Sunday, January 8, 2012

Conference Paper (submitted)

Community Microgrids Process + Indonesia Case study
by
Fred Klammt  (Northern California, USA)

A community microgrid (CMG) is a new model of energy supply and distribution that stands in contrast to the existing 100+ year-old centralized utility model. In the words of Bucky Fuller[1]:
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

A CMG is a stand-alone, small interconnected energy grid based on 100% renewable supplies that are distributed only to local community residences and businesses. CMGs are an essential part of community self-reliance.
  • CMGs are connected to other similar CMGs within adjacent communities.  
  • CMGs are not tied to the main utility grid, they are stand-alone. 
  • CMGs provide 6sigma reliability and have safety as their primary objective.
  • CMGs are developed, owned and maintained 100% by local citizenry.
  • CMGs monitor and heal themselves.
more detailed information can be found at:  http://cmgrid.blogspot.com/2011/06/introduction-to-microgrids-cmgs.html

 A CMG’s goal is to achieve an active and balanced state of harmony with its surrounding natural community. It takes only the resources it needs (not wants) for it’s own sustenance.  And no more.  It establishes an ongoing give and take with its surrounding natural resources.  It operates its natural resources like a natural currency: continually balancing and never taking more than it can  continually replenish.  A CMG’s sustainability goals must also include a light footprint and must be part of a system.

CMGs are integrated into a whole systems process. All components of an energy system are inter-related.  It is ideal to convert 100% of each available energy BTU to 100% useful energy work on behalf of the community. A best practice here can be found within California’s Carbon Fuel Standard program and methodology.[2]

Additionally, whole systems processes require that all players are at the table during the beginning of the CMG planning process. Collaboration between energy users and energy producers must be direct and ongoing. Various groups need to work together to solve problems.

Instead of just reducing our energy consumption and using renewable energy, we need to rethink how we produce and distribute energy.  The centralized, monopolistic energy utility model has outlived its usefulness.  Small, interconnected, smart community microgrids provide solutions to many of the issues that plague our current centralized energy production: transmission losses, effective and local smart control, storage, and above all providing local jobs and supporting a local economy while using natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Here are eight steps in building and operating a CMG:
1.     Observation
2.     Inventory
3.     Assessment
4.     Feasibility
5.     Financing
6.     Plan + Design
7.     Implementation + CPM
8.     Operations + Maintenance


  1. Observation
Process:
  • Neutral, non-evaluative observation of site’s current natural resources

Tasks:
  • Define site boundaries, adjacencies and surrounding culture + environs
  • Observe regenerative capacities of site
  • Observe site’s diversity of resources, interactions, transition zones.
  • Recording of observations, sorting + documenting

Best Practices:

Tools:
  • Shoes, eyes, clipboard, camera.
  • Follow observation guidelines established within permaculture[3].


  1. Inventory
Process:
  • Count available + potential resources within a 5km distance of CMG site
  • Establish CMG’s energy needs and wants

Tasks:
  • Within six permaculture zones, detailed inventory of available biomass, solar shading, wind velocities, water flowrates, underground temperatures,
  • Static + dynamic: 
o         Available resources right now, what is present at this time
o         potential annual growth, replenishment, food harvested, etc
  • On-site, adjacent supply chain, future potential resources available.
  • Prioritize CMG energy needs and wants
  • Focus on reducing external energy needs as much as possible.


Best Practices:

Tools:
  • NASA CERES satellite data + other databases
  • GIS and mapping tools
  • RE and energy modeling software


  1. Assessment

Process:
  • Establish ecological relationships between site resources + CMG energy needs
  • Assess eight+ renewable energy technologies’ applicably for CMG needs
  • Assess current  available solar income and on-site storage
  • Assess prioritization, distribution, timing, storage of CMG energy rqm’ts
  • Assess potential site risks and opportunities

Tasks:
  • Assess RE resources applicability:
    • Biomass, Biogas, MicroHydro, Geothermal, Wind, Solar HW, Solar PV +
  • Establish ecological + energy criteria
    • No financial considerations at this point

Best Practices:


Tools:


  1. Feasibility

Process:
  • Reality of site’s resources meets reality of CMG’s energy needs 
  • Establish whether specific renewable technologies are appropriate for CMG
  • Feasibility of each RE extraction, distribution and storage infrastructure
  • Approximate costs and ROI tradeoffs
  • Develop CMG project work scope

Tasks:
  • Gap analysis (CMG needs vs. available RE)
  • % of current solar income that can meet CMGs daily energy needs
  • Amount of storage required for daily nite-time, seasonal needs.
  • Intertie with adjacent communities and supply chain resources.
  • Provide estimates of RE availability + reliability. Rough first costs,  extraction + delivery of each potential RE, conversion efficiencies (btu in/btu out), risks from toxic chemicals + security, ,  rough O+M costs, LCA, Carbon Footprints, Carbon intensity gCO2e/MJ, potential, power intensity.
  • Include appropriate technology feasibilities: Passiv Building standards, Daylighting, LEDs, thermal chimneys
  • Technological complexities and innovations,  social + political constraints
  • Meeting and decisions
  • Detailed work scope and contract docs
      
Best Practices:

Tools:
  • Scenario Planning, System Dynamics, Sensitivity Analysis
  • Various Software
  • FM, CRE, CPM practices


  1. Financing
Process:
  • Develop financing of CMG project along with timelines
  • Make decision

Tasks:
  • Develop accurate financials + budget for
    • Planning + Design
    • Construction Phases
    • Continual Operations + Maintenance
  • What-if scenarios, decision, fund project

Best Practices:

Tools:
  • Software, Estimation guides, RS Means, etc.


  1. Plan + Design

Process:
  • Master Planning and design of the CMG

Tasks:
·         Contract specification and bid requirements are developed
·         Generate approved Master plan

Best Practices:

Tools:
  • Software, Autocad


  1. Implementation + CPM

Process:
  • Award construction contract
  • Begin construction, progress milestones, quality assurance
  • Complete construction, inspection, acceptance, occupancy.

Tasks:
  • The contract documents are put out to bid to pre-qualified contractors and an award is made for the construction of the CMG. 
  • Construction is started, monitored, inspected, approved, and occupied.

Best Practices:


Tools:


  1. Operations + Maintenance
Process:
  • Upkeep and quality assurance of facilities + infrastructure.

Tasks:
  • Weekly/Monthly/Annual predictive + preventive maintenance
  • Breakdown repairing as needed.
  • Emergency and disaster recovery planning
  • Provide custodial, landscaping, food, etc. services
  • Major (5 – 10 year) maintenance
  • Short and long-term budgeting, financial contingencies.

Best Practices:


Tools:
Indonesia CMG Project

Renewable  Energy    reSource  Assessment   summary

Ceres[5] Project  Stats
Climate:  Equatorial
Location: Lat -8.565o Long 115.164o  Elevation: 73m
Average Mean Incident Radiation:  5.33 KWH/m2/day
Min. Avg Insolation over 7 day period:  63.4%
Average skin temp:  ~28o C
Average Wind Speed: 4-7 m/s (8-15 mph)
Avg Rainfall: 0.53 – 8.89 mm/d (0.02 – 0.35 in/day)


Summary assessment of resources available on-site (CMG order)

  1. Biomass fuel is available from local rice and coconut husks.
  2. Solar hot water is readily available at very low cost.
  3. Geothermal is marginal due to moisture and unknown temps.
  4. Biogas is plentiful from nearby chicken farmers.
  5. MicroHydro with good static heads is available from adjacent subak canals.
  6. Solar PV is available, but expensive (per watt) due to import taxes.
  7. Wind is available for ventilation + cooling, not as direct power.

TABLE 1:  Energy Harvesting + Availability Chart @  Penatahan
A.
Local
availability
10 = hi
B. Harvesting
Cost/watt
10= hi
C. Energy 
Yield
10 = hi
D.
First     Cost
10= hi
E. Operations Cost
10=hi
F.
Ease of
Operation  10 = easy
1. Biomass
10
3
10
10
9
2
2. Solar Hot Water
10
1
6
3
1
7
3. Geothermal
5
2
3
2
1
8
4. Biogas
9
5
8
5
5
4
6. Micro Hydro
9
5
7
7
6
5
7. Solar PV
7
7
4
8
3
9
8. Wind
2
10
7
7
2
6

Like any system, each RE technology has 
pros + cons.  For example: 

Small Scale Biomass requires a knowledgeable operator,
and given its large power output potential with ample
local rice husk supply, it should be given serious consideration
for the future.

Biogas is an accepted, local technology. But given the vegetarian focus of this project, using chickens may not be appropriate, and human waste is a ‘drop in the bucket’ along with other issues such as C:N ratio, sawdust addition, etc.


TABLE  2          Penatahan RE possible scenarios
A
B
C
D
E
F

Simplest
Simple
Medium 1
Medium 2
High 1
High 2
Nite Lighting
LEDflashlights
Solar PV
Solar PV
Solar PV
3 sources*
3 sources*
Food Prep
LPG tank
LPG tank
Biogas
biogas
biogas
biogas
Food Storage
Ice Coolers
Ice Coolers
Solar PV
Solar PV
3 sources*
3 sources*
TeleData
~100w PV
~ 200w PV
~500w PV
>1000W PV
3 sources*
3 sources*
Hot water
none
none
Solar HW
Solar HW
Solar HW
Solar HW
ElectrStorage
none
SmallBattery
Med Battery
MedBattery
LargeBattery
Golf Carts







~relative
Power needs
1a
10a
20a
40a
100a
200a
~relative
Front Cost
2000
4000
6000
25000
35000
50000+
~relative
Annual O+M
2400
3000
5000
6000
15000
18000
* 3 sources = MicroHydro, Biomass genset, Solar PV

TABLE 3    Penatahan Available energy + economic yield potential
A. Avail.Energy
B.
    units
C.
   joules
D. watts/day
E. $0.10/kwh
F.  $/year







1. Biomass
80000
watts/day
2.88E+08
80000
8
$2,920
2. Solar Hot Water
16500
btu/day
1.74E+07
4832
0.4832
$176
3. Geothermal
2880
btu/day
3.04E+06
843
0.0843
$31
4. Biogas
4392
Mbtu/day
4.63E+09
18000
1.8
$657
6. Micro Hydro
1200
watts/day
4.32E+06
1200
0.12
$44
7. Solar PV
1250
watts/day
4.50E+06
1250
0.125
$46
TOTALS


4.948E+09
106125

$3,874



Ranking of seven renewable resources with  lowest life-cycle costs:
(1) The best RE is Solar hot water.  Its use will be for domestic hot water and distilling water.  Food prep and resident showers can be powered by 100% SHW. It is cheap and relatively easy to adapt within new construction.
(2) Biogas is a locally accepted RE technology with adequate local supply. A small barrel with delivered waste product will easily supply all the cooking gas needs.
(3) Micro-hydro from the subak canals and its endless supply of continuous flowing water presents the largest RE opportunity at the site.  However, its reliability and the political nature of the subak system may pose long-term issues. 
(4) Solar PV with appropriate controls, inverter and battery bank system can be easily adapted to the project site in various configurations, awnings, ground mounted, etc. The Indonesia import taxes adds substantial costs.
(5) Biomass has the best long-term potential for the substantial amount of energy is produces, and the high volume of lo-cost, dry rice husks that are locally available.  It requires knowledgeable O+M operators.
(6) Geothermal can provide a contribution to cooling, especially in the food storage areas, if designed + installed properly.  It has low initial cost and minimal O+M cost.
(7) Wind mean speeds are below minimal thresholds, and appear unfeasible for substantial electrical power contribution. Convection draws and thermal chimneys can harness the available wind energy.


Appendix:  Energy Conversion Units

Joule (J) : energy expended when 1 kg is moved 1 m by a force of 1 Newton or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second.  [a joule is the accepted standard unit of energy used in human energetics within the International System of Units (SI).]

Power = Volts (pressure) X Amps (flow)   
1 therm = 100,000BTU
1 BTU = 1,055 Joules        
1 Watt Hour = 3600 Joules
1 KWH = 3413 BTU           
1 HP = 0.746 KWH








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