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Sag Line Mitigator is Ready

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We’ve been following SLiM for a long time (see below), and it’s a proud moment now to see this program come to the point of actual commercialization.  Industry testing has been extensive and very successful.

They are ready to take orders.  Delivery in small quantities can be fairly prompt, and they are in the process of raising funds to ramp up production (investor inquiries welcome).

Here’s the text from the new brochure, from the newly incorporated company, Power Transmission Solutions, Inc. (PTS)  (Until the website is up, let me know if you’d like me to send you the pdf of the brochure.)

———-
The Sagging Line Mitigator (SLiM) is a new class of transmission line hardware that fixes the sagging problem of transmission lines at just the right time. By using state-of-the-art materials and a proven and patented concept, SLiM reacts to increasing conductor temperature by decreasing the effective length of conductor in the span. The impact is a decrease in line sag during the high temperature and/or high loading conditions.

 — SLiM solves sag problems rather than just monitoring them
 — SLiM allows for increased power flow and avoids clearance issues
 — SLiM is maintenance free
 — SLiM is fail-safe and practically indestructible

SLiM was originally developed by Material Integrity Solution, Inc. (MIS), of Berkeley, CA with funding from California Energy Commission. It has been extensively studied and tested by MIS, PG&E, Hydro Quebec (IREQ) and Kinectrics. SLiM has been installed at San Diego G&E since May of 2004 as part of a Tailored Collaboration demonstration project with the EPRI on behalf of SDGE, PG&E, SCE, PSNM, ConEd, BC Hydro, National Grid Transco (UK), Northeast Utilities, and the California Energy Commission.

SLiM is distributed by Maurice Pincoffs. To order the device, to determine how SLiM device can solve your specific sag problem, to design optimum SLiM location(s) for your specific situation, or , just for more information please contact:
  Dariush Shirmohammadi (PTS) at 310.858.1174,  d.shir@PTranSolutions.com

or George Rose (Pincoffs) at 713.681.5461,  glr@pincoffs.com
———-

   Power Transmission Solutions, Inc.
   Berkeley, CA   510-594-0302
       http://www.PTranSolutions.com

———
UFTO’s long history with SLiM:
– Oct 2002:  UFTO Note – Short Subjects
– Mar 2000: UFTO Note – Sag Line Mitigator -UPDATE
– Jun 1999: UFTO Note – T Line Sag Mitigator Gets Funding; Partner Wanted
– Mar 1999: UFTO Note – Sagging Line Mitigator

DG Update

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Has DG (distributed generation) gone quiet, or mainstream, or both?  Meanwhile, the DOE program has not done well in the proposed budget.  Congressional earmarks are taking up so much money that DOE is forced to cancel some ongoing DG applications projects.

 Here are some developments and updates.

 – DUIT Facility Up and Running 
 – CADER Meeting  Jan. 2004
 – IEEE 1547 Interconnection Standards
 – PG&E DG Interconnection program

            ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Distributed Utility Integration Test Facility

The Distributed Utility Integration Test (DUIT) is the first full-scale, integration test of commercial-grade, utility grid interactive Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in the U.S.  DUIT addresses a key technical issue: electrical implications of operating multiple, diverse DERs at high penetration levels within a utility distribution system.  DUIT’s test plan is intended to focus on grid interaction, integration and aggregation issues, not on DER technology itself. 

After an exhaustive study of program goals and alternative sites, DOE selected the facilities at PG&E’s Modular Generation Test Facility in San Ramon, CA as the home of the new DUIT Facility.  Pre existing buildings, labs and professional staff helped make the choice, along with the adjacent test substation and high-current yard.  The site held an official opening ceremony in August 2003.

The facility offers a realistic yet controlled laboratory environment, enabling  testing of normal and abnormal operational conditions without interfering with a customer’s electric service. DG equipment at the site is commercially available and all on loan to the project from the vendors:  Inverters, rotating machinery, and generation and storage devices. DUIT provides a full-scale multi-megawatt implementation, testing and demonstration of distributed generation technologies in a realistic utility installation.

Utilities may want to take note that DUIT will be confirming and testing to the newly passed IEEE 1547 Interconnection standard, which is expected to be adopted by a large number of state regulators and legislators. Similarly, for California, DUIT will  be testing to the Rule 21 document.

To inquire about prospective DUIT project participation, technical specifications, test plans, project plans or the DUIT white paper, contact the DUIT Project Team.  Reports will be issued by CEC and other sponsors beginning this Summer, and information will be available on the DUIT website:
        http://www.dua1.com/DUIT

Contact:
Susan Horgan, DUIT Project Leader
    Distributed Utility Associates
     925-447-0625      susan@dua1.com

For the complete history:
"DUIT: Distributed Utility Integration Test", NREL/SR-560-34389, August 2003 (250 pages)
    http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/34389.pdf

         ^^^^^^^^^^^^

CADER (California Alliance for Distributed Energy Resources)

The 2004 DG conference in San Diego on January 26-28, 2004 had 202 attendees.
    http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/Conference2004.html

Presentations are posted on CADER’s website at  www.cader.org or go directly to:
   http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/2004Presentations/Presentations.html

The draft DG-DER Cost and Benefit Primer was developed as a first step to support the discussions at the "Costs and Benefits of DER" session at the Conference on January 26-28, 2004. Comments about the document can be provided via the CADER member list-server to reach all members.
   http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/Papers.html

        ^^^^^^^^^^^^

IEEE 1547 Update

As you know, "IEEE 1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems" was approved by the IEEE Standards Board in June 2003. It was approved as an American National Standard in October 2003. (available for purchase from IEEE:      http://standards.ieee.org

SCC21 develops and coordinates new IEEE standards and maintains existing standards developed under past SCC21 projects. These include the original 1547, along with the four spinoff efforts.

> P1547.1 Conformance Test Procedures for Equipment Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems (EPS)  (draft standard)

> P1547.2 Draft Application Guide for the IEEE 1547 Standard

> P1547.3 Monitoring, Information Exchange, and Control of Distributed Resources Interconnected with EPS (draft guide)

> P1547.4 Design, Operation, and Integration of Distributed Resource Island Systems with EPS  (draft guide)

#1 and 2 have drafts out to their working groups for review.  #1 expects to be ready for ballot early in 2005.
#3 has just completed a draft.
#4 has just been approved as a new initiative, and will be organized over the coming summer.

Complete information is available at:
   http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc21/wg.html

The next meeting of the IEEE 1547 series working groups will be April 20-22, 2004 in San Francisco. The P1547.1, P1547.2, and P1547.3 working groups will meet concurrently 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Working groups will be meeting separately – no plenary session is planned.  Details at:
  http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc21/1547.1/1547.1_archives.html

          ^^^^^^^^^^^^

PG&E DG Interconnection program

PG&E held a Distributed Generation (DG) Workshop last December 10. The free event provided PG&E customers and the DG community with practical information on how to navigate the various Electric Rule 21 application and interconnection review processes – from initial application through to permission to parallel with PG&E’s electric distribution system. The focus of the workshop was to communicate PG&E’s internal DG processes and interconnection technical requirements to the DG community. (For details on California’s Rule 21, see:
  http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/california_requirements.html)

PG&E has set up an entire cross-company team to deal with all aspects of DG interconnection in a coordinated way.  They appear to be very committed to low hassle, low cost, minimum time for DG projects. A great deal of information about PG&E’s program, (including the 117 page powerpoint from the workshop) is available at: http://www.pge.com/gen

Jerry Jackson, Team Leader
415-973-3655   GRJ4@pge.com

PS- Jerry’s office generously offers to send a hard copy on request of the nearly 2 inch thick binder that was handed out at the workshop.

       ———CALIFORNIA RULE 21 ——-
CPUC:  http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/industry/electric/distributed+generation/index.htm
CEC:    http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/index.html

After passing Rule 21 in Dec 2000, California PUC established, and the CEC coordinated, a working group of all DG stakeholders. Electric Rule 21 Working Group meetings have been held about once a month since mid 2001.  The purpose is to establish procedures and work through issues to simplify and expedite interconnection projects.  (Agenda and minutes are at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/work_group.html)

  California Interconnection Guidebook
  Publication # 500-03-083F
  PDF file, 94 pages, 1.1 megabytes) online November 13, 2003.
  http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/guide_book.html

The Guidebook is intended to help a person or project team interconnect one or more electricity generators to the local electric utility grid in California under California Rule 21. Rule 21 applies only to the three electric utilities in California that are under jurisdiction of the California PUC: PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E. The Guidebook is written as an aid to interconnection in these utility areas. It may also be useful for interconnection in some municipal utility areas with interconnection rules resembling Rule 21, principally Riverside, SMUD, and the LADWP.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Recommended:   DG Monitor, a free email newsletter from Resource Dynamics Corp. Archive and subscription at:
    http://www.distributed-generation.com/

Short Subjects

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– Cleantech Forum NY Oct 21
– EESAT SF Oct 27
– WSJ on Cold Fusion, Gasification
– Transmission Line Sag Mitigator
– Mechanical De-Icer
– UFTO comments
– Reinventing Corporate R&D

*****************

Cleantech Venture Forum III

Next week, New York City. The Cleantech Venture Forum III starts on Tuesday afternoon Oct 21 with some pre-conference workshops. I’ll be presenting information about Federal technology resources. The conference gets into full swing on Wed.

The Forum program will have nearly thirty investor presentations and refinements based on participant feedback from previous events. The quality of presenting companies is excellent with the 21 private companies on show collectively having revenue of over $100 million, thereby demonstrating “market traction” for cleantech products and services, from alternative energy to water purification.

The Forum will take place in a positive climate for cleantech venturing. The $641 million invested in clean technology ventures during the first two quarters of 2003 is 22% higher than the $524 million invested over the same period last year, according to the most recent issue of the Cleantech Venture Monitor released this week. “Cleantech” doubled its venture capital market share to 8% during Q1-Q2 2003 from 4% in 2002. Nearly 100 cleantech companies were funded in the first half of 2003.

An executive summary of the most recent Cleantech Venture Monitor downloaded from
http://www.cleantechventure.com/index.cfm?pageSRC=InvestmentReports

The Cleantech III program agenda can be found at:
http://www.cleantechventure.com/index.cfm?pageSRC=Agenda

*****************

Electric Energy Storage Applications & Technology
The EESAT 2003 meeting is in San Francisco, Oct 27-29. I plan to attend on the 28-29th. Hope to see you there. Complete information at http://www.sandia.gov/eesat

*****************

The Wall Street Journal seems to be taking an increasing interest in energy technology.

A. There was a good report Sept. 5 on Cold Fusion, describing a conference the previous week with 150 scientists who continue to make progress, despite the inability to publish, get funding, or avoid risks to careers. The article concludes that whether or not the science is “pathological” (as the establishment holds), the failure to permit or provide honest scrutiny of the evidence certainly is a worse refutation of the scientific method.
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106270936017252700,00.html

— Check out UFTO.COM’s “recommended reading” item on Cold Fusion
http://www.ufto.com/documentspublic/uftoextras.html#”Excess%20Heat:%20Why%20Cold%20Fusion%20Research%20Prevailed”

B. Gasification, the basis of the Billion $ DOE plan for “FutureGen”, i.e. zero- emission coal power plant of the future, and CO2 capture/sequestration, are both actually being profitably performed at a decades-old powerplant that was nearly scrapped long ago.
“From Obsolete to Cutting Edge” October 15. In 1988, Basin Electric Power Cooperative took over an experimental facility known as the Weyburn Project, begun in the 70’s. They make methane from lignite, and also sell CO2 via pipeline to oil well operators, who inject it into wells to increase recovery, while possibly sequestering the CO2.
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106618439869515100,00.html

*****************

Transmission Line Sag Mitigator
Remember this. The program has made steady progress with CEC (Calif Energy Commission) funding, and it became the subject of an EPRI TC project, following full scale tests at PG&E in the summer of 2002. Developers are in negotiations with manufacturers, so they’re on their way to commercialization, and are looking for partners for business development.

Contact: Manuchehr Shir 510-594-0300 x202 m.shir@misolution.com

CEC issued a newsrelease recently:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/2003_releases/2003-10-02_line_mitigator.html.

Get the full story by downloading:
http://www.misolution.com/SLiM%20Story%209-3-03.pdf

UFTO Note 29 Jun 1999 – T Line Sag Mitigator Gets Funding; Partner Wanted
http://198.63.37.164/clients-only/uftonotes99.html

UFTO Note 01 Oct 2002 – Short Subjects (previous update)

*****************

Passive Mechanical De-Icer
MIS has come up with another innovation for transmission lines — to mechanically prevent ice buildup on bundled conductor by delivering lateral vibration to the line. MIS has shown the initial feasibility of this approach by both dynamic simulations (using finite element methods) and by small scale testing. The central concept of this device, called the De-Icer Device (pat. pending), is that it will prevent, as opposed to remove, ice buildup. It is a passive mechanical device (no electronics) that will function on de-energized lines. It is designed to be installed between existing spacers or, in some cases, replace spacers.

Contact: Manuchehr Shir 510-594-0300 x202 m.shir@misolution.com
or Dr. Ram Adapa, EPRI, regarding the TC 650-855-8988 radapa@epri.com

http://www.epriweb.com/public/000000000001009165.pdf

*****************

A Note to UFTO Clients:

UFTO needs feedback. Please let me know any comments or suggestions of ways I can make UFTO more valuable to you. What recent UFTO Notes have you found especially interesting? Also, visit the website and tell me how it could be enhanced. (Have you seen the new features on both the public and clients-only areas?)

Coming Soon, to an UFTO Note near you…
*** Let me know which ones you think I should do first.**

– Distributed Utility Integration Test (DUIT) Facility Opens
– Enzyme, microbial fuel cells and hydrogen
– Thermal water splitting
– More New New Solar
– Wave, tidal, ocean power
– New progress in Li polymer batteries
– Powerplant exhaust to solar biomass
– Gas-to-Liquids (GTL)..old old technology taking off

****************

Reinventing Corporate R&D
“Now even companies with big research budgets don’t try to invent everything in-house”

It was great to see this article in Business Week recently (September 22, 2003). It says that ” a new R&D model is emerging, dubbed open innovation. Companies of all sizes are rounding up more partners, big and small, than ever before, and they’re casting wide research nets, snapping up work at diverse corporate, government, and academic labs.” It also mentions that “P&G has 53 “technology scouts” who search beyond company walls for promising innovations.”

So! What does that remind you of??

http://www.businessweek.com/cgi-bin/register/archive.cgi?c=&y=03&w=38&h=b3850067.htm

T&D R&D Gaining Attention

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Here are some high-level pointers to an array of resources related to ongoing developments in T&D research, sponsored by DOE, NSF and the CEC (Calif Energy Commission), which demonstrate a new level of attention to grid reliability and security.

Let me know if I can be helpful digging deeper into any of these areas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DOE – Office of Electricity Transmission and Distribution

The Dept. of Energy will announce, perhaps as early as next week, the creation of a new office for T&D reporting directly to the Secretary, as recommended in the National Transmission Grid Study* done last year. The Office of Electricity Transmission and Distribution will start with a budget of $85 million, however all but $8 or 9 million is already committed to earmarks ($27 M) and high temperature superconductors ($40 M). The office will be headed by Jimmy Glotfelty, an assistant to Abrahams. The staff currently in the Transmission Reliability Program in EERE will move over to the new office.

Meanwhile next week, a new Center will be dedicated at Oak Ridge:
http://www.ornl.gov/ORNL/Energy_Eff/nttrcdedication.htm

The dedication of the National Transmission Technology Research Center (NTTRC) and the Powerline Conductor Accelerated Facility (PCAT), the first working facility of four planned for the Center, will be held March 25. The Center, sponsored by ORNL, DOE, and TVA, will test and evaluate advanced technologies, including conductors, sensors and controls, and power electronics, under a wide range of electrical conditions without jeopardizing normal operations. The first component of the NTTRC, the PCAT facility, is initiating its first test protocol with 3M’s advanced Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced conductor.
— Overview of NTTRC:
http://www.ornl.gov/ORNL/Energy_Eff/PDFs/NTTRCoverview.pdf

The existing Transmission Reliability Program was reestablished by Congress in 1999 to conduct research on the reliability of the Nation’s electricity infrastructure during the transition to competitive markets under restructuring.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/der/transmission/
Go to “Documents and Resources” for recent studies and materials.

*(May 2002 http://www.energy.gov/NTGS/reports.html)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Calif Energy Commission

The CEC Public Interest Energy Research program (PIER) has a very active effort underway in Transmission Research. They recently released a 140 page “Electricity Transmission Research and Development Assessment and Gap Analysis – Draft Consultant Report” — now available online along with other materials and presentations:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/pier/strat/strat_research_trans6.html

This report is one of two reports which were discussed at a public workshop held March 12, 2003 at the CEC.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

National Science Foundation
Directorate for Engineering, Elec. And Communications Systems
http://www.eng.nsf.gov/ecs/

1. Workshop on Modernizing the Electric Power Grid, Nov 02
— http://eent1.tamu.edu/nsfw/index.htm

Starting on slide 14 of James Momoh’s presentation there is a good overview of the EPNES initiative (next item)
http://eent1.tamu.edu/nsfw/documents/Presentation_JMo.ppt

2. NSF/ONR Partnership in Electric Power Networks Efficiency and Security (EPNES)
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02188/nsf02188.htm

This solicitation seeks to obtain major advances in the integration of new concepts in control, modeling, component technology, social and economics theories for electrical power networks’ efficiency and security. It also encourages development of new interdisciplinary research-based curriculum… Proposals were due Feb 3.

3. The Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC)
PSERC is an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, involving a consortium of13 universities working with government and industry. The website has a huge array of reports and publications.
http://www.pserc.wisc.edu/

For the NSF’s “fact sheet”, see:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf01168/nsf01168ee.htm

DG Update

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Has DG (distributed generation) gone quiet, or mainstream, or both? Meanwhile, the DOE program has not done well in the proposed budget. Congressional earmarks are taking up so much money that DOE is forced to cancel some ongoing DG applications projects.

Here are some developments and updates.

– DUIT Facility Up and Running
– CADER Meeting Jan. 2004
– IEEE 1547 Interconnection Standards
– PG&E DG Interconnection program

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Distributed Utility Integration Test Facility (DUIT)

The Distributed Utility Integration Test (DUIT) is the first full-scale, integration test of commercial-grade, utility grid interactive Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in the U.S. DUIT addresses a key technical issue: electrical implications of operating multiple, diverse DERs at high penetration levels within a utility distribution system. DUIT’s test plan is intended to focus on grid interaction, integration and aggregation issues, not on DER technology itself.

After an exhaustive study of program goals and alternative sites, DOE selected the facilities at PG&E’s Modular Generation Test Facility in San Ramon, CA as the home of the new DUIT Facility. Pre existing buildings, labs and professional staff helped make the choice, along with the adjacent test substation and high-current yard. The site held an official opening ceremony in August 2003.

The facility offers a realistic yet controlled laboratory environment, enabling testing of normal and abnormal operational conditions without interfering with a customer’s electric service. DG equipment at the site is commercially available and all on loan to the project from the vendors: Inverters, rotating machinery, and generation and storage devices. DUIT provides a full-scale multi-megawatt implementation, testing and demonstration of distributed generation technologies in a realistic utility installation.

Utilities may want to take note that DUIT will be confirming and testing to the newly passed IEEE 1547 Interconnection standard, which is expected to be adopted by a large number of state regulators and legislators. Similarly, for California, DUIT will be testing to the Rule 21 document.

To inquire about prospective DUIT project participation, technical specifications, test plans, project plans or the DUIT white paper, contact the DUIT Project Team. Reports will be issued by CEC and other sponsors beginning this Summer, and information will be available on the DUIT website:
http://www.dua1.com/DUIT

Contact:
Susan Horgan, DUIT Project Leader
Distributed Utility Associates
925-447-0625 susan@dua1.com

For the complete history:
"DUIT: Distributed Utility Integration Test", NREL/SR-560-34389, August 2003 (250 pages)
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/34389.pdf

^^^^^^^^^^^^

CADER (California Alliance for Distributed Energy Resources)

The 2004 DG conference in San Diego on January 26-28, 2004 had 202 attendees.
http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/Conference2004.html

Presentations are posted on CADER’s website at www.cader.org or go directly to:
http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/2004Presentations/Presentations.html

The draft DG-DER Cost and Benefit Primer was developed as a first step to support the discussions at the "Costs and Benefits of DER" session at the Conference on January 26-28, 2004. Comments about the document can be provided via the CADER member list-server to reach all members.
http://www.cader.org/2004Conference/Papers.html

^^^^^^^^^^^^

IEEE 1547 Update

As you know, "IEEE 1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems" was approved by the IEEE Standards Board in June 2003. It was approved as an American National Standard in October 2003. (available for purchase from IEEE: http://standards.ieee.org

SCC21 develops and coordinates new IEEE standards and maintains existing standards developed under past SCC21 projects. These include the original 1547, along with the four spinoff efforts.

> P1547.1 Conformance Test Procedures for Equipment Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems (EPS) (draft standard)

> P1547.2 Draft Application Guide for the IEEE 1547 Standard

> P1547.3 Monitoring, Information Exchange, and Control of Distributed Resources Interconnected with EPS (draft guide)

> P1547.4 Design, Operation, and Integration of Distributed Resource Island Systems with EPS (draft guide)

#1 and 2 have drafts out to their working groups for review. #1 expects to be ready for ballot early in 2005.
#3 has just completed a draft.
#4 has just been approved as a new initiative, and will be organized over the coming summer.

Complete information is available at:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc21/wg.html

The next meeting of the IEEE 1547 series working groups will be April 20-22, 2004 in San Francisco. The P1547.1, P1547.2, and P1547.3 working groups will meet concurrently 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Working groups will be meeting separately – no plenary session is planned. Details at:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc21/1547.1/1547.1_archives.html

^^^^^^^^^^^^

PG&E DG Interconnection program

PG&E held a Distributed Generation (DG) Workshop last December 10. The free event provided PG&E customers and the DG community with practical information on how to navigate the various Electric Rule 21 application and interconnection review processes – from initial application through to permission to parallel with PG&E’s electric distribution system. The focus of the workshop was to communicate PG&E’s internal DG processes and interconnection technical requirements to the DG community. (For details on California’s Rule 21, see:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/california_requirements.html)

PG&E has set up an entire cross-company team to deal with all aspects of DG interconnection in a coordinated way. They appear to be very committed to low hassle, low cost, minimum time for DG projects. A great deal of information about PG&E’s program, (including the 117 page powerpoint from the workshop) is available at: http://www.pge.com/gen

Jerry Jackson, Team Leader
415-973-3655 GRJ4@pge.com

PS- Jerry’s office generously offers to send a hard copy on request of the nearly 2 inch thick binder that was handed out at the workshop.

———CALIFORNIA RULE 21 ——-
CPUC: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/industry/electric/distributed+generation/index.htm
CEC: http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/index.html

After passing Rule 21 in Dec 2000, California PUC established, and the CEC coordinated, a working group of all DG stakeholders. Electric Rule 21 Working Group meetings have been held about once a month since mid 2001. The purpose is to establish procedures and work through issues to simplify and expedite interconnection projects. (Agenda and minutes are at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/work_group.html)

California Interconnection Guidebook
Publication # 500-03-083F
PDF file, 94 pages, 1.1 megabytes) online November 13, 2003.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/distgen/interconnection/guide_book.html

The Guidebook is intended to help a person or project team interconnect one or more electricity generators to the local electric utility grid in California under California Rule 21. Rule 21 applies only to the three electric utilities in California that are under jurisdiction of the California PUC: PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E. The Guidebook is written as an aid to interconnection in these utility areas. It may also be useful for interconnection in some municipal utility areas with interconnection rules resembling Rule 21, principally Riverside, SMUD, and the LADWP.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Recommended: DG Monitor, a free email newsletter from Resource Dynamics Corp. Archive and subscription at:
http://www.distributed-generation.com/

Small Modular Biopower System

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Beginning in 1999, Community Power Corp (CPC) joined with NREL and Shell Renewables to develop a new generation of small modular biopower systems (SMB), designed to replace conventional diesel generators and to free communities from dependence on diesel fuel, with its high cost and environmental damage.

CPC’s fully automated SMB system can use a variety of biomass fuels to generate electricity and thermal energy for rural communities, enterprises and social services, and usually solving a agricultural residue disposal problem at the same time. The initial prototype SMB, rated at 12 1/2 kWe, is performing well in a Philippine village, since it’s commissioning on 2 April 2001.

With support from the Calif Energy Commission, CPC is now installing a second SMB on the Hoopa Valley Indian Tribe reservation in northern California. Fueled with forest residue, the unit will supply heat and power to a greenhouse, and CO2 enriched exhaust gases will also aid plant growth.

CPC’s advanced design, downdraft gasifier with fully integrated and automatic controls, produces an extremely clean combustible gas from a variety of woody fuels. The “producer” gas is conditioned and fed into a standard internal combustion engine genset for conversion to mechanical, electrical, and thermal power. Future systems will be adapted to SOFC fuel cells, microturbines, stirling and other IC engines.

Specifications and Features
– Combined heat and power operation for rural electrification and distributed generation applications;
– Environmentally friendly, non-condensing system without scrubbers, effluents or hazardous wastes;
– Fully automatic, closed-loop control of all components including gasifier, gas conditioning and genset;
– Dispatchable power within one minute of auto-startup ? uses no diesel fuel or gasoline;
– Fuel flexible: wood pellets, coconut shells, wood chips, corn cobs, palm nut shells;
– Electrical output in blocks from 5kWe to 25kWe; 120 and 240 VAC; 50 and 60 Hz;
– Modular, transportable, no need for on-site buildings or waste water disposal, 1 day installation.

Remarkably, Community Power actually first identified a market and need, and then developed SMB as the technology to meet it, rather than the other way around. The founders were experienced in the electrification of offgrid communities using conventional renewable energy technologies (PV, wind).

To serve this large, demanding market, (over 4 million communities) CPC specified a system that was sized for the typical un-electrified community; automated to prevent reliance on unskilled operators; mobile to facilitate easy installation and relocation; able to operate without the co-mixing of any fossil fuels; modular and scalable; and perhaps most importantly, one that met stringent environmental requirements with no liquid effluents or toxic wastes.

Worldwide, millions of potential customers annually dispose of billions of tons of forest and agricultural residues through burning or dumping, generating both air pollution and green house gases. Where these consumers have a sustainable source of biomass residue and where fossil fuel is either very expensive or not readily available, the SMB can be the lowest cost and greenest solution.

(A point that’s often missed in thinking about 3rd world village power– a large fraction of these communities do have currency, and already spend too much of it on energy, as currently their only choices are diesel or lead-acid batteries carried to distant charging stations–both of which are expensive and dirty. These communities can afford, and will welcome, to pay for a cheaper better local source of power.)

The company website has a great deal more information:
http://www.gocpc.com/

A recent slide presentation can be found at:
http://www.energy2001.ee.doe.gov/RenewablApps/S5-Walt/sld001.htm

Contact: Robb R. Walt
rwalt@gocpc.com 303- 933-3135
Community Power Corp., Littleton, Co

——-
There was a recent article in the Far Eastern Economic Review regarding CPC and the use of coconuts as fuel for their small modular bipower system that has been installed in the village of Alaminos in the Phillipines.
http://www.feer.com/2001/0104_05/p036innov.html

——–
( 1 Aug email from Walt Robb, one of the founders)

Big news: Due to our efforts, by the end of September the DOE and US Forest Service will provide CPC with a non-competitive “Phase 3” add-on to our current SMB contract. The add-on will total $3.2 million over 2 1/2 years. We must secure $1.2 million of the $3.2 as cost share (38%). The cost share can come from multiple sources. Already, we have been contacted/visited by firms interested in the possibility of leveraging these funds.
Other news:
1. We have won two SBIR’s
2. California Energy Commission has specifically stated they are ready to give us a significant add-on to scale-up our SMB platform to 50 kW and conduct many more demos in California
3. The US Army has expressed interest in our 25kW SMB and 5 kW micro-modular biomass hybrid power system for their “Zero Foot Print Camp” program
4. A Massachusetts company has proposed a $350,000 demo in the state with state funding
5. The new trailer-mounted SMB for Hoopa is exceeding all of our expectations.
6. Art is back from vacation at Deep Creek Lake and didn’t catch any fish.

Wind Turbine Co Making Progress

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THE WIND TURBINE COMPANY

We first reported about WTC’s work in an UFTO Note 12 Dec 1996. The story is the same, except for the tremendous progress they’ve made in less than 3 years — pretty much according to their original plan!

The material below was adapted from the executive summary of their current business plan.

Wind energy is the fastest growing segment of the renewable energy industry and is by far the most economic form of grid-connected renewable electricity. Today, wind generated electricity costs as little as 5¢/kWh, and installed global wind energy capacity has increased by more than 25% annually since 1990. It now exceeds 11,000 MW. In 1998 alone, over 2,000 MW with a value exceeding $2 billion was installed. This figure is expected to increase to $5 billion by 2003.

The Wind Turbine Company (“WTC”) has developed new wind turbine technology that promises to slash 30% or more from the cost of wind generated power compared with today’s wind turbines. WTC did a ground-up, total system-level design of a 2-bladed downwind turbine (i.e. the turbine rotor blades operate downwind of the tower) whose principal advantage lies in its ability to shed excessive wind loads. This is in contrast to conventional upwind machines (i.e. blades upwind of the tower), which must be built sufficiently strong, rigid and consequently heavy, to absorb all foreseeable wind loads and avoid catastrophic blade-tower strikes.

Since the wind pushing on the blades causes them to bend in the direction the wind is blowing, blades oriented downwind of the tower can be made much less rigid than blades upwind of the tower. WTC’s turbine will weigh only 60% as much as a comparably rated 3-blade, upwind turbine. Its lighter weight will permit WTC’s turbine to operate higher above ground (100 meters or more) than is economic for upwind turbines, thus exposing it to higher winds resulting in more energy production. Lower weight and higher energy capture combine to provide a substantial reduction in the cost of wind generated electricity. The design incorporates a “yaw” braking mechanism to dampen the response to sudden changes in wind direction, a feature lacking in earlier downwind designs by Carter and others.

Windfarms using the WTC Turbine will be able to will produce power for an unsubsidized price of 3.5¢/kWh or less, including all capital and O&M.

WTC was founded in 1989 and has invested over $6 million in its technology. In 1995, WTC was selected by DOE for a $22 million contract to develop a 250 kW proof-of-concept (“POC”) turbine, followed by two full-scale 1000 kW wind turbines, over a 6-year period. This is the second largest wind energy contract ever awarded by DOE and the largest contract ever awarded by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The POC turbine should be operational in early 2000. (I have a photo I can send on request – jpeg format).

In 1998, WTC received a $950,000 contract from the California Energy Commission to develop a 500 kW commercial prototype to be developed early in 2000, following completion of initial POC testing. This unit will be operational in mid 2000. Commercial sales of 500 kW units will start in 2001, when WTC also plans to begin development of a 1000 kW commercial prototype.

To overcome market penetration barriers due to developers taking a wait-and-see attitude over concerns about technology and financial risk, WTC will develop and operate its own windfarms. In parallel with its manufacturing operation, WTC will establish project development and operating entities to manage windfarms using WTC’s equipment.

WTC’s initial project development strategy is to focus on the U.S. market where there is ample opportunity and relatively easy and inexpensive accessibility for Company personnel to ensure successful windfarm development and operation. WTC has already begun discussions with potential project participants and sources of financing for two separate projects. WTC is also looking to form partnerships with existing independent power developers to further leverage its project development effort.

WTC is now seeking up to $5 million in additional funding to satisfy match funding requirements under its NREL and CEC contracts, hire additional staff, develop its initial windfarm opportunities, and establish strategic partnerships with potential suppliers and customers. A detailed Business Plan is available upon execution of WTC’s Confidentiality Agreement.

For further information, please contact:

Lawrence W. Miles, President
The Wind Turbine Company, Bellevue, WA 98004
425-637-1470 MilesLW@msn.com

Sanford J. Selman, Managing Director
Energy & Environmental Ventures LLC
Weston, CT 06883
203-227-4111 sselman@eeventures.com

CEC Energy Innovations ’99 Conference

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CEC Energy Innovations ’99 Conference
October 25-27, 1999, San Diego

The agenda alone fills 4 pages (see UFTO Note 24 October 99), so this note will cover some general themes and highlights. The original conference brochure is available online in pdf format, and Powerpoint presentations from the conference will be made available there in the near future: http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/PIER/EI99

I will be glad to provide additional contacts and information on any area of partcu lar interest.

————————————————————–
Our last major coverage of PIER appears in:
UFTO Note, 23 Nov 1998, “CURC Annual Conf. 11/98”
http://www.ufto.com/clients-only/uftonoteslist.html {password required}

————————————————————–

— Keynotes and Guest Speakers

– State Senator Debra Bowen (keynote) — California is still learning about life under restructuring. Concerns that G&T investment is insufficient. Legislative push for expedited siting, but supply side not the only answer–demand side measures cheaper and faster. Consumers get no price signal about time of use – need to “de-insulate” them from real costs.

– State Assemblyman Roderick Wright (keynote) — from poorest district in California. Dubious about restructuring bill (AB1890), as it addressed none of the root causes of high energy prices–though that was the primary motive in the first place. If taxpayer money is used for R&D or other energy programs, he needs to balance that against other needs, and be assured that his constituents actually benefit.

– Bill Reichert (luncheon speaker) .. from garage.com, a prominent Silicon Valley incubator of startups .. presented some hard truths about venture capital and technology business.

– Karl Rabago (banquet speaker), now with the Rocky Mountain Institute, recounted the message contained in Amory Lovin’s new book “Natural Capitalism”, which sees the mainstreaming of sustainability, eco-commerce, waste elimination, etc. as having a historical significance comparable to the Industrial Revolution.
http://www.naturalcapitalism.org/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

— Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program

“The Nation’s Most Comprehensive Ratepayer-funded Public Interest Energy Research Program” is gradually maturing, as the transition projects are wrapping up (close-out funding of projects that IOU’s had in place prior to restructuring), and the various programs establish their goals and directions.

Provides funding to public and private entities for research, development and demonstration activities that advance science and technology not adequately provided for by competitive or deregulated markets. Funding is available for environmentally preferred advanced generation, renewables, end-use efficiency, environmental research and strategic research.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/index.html

PIER Program Manager:
Ron Kukulka, 916-654-4185, rkukulka@energy.state.ca.us

PIER is organized into 6 Areas, each with a designated manager.

– Renewables
George Simons, 916-654-4659, gsimons@energy.state.ca.us

– Environmentally-Preferred Advanced Generation (EPAG)
Mike Batham, 916-654-4548, mbatham@energy.state.ca.us

– Residential and Commercial Buildings
Nancy Jenkins, 916-654-4739, njenkins@energy.state.ca.us

– Industrial / Agricultural / Water
Ben Mehta, 916-654-4044, bmehta@energy.state.ca.us

– Energy-Related Environmental
Kelly Birkinshaw, 916-654-4542, kbirkins@energy.state.ca.us

– Strategic Science and Technology
Tom Tanton, 916-654-4930, ttanton@energy.state.ca.us

Each program briefly presented its 1999/2000 Funding Proposal, based on their respective Issues, Mission and Objectives, and indicated amounts going to sole source or collaboratives/interagency, to competitve RFPs, and to memberships (e.g. EPRI, GRI, etc.) In each area, with total budgets ranging from $9 to $15 Million, some contracts are already approved, some are in negotiations, and some have not yet been initiated.
(I have prepared Word docs with the details that were presented, adapted from files provided to me by PIER. They will be posted on the UFTO website. Let me know if you want them in the meantime.)

———
Energy Innovations Small Grant Program

This program provides grants of up to $75,000 to small businesses, academics, small non-profit organizations and individuals to prove the feasibility of research and development concepts relating to PIER objectives. It operates like the federal SBIR programs, but with a considerably faster solicitation and award cycle.

Philip Misemer, 916-654-4552 pmisemer@energy.state.ca.us
http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/innovations/index.html

– Synergy with other Programs
Calif Board for Energy Effic oversees $280M/year
[buydown of renewables implementation]
Calif Utility Research Council (future role is uncertain)
Calif PUC – Doesn’t have a role, and doing an excellent job at not
doing anything about R&D — Utilities haven’t requested in rates.
EPRI
GRI

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Transferable Knowledge from Other Forums (Tuesday)

– Lessons Learned in NREL Industry Growth Forums
Lawrence (Marty) Murphy, NREL,
303-275-3050 lawrence_murphy@nrel.gov
NREL periodical ly sponsors Industry Growth Forums, intended to help aspiring, start-up, or expanding renewable energy businesses. The next Forum will be held in early year 2000, in the Seattle area, and highlights will be provided here as details are defined. For more details on Forums as well as the many valuable lessons learned download the document, “NREL Industry Growth Forums Lessons Learned” June 1999, NREL/MP-720-25870 (PDF 369 KB).
http://www.nrel.gov/technologytransfer/pdfs/industry_growth.pdf

Also see:
http://www.nrel.gov/technologytransfer/bfpartners.html
http://www.nrel.gov/technologytransfer/resourceguide.html

– Where We Are and Where We’re Going
Janet Joseph, NYSERDA
518-862-1090 jj2@nyserda.org
Summarized the program, as the only other “public benefit” state level R&D program besides PIER.

– Gaining Market Acceptance of Innovative Technologies
Keith Davidson, Onsite Sycom Energy Corp.
760-710-1712 kdavidson@onsitesycom.com
A good overviewof “innovation” as the term applies to distributed generation and combined heat & power (CHP), with a review of Tecogen’s experience in the early ’80s.

– Building Bridges Connecting Research Results to Consumer Benefits
(Wednesday)

Mohawk Research Corp.
Marsha Rorke, 301-762-3171, mohawkresearch@email.msn.com
Sam Westbrook, 206-780-8269, kands@nwlink.com

Summarized in 20 minutes the contents of a 3-4 day workshop that Mohawk has given over 50 times to personnel at national labs and elsewhere who want to pursue commercialization of lab technology. Key points include recognition that various stages of a development or company require very different skill sets and kinds of people, and the entrepreneur should be clear on when he plans to pass the reins to others. Also, a “commercialization plan”, focused on what it is that you are going to make and sell, is different from the business plan, which comes later and says how you’re going to do it.

The workshop textbook is: “From Invention To Innovation,” 1999, DOE/GO-10099-810. For a copy, email Sally_Evans@nrel.gov (remember to include your mailing address.) Or call 202-586-1478 to receive a free copy as well as information on DOE’s Inventions and Innovations Programs.
An earlier (full text) version is available at:
http://iridium.nttc.edu/assist/inventions/inv2inn.html

Ken Gudger, Global Energy Partners
Jerome Foster, Pentech Energy Solutions
Jeff Colborn, Metallic Power, Inc.

Leadersof three startups, each at a different stage, spoke about their experiences and how they went about developing and pursuing their business plans. Some memorable phrases:
“Get a customer before you quit your day job.”
“Be sure the customer understands (what you’re selling), trusts
that you can deliver, and has the will to do his part.”
“As soon as you take a dollar from anybody, you’re working for them
[so don’t be so hung up about control].”
“Be honest about yourself, and what role is appropriate for you.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PANEL SESSIONS
On the second day, pane l sessions were held in parallel for each of the PIER subject areas, so one had to choose which ones to go to. Many of the presentations will be put up on the PIER website in due course.

Morning — Renewables; EPAG; and Buildings
Afternoon — Food/Ag/Ind; Strategic; and Environment

Most of the panel presentations were reviews of completed or ongoing PIER-funded projects, or other related programs. There was also a poster exhibition with two dozen displays on other PIER sponsored work.

For details on all projects:
1998 Annual Report – PIER Program, P500-99-004, March 1999
http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/500-99-004.html
(hardcopy also available)

=========

Panel I – Renewable Energy Technology

I.A. Making Renewables Cost-Competitive
Larry Berg, Larry Berg & Associates
Steve Gatto, BCI

I.B. Renewables as Distributed Generators
Merwin Brown, NREL
Thomas Hoff, Clean Power Research
Henry Zaininger, Zaininger Engineering

I.C. Non-energy Benefits of Renewables
Nancy Rader, Nancy Rader Renewable Energy Consulting
Dan Shugar, PowerLight Corp
Loyd Forest, TSS Consulting

=========

Panel II – EPAG for Distributed Generation (DG)

II.A. Energy Providers: Planning to Use EPAG in DG Applications?
Al Figueroa, San Diego Gas & Elec and CURC
Roland Risser, PG&E
David Berokoff, SoCalGas
Mike Burke, NewEnergy

II.B. What are the Future Product RD&D Needs for EPAG Mfgs.
George Wiltsee,* Capstone Turbine
Mark Skowronski, Allied Signal
Ron Wolk, Wolk Integrated Technical Services
Jim Schlatter, Catalytica

II.C. What are the Current and Planned R&D Programs in DG?
Andy Abele, S. Coast Air Qual Mgt District
Scott Samuelsen, National Fuel Cell Research Center, UC Irvine
Daniel Rastler,* EPRI
William Liss, GRI
Abbie Layne, U.S. DOE
[Adv Turb.; Indust Technol, etc. – Major workshop Nov.8-10]

=========

Panel III – Building End-Use Energy Efficiency

III.A. Technologies and Strategies for Buildings in Hot Inland Climates
Lance Elberling, PG&E
Randy Folts, Pulte Homes Corp
Malcolm Lewis, Constructive Technologies Group, Inc.

III.B. Drivers for Energy Efficiency
Cliff Federspiel, Center for the Built Environment, UC Berkeley
Doug Mahone, The Heschong Mahone Group
[Daylighting Improves Productivity]
Gregory Thomas, Gregory Thomas and Associates

III.C. How Energy Efficiency Can Affect Affordability and Property Value
Eric Haftner, ELH Development
[Comparative investment qualities of energy efficiency measures]
Rob Hammon, ComfortWise
Greg Watson, ICF Consulting
[Homeowners and Energy Efficiency: Rational?]

=========

Panel IV – Food/Agriculture/Industrial/Water Energy Efficiency

IV.A. Water: Issue of the New Millennium
Keith Carns, EPRI
Jeff DeZeller, Metropolitan Water District
Lory Larson, SoCalEdison
Greg Leslie, Orange County Water District

IV.B. Innovations in Food and AgriculturalProduction Systems
Ken Solomon, CalPoly San Luis Obispo Univ
Alan Pryor, SoilZONE Inc.
Dee Gram, R and E Enterprises
Sharon Shoemaker, Calif Inst Food & Agric Research (CIFAR), UCDavis

=========

Panel V – Strategic Research

V.A. Feet Firmly Planted on the Ground – Near Term Benefits
Joseph Eto, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Art Iverson, Spinel Power Technology
William “Woody” Savage, PG&E
V.B. Eyes on the Stars – Incorporating the Long View
Alexander Glass, Executive Director, BARTA
Dave Hawkins, Cal ISO
Dave Lema, Special Advisor to the Governor
Gail McCarthy, EPRI

=========

Panel VI – Energy-Related Environmental Research

VI.A. Solutions to Current/Expected Environmental Issues
Sonja Mahini, EPRI
Vince Mirabella, SoCalEdison
Don Rose, Sempra Energy
VI.B. A New Perspective: New Approaches to Issue Resolution
James Cole, Univ of Calif President’s Office
Paul Chu, PISCES, EPRI
Norman Miller, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Kelly Birkinshaw, CEC