon data analysis concluded that, There are significant winds aloft... Average wind velocities are considerably higher during the winter than during the summer. The first monitoring for wind began in July, 1990 on Haeckel Hill

6 Mount Sumanik, 1702 m, 7.4 m/s Flat Mountain, 1930 m, 8.1 m/s Estimates at 30 m AGL Haeckel Hill, 1430 m, 6.8 m/s View from airplane looking north ~5 km Whitehorse Airport, 704 m, 3.9 m/s, 10 m AGL Boreal Alternate Energy Centre Began Work in 1990 Established three stations Conclusions, wind is feasible

7 General wind directions in Whitehorse Area

8 Most wind stations are in the valleys

9 Canadian Wind Atlas shows it s windier on the mountaintops

10 Wind and Temperature profiles in the Whitehorse Valley January July July Profiles from Whitehorse weather balloon station Neutral Stratification SW winds January Surrounding mountains m ASL SSE winds Haeckel Hill 1430 m ASL Whitehorse Valley 700 m ASL

11 Note: 50 years The mean January temperature has increased by 9 C As the climate changes there are indications that the winds in the Whitehorse area are increasing too.

12 Yukon s Energy Mix Not only do we need to displace Diesel Electricity ~$154M/yr in fossil fuel spending leaving Yukon Total electricity: 426 GWh in 2012 But We also need to displace Heating Oil & Transportation Fuel Total oil & propane heating: ~256 GWh/year (Pearson) ~$40M/yr spent on Diesel elect., oil & propane heating (Pearson) Energy Pie Credit: Forest Pearson

13 Wind Follows the heat load Wind farm matched to heating load

14 But wind is intermittent It doesn t blow all of the time. How do you store? Hydro reservoir, eg. Aishihik Lake will store some of the wind

15 Electrical Thermal Storage & Wind Old technology been around since 1940s. Electrical Thermal Storage (ETS) turns electricity into heat and stores it. Comes as room units, and central hydronic & forced air for residential and commercial. Can be used for peak shaving and valley filling. Can provide grid stability. Source: Steffes

16 Stored Electrical Heat Residential Commercial Electrical Thermal Storage (ETS) ETS type Power Storable Energy Room unit (plug-in 120V) 1.32 kw 13.5 kwh Room unit (240 V) 2.4 to 11 kwh 13.5 to 40 kwh Hydronic 14 to 46 kw 120 to 240 kwh Forced Air 14 to 46 kw 86 to 240 kwh Hydronic 50 to 80 kw 320 to 480 kwh Forced Air 50 to 160 kw 320 to 960 kwh Source: Steffes

17 Modelling Wind with ETS Home Heating Say we matched a 20 MW wind farm with 1500 older homes. Wind Farm produces = 45 GWh/year = Home heating needs ETS recharges only when wind is available Model says 51% of wind can absorbed by base boards alone, 51% of wind energy is utilized. With ETS we increase that to 67% wind is used for space heating, and 67 % of home heating is from wind. 67% Typical Older Home Energy use in kwh

18 ETS is being used in 3 villages in SW Alaska Source: Dennis Meiners

19 Wind and the Electric Vehicle EVs can be recharged from renewable energy EVs will stabilized the grid: two-way electric flow. Chief of KFN in Burwash wants to use EVs to commute to Whitehorse Yukon s first electric highway? Ford Focus: 120 km range

20 The Kluane Wind Project Build and test the tilt-up tower in Install energy measurement system to monitor performance in Commission the 300 kw wind project in Displace ¼ of the Diesel Build longer blades Develop other energy opportunities.

21 New Tower Design for the North Wind Turbine Windmatic WM17S 95 kw of power Robust technology >20-year history Cost effective, Refurbished Parts are standard, inexpensive. Tilt-up Tower 50 m tall Tilt-up No crane needed Lower foundation cost Longer blades possible Can bring costs down from > $10,000/kW to $5000/kW Could attain IRR = <15%

22 Proposed Kluane Wind Project Existing 60-m met mast Artist rendition of the proposed 300 kw wind project at Kluane Lake

23 Cost of Wind Energy Long-term cost Fossil fuel will only go up Renewable energy will be cheaper in the long term, if we invest now. First we need to stop subsidizing fossil fuel and it s developments: It hinders renewable energy development. We must invest in Renewable Energy NOW. Artboy - Cartoonmovement.com

24 Cost of wind in Alaska Kodiak Island Wind Farm: 9 MW, $4.7M/MW, and 12 / kwh Eva Creek Wind Farm: 25 MW, $3.9M/MW, 8.6 / kwh Fire Island Wind Farm: 17.6 MW, $3.7M/MW, 9.7 / kwh All subsidized thanks to $50M/year grants to Alaska

25 Cost of Wind in Yukon A 20 MW wind farm on Mt Sumanik $72M or $3.6M / MW Cost 16 to 19 / kwh (unsubsidized) 47 GWh / year with blade heating

26 Yukon s Hydro-Diesel System Yukon s traditional source of energy for electricity Our goal should be: to transition to Wind-Hydro-Diesel Diesel should only be used to fill wind voids. But, Diesel may be replaced by liquefied natural gas (LNG), so we can serve the mines Yukonwater.ca Explorenorth.com

27 Oct 25, 2012 What role should Mines Play? Faro left us a legacy Mines should leave us a Renewable Energy Legacy Not more fossil fuel (natural gas) infrastructure What about paying a renewable energy rate? Or An upfront capital investment?

28 Is Natural Gas a transition to RE? Can Natural Gas work with intermittent wind energy? It is going to be fracked gas? Fracked gas is NOT cleaner: fugitive methane, groundwater pollution. Going to LNG may add cost to our economy, environment and societal well-being. Price of gas may be low now, but what happens when it goes up?

29 It s a Slippery Slope Investyukon.com As NA gas prices rise The Yukon will risk becoming dependent on natural gas for it s economic health Yukon s shale formations means hydraulic fracturing in the Yukon. Cradle-to-grave fracked gas is a worst emitter of GHG than even Diesel Not helping global situation

30 Do we Follow NE BC and Alberta? Are we going to be laggers and follow in the footsteps of our neighbours? Source: Global Forest Watch Canada, 2007

31 Murray J. Martin Wrote (Whitehorse Star 15 March 2013) I moved here because of the attraction of Canada s last Frontier. This is my heaven on Earth; destroy and you will never replace it. There is no second chance.

32 Will Yukon be a Leader in Renewable Energy development? We need to protect our last Frontier. Energy defines our way of life. We need to build our economy on Renewable Energy. Wind Energy is a very good first step.

33 We were leaders

34 Thank You!