Power Technology Today and Tomorrow --Paths To A Sustainable Future

Energy and Sustainable Systems

Power Technology Today and Tomorrow --Paths To A Sustainable Future

Ken StrohLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos, New Mexico

Altering The Profile Of The Future:High Performance Design & ConstructionBren School, UCSBApril 20, 2002


Distributed Power - Today• Produce electric power or

mechanical shaft power close to point of use

• Transmission losses can approach zero

• Power reliability improved

• Potential to use “waste” heat

• Reduced life-cycle costs and attractive return on investment

• Even when supplemented by grid power, demand charges and peak energy charges reduced


Distributed Power Alternatives

Turbines / Microturbines

Reciprocating Engines

Fuel Cells


A Future PowerNet?

A multitude of flexible, diverse distributed power generators and Internet communications combine to

– Enable a robust PowerNet– Automatically dispatch “best” combination of nearby

generators to meet local load requirements» Cleanest?» Most efficient?» Cheapest?

– Individuals and businesses can be producers or consumers of power (or both depending on instantaneous needs & capacity)

– Self healing net , no single-point failures


Combined Heat and Power (CHP) - Today

Distributed production of electricity or shaft power on-site, with provision for using “waste” heat

Captured thermal energy can supplement or replace on-site fuel-fired or electric heating

Electric loads on site can be further reduced using “thermally activated” cooling and humidity control equipment


Combined Heat and Power Example

33% Efficient

85% Efficient

52% Efficient 85% Efficient

50% Efficient

35% Efficient

Conventional Generation

Combined Heat and Power

• Thermal losses <1/5 of conventional

• Energy-related water use from <1/5 to zero

• 40% less fuel used (which lowers emissions)

• Low-carbon fuels can substitute for coal-fired generation


Combined Heat and Power Systems CHP Systems are most viable if you have

• Reasonable thermal demand

• Thermal and electric demand match technology

• High occupancy rates/operating hours

• Need for high-quality or backup power coincident with thermal demand

• New construction or major renovation

• Centralized heating and cooling facilities

• Longer-term financial returns acceptable

• Summer peak electric rates

• High electric demand charges and peak energy usage charges


Heat Recovery Example


Thermally Activated Equipment

Absorption Chiller Desiccant Dehumidifier

• Space conditioning requires temperature and humidity control for comfort and to control microorganism growth

• A typical approach to humidity control is to over-cool incoming air to drop water out and then reheat air for temperature control

• Thermal energy from “waste” heat can replace shaft power and fired heat


Policy & Regulations – Federal, State & Local

Administration leads strong federal support for CHP– National Energy Policy– DOE & OGA Programs

» Technical» Grants

State & local differences exist in policies, regulations and incentives

DOE establishing 8 CHP Regional Application Centers (RACs) http://www.bchp.org/policy.html

http://www.bchp.org/policy.html


What Might Reshape Our Energy Future?

A sustainable (clean & renewable) energy system based on

Hydrogen that is affordable, domestically produced from diverse sources, and safely stored, dispensed and used

Fuel cells for energy conversion, in flexible systems used in all energy sectors and all regions of the country


Fuel Cells Are Like Batteries That You Supply Fuel To As Needed

Electricity

Pure Water

A fuel cell converts the chemical energy in hydrogen to electricity and water

Many cells are stacked together to get desired power

Hydrogen

Oxygen from air

How Fuel Cells Work


Where Do You Get Hydrogen?

Hydrogen can be extracted from fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane or coal as needed, or through electrolysis of water using electricity from conventional power plants

Hydrogen can be made from renewable power systems

– from water using electricity from solar photovoltaic or wind or using direct processes– from methane gas from landfills, waste treatment or biomass processing


Fuel Cell Systems Are Being DevelopedFor A Range of Powers

Residential 1 - 10kW, Automotive & Buildings 50 - 75kW, Industrial 200kW - 3MW

Power more reliable than from grid Thermal power for heating/cooling available at

about same level as electrical output Excess power can be sold or used within the

community Systems are still expensive - government

subsidies may be available for cost difference Still developmental


Small Residential Scale Systems --Not (Quite) Ready For Prime Time

Residential systems from 1-10kW are being developed


Home Power Generation Example

HomeGen 7000 GE/PlugPower– Fuel Processor for Natural Gas

or Propane– Fuel Cell System– Inverter / Power Conditioner– Waste heat interface– 45”W x 30”L x 55”H– 40% efficient at 2 kW– 29% efficient at 7 kW– > 75 % Energy Recovery (w/Thermal)– Commercial Offer Date/Price TBDImage by GE / Plug-Power


Utility / Building / Industrial Power Plants

Systems from 200kW to 3MW are being developed


Available NowUTC Fuel Cells and its licensees have delivered more than 200 PC25™ systems and have installed units in 15 countries on four continents


Clean Transportation May ActivateHuge Market Forces

Hydrogen fuel cell cars and buses are being developed


Your Parking Lot (Or Garage)As A Power Source?

If 6% of the automobiles in California were mid-sized fuel cell vehicles, they would represent an electric generating capacity exceeding what is currently generated statewide

Power demand peaks during the day when people are at work and their cars are in the parking lot

DOE is exploring the idea of “power parks” based on these mobile distributed generators

Some day you may plug your home into your electric car rather than charging your car through your home from the grid

The Fuel Cell National Resource CenterAt Los Alamos National Laboratory

No appropriate facility exists at Los Alamos No appropriate facility exists in DOE complex

Activity and facility need to– Be visible and accessible– Enable exceptional safety and

performance– Reflect positively on the

Department and Los Alamos– Reflect a sustainable energy

future– Be flexible to respond to

changing program direction

Sustainable by Design FCNRC will pilot LANL sustainable building approach,

drawing on Best Practices of– US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy &

Environmental Design (LEED) rating system– EPA/DOE Labs21 Program (21st Century

Laboratories)– GSA Design Excellence Program Guidance– DOE High Performance Building Initiative– DoD Sustainable Systems guidance & lessons

learned– Related programs and policies

Experience indicates a whole-building design approach has comparable first costs and much reduced life-cycle costs

LANL effort on sustainable design provided via overhead through the Environmental Stewardship Office

FCNRC Fuel Cell & HydrogenDemonstration Opportunity

Will consider PEM fuel cell system for building’s combined heat and power, deriving hydrogen from natural gas

– LANL has limited grid interconnects and projects electrical power shortfall

– Overall efficiency with waste heat application could be 75-85%– Technology validation and workforce training opportunity– Public demonstration and outreach opportunity– Could divert and purify portion of hydrogen-rich gas stream,

for use in vehicles or other demonstrations– Could couple with renewable hydrogen demonstration– Los Alamos could be one end of a clean transportation

corridor with Albuquerque (SNL, Kirtland AFB, DOE/ALOO)– Redundant, diverse source of on-site power could support

LANL emergency operations


Sources For Information(Both Technical and Financial)

DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Network http://www.eren.doe.gov/

DOE Cooling, Heating and Power for Buildings (technology & state-by-state information) http://www.bchp.org/

DOE/EERE Regional Offices (implement EERE strategies at state & local level) http://www.eren.doe.gov/rso.html

Hydrogen Information Network http://www.eren.doe.gov/hydrogen/

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Investor http://www.h2fc.com/defaultIE4.html

Fuel Cells 2000 http://www.fuelcells.org/

http://www.eren.doe.gov/

http://www.bchp.org/

http://www.eren.doe.gov/rso.html

http://www.eren.doe.gov/hydrogen/

http://www.h2fc.com/defaultIE4.html

http://www.fuelcells.org/


Contact Info

Ken StrohEnergy and Sustainable Systems Program Office(505) 667-7933(505) 667-4098 [email protected]://www.lanl.gov/mst/fuelcells/

Fuel cell Green Power brochure can be found athttp://education.lanl.gov/resources/fuelcells/

Documents

Power Technology Today and Tomorrow --Paths To A Sustainable Future