Renewable Energy for Sustainable Agriculture (RESA)

Renewable Energy Options for

Farms and Value-Added Food Producers

MREA Overview • 22 years

• Demonstration, Education, Training

• Energy Fair (June 15-17)

• RESA Networking on June 17

• Grow Solar Wisconsin

• Solar Powering Your Community (Oct 10)

• Midwest Solar Training Network

• Site Assessment Certificate

• Solar Thermal Conference (Dec 6-7)

• Offices in Custer and Milwaukee Source: www.midwestrenew.org, www.midwestsolartraining.org

Primer Courses

• Trends in the RE Marketplace

• Renewable Energy Incentives

• Steps to Managing a Successful RE Project

• Electrical Load Analysis

• Renewable Energy Options for Farms and Value-Added Food Producers

Introductory Courses

• Basic Photovoltaics

• Residential PV Site Assessor

• Solar Domestic Hot Water

• Residential Solar Water Site Assessor

• Farm Micro-Power

• Intro to Wind

Advanced Courses

• PV System Design

• PV for Electric Vehicles

• Whole Farm Renewable Energy Design

• Water Pumping with Solar and Wind

• Solar Dehydration

• Solar Aquaponic Systems

• Small Scale Biodigesters

• Solar Process Heating

• Solar Thermal Conceptual Design

• Homebrew Wind

• Electric Tractor Conversion

Why Target Sustainable Ag?

• Large segments already support renewables

• High energy needs and costs (propane, fuel oil)

• Access to additional incentives (REAP, VAPG, Loan)

• Access to renewable resources

• Defined support networks

• Inclined to system design, operation, and maintenance

• Founding and flagship audience

RESA Partners

• Cooperative Development Services

• Environmental Law and Policy Center

• Growing Power

• Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

• Organic Valley

• Michael Fields Institute

• Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

• Wisconsin Farmer’s Union

RESA Opportunities

• Education opportunities

• Case studies

• Model installations

• Technical network

• Technical training

• Instructor development

• Partnership network

• Scholarship pool

Solar for Humanity installation with Andy DeRocher of Full Spectrum Solar

US Dept. of Energy SunShot Initiative

Source: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/sunshot/

Nothing is too wonderful

to be true if it be

consistent with the laws

of nature.

-Michael Faraday

Old Model: Centralized Distribution

“If Thomas Edison came back today, he would completely understand our entire grid”

Source: Bill Zarakas, The Brattle Group

Source: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/

US Energy Use

Rejected Electrical Generation = 68%

Sources: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/

System Losses

New Model: Distributed Generation

Distributed Energy = Distributed Benefit

Distributed Energy

Financial Beneficiaries

• Home/business owners

• Local property tax supported entities

• Local lenders

• Local businesses

• Local manufacturers

• Conservation agencies

Centralized Energy

Financial Beneficiaries

•Utility investors

•Energy dependent industries

•Global financiers

•Out of state manufacturers

•Energy distributors

•“Health” industry

Opportunity

Source: Solar Today. Nov/Dec 2011

Source: USGS

Learning from our experience

Production of Rare Earth Elements

Source: Solar Today. Nov/Dec 2011

What about Solyndra??

PV Price Trends by Size

Sources: Barbose, G. et al. 2010. Tracking the Sun III: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-

2009. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

2010-2011 PV Price Trends by Quarter

Sources: Solar Energy Industries Association. 2012. US Solar Market Insight.

Renewable Energy Projected Prices

Sources: NREL Energy Analysis Office (www.nrel.gov/analysis/docs/cost_curves_2002.ppt) 1These graphs are reflections of historical cost trends NOT precise annual historical data.

Updated: October 2002

Levelized cents/kWh in constant $20001

Wind

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

PV

CO

E c

en

ts/k

Wh

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

40

30

20

10

0

100

80

60

40

20

0

Biomass Geothermal Solar thermal

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

CO

E c

en

ts/k

Wh

10

8

6

4

2

0

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

15

12

9

6

3

0

Price Variation by Size (PV)

Sources: Barbose, G. et al. 2010. Tracking the Sun III: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-

2009. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Predicting the Future

Sources: Solar Energy Industries Association. 2012. US Solar Market Insight.

Hot Water

Chamomile Nusz

Space Heating

Solar Water Solar Air

Average Annual Solar Insolation

Average Annual Solar Insolation

Average Annual Solar Insolation

http://www.resource-solar.com/solar-energy.php

Agricultural Applications

•Hot water

• Space heating

• Season extension in greenhouses

•Make-up air heating

• Pool heating (e.g., aquaculture)

• Process heating

•Dehumidification

•Crop and wood drying

• Food dehydration

Direct/Open Loop The domestic hot water is

heated in the collector

Passive

No pumps

Indirect/Closed Loop

• A solar fluid is heated in the collector

and a heat exchanger is used to transfer

the solar heat to the DHW

Active

• Involves pumps

Solar Water System Categories

Florida Solar Energy Center Manual http://www2.fsec.ucf.edu/en/industry/resources/solar_thermal/manual/documents/Section_2_SolarWaterHeating.pdf

System Types

Open loop systems have limited use in northern climates,

including:

• Integrated Collector Storage (ICS)

• Flooded systems

• Recirculation systems

• Draindown ystems

Active, closed loop systems have proven most appropriate for

northern climates, including:

• Pressurized glycol systems

• Drainback systems

Evacuated Tube

Flat Plate

Closed Loop Collector Types

Water Heat

Exchange and

Storage

Pressurized

Glycol

Caleffi Idronics #3

System Design Considerations

Freeze Protection

• Northern climates have extended periods of freezing

weather

• Almost all climates in the US freeze periodically or

occassionally

• Systems either uses a solar fluid that will not freeze or

make sure that water is not exposed to freezing

conditions

Scaling

• Hard water can cause reductions in system efficiency

and can lead to failure

PV Module Types

Source: Talbot-Heindl, Chris. “Types of Modules.” Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

System Types Utility Interactive System

• AKA: Utility Intertied without Batteries

• Simplest System

Bimodal System

• AKA: Utility Intertied with Batteries

• Power all the time

PV Direct System

• Power only when needed

Stand-Alone System

• You are your own utility

PV Direct System – Ag Applications

• Greenhouse Fans

• Dehydrators

• Livestock tanks

• Water pumping

Utility Interactive System

Source: Talbot-Heindl, Chris. “Utility Interactive System.” Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

Prevailing winds. Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 2009.

The Wind Resource

Wind Quality

Annual Variation

Wind Speed Chart REI. Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 2010

Daily Variations

Hourly Wind Speed. 2000. Online image. ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/klemen/42_and_84_foot_comparisons. Mar 13 2010.

The Wind Resource

Wind Quality

Min. tower height. Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 2009.

30 ft

30 ft

Wind Quantity

V3 in Wind Power Equation

P = ½ d x A x V3

Willie Lehner 10 K Bergey. Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 2009.

Siting

Good Siting

Polonia Machines. Midwest Renewable Energy Association. 2005.

Siting Poor Siting

Energy Efficiency

Cost-Effectiveness of Efficiency

(1) 25 Watt PV Panel

(1) 25 Watt CFL

(100 W Equivalent)

Incentives and Net Cost

Local Net Metering

• Billing arrangement with the electric utility

• Credits electricity generated by a customer as an offset to energy used

• Net = what remains after deductions of energy outflows

• System owner receives retail credit

• Crediting arrangements vary by state and utility

Incentives and Net Cost

Feed-in Tariffs

• Tariffs or rates designed to accelerate renewable resource development

• Provide payment guarantee to producer through long-term power purchase agreement (PPA)

• Set payment based on actual cost of generation plus reasonable return

• Guarantee access to the electric grid

Incentives and Net Cost

Utility financial models

• Programs can include cash back rewards, grants, low-interest loans

• Examples:

• WE Energies Renewable Energy Program

• Interstate Power and Light Efficiency First Cash Back Reward Program

Incentives and Net Cost

Tax Policies

• Tax credits

• Treasury grants

• Depreciation

• Property tax exemptions

• Renewable resource credits

• Rebates

• Tax deductions

• Transfer credits

• Sales tax exemptions

Utility Rates

Three types of utility rates:

• Customer charge

• Energy charge

• Demand charge

Designed to allow the utility to recover its fixed and variable costs.

Varies by group of customers (residential, business, etc.)

Some voluntary rate structures (time-of-use or time-of-day, on-peak or off-peak hours)

Financial Benefits and Financing Three basic methods for modeling cost

• Payback

• Cost of energy comparison (cash flow)

• Return on investment

• Comparing discounted costs

Cost Modeling Tools

• Solar Photovoltaic Financial Dashboard

• www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/include_upload/calculators/solarpv.html

• Renewable Energy Economic & Financial Calculators

• www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/calculators.php

• OnGrid Solar Financial Analysis Tool

• www.ongrid.net/index.php?page=tool_about

Discussion

Jenny Heinzen

Small Wind Training Coordinator

Midwest Renewable Energy Association

715-592-6595, jennyh@midwestrenew.org