Infrastructure as Energy Producer - Duluth, MN

Infrastructure as a way to power Duluth’s growth goals

Jen Krava . Nissa Tupper 12.10.12

LINKS IN THE SYSTEM

Aging InfrastructureEnergy Affordability Gap

Population ChangesCarbon Emission Reductions

REALITIES

ASPIRATIONS

LINKS IN THE SYSTEM



REALITIES

ASPIRATIONS

REALITY . AGING INFRASTRUCTURE

25,879homes built prior to 1962

66%homes are more than 50 years old

more than Rochester2x

DULUTH . 25,879homes built prior to 1962

more than St. Cloud3x

more than Mankato4x

REALITY . AGING INFRASTRUCTURE

$46,110median household income

DULUTH

MN $56,954median household income

19%gap

REALITY . ENERGY AFFORDABILITY GAP

$46,110 median household incomeDULUTH

$2,900 average household energy cost


$46,110 median household incomeDULUTH $1,668energy affordability gap

$2,900 average household energy cost20

02

2012


$46,110 median household incomeDULUTH $1,668energy affordability gap

$2,900 average household energy cost

$477energy affordability gap

2002

2012

305%increase


Duluth Energy Efficiency Program

2011 2013?2012

cuts the energy affordability gap by 1/3


LINKS IN THE SYSTEM



REALITIES

ASPIRATIONS

ASPIRATION . POPULATION CHANGE

2002

2020

2010

4%increa

se

86,238people

86,265people

90,000people

84,288people

2007

ASPIRATION . REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

Carbon EmissionsDULUTH

20%reduction by 2020

“The City of Duluth will need additional projects and initiatives to meet future [CO emission] goals.” - 2008 Duluth Green House Gas Inventory Report

2

2,702,137 ton CO e22,962,811

ton CO e2



REALITIES

ASPIRATIONS

OPPORTUNITIESREWARDS

LINKS IN THE SYSTEM

The way that we can weave these realities and aspirations together and turn them into opportunities and rewards is through piezoelectricity. Piezoelectric tiles can be placed underneath the top layer of asphalt on select parts of 35W in Duluth, which is up for repaving in 2015. The top layer of the asphalt has visco-elasto-plastic qualities which make it flexible. The vehicles that pass over the tiles create compression stress. The compression stress deflects vertically and releases mechanical energy. The piezoelectric elements, in the form of tiles, captures the mechanical energy charges and converts them into electricity which can be used immediately, stored, or sent back to the grid.

Because the piezoelectric tiles are underneath a layer of asphalt, the road can be maintained the same as it would be if there weren’t any tiles. The road can be plowed and swept the same way, and the tiles themselves do not require any maintenance beyond routine system checks. The life span of the tiles is approximately 30 years, and the installation of the tiles does not change the characteristics or load reaction of the asphalt. This does not affect a car’s MPG.

There are currently five countries that we have found to have installed piezoelectric systems. Anything from a rail line in Israel, to tiles in the train station in Tokyo, underneath portions of the Veneto-Trieste highway in Italy, to underneath dance floors in England and the Netherlands. Well, why not Duluth? Installation of the piezo tiles underneath 35W would make Duluth the first city in the US and in the western hemisphere to capitalize on this technology. This installation could not only put Duluth on the map, but directly affect the mayor’s 90 by 20 goal.

We are proposing that piezo tiles be installed along the points of 35W that run through Duluth and are on the ground. This way, integrity of overpasses and bridges will not be compromised and this will also allow more energy to be created by any snow or rain that runs down the hillside and sits on the piezo tiles.

The cost of installation after grant money allocation would be approximately $1.8 million. This is what Duluth would be responsible for. This is only 27.5% of what the total cost would be if it all ten miles of the road that runs through Duluth would be repaved. The six miles of 35 that we are proposing to be lined with these tiles would produce over 22 million kilowatt hours in one year. That is 2 million more kwh than the city of Duluth operations buildings used in 2010.

As stated before, the energy produced from piezo materials can be used immediately, stored, or sent back to the grid. When being sold back to the grid, the energy company pays the holder of the kilowatts mony in the form of feed in tariffs. Feed in tariffs provide guaranteed grid access for the energy producer, long term contracts for the electricity produced and the purchase price is based on the cost of generation. The current going rate for feed in tariffs is 8.734 cents per kilowatt hour. That means that the city of Duluth could make $1.9 million on the energy produced in just one year.

An asphalt road has visco-elasto-plastic qualities which make it flexible. Compression stress from vehicles passing over the asphalt causes it to deflect vertically, releasing mechanical energy. Piezoelectic tiles capture these charges and convert them into electricity which can be used immediately, stored, or sent back into the grid.

Global energy grid

Surface layer of asphalt

Piezo tiles

Energy from piezo tiles

Road base

OPPORTUNITY . PIEZOELECTRICITY


0Maintenance

With a layer of asphalt over the piezo tiles, they do not require maintenance beyond routine system checks.

0Reduction in Car Energy

Installation of the piezo tiles do not change the characteristics or load reaction of the asphalt, thus not affecting a car’s MPG.


30Years of Life

Which just happens to be the same lifespan of a road. Reinstall at the same time that a road is repaved.


0Affect from Weather

Because there is a layer of asphalt above the piezo tiles, roads where they are installed can be plowed and swept as usual. As snow and rain fall on the road, the weight contributes to energy production.


Israel JapanItaly

The NetherlandsEngland


5Countries

Are currently using this technology. It has been installed in a roadway in Italy, a rail line in Israel, and dance club floors in the UK and the Netherlands.

DULUTH

1Duluth

Put Duluth on the map! Duluth could become the first city in the US (and Western hemisphere) to capitalize on this technology, which could directly affect the 90 by 20 city population goal


6Miles of 35W

6 miles of 35W have been chosen to be installed with piezoelectric tiles. This is the amount of highway that touches the ground. The integrity of elevated sections (bridges) of 35W will not be compromised.


DULUTH

GRANTS

INSTALL

$4,389,000M

$2,565,084M

$1,823,916M

to install 6 miles of piezo tiles

average grant money available

paid by Duluth

Cost of installationAfter grant money has been taken into consider-ation, Duluth would be responsible for this much of the installation cost.


$1,823,916M

DULUTH

REPAVE

$6,615,638 cost to repave 10 miles of 35W in 2015

$1,823,916 paid by Duluth

27.5%Of the total cost of repaving

The additional amount it would cost to install piezoelectric tiles is approximately 27.5% of the total amount it costs to repave the same section of highway.


22,580,641kwh

is estimated to be produced along the six miles of 35W installed with piezo tiles in

1 year


Piezo tiles


Road base

REWARD. ENERGY PRODUCTION

Global energy grid

1,817,630kwhmore kwh are produced by 35W in one year than city operations used in 2010. That is equivalent to

8%


PRODUCED

CITY

22,580,641

20,763,011

kwh produced in one year by 35W

kwh of electricity used by Duluth city operations in 2010

Feed In Tariffs

8.734cents

paid back to the city of Duluth per

1 kwh of energy produced


Global energy grid


Piezo tiles


Road base

Provide guaranteed grid access for energy producer.Long term contracts for the

electricity produced.Purchase prices based on

the cost of generation.

$1,972,193Mmade in one year from 6 miles of 35W

REWARD. REVENUE

8.734 centsper kwh

1,817,630kwhproduced per year

The money made from the piezo tile installation would help to reduce Duluth’s residential carbon footprint and energy use as the population is projected to increase. We propose that three funds are generated and each year would receive a specific amount of money from feed in tariffs.

The first fund would be controlled by the city and would be used to install piezotechnology on various other infrastructures, such as sea walls, interior streets, and rail lines. The cycle of these installations could run parallel to other infrastructure projects happening in the city. For example, rail lines around the new multi modal transit hub in downtown could be outfitted with the energy harnessing technology and any energy produced could either be used to power the hub or the feed in tariffs could be used to help pay for the new hub.

The second fund would be used to provide money to retro fit homes so that they are more energy efficient. This fund would extend and expand the current Duluth’s Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) by offering a larger “menu “ of items for residents upgrading their homes. This program would cut the energy affordability gap in half.

Implementation Timeline


517kton CO e2

514kton CO e2

510kton CO e2

502kton CO e2

494kton CO e2

474kton CO e2 455k

ton CO e2435kton CO e2

415kton CO e2 395k

ton CO e2 375kton CO e2

1.307BkWh

1.306BkWh

1.304BkWh

1.300BkWh

1.296BkWh 1.287B

kWh 1.277BkWh 1.267B


kWh 1.238BkWh

87.3kpeople

88.1kpeople

88.5kpeople

89.2kpeople

90.0kpeople

90.7kpeople

91.5kpeople

92.2kpeople

93.0kpeople

93.8kpeople

94.6kpeople

2015 2016 2017 2019 2020 20252021 2023 20242022 2026 2028 203220292027 2031 2033 2034 2036 2037 2038 2039 2041 2042 20442043 2045 2046 2047 2048 2049201420132012 20502040203520302018

$7.0M$6.0M$5.9M$5.7M$3.4M$2.4M$1.9M $4.9M $5.8M

INFR

ASTR

UCTU

RE . P

OWER

ING DU

LUTH

’S GO

ALS

Duluth ResidentialCarbon Emissions

Duluth Residential Electricity Use

DuluthPopulation

piezo install on Railto fund Industry

piezo install on I-35to fund Neighborhoods

piezo install on Mesaba Ave. to fund Infrastructure

piezo install on Lake Ave.to fund Infrastructure

piezo install on Superior St.to fund Infrastructure

piezo install on Lake Wallsto fund Environment


re-install piezo on I-35


new Revenue Stream

Neighborhood Connections

Neighborhood Energy Efficiency

additional 774ton CO e reduction/year2

1.9M kWh reduction/year

Jen

Kra

va .

Nis

sa T

upp

er

LA 8

206

12.

10.1

2

city fund24%38%38%

neighborhood energy efficiency

neighborhood connections

city fund24%31%31%



14%new install

56% city fund22%22%



city fund32%14%

14%neighborhood energy efficiency


40%new install

city fund33%14%14%



39%new install

city fund47%14%14%



25%new install

city fund11%12%12%



65%new install

city fund35%16%16%



33%new install

city fund45%14%14%



27%new install

Implementation Timeline


517kton CO e2

514kton CO e2

510kton CO e2

502kton CO e2

494kton CO e2

474kton CO e2 455k

ton CO e2435kton CO e2

415kton CO e2 395k

ton CO e2 375kton CO e2

1.307BkWh

1.306BkWh

1.304BkWh

1.300BkWh

1.296BkWh 1.287B



kWh 1.238BkWh

87.3kpeople

88.1kpeople

88.5kpeople

89.2kpeople

90.0kpeople

90.7kpeople

91.5kpeople

92.2kpeople

93.0kpeople

93.8kpeople

94.6kpeople

2015 2016 2017 2019 2020 20252021 2023 20242022 2026 2028 203220292027 2031 2033 2034 2036 2037 2038 2039 2041 2042 20442043 2045 2046 2047 2048 2049201420132012 20502040203520302018

$7.0M$6.0M$5.9M$5.7M$3.4M$2.4M$1.9M $4.9M $5.8M

INFR

ASTR

UCTU

RE . P

OWER

ING DU

LUTH

’S GO

ALS

Duluth ResidentialCarbon Emissions

Duluth Residential Electricity Use

DuluthPopulation


piezo install on I-35to fund Neighborhoods

piezo install on Mesaba Ave. to fund Infrastructure

piezo install on Lake Ave.to fund Infrastructure

piezo install on Superior St.to fund Infrastructure



re-install piezo on I-35


new Revenue Stream

Neighborhood Connections

Neighborhood Energy Efficiency

additional 774ton CO e reduction/year2

1.9M kWh reduction/year

Jen

Kra

va .

Nis

sa T

upp

er

LA 8

206

12.

10.1

2

city fund24%38%38%



city fund24%31%31%



14%new install

56% city fund22%22%



city fund32%14%

14%neighborhood energy efficiency


40%new install

city fund33%14%14%



39%new install

city fund47%14%14%



25%new install

city fund11%12%12%



65%new install

city fund35%16%16%



33%new install

city fund45%14%14%



27%new install

Neighborhood Fund

The third fund would be dedicated to neighborhoods and used to upgrade infrastructure. The upgrades would incorporate piezotechnology installations to produce energy and money for the neighborhood. We started looking at five specific neighborhoods within Duluth; all have comprehensive plans, active communities, and common goals. These neighborhoods are Morgan Park, West Duluth, Lincoln Park and the combined Central and East Hillside communities. Morgan Park provided us with an opportunitiy to show how this technology can mark the future developments for the community. The technology would be in the form of poles that bend in the wind or when covered with snow, which create compression on piezotiles to produce energy.

Former: US Steel siteFuture: Piezo production site

Morgan ParkMaster Plan

Entrances to Morgan Park

88th Avenue West: Business district and former middle school as mixed use development

Connections to Lake Superior. Recreation areas, nature center, defunct rail lines turned to trails.

Heat Lamp

Lamp

Piezo Tiles

Poles bend with wind, creating energy

Nissa [email protected]

Jen [email protected]

Design

Infrastructure as Energy Producer - Duluth, MN