Reducing the High Cost of Alaska s Rural Water Systems Eric Hanssen, P.E., LEED AP Senior Energy Project Manager ANTHC Rural Energy Ini?a?ve
Rural Alaskan Communities We Serve Active Projects in Water & Sewer by Lead Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium State of Alaska Village Safe Water Municipal Grants and Loans
ANTHC s Rural Energy Initiative Recognizing the importance of energy and its high cost to Alaskans living in rural communities, in 2010 the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium started a Rural Energy Initiative to implement innovative energy projects that help lower costs and keep money otherwise spent on fuel in the local economy.
Overview of Typical Arctic Sanitation System
What does Energy have to do with Water and Sewer? Breakdown of operating costs of an average water/sewer plant in rural Alaska:
Value of Energy Efficiency in Rural Water and Sewer Systems ARUC Fuel Purchases Cost of Fuel Purchased by Fiscal Year *data based off ARUC financial information
How We Reduce Energy Costs ANTHC s Approach: Renewable Energy Projects Energy Efficiency Projects Ø Biomass Ø Retrofit Ø Heat Recovery Ø Remote Monitoring Ø Wind to Heat Ø Training
Renewable Energy: Heat Recovery Diesel generators expel up to 70% of the energy from fuel inputs as heat. ANTHC has partnered with the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative and local power companies to recover waste heat to heat water systems Wind power supply side dump loads increase heat available when integrated with power plant cooling system Heat captured from power plant cooling system displaces fuel used to heat water in WTP raw water source Water Storage Tank Water piped to community (hot) Heat Recovery Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Water piped from community (cold) back to WTP
Deering Heat Recovery ANTHC rebuilt the recovered heat system in the winter of 2013 and reduced fuel costs by$48,934.86 Each household was able to save $150/month due to the reduced fuel use
Renewable Energy: Wind to Heat ANTHC and AVEC have partnered to develop Wind to Heat systems that use the surplus electricity supplied from wind turbines to heat water for use in arctic sanitation systems. Excess electricity transfers to heat & displaces fuel used to heat water in WTP raw water source Water Storage Tank Water piped to community (hot) Wind to Heat Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Water piped from community (cold) back to WTP
Wind to Heat: Basics Power quality managed through load dispatching Demand-side loads controlled by the electric utility Water system is ideal receiver of dispatched loads due to large energy storage capacity of water Excess energy transferred via electric resistive water heaters
Wind to Heat: Benefits Displaced diesel and energy cost savings for water system Decreased oil boiler maintenance due to reduced firing Minimal O&M for secondary load equipment in water plant Additional revenue for electric utility
Wind to Heat: Equipment Dedicated 3-phase, 480V service for dispatched load 120kW, multistage boiler (tied-in before oil-fire boilers) Wind to Heat programmable logic controller (PLC) Wind to Heat relay control panel (powers boiler stages) Telemetry communication (radios) for remote control and monitoring Programmable controller for oil-fired boilers Up-sized heat exchangers as needed
Mekoryuk Wind to Heat Project Wind Turbines: 2 x Northern Power Systems model 100A Dispatched heat to water treatment plant, water storage tank, washeteria hot water, hydronic clothes dryers Estimated fuel savings 8,000 gal or $40,000 annually Cost of $0.05 per kw-h, equivalent to fuel oil at $1.46 per gallon Overall simple payback of 9.4 years Completed December 2014
Summary of Current Wind to Heat Projects
Take-Aways The high cost of Alaska s rural water systems is being addressed with both efficiency and alternative energy solutions Wind to Heat benefits both the community water system and the electric utility Wind to Heat is simple in concept, but each system must be designed and commissioned properly to achieve results Partnerships and collaboration exemplified in the current Wind to Heat projects lead to sustainable communities
Thank you Eric Hanssen, P.E., LEED AP Senior Energy Project Manager ANTHC Rural Energy Initiative echanssen@anthc.org For more information, please visit: www.anthctoday.org/dehe/cbee.html or Like us on Facebook ANTHCenergy