UOC N SR STN — en Lo eT B UCM RIN gee NC eS EL) LATE Sea a Nese curedONTHE COVER Williamson College of the Trades’ cam- us is situated on 220 acres of wood- land and fields in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, about 14 miles west of Philadelphia. Frank Furness, one of the ‘most highly acclaimed architects of the late 19th century, designed 11 of the col- www.powermag.com lege’s buildings. Students in Williamson's Power PlantTechnology program operate SPEAKI 0 the school’s Energy Istand and maintain its equipment, gaining valuable practical ‘The 4M Approach to a Connected Plant 6 experience preparing them for positions aaa aaenvie in the power industy. Courtesy: Wiliam Coal Generation Reaches New High in South Korea @ | Sn Colage of the Trades Accident-Tolerant Fuels Could Be a Boon for Nuclear Industry 8 ‘THE BIG PICTURE: Changing Fleets 0 Geothermal Generation Growing by Leaps and Bounds in Kenya " Chile to Pursue Dramatic Coal Generation Reduction 4 POWER Digest 5 Automated Tools Improve Hydroblasting Productivity and Safety 16 Electric Co-op Shines a Light on Rack Selection 16 Market Barriers Eased for Energy Storage Resources 18 By Seth Lucio, Michael Brooks, and Blake Urban, Bracewell LLP COVER FOCUS: COMBINED HEAT AND POWER Gaining Steam: Combined Heat and Power 20 Combined heat and power (CHP) plants are highly efficient, a major reason ‘many areas in Europe are turning to CHP to make better use of marginally profitable gas-fired facilities. The European Union is firmly behind the transi- tion to CHP, but advocates for clean energy are urging governments to instead adopt even greener alternatives. Williamson College of the Trades Energy Island: Time-Honored Innovation 24 ‘A Pennsylvania college provides hands-on training for its students, with the campus’ combined heat and power system providing a working laboratory for those who want practical experience and training for a career in the power ‘generation industry. The program's graduates operate power plants, work as engineers and field service technicians, and also are skilled in instrumentation and controls along with operations and maintenance. Reliability, Resiliency Key to Caribbean Rebuild 28 Eneray companies working to restore power and rebuild the grid in the Carib- bean in the wake of major hurricanes and tropical storms ning valu- able lessons about how to place infrastructure that will lessen the impacts of future potentially catastrophic events Disaster Preparedness:The Quest for Transformer Resilience 32 Large power transformers (LPTs) are @ critical part of the nation’s electric- ity grid, but they also are vulnerable to natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes. The age of such components also puts them at risk. Several groups, including government, industry, and grid operators, are working to- ‘gether to develop ways to ensure LPTS remain up and running, to keep the grid viable, safe, and secure. sez 1POWER TECHNOLOGY ‘Quick Starts, High Efficiency, Grid Balance—Engines on an Up Cycle 36 Reciprocating engines have increased in popularity over the past few years thanks to advances in technology that make the highly flexible and low: Advanced Boiler and HRSG Designs Offer Improved Performance 40 nd heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) designs are reducing emissions at power plants, and in turn dropping maintenance costs whi improving efficiency. This innovative technology, which includes circulating fluidized bed technology, allows greater fuel flexibility for generators, an important consideration as plants compete in an ever-evolving energy land- scape, SAFETY & FIRE PROTECTION Innovative Firefighting Technology Improves Equipment, Personnel Safety 42 A fire protection system that uses a hybrid cloud to dispense nitrogen and smell water particles has proved effective in safely and efficiently extinguish- ing fires in power generation facilites. It uses no dangerous chemicals and climinates the need for expensive cleanup after an incident. OPERATIONS Operator Qualification and Training for the Power Industry 44 Power plant operators, who often see varied skill levels among their per- sonnel, can help ensure competency exists within all workers on all shifts by developing a comprehensive and performance-based training program. Closing the skill gaps among workers will help improve performance at all times across the plant. EQUIPMENT SHOWCASE Diesel and Gas Generators a7 The equipment showcase section includes products from @ variety of ven- dors that serve the power generation industry. This month the focus is on diesel and gas generators, COMMENTARY Are Energy Companies Practicing Good Product Stewardship? 52 By Bill Haaf POWER NEWS BREAKS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH ON POWERMAG.COM = Experts: Warfare Between Coal and Gas Is Nonexistent 1 Germany's New Coalition Government Agrees to Phase Out Coal, but Will Miss CONNECT WITH POWER 2020 Emissions Targets If you like POWER magazine, follow us on- 1m Texas Utility Ready to Ramp Up Renewables line for timely industry news and comments. NRC Schedules Review of New Mexico Interim Nuclear Waste Facility ‘mMore Coal and Nuclear Can Replace Retired Generation, State Supreme Court Rules ‘= FPL Will Build New Gas Plant, Adds More Solar 1m EPA Proposes Overhaul of 2015 Final Coal Ash Rule Become our fan at facebook.com/ POWERmagazine Follow us on Twitter 1m GE Embarks on Plan to Keep Power Unit Competitive (@POWERmagazine ‘Vogtle Improves Safety and Productivity Following Westinghouse Bankruptcy 1 FirstEnergy Suffers Steep Losses, Will lose Massive Coal Plant Join the LinkedIn POWER magazine ‘m ERCOT Anticipates Summer Supply Crunch Amid Unit Retirements Group and the Women in Power ‘= More Coal Units Being Mothballed in Indiana Generation Group 2 ‘wwe powermag com Power |aya iodProduction Maneger fo Carne, temeaneeacessel com Contos: Dard Te: Dla Seth Los: Mir! 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Jones Oe ‘Senior Vice President & Group Pubisher ‘Aerospace, Energy. Heltneae: Jerr Soha ‘Senior Vee Prasident & Cha llomation tier Rb Pacarh ‘Senior Vies President Digital Development: sor Js Vie President, Production igs Medio & Design: nu! Ks ‘Vie President ComorateContoor Good Stato ELECTRIC EUWER ‘abet onine wc weaachmegcon/ocho POWER Ji CONS ised monty by Access Inge LLC 211 Coenen Fo, Roce, MO 700203288. Fecosete Postage Fae at Roca, MO 208504004 nd etn mating tes. POSTMASTER: Ser sess charge POWER, PO. Box ‘388 Norton, 6009568 Ems. por@emedacom Conadian Post 4061260. fern Unseirbie Caradon ‘etresses to" IMEX Glee! Scions, PO. BOK 25602, {ender ON NC 6, Subectons: Aisle ot no dge ony for quoted In eect vittes, naepordew german cores ansuting engreong francesa mates a one ‘manlactring raves. Al ober fhe US. snd US Doneeson one yer $115.97 and two yas 19100. 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GLOBAL REACH © Manufacturing Plant * Office + Joint Venture ‘We are proud to announce a major change in the process cooling ‘market: Paharpur has acquired the dry cooling business of SPX Cooling Technologies Inc., USA, one of the leading dry cooling technology providers inthe world. ‘SPX Dry Cooling has the world's biggest installed base of air-cooled steam condensers (ACCS), serving over 200 power plants with a combined generation capacity of over 130,000 MW. Its product range includes mechanical draught air-cooled condensers, natural draught condensers, Hexacool®, ModuleAir™ and indirect dry cooling towers, with an R&D centre in Brussels, several international patents and state-of-the-art manufacturing operations in China, (stain aspctIy @ranarpur, ot : “y Ty Your Full Sorvice Cooling Technologies Co ‘wwrw.paharpur.com pany Lxokata (Haj Hyderabad The combined forces of Paharpur and SPX Dry Cooling make Paharpur an international technology force to reckon with, and dive customers the best wet and dry Cooling technology offerings in the world from a single manufacturer. What started in 1948 as 2 small lumber mill in Kolkata is now a multinational company, with offices spread over USA, Europe, the Middle East and Asia and, six manufacturing plants in India and China. Thank you for having been with us over the years; we look forward, to taking this new global journey with you together. ooing Héceoelarnnen ate Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd Paharpur House, 8/1/8 Diamond Harbour Ro, Kolkata - 700 027, INDIA Phone : + 81-33-4013 3000 + Fax:: +81-33.4013 34989 + potoou@paharpurcom PAHARPUR USA, Inc, Denver International Gusiness Center, 19900 East 715 Avenue, Suite 125 Denver, CO 80242, USA Phone : +1-203-889-7200 « Fax: +1-720-962-8400 » info@paharpurusa.com ‘SPX Dry Cooling Belgium SPRL Avenue Macc! Ti, 8-1200 Brutel, BELGIUM Ph: +32 2761 6111 + infowspreryealing com‘Aaron Larson ‘operations and maintenance schemes at an ever-increasing pace. New digital tools are helping optimize assets, improve performance, and reduce overall costs. Big Data Best Practices The Connected Plant Conference was held in Charlotte, N.C., in late February. The event featured presentations on some of the lat- est digital tools being utilized in both the power generation and chemical processing industries. Case studies were presented by several end-users explaining how technol- gy has been implemented by their com- panies, the challenges they faced, and how problems were overcome. They detailed the benefits realized through technological ini- tiatives and offered tips for others inter- ested in going down a similar path. The “4M” approach was a recurring theme during the event. If you haven't heard of 4M, it stands for “Make Me More Money.” Craig Harclerode, business development ex- ecutive with OSIsoft, was the first person I heard use the term during the conference. He suggested that alot of companies try to implement digitization initiatives without having clear objectives. An edict may come down from above that the company wants to “Do Big Data ... Do the cloud,” but there {sno business driver identified. “The bottom line: Its about business,” Harclerode said during a presentation. “Tt should be led with a business problem, and it should be focused on making more money. Improving EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortiza- tion]. Improving yields. Improving safety.” Once a company identifies a business problem and a corresponding digital solu- tion, executing the best implementation strategy isn't automatic. The right people need to be in the right roles to maximize benefits. Harclerode said the companies he sees getting the most value from digitiza- tion “evolve an OT (operational technology] chart of accounts, leveraging configurable, smart, digital twin templates, owned and managed by the subject matter experts, not TT [information technology].” He said IT plays a role, but the subject matter experts are really the people creating worth by con- T= {s being incorporated into : SPEAKING OF POWER Poa The4MA a Connected Plant figuring and managing the digital twins. Data Lake or Data Swamp? Once data starts rolling in, some new prob- lems arse, Many leading organizations have shifted data storage to a “data lake” archi- tecture. A data lake is a storage repository that keeps raw data in its native format. It uses a flat architecture, keeping data read- ‘ly available to be categorized, processed, analyzed, and consumed by diverse groups within an organization. That's all fine and dandy, but Har- clerode noted, “Operational data—time- amounts of it; terabytes generated every day. You've got anomalies. You've got data quality issues. Youve got missing sen- sors. You've got different scan frequencies. [There are] @ whole host of anomalies that are very difficult to solve in a traditional data lake environment.” This means companies end up with some- thing more like a “data swamp,” Harclerode said. The problem is not insurmountable, but it can require utitzation of fit-for- design technology to essentially create a data lake hybrid. Leveraging the technol- ay property, however, can pay dividends. It allows users to take linear-time events and perform layers of analytics—presc tive, empirical, physics-based, streaming analytics in an infrastructure augmented by higher-level analytics lke advanced pat- tem recognition, machine learning, geo- spatial dashboards, and multidimensional assessments. Finally, the tools provide a method of visualizing the data appropri- ately, so action can be taken. Harclerode offered MOL Group, 2 Hungary- based oil and gas conglomerate, as “a poster child for layers of analytics.” He cited data ‘resented by Tibor Komroczki, MO's head of ‘rocess information and automation, during 8 2016 OSIsoft Users Conference in Bertin, Germany. Komroczki showed how MOL in- creased EBITDA by $1 billion through digital initiatives enacted over a four-year period. “They truly moved to an event-based opera- tional mode, and they have layers of analyt- ‘cs,” Harclerode said, “{MOL] first and foremost focuses on hu- man analytics, enabled by—and in—the pproach to OT infrastructure. Database decisions, real- time situational awareness, management by exception, driving 2 cultural change across their organization,” Harclerode continued, “They have over 27 tactical machine learn- ‘ng applications running today—probably hhave even more—and they/re not just run- ning for a day or two, they're actually in- stitutionalized. And they'e looking at now going into the higher-level analytics.” Protecting Your Data Eitan Goldstein, industrial cyber and digital security director with Siemens, also spoke during the event. He said the digitalization process is not revolutionary, i's evolutionary. “T think i's about small incremental steps, to get more out of what you have, to make smarter, faster decisions,” Goldstein said. But 4M wasn't lost on him either. Gold- stein suggested digital technologies can help optimize assets, improve fleet per- formance, reduce maintenance costs, and minimize downtime, “It’s not just an act, but it is rather concrete cost savings,” Goldstein satd. Yet, Goldstein's primary focus is on cy- bersecurity. Like Harclerode, Goldstein said most companies today are “drowning in data.” They'e dealing with thousands of cy- ber alerts, but what they don’t have is con- text. “Understanding what that data means {sa huge challenge,” he said. To get context, Goldstein said companies should “insist on dedicated, purpose-built, industrial cybersecurity solutions.” He also said clear ownership must be established for OT cybersecurity. Other best practices in- ‘clude using connectivity to gain insight, se- curing the edge, increasing transparency to ‘improve visibility, and leveraging analytics. “We can’t be having people walk around power plants with an Excel spreadsheet trying to keep track of everything you have,” Goldstein said. “The bad guys are too sophisticated.” “Data is a strategic asset, and compa- nies need to treat their data—especially their OT data—as a strategic asset with the Proper govemance, proper environment, and proper leverage,” Harclerode said. « —Aaron Larson is POWERS executive editor. Power | aya it3RD ANNUAL 4 i) CONNECTEDPLANT CONFERENCE Harnessing Digital Tools to Drive Success February 19-21, 2019 | Sheraton Charlotte Hotel | Charlotte, NC CHEMICAL Hosted by: Hosted by POWER and Chemical Engineering, the 3rd annual Connected Plant Conference provides attendees with the latest digital monitoring, diagnostic, analytics Industrial Internet of Things, and decision-support technology for the power generation and chemical process industries Sessions are tailored to offer actionable information and strategies to maximize the use of data, analytics, and related technology to drive efficiency improvements, preventative and predictive maintenance programs, and staff safety. The forum is designed for professionals who are leading digital adoption at all stages. Visit the event website for a summary of the 2018 conference, attendee list, and video highlights. The 2019 conference program and site tour details will be available this fall. Register early and save $200 with the Loyalty Rate! connectedplantconference.comVOTH Coal Generation Reaches New High in South Korea The South Korean government said the country’s coal-fired power generation hit a new high in 2017, helped by three ther- mal power plants that came online with combined generation capacity of 5.3 GW. The country also suspended operations at 11 of its 26 nuclear reactors, which meant coal generation supplied an even higher percentage of South Korea's power, reach- ‘ng 43.2%, up 3.6 percentage points from 2016, Statistics released in late February by state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said South Korea's coal-fired gen- eration totaled 217,037 GWh from January through November 2017, exceeding the previous record of 213,803 GWh across the first 11 months of 2016. Nuclear pow- er supplied 27.5% of the country’s gen- eration, followed by liquefied natural gas (LNG) at 20.8%. The increase in coal-fired generation (Figure 1) comes even as the administra- ion of President Moon Jae-in has said it wants to increase its use of wind and solar power, as outlined in the country's latest energy plan, released in December 2017. Pak Won-ju, the country’s deputy energy minister, in late February 2018 met with ‘Anton Inyutsyn, Russia's deputy minis- ter of energy, as the countries discussed increasing their cooperation on energy matters, including renewable energy de- velopment. Doing business with Russia is part of South Korean President Moon Jae- in’s “New Northern Policy,” which seeks to broaden economic opportunities in Russia, and Northeast and Central Asia, Russia and South Korea already cooperate on joint projects for LNG and gas-fired power generation. KEPCO also is working with Rosseti, the Russian energy grid, on an agreement for power grid develop- ment; KEPCO has pushed for a multina- tional grid interconnection among South Korea, Russia, China, and Japan. Jae-in earlier in February met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite to discuss cooperation on energy-related matters. Construction of the three coal plants that began commercial operation last year began during the previous administration of President Park Geun-hye, who served from February 2013 until March 2017, when she was impeached and forced from office. Jae-in won a special presidential election and took office in May 2017, running on a pledge to move the country away from coal and nuclear power and in- crease the use of renewables. During his campaign he said his goal was to increase electricity production from renewable sources—currently at about 6%, accord- ing to govemment figures—to 20% by 2030, a number that was confirmed in the countrys latest energy plan. The latest plan calls for an increase in installed capacity of renewable power gen- eration to 58.5 GW by 2030, up from 11.3, GW in 2017, a jump of almost 420%. The country's energy ministry said the plan is to add about 31 GW of solar power gen- eration capacity and more than 16 GW of wind power capacity by 2030. The new plan would drop coal-fired generation's share of the countrys electricity output to about 36% in 2030, with nuclear falling to about 1. Coal is King in South Korea. The Dangiin power plant includes four 600-MW coal: fired units. The first two units began commercial operation in March 2000; the second pair of units came online in June 2001. Courtesy: Korea Electric Power Corp 24%. The government has said most of the changes will not be introduced until after 2022. Jae-in had said his administration would review existing plans to build nine new coal plants and eight nuclear reactors; in the plan announced in December, the energy ministry said it would convert at least two of the planned coal-fired plants to gas, increasing their generation capac- ity to 1.9 GW, up from 1.2 GW, The minis- try also said it would convert four existing coal-fired plants to natural gas. The coun- try still plans to add two new nuclear reac tors by 2022 after a poll of the country’s citizens in October 2017 showed support to resume construction of Units § and 6 at the Shin Kori plant, where the president had ordered a halt to construction in July 2017 as part of his administration's review of the countrys reactors. —Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate editor Accident-Tolerant Fuels Could Be a Boon for Nuclear Industry Following a planned outage, Unit 1 at the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley in southeastern Georgia retuned to ser- vice in early March outfitted with first- of-their-kind accident tolerant fuel (ATF) test assemblies. The development marks a major milestone for the advanced fuel technology, which, beyond safety ben- efits, could furnish the worle's light water reactor fleet with much-needed cost ef- ficiencies to help them stay competitive. For the next 24 months until its next refueling outage, Unit 1, a 1975-buitt General Electric (GE) boiling water reactor rated at 924 MM, will test iron-chromium- aluminum fuel cladding material known as "IronClad” and coated zirconium fuel cladding known as “ARMOR.” According to Southern Nuclear Operating Co., which operates the two-unit Plant Hatch, the ATF technologies have “industry-changing safety and efficiency advantages” that could make plants safer and result in more operational flexibility. That's why the in- stallation at Plant Hatch, the frst ofits kind at a commercial nuclear facility, “is not a small step, but a leap for our indus- try,” said Southern Nuclea’s Nuclear Fuel Director John Williams. “an accident-tolerant fuel fs an indus- try term used to describe new technologies that further enhance the safety and per- formance of nuclear materials. This can be Power |aya i2. An ironclad promise. During an outage at Plant Hatch that wrapped up in March, Southern Nuclear and Global Nuclear Fuels (GNF, installed non-fueled lead test rods with iton-chromium-alum: rnum fuel cladding materal, shown here. Courtesy: GNF in the form of new cladding andor fuel pellet designs,” explained Edward McGinnis, principal deputy assistant secretary for the OF fice of Nuclear Eneray at the U.S. Department of Energy (O0E), in February. The concept isn't new: ATF technologies have been under development since the early 2000s. However, it received a marked boost in the wake of the Fukushima accident in March 2011 as the DOE aggressively implemented plans under its congressionally mandated Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) program to de- velop ATFs for existing light water reactors. The program today casts a wide net of collaboration that includes several U.S. util ties, universities, and the Electric Power Research Institute. To date, three concepts for advanced ATF fuels—including fuel pellet and cladding materials—are under development and qualification by GE's Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), AREVA, and Westinghouse, with funding and technical backing from the DOE and its national labs. Burlington, Massachusetts-based Light- bridge is developing its own advanced metallic fuel concept, exploring zirconium-alloy cladding and a metallic uranium al- loy, with potential accident tolerant characteristics. The DOE- backed concepts, at least, could come to market within the next 410 years, McGinnis suggested. Installation of GNF's TronClad and ARMOR pilot test assemblies at Plant Hatch lead the ATF pack for now, but more developments, as groundbreaking, are on the horizon. The IronClad assemblies (Figure 2) are based on a technology developed by GNF in cooperation with Oak Ridge National Labo- ratory, which essentially uses a combination of iron, chromium, and aluminum for its fuel cladding to improve the fuels behavior under severe accident scenarios. “The steel material has a much Lower oxidation rate when exposed to high temperature steam,” said McGinnis. “This improves the safety margins at higher tem. peratures over traditional zirconium cladding used today.” GNF, which shipped the test assemblies to Plant Hatch in early 2018, said the IronClad assemblies include two variations of the inon-chromium-aluminum material. “One material will be in fuel rod form but will not be fueled, while the other material isin the form of a solid bar segment,” it said. The ARMOR lead test assem blies, which the company developed outside the DOE's program, contains standard zirconium fuel rods coated with ARMOR coat- ing to provide debris resistance and more oxidation resistance than standard zirconium cladding, GNF CEO Amir Vexler in a February statement said that the fer- ritic steel and coated zirconium cladding are just some of many technologies GNF is exploring as part ofits advanced fuel port folio, but they are best poised to be brought into the market in the near term to provide myriad benefits. Beyond Plant Hatch, GNF also plans to test IronClad and ARMOR cladding material at Exelon Generation’s Clinton Power Station in 2019. Meanwhile, AREVA is working on two ATF concepts—chromi um-coated cladding and chromia-doped fuel pellets. The chro- mia-doped pellets have a higher density and help reduce fission et GLOBAL MONITOR | | gas release in the event that the reactor loses cooling. Adding a chromium coating to existing zirconium-alloy cladding offers a number of advantages, including improved high-temperature oxidation resistance, dramatic reduction of hydrogen generation, coolable geometry, and mechanical properties preserved for higher coping time, and additional resistance to debris-fretting, among others, the company said. The French company reported major developments last year as it began producing chromia-doped fuel pellets at a facility in Richland, Washington, and tested them at the Idaho National Lab. In spring 2019, the company plans to instal four lead test assemblies with both chromia-doped pellets and a chromium coating to the fuel rod cladding at Southern Cos Vogtle Unit 2. Around 2022, AREVA could also develop silicon carbide cladding containing chromia-doped fuel. Westinghouse, which is emerging from bankruptcy buoyed by the prospect of an acquisition by Brookfield Asset Management, is exploring two cladding concepts: chromium coatings on cur rent Zircaloy claddings for accident mitigation, and silicon car bide composite cladding—which it is developing with General ‘Atomics —to increase corrosion resistance and ramp up maximum tolerable cladding temperatures to 2000C, more than twice what can be sustained by metal cladding used in current reactor cores. It is also developing uranium silicide fuel pellets featuring both high uranium density and high thermal conductivity. The com- pany initial ATF fuel solution comprising chromium-coated clad- ding containing uranium silicide pellets—which the company has branded as “EnCore Fuel”—will be tested at Exelon’s Byron Unit 2 in the spring of 2019. Westinghouse's silicon carbide cladding containing uranium silicide fuel could also see more attention beyond 2022. eens oe Quarter-Turn Valve and Actuator line ms a 7 ere o| GLOBAL MONITOR THE BIG PICTURE: Changing Fleets The generating fleets owned by some of the largest companies in the U.S. (ranked here by capacity in 2017) have transformed over the past four years, in some cases dramatically, as total revenues fluctuated. Sources: Fidelity Investments (revenue data standardized by S8P Capital 10); EIA-860 detailed data; SEC 10-K filings, and company websites. —Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, a POWER associate editor. fm DUKE “©” ENERGY. A Southern Company NexTera’ ENERGY 2 —g Bascw ary Energy Storage/ Fuel Cell I sas 0 sw powemag com Power ayaAl three fuel makers tout ATF's abil- ity to improve nuclear plant safety and reliability as well as their fuel cycle cost benefits. According to GNF's Vexler, for ex- ample, ATF offers “superior safety margin to address a beyond-design-basis event and the potential for more cost-effective operation of the existing boiting water re actor fleet,” he said. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), too, recognizes ATF's potential to pare down operations and maintenance costs, giving the industry a much-needed advantage to compete more robustly in power markets increasingly saturated by cheap natural gas. The trade group has been pushing industry to work toward a goal of phased deployment of ATF in a commercial reactor by the early: to mid-2020s, a schedule it deems should be significant in the deci- sions its members will need to make when evaluating the ATF safety benefits against the costs of adopting the technology. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), meanwhile, is contemplating how to best review, license, and regulate ATF de- signs, publishing a draft plan in December that received nearly 80 comments from a variety of stakeholders, including NEI, the DOE, and the Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group. During a February 27 pub- lic meeting to discuss the draft project plan, the NRC said it plans to incorporate concerms in a final plan, due this summer, about regulatory clarity, communication, coordination, and licensing time lags. Meanwhile, the NEI also urged Congress to allot more funding to the DOE's EATF program to enable the agency to increase cost-sharing for ATF technologies and to facilitate more national lab testing, as well as for NRC licensing efforts. —Sonal Patel is a POWER associate editor. Geothermal Generation Growing by Leaps and Bounds in Kenya The Geothermal Resources Council, a Cali- fornia-based trade association, said Kenya ranks eighth in the world in geothermal energy production. And the country is poised to add substantially more geother- mal-sourced power to its grid in the next few years, a trend noted in other countries trying to diversify their energy portfolios, and where geothermal potential exists. The state-run Kenya Electricity Generat- ing Co. (KenGen) in February announced ft wants to add 1,745 MW of geothermal generation by 2025; by comparison, the country at present has installed total pow. fer generating capacity from all types of ecto Power 2,370 MW. Most of that capacity—1,631 MM, of which 533 MW is geothermal (Fig- ure 3)—is owned and operated by KenGen. The Kenyan government has a new energy policy that directs KenGen, along with the country’s independent power producers, to eliminate fossil fuel-powered generation; the Kenya Vision 2030 energy plan pushes forthe majority of the countrys electricity to come from renewable sources, at utility scale, commercial and industrial scale, and as off-grid solutions, in 2030 and beyond. GLOBAL MONITOR a “Going forward, the government policy, which all generators including KenGen and including independent power producers, is to eliminate generation from fossil fuels,” Moses Wekesa, the country's business de- velopment director, said during a tour of KenGen’s geothermal plants in February. Electricity demand is growing in Kenya. The government expects year-over-year demand growth of about 8% over the next three years, then rising another 9% in 2021 before stabilizing at about 7% per Ni V2Videoscope ++ 90° Prism Tip VIDEO BORESCOPES all in one indestructible carrying case! V2 vi Videoscopes now starting at $7995! C/A. V2 Deluxe Kits Contain: °4-way Articulating “All Standard Accessories Grant Lens Capra | gradientens.com Deluxe Kits! jing you'll ever need 4mm & 6mm Deluxe Kits now starting at $9995!| GLOBAL MONITOR 3. Geothermal growing in Kenya. ‘Workers inspect the pipes at the Olkaria goo- thermal plant. Kenya has about 630 MW of in- stalled geothermal generation capacity, with plans to add more than 1,700 MW over the next several years. Courtesy: Creative Com: ‘mons /Lydur Skulason allhty ho Bi year after that. Said Wekesa: “First, as a rule of thumb, your supply must always be ahead of demand, The reason being that it takes a while to put up a power plant.” “The conditions in Kenya are ripe for geothermal development, with a support- ive government, demonstrated history of successful projects, and a rapidly-growing economy hungry for cheap and reliable electricity,” said Andrew Palmateer, pro- gram director for the United States Energy Association, in a March interview with POWER. “As a clean, renewable, baseload electricity source, geothermal is well-posi tioned to increase its share of the electric- ity mix in Kenya.” Other African nations, including Djibou- ti, Comoros, Eritrea, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, are exploring geothermal, and Ethiopia has about 7 MW of geother- mal generation. A report from groups in- cluding the Infrastructure Consortium for Mica and the United Nations Environ- ment Program says East Africa has the po- tential for 20,000 NW of geothermal, and Kenya is far and away the leading source. The country, which began developing geo- thermal power in the late 1970s, is part of a volcanic valley, and miles of pipes cross the landscape, carrying steam to power plants. Many of the pipes are elevated to enable vehicles to pass underneath, and to allow animals such as giraffes to travel unimpeded. About 47% of the countrys ower today comes from geothermal, a to: tal of about 630 MW, and about 400 MW of that has come online since 2014. %e 7 Annual ASIAN SBC USERS’ GROUP CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2018 Participate in Asia’s PREMIER Sub-Bituminous Coal Users’ Conference! The Asian SBC Users’ Group is THE place to be for power generating companies: » Natt unde ol enerang company indus proessal none lace 2 Dove best races sally adele hande and bun SBC coals > Acces in dep nds soos » Experience new technologies impacting the industry » Tour PJB's Paton coal-ired power plant INTERESTED IN SPEAKING? For Sponsorship 2 sw powemag com Senor ‘The country’s energy plan was devel- oped with an eye toward servicing Kenya's, rapidly growing population, which today {s about 49 million people, with expected growth to perhaps 90 million by 2050, ac- cording to the government—which also notes that only about 40% of the popu- lation has reliable electricity service. The country’s energy plan includes efforts to expand the national grid; Kenya Electric- ity Transmission Co. (Ketraco) said about 1,500 miles of new transmission lines are under construction, with plans for an ad- ditional 3,600 miles. “The theoretical potential for geother- mal energy capacity in Kenya is more than 10,000 MW, and in the Rift Valley alone, where most of the capacity is curently in stalled, the potential could be 2,000 MW.” Sanjay’ Chandra, director of clean eneray development at business consultancy ICF told POWER in a March interview. “With the recent announcements about Olkaria V [140 MW, Figure 4] and first phase of Menengai plant [105 MW], installed ci pacity continues to increase. The Eburru field is in the immediate pipeline for ex- pansion, and explorations are ongoing in several other geothermal fields, including Longonot and Suswa. So, reaching 1,745 Organizers: * #BB PLN Shangri-La Hotel Surabaya, Indonesia May7-8 Conference & Exhibition May 9 Paiton CFPP Tour EXHIBITION ORGANIZER - LISTRIK INDONESIA Phone: +62-31 505 3247 /48 Fax +62-31 505 8191 eee LEME Tose eae canbe cect, ene, cee read Space Avallable ZS ors aman Power aya4. Expanding its geothermal footprint. The Oikaria geothermal plant, operated by KenGen, was named a POWER magazine Te 9 Plant in 2018 after it completed 3 MW capac: iy expansion phase. There are plans to further expand the plant, which sts in the vast Olkaria geothermal field. Courtesy: Toshiba Corp MW by 2025 is not impossible. Do keep in mind that a geothermal project has a long development cycle, given the time it takes for exploration, data collection, and engi- neering a site for generation. Getting req uisite financing along the way adds to the timeline, It could take 10-15 years for a site to become a generation plant.” COT eH Hay PURATE Kenya's economic growth depends on reliable energy. The country is the world's fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers, and the largest exporter of flowers to Europe. Geothermal power is used to warm green houses; Oserian, one of the country larg est flower companies, uses geothermal to power its operations near Lake Naivasha, GLOBAL MONITOR | “Worldwide, geothermal is on an upward trend,” said Chandra, “Some 1,600 MW-plus of developing capacity was added in 2016 alone. Plants are being developed, and con: structed, in Croatia, Iran, Malaysia, Indone- sia, and Chil. [The] industry estimates that worldwide geothermal generation capacity will grow from the current 13.8 GW to over 23 GW by 2022. Upfront capital investment for development, tine of development, and financing are the top challenges for geo- thermal development. Kenya is now seen as an international center of excellence and a model for geothermal energy.” “Currently, geothermal accounts for less than 1% of total global electricity genera tion,” said Palmeteer. “Around the world, though, geothermal continues to grow as an electricity and primary energy source Last year, Turkey joined the ‘I-Gigawatt Geothermal Club’ by commissioning two ad ditional geothermal plants, and they have a large pipeline of upcoming projects. We have seen similar progress throughout Af- rica, Latin America, and Asia “In recent years, we have seen coun- tries that are heavily reliant on large hydroelectric power, including Kenya, ex periencing generation shortages during periods of drought. Water access issues in itions, are complex. ion isn't-— Simple. Reliable. Cost-effective. Worry-free, best-in-cle ecolab.com/nalco-water chlorine dioxide generation technology. NALCO Water PET ore Te| GLOBAL MONITOR many parts of the world mean that large hydro will be more difficut to develop in the future. These generation shortages have cascading effects throughout the national economies, leading to millions of dollars in economic losses. To overcome these development challenges, I think it {s important for countries to evaluate the costs and benefits of all energy sources from commercial, environmental, and op- rational perspectives, and then to pursue an energy mix that provides reliable, af- fordable, and clean energy access for all.” —Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate editor. Chile to Pursue Dramatic Coal Generation Reduction Chile joined the ranks of nearty two dozen countries that have announced a phaseout ‘or a moratorium of coal generation, pledg- ‘ng not to continue building coal-fired power plants unless they are equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The January 29 announcement by the country’s energy ministry and electric Power generators’ association, ASo- ciacion de Generadoras, is a significant development for the country that re- lied on coal for about two-fifths of its power generation in 2016. The trade ‘group, whose members comprise some of Chile's largest generators, including AES Gener, Cerro Dominador, Colbun, EDF, Enel Chile, Engie, Orazul Energy, Pacific Hydro, and Statkraft, noted in a state- ment that a transformation of Chile's power mix is already underway, driven in part by a larger goal to procure 70% of national electricity generation from renewables by 2050. The decision marks a new direction for the country’s energy policy. Chile's power sector has rapidly evolved over the past decade, shaped by institutional and poticy reforms, and natural disasters, in particu- lar a 2010 earthquake, which disrupted power supply and transmission. An impor- tant consideration driving these changes is the country's long and narrow geography, which poses unique infrastructure chal- lenges. Meanwhile, Chile hosts the world’s best solar resources in the Atacama Des- ert to the north, and the world's longest national mountain ridges and shorelines, which provide immense wind, hydropower, geothermal, and ocean energy potential— much of it currently untapped. To meet soaring power demand bol- stered by an economy driven by exports, generation capacity in the country tripled from 6.5 GW in 1997 to 23 GW by the end of 2017. Yet, the goverment expects 5. Chilean electricity generation between 1973 and 2016. Chi’s power profile has changed over the past decade owing to infrastructure challenges, supply issues, and disasters. Courtesy: IEA (20176), Word Energy Balances 2017 www.iea.orgfbookshop/763. World Energy. Balances 2017 ‘m1 mCoal m Natural Gas m Biofuels and waste ” 10 0 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1957 7000 2003 2008 2009 2012 2015, power demand will more than double through 2050. And because it remains an electricity island, with only one cross-bor- der connection, Chile must produce all its own power needs sustainably. Over the past decade, its power mix, too, has evolved. Gas capacity dwindled between 2004 and 2007, when Argen- tina restricted gas exports on which Chile was reliant. A crippling drought in 2008, meanwhile, forced the country to rethink its reliance on hydropower. Both events sent the share of coal in power generation soaring from 10% in 2003 to 24% in 2009 to 41% in 2026 (Figure 5). Renewables will now take on a signfi- cant role in Chile's future mix, Asociaci de Generadoras said in January. Annual competitive auctions introduced in 2012 to encourage market competition have prompt- ed a dramatic reduction in power prices as participants increased. Solar and wind, in particular, emerged as market-competitive technologies—without direct subsidies. In the 2017 auction, for example, where 2.2 TWh per year from 2026 to 2064 were con- tracted at average prices of $32.50/MWh, 46% was from renewables projects (25% so- lar/wind, 16% solar, and 5% wind), accord- ing to the Ministry of Energy. By 2030, between 8.8 GW and 16 GW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind will be added to Chile's grid, reaching a penetration of between 38% and 47%, the trade group noted in January. That means that by 2030, Chile's power profile will be markedly different, with solar PV covering a 30% share, hydro a 29% share, wind a 12% share, and other renewables adding 4%, Thermoelectric plants will make up the remaining 25% share. While Chile won't build new coal plants, thermoelectric _power—which includes coal, gas, and diesel—are still needed to Nuclear mHyiko = Wind m Solar provide fiexibility, the group noted, cit- ing a study it commissioned to analyze the long-term effects of greater penetration of variable renewables. The study was pre- pared by a consortium of consulting fitms, including Rio de Janeiro-based PSR and Santiago-based Moray, which was founded by power sector executives to provide per- spectives for decision-making. ‘According to Asociacién de Generadoras Executive Vice President Claudio Seebach, to accommodate more variable generation, power plants in Chile would need to have the capacity to turn on and off, quickly raise or lower their operations, or operate at lower efficiency ranges, which implied higher costs. Costs incurred by coal and gas generators to provide that flexibility could more than triple, ranging from $150 million to $360 million annually by 2030, depending on the scenario. Seebach said, however, that the net economic and en- Vironmental benefits of more renewables outweighed flexibility costs. Even so, he called for the design of adequate mecha- nisms to identify, measure, value, and al- locate flexibility costs. hile joins a string of countries, states, and organizations that have announced they would phase out existing tradi- tional coal power or issue a moratorium con new coal power stations without CCS. The “Power Past Coal Alliance,” an initia- tive launched by the UK and Canada in November 2017, has quickly amassed 34 members, including 23 countries. Most are small and don't host substantial coal capacity. Among larger countries are: An- gola, Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Den- El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portu- gal, Sweden, and Switzerland. —Sonal Patel is a POWER associate editor. Power |aya aisPOWER Digest China’s Installed Capacity Grows 7.6% in 2017. China's installed power capacity in 2017 grew 7.6% compared to the ‘end of 2016 and now stands at 1,777 GW—higher than U.S. in- stalled capacity of 1,198 GW as of December 2017. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, which released a “statisti cal communiqué” on national economic and social development ‘on February 28, of China's total installed capacity, more than 60% was thermal—which includes coal, oil, gas, residual heat, waste incineration, and biomass. Last year, thermal power saw an increase of about 4.3%. Installed hydropower generation capac- ity, about 19% of total capacity, grew to 341 GW, up by 2.7%. Installed nuclear power generation, now 20% of China’s capacity, was 358.2 GW, up by 6.5%. Renewables saw the biggest capac- ity growth: The installed grid-connected wind power generation capacity was 163.67 GW (9% of total capacity), an increase of 10.5%, and installed grid-connected solar power generation ca- pacity was 130.25 GW (79% of total capacity), shooting up 68.7%. However, power generation grew more moderately in 2017 by 5.9% to 6,495 TWh. Thermal power generation increased 5.1% (producing a total of 4,663 TWh); hydropower generation grew only by 0.5% to 1,190 TWh. Nuclear generation increased by 16%. Production of coal was up modestly (3.3%), but produc- tion of gas soared by 8.2% to 148 billion cubic meters. Power consumption in the country increased 6.6% overall. The domestic carbon intensity (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross do- imestic product) dropped by 5.1% in 2017. Among other interest- ing revelations in the communiqué is that production of power {generation equipment fell 9.8% compared to the year before like- ly owing to the stowdown in construction of larger power plants. UK Company Will Build Pakistan Coal Plant. Oracle Power, ‘London, Uk-based power company, in February gained approval from Pakistan’s government to build a 700-MW coal-fired power plant in the Thar Desert, southeast of Sindh. The power plant is part of a larger project designed to add 1.4 GW of generation ca- pacity to the national grid. Oracle—formerly known as Oracle Coal- fields—and its Chinese partners, including Power China Industrial Group and Sichuan Provincial Investment Group, had submitted their proposal for the plant in November 2017. “This is an impor- tant step in the regulatory process in Pakistan, confirming the reciprocal commitments of Oracle and its consortium partners and the Government of Pakistan to this major energy project,” said Or- acle Power CEO Shahrukh Khan in a statement. The project is part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a $46 billion investment that is among the largest in Pakistan's history, The corridor project includes other energy and technology projects, along with road construction, being built by Pakistan in partnership with China. Solar Power Park Comes Online in Russia. The Hevel Group, part of Russia's Renova Group and the largest integrated pho- tovoltaic (PV) company in Russia, brought a 15-MW solar power project online in February in the southern Russia region of Astra- ktran, The PV power plant was developed and financed by Renova subsidiary Green Energy. Hevel also is building two larger PV plants in the same region, with total generation capacity of 120 MW, that are expected to be ontine later this year. Hevel in late January announced it had ramped up production of its 160-MWW cell and PV modules, six months after beginning to convert its Fab line into heterojunction technology. The company has said its goal aligns with the Russian government's goal to commission 1.7 GW of PV power capacity by 2024. Black & Veatch Will Develop UK Power Plant. A development contract was issued to Black & Veatch (B&V) in late February for a new 900-MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant in Lan- ecto |PoweR GLOBAL MONITOR | | For nearty 40 years CLearSpan Fasric StRucTURES has been providing the most versatile ond dependable industrial building, Vesarus Distons = Whether you need o suetire tots mporary or ‘permanent for workspace er storage, hee iso ClearSpan sve ost-Enecrive Bunnie Souati0ns - Drosicoly reduce constuction cos ‘monthly utes ond moinerance requirement, while geting a srvcre thats superior in quality ond hunonaiy mo cashire in northwest England, The £500 million contract (about $3700 million) for the Wyre Combined Cycle Project was awarded by China Machinery Engineering Corp. (CMEC) and Wyre Power Ltd., part of NPL Group of Glasgow, Scotland. The plant is ex- pected to come online by 2022, Black & Veatch will be the en- gineering, procurement, and construction contractor along with CMEC. “This project forms part of our strategic cooperation agree- ment with CMEC, using our joint skills and experience to develop new-build power plants around the world,” said Peter Hughes, director of European business development with B&V. “This proj- ect, which marks our first collaboration with CMEC in the UK, will provide the much-needed, modern, flexible generation capacity that the countrys electricity network requires.” Thai Solar Company Invests in Vietnam. Superblock Pcl, a renewable energy company and the largest solar energy company in Thailand, in February said it plans to invest 56 billion baht (51.76 billion) to install wind farms with 700 MW of generation capacity in Vietnam. The company’s chairman, Jormsup Lochaya, said the first phase of the project includes three farms with 142 MW of capacity in Bac Lieu Province, 98 MW in Soc Trang Prov- ince, and 100 MW in Ca Mau Province, all in southern Vietnam. The farms are under construction, and Lochaya said they should be operating by 2020. The second phase, which includes 360 MW of capacity, also will be built in those three provinces. Construc- tion on those farms will begin after the first three projects are complete, according to Lochaya. Vietnam at present has about 1140 MW of wind power generation capacity. The government has said it wants to have at least 6 GW of wind generation in service by 2030. —Darrell Proctor and Sonal Patel are POWER associate editors. Vist www. cUEARSPAN.COM OF it 1.866.683.1010 oan ont wom we cov wr Wr You save acsFOCUS ON and Safety Just a decade ago, a hydroblasting con- tractor was considered cutting-edge if he ‘owned a spinning nozzle for his shotgun and a 2-D tank cleaning tool. Now, the next evolution in hydroblasting technoto- gies is here, as robotics and automated tools are being developed and brought to market at an ever-increasing pace, allow- {ng contractors to perform more efficient- ly, safely, and quickly, and with increased customer satisfaction. The new robotics and automated tools for the industrial cleaning industry have significantly increased operator safety in what can be a high-risk job. By adding a distance factor from the nozzle to the oper- ator, the new equipment allows the tools to be operated remotely (Figure 1). The new set-up also decreases operator fatigue, al- lowing for increased productivity. Another benefit of robotics and automation: reduc- ing the possibitity of human error, allowing for delivery of consistent results. Previously, hand-lancing heat exchang- ers (vertical or horizontal) was the indus- try standard for cleaning tube bundles. It was not the safest task, it did not deliver consistent results, and it often ended in ‘operator fatigue due to the tasks repeti- tive nature. Today, there are several au- tomated altematives for cleaning tubes, ranging from single- to triple-lance units that distance the operator from danger. The automated versions of these tools deliver consistent nozzle-to-tube time at a con- stant feed rate, insuring that 100% of the tube is cleaned without depending on an ‘operator to manually feed the lance. With the addition of the dual- and triple-tance tools, the time on-site is decreased, and the customers’ up-time is greatly enhanced. Some operators have noted a progres- sive decrease in on-site time over the past decade as tooting has improved. With the early introduction of a single-lancing au- tomated tool, a decrease in on-site time from 10% to 15% was realized, with more consistent tube cleaning. As feed systems ‘improved in the lancing tools, the cleaning percentage of each tube also increased. With the addition of the first single-lanc- ‘ng tool, there was a dramatic decrease in operators’ repetitive motion injures, and a safer work zone was achieved as the op- erator was distanced from the tool. ray cee 1. More safety, less fatigue. New robotics and automated tools have made hy- roblasting safer, as operators no longer must be in close proximity to the equipment. Opera: tor fatigue is lessened, which allows for more productivity, and the possibilty of human error during a jab is reduced, allowing for more con: sistent results. Courtesy: AIMS Companies Operators have seen a 35% decrease in on-site time with the use of triple-lance units. The new tools are lighter, more ef- ficient to set up, and feed rate systems ensure that 100% of the tube is cleaned in a single pass. Progressive improvements in borescope technologies have also reduced time on- site as operators can now document the success of tube-cleaning processes. The new technology allows providers to de- Liver a video of the finished product to the customer, minimizing the time required by the customer to perform inspections at the end of the project. Robotics also is changing the water- blasting space, increasing operator safety by distancing the operator from the nozzles and potentially hazardous environments, and allowing the user to remotely operate the cleaning tools. Robotic shotgun units, track-mounted shotgun units, and remotely operated water cannons al allow for remote water blasting in confined spaces (Figure 2), hazardous atmospheres, and hazardous \ocations—without risk to operators. The evolution of specialty tools has in- fluenced the possible types of hydroblast- ing jobs and provided safer alternatives on the job site. These tools range from true 3-0 tank and vessel cleaning equipment, to a wide assortment of pipe-cleaning heads and centralizers. In addition, the versatility and choices of accessories, including rotary shotgun nozzles, rotary lance nozzles, and straight and. curved pipe nozzles, make the job safer, while de- livering consistent results. The evolution of hydroblasting tools 2. Remote operation increases flexibility. Robotics hes changed the way many hydrobasting jobs are done. Remotely ‘operated water cannons allow for cleaning in Confined spaces, and also in hazardous en- Vironments and potentially unsafe locations. Courtesy: AIMS Companies has been aided by upgrades in nozzle de- signs over the past decade. Nozzles can be specifically manufactured to meet a customer's unique project needs, while ensuring they detiver the required flow, pressure, and direction or angle. ‘As the industry incorporates these technology advancements, such as video feeds, more precise nozzles, robotics, and additional automated tools, it ushers in a new age of hydroblasting, allowing contractors to increase safety and perfor- mance, and decrease time on-site, which in turn increases customer uptime, pro- ductivity, and satisfaction. —Daniel de ta Torre is business develop- ‘ment manager at AIMS Companies. Electric Co-op Shines a Light on Rack Selection Clay Electric Cooperative was determined to dramatically improve its logistics, reli- ability, and productivity, even before the Florida member-owned utility set out to build a new warehouse to consolidate maintenance materials from various stor- age facilities into one location. The group knew that a new facility was needed to resolve the most-pressing issues of its existing properties, including lower- ing costs and reducing future downtime. The co-op, which serves about 170,000 accounts and provides service across an area covering 14 northern Florida coun- ties, had ongoing issues with forklifts run- ning into and damaging the racking at its existing faciities. Bidding for equipment at a new warehouse would come down to more than the lowest-cost bid. In choos- ing value over price alone, the co-op was Power | aya itlooking for the best long-term solution. “The co-op wanted to invest from day ‘one in the proper safety gear to get the most life out of their equipment, since the value of their purchase and the safety of their operations are paramount,” said Bud- dy Chadwell, president of Kardex Storage, ‘a material-handting equipment distributor in Florida. Because the new warehouse (Figute 3) would not experience high-vol- ume traffic, employees would not be full time forklift operators, which in the past had increased the instances of forklift im- pact-related rack damage. The new racking had to be capable of not only withstand- ‘ng accidents, but also needed to require only minimal maintenance, Improve Safety, Reduce Costs Increasing rack resistance to impact can improve safety and operations while ducing the total cost of ownership, in- cluding repair and premature replacement. There are several ways to achieve this, which involve choosing the appropriate racking materials and options. “Typical rack that uses three-sided up- right columns with an open back, called open-back roll-form rack, is more suscep- tible to potential accidents by operators lifting a load too high and backing out,” said Chadwell. “This can place twist- ing, torsional loads on the rack that can shorten its lifespan and even lead to it tipping over. It is seldom the best choice when the structure must endure frequent or long-term forklift impact.” A better choice is a cost-effective rack- ‘ng system designed to withstand the in- creased impact, and then supplement the most impact-prone areas with additional protection. Chadwell conferred with Steel King Industries, a national manufacturer of storage rack and material-handling 3. Consolidation. Clay Electric Coop- erative in Florida buit a new warehouse to consolidate maintenance materials from vat ous storage facilities into one location to im- rove logistics, reliability, and productivity. A ‘major consideration for the new facility was its choice of storage racks, which needed to withstand forklift impacts and require litle maintenance, Courtesy: Stee! King industies seam power 4, Strong and upright. The Clay Elec tic Cooperative chose the SK2000 pallet rack when outing its new warehouse. The 'SK2000 is a boitess, closed tubular upright rack with a foursided column structure. Cour tesy: Stee King Industries products, whose engineers reviewed the c0-op's warehouse layout and blueprint. The engineers recommended a tubular- upright rack product, with a robust four- sided column structure that offers a more suitable choice at a similar price point. For the project, the co-op decision-mak- ers chose Sk2000 pallet rack (Figure 4), a boltless, closed-tubular upright product, by Steet King. Compared to open-back roll-formed col- tumns, the closed-tubular uprights are 44 times more torsion/twist resistant, with 250% greater frontal impact resistance and 68% greater side impact resistance. All beams are constructed of high-strength (55,000 psi minimum) steel, and holes are placed on the column's face, not the cor- ners, minimizing strength loss. “The tubular rack is much more resistant to rack movement and twisting than open- back channel designs,” said Chadwell. “This translates into a much longer usable Lifespan and more operational uptime with minimal maintenance.” Resistant to Impact To make its storage racking system even more impact resistant, Clay Electric also implemented an innovative, adjustable, boltless rack-column protector, called Snap-Guard (Figure 5), which safeguards the upright rack column from forklift dam- age. Constructed of structural angle, with a é-rivet connection that automatically locks into the upright column, it can be adjusted and removed as needed to pro- 5. Safeguarding the rack column. ‘An innovative, adjustable, boltless rack cok umn protector, called Snap-Guard, safeguards the uptight rack column from forkift damage. Courtesy: Steel King Industries FOCUS ON O&M tect the desired storage level. “Instead of a typical bolt-on design, the snap-on protector snaps into the rack’s teardrop holes, which makes it very easy to install and adjust.” said Chadwell. Since a rack upright’s first six inches to a foot of column from the floor is also prone to fork truck impact, particularly at end rows and intersections where maneu- vering is tight, Kardex Storage also recom- mended and installed Guard Dawg guard rail rack protection. The guard rail, con- structed of high-strength steel angle, pro- tects upright columns and comes in right, left, or double-ended guards so itis fully compatible with most end row racks. According to Chadwell, there were dis- tinct advantages to this turnkey approach toward integrated racking versus a less- comprehensive piecemeal approach. “Too often when a company purchases rack and then tries to mix and match guard rail or other accessories ftom third-party sources, there can be compatibility or ac- countability issues,” said Chadwell. “When buying from an integrated manufacturer Uike Steel King, it is all engineered to work together, with one company taking full re- sponsibility if support is ever needed.” As for the end result, Chadwell said, “The closed tubular selective rack, with its accompanying guardrail and column protection, is designed to last decades longer than typical open-back rack, with less maintenance and more uptime.” « —Del Williams isa technical writer based in Torrance, California.Brooks Blake Urban 2 final rule on February 15 (Order No. 841) that facilitates the direct participation of electric storage resources in centralized markets operated by Regional Transmission Organi- zations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs). In its order, FERC directs RTOs and 150s to revise their tariffs to estab- lish a new participation model that recognizes the physical and operational characteristics of electric storage resources. Rather than imposing a specific participation model on the RTOs and 150s, FERC instead sets forth certain minimum requirements that must be met when proposing market rules. FERC defines an electric storage resource as one capable of, receiving electric energy from the grid and storing it for later injection back to the grid. It makes clear that the definition is intended to cover a range of technologies that includes batter- ies, flywheels, and hydro pumped storage. Commenters raised concems that the participation model ‘may be abused by retail customers seeking to avoid paying the retail rate for energy consumption by paying the wholesale lo- cational marginal price for such purchases and falsely claiming they are for wholesale purposes to charge the storage facilities and later sell back to the wholesale market. FERC addresses these concems by requiring the implementation of certain di- rect metering and accounting practices that distinguish be- tween wholesale and retail activity. T: Federal Eneray Regulatory Commission (FERC) adopted Participating in RTO and ISO Markets Order No. 841 is intended to incent the development and mar- ket participation of a variety of electric storage resources, in- cluding resources located on distribution systems or behind the meter. An electric storage resource that receives, stores, and later injects electric energy into the grid as part of its partici- pation in RTO or ISO markets engages in a FERC-urisdictional sale of electric energy at wholesale, regardless of whether the electric storage resource is located on the transmission system, (on a distribution system, or behind the meter. The participation in wholesale markets of such electric stor- age resources, including those connected at or below distribu- tion-level voltages, means that these electric storage resources may become subject to FERC’ rules and regulations pursuant to the Federal Power Act (FPA). Thus, while Order No. 841 eases market access for electric storage resources to participate in centralized power markets, the result of such participation may require compliance by the owners of those resources—includ- ing relatively small resources of 100 kW—with a wide range of FERC requirements pursuant to the FPA. The conditions could include filing rates pursuant to FPA section 205, obtaining market-based rate authority where applicable, submitting FPA section 203 filings related to corporate mergers, FERC account- ing obligations, and FERC interlocking directorate obligations. ‘Another feature of Order No. 841's application to resourc- Market Barriers Eased for Energy Storage Resources 5 located on both the distribution and transmission system may be inconsistent interconnection procedures for connect- ing electric storage resources. Specifically, interconnection of such resources to transmission facilities covered by a transmis- sion provider's Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) will be subject to FERC’ pro forma interconnection procedures, while interconnection to distribution facilities that are not covered by a transmission provider's OATT will be subject to state inter- connection procedures. Additionally, many states do not have uniform or pro forma interconnection procedures. Instead, interconnection proce- dutes are handled by these states through individual filings with the state regulatory commissions. As a result, the in- terconnection process for electric storage resources may vary widely depending on the point of interconnection across the electric system and from state to state. Energy Storage and Renewables Benefit, Peaking Units May Suffer Order No. 841 benefits the eneray storage industry by expand- ‘ng the viability of electric storage resources into larger an- cillary services, and wholesale energy and capacity markets beyond the current limited applications that generally involve fast-responding frequency regulation markets. Order No. 841's requirements may result in energy storage providers having an identified backstop revenue source in centralized markets, which can further facilitate financing and deployment of such projects. Renewable energy resources may also benefit from Order No. ‘861 by the increasing interest in co-locating or co-developing renewable facilities with electric storage resources to address operational challenges to quick dispatch and firm up portions of the variable production of renewable resources like wind and solar. To the extent Order No. 841 broadens the deployment of electric storage resources, such increased availability may make such “tenewable-plus-storage” development options more attractive. Many anticipate that Order No. 841 could result in challenges for the owners of certain merchant facilities, including margin- ally economic peaker units, To the extent that traditional peaker units only run during brief periods of high demand for electric- ity, electric storage resources may be capable of dispatching more economically to address the demand and may keep such peaker units from clearing the market, thus displacing them. In this respect, the rule may make it difficult for certain marginal peaker units to participate economically in RTO and 150 markets if the increased participation of electric storage units encour- aged by Order No. 841 takes place as FERC anticipates. w —Seth Lucia is @ counsel, Michael Brooks is a partner, and Blake Urban is an associate with Bracewell LLP in the firm's Washington, 0.C. ofice. Power | aya itIS YOUR POWER PROJECT A WINNER? FIND OUT BY NOMINATING IT FOR A POWER AWARD a eo ee ee RUC deadline of April 13, 2018. You'll find award information, lists of former winners, and nomination forms at hitp://www.powermag.com/power-awards/ ei THE 2018 CATEGORIES ARE: SPR RCE AULA) STD yen PAWN zoe ha COU ULCE UZ) SNA) Same PEAY) PX soe a PUL NM Ure ACL) Oe Co ELPA RLM AND RENEWABLE SUBCATEGORIES) 2018are inc { red pov asing s er plants tc Plai about 85 chieves while ser oncert ed effort ac Lee Buchsbaum 2 abst poten chology Dy sii serie “a oe bind eat and power (CHPy_ schemes ae pcr fsl fl, bomen o tosear dpe, Plans ake he heat ia bypedac of ste conbunon cook ing, cope roe nd then cs win gropepical aren Siac byproauc teat gecraly ene and herr ta ada of te technology age CHP provi an dopa soln a aay Eley poem, Accounting for bat brat and power pencation, punt fins aoc Sort and ne, However replat, iver to ond mars coud pon oho CHP Snapshot “Throughout the European Union (EU), CHP provides more than 11% of all electricity and 136 of all heat forthe 28 member nations. In tot, this delivers 15% ofthe EU's energy efficiency and 20% of the EU's climate 2020 ‘objectives, saving Europe about 200 million tonnes of CO; per year. The contribution of CCHP to the energy mix varies greatly among European countries, from less than SS in Malta, Cyprus, and Greece, to more than 30% 2 heme also generate t's Fortuna ing Diisseldor o de’ energy advocates clamor for c n Europe to use at for Uni ciency when operate istrict heating. The Eur w CHP plants, bi leaner alter in Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Overall at the European level, co- ‘generation has remained stable during the past few years COGEN Europe, an industry advocacy group, claims CHP installations could pro- vide Europe with up to an additional 120 GW of cenergy. Yet, it says EU policies and public o slowing adoption of what could otherwise be valuable tool to reduce overall emissions. ‘The group suggests interactions between all energy cartiers should be considered and improved, including the flexibility pote provided by heat networks, gas grids, and the transport sector. COGEN is also lobbying to protect existing CHP investments that may be at risk of decommissioning because their primary task—generating electricity—runs counter to CO, emissions reduction being implemented throughout the EU, and the only way they can reliably make money is by selling “The big elephant in the energy room is heat. Most political debates about decarboniz- ing our energy sector focus on decarbonizing four electricity system and electrifying trans- por” said Hans Korteweg, managing director mar¢ — POWER's 2016 Plan in t there atives na orofitabl for good re: of the Ye cogeneration mode ean Union is mz challe anc of COGEN. However, electricity and transport are just two parts ofthe system, Heat ultimate ly accounts for half ofall energy consumption by some tallies. Unfortunately, “there is no clear vision, nor strategy on how to decar bbonize on a lange scale the heat demand in hhouses and businesses,” continued Kortewes. COGEN argues that CHP isthe most-effcient ‘way to produce heat and electricity, offering energy savings ranging between 15% and 40% compared to the separate supply of elec: ticity and heat from conventional power sta- tions and boilers Currently bolstered by various funding schemes and emissions credits, Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, and many other nations are moving forward with new CHP projects Producers are adopting CHP schemes because under EU rules, the captured byproduct— hheat—is considered both green and renew: able, regardless of what actually generated the hheat. These projects then are factored into re- newable energy targets, and communities can claim them as green. However, with so much solar and wind—what purists claim are the only “real” renewable energies—now coming. online, can CHP projects find a stable space to provide a cleaner baseload power while power |agizi8simultaneously reducing demand for eleeti- cally generated heat? And will municipalities accept CHP schemes as a way to reduce car bon emissions going forward? EU Supports Cleaner, ‘Greener Heat’ There can be litle doubt that physic CHP plants, which combine both the el tricity and heat generated, are very efficient of capturing a much larger percent- age of a fuels energy potential, Further, since the hea is generally used locally, there is less associated line oss from distribution ctny grids While far more popular historically for industrial users, many municipalities. also rely ona plant's coincidental he linked through piping systems around various Aistits, Thus, in addition to costs generation also yields en though using fossil fuels more leads to fewer emissions than the separate generation of electricity and heat It helps too that under EU rules, the co- incidental heat is also seen as green. “We run a cogeneration plan that also produces carbon-free district heat, which under the law is equivalent to renewable energy.” said Udo Brockmeicr, chairman of utility Stadt- werke Disseldorf in an interview published in Siemens’ in-house magazine. The recipi- ent of POWER magazine's 2016 Pl tis then of the Siemens-built natural Lausward pl 's Fortuna Uni has largely ‘been economically viable because of the heat it has been able to sell to the city—and not just for its electricity. This kind of dual arrangement is nothing new (Figure 1), Coal and gas plants have long been used in CHP schemes. Nuclear plants have as well, particularly in eastem Europe. Increasingly, biomass CHP plants with capa ties ranging froma few MW up to 350 MW are also coming online. Small- and medium-sized CHP plants are usually sourced with locally available biomass, Large CHP plants and coal/ biomass co-iring powerplants require biomass sourced from a wide region or imported wood and forestry residues. Often using pellets from the U.S, many regulators are now questioning the “greenness” of such schemes. (On the EU level, there is an agreed-upon framework for how member states should de sign support schemes on the national level through the 2012 Energy Eiiciency Directive aswell asthe 2014 State Aid Guidelines for En- mental Protection. Germany is one of the ‘countries that made a high-Level political com- two boosting CHP. Since 2002, the Ger mmbined Heat and Power Act has been of CHP plants nc the main basis forthe promotio soe ‘The act provides a framework for funding based on the application of a surcharge. Pur suant to the CHP at, the operators of funded installations are entitled to the payment of a supplement for a limited period of time. A revision of the CHP act, which entered into force on January 1, 2016, means that govern ment has doubled funding for CHP, raising it to €L5 billion. The revision focuses on com: boating climate change by relying more on CHP technolog Germany, Europe's largest economy, has set a clear ambition for CHP with a dedicat- ed law and target of 110 TWh of CHP-pow- ered energy by 2020, and 120 TWh by 2025. In May 2017, the federal cabinet adopted a ‘ordinance on the introduction of auc tions for CHP plants and innovative CHP systems. Through 2021, a total capacity of 200 MW will be auctioned each year, of Which initially, 150 MW are to come from conventional CHP plants and 50 MW from innovative CHP systems. In the years that follow, the share of innovative CHP systems will be gradually increased. Inan effort to sweeten the po, in mid-Feb- ‘uary the European Commission (EC) ruled in favor of two new "Green Certificate” schemes {0 support, on a national level, a new CHP plant in Flanders, Belgium. Combined, it will hhelp Belgium meet its 2020 target of produc: ing 13% of its energy needs from renewable sources—a steep climb from the 9% of current capacity in the country. Green certificates are one example of onal support schemes that correct for un favorable energy markets or distortions, thus ensuring that cogeneration capacity is. re- ‘warded for the benefits it provides to the en- ergy system,” continued COGEN’s Kortewes. “Most EU countries have their own specific support schemes for CHP, with different con- COMBINED HEAT & POWER a place, In some cases, support is in o ensure a growth in CHP or even a stable CHP fleet, but most damaging ofall is ely withdrawing support, which has happened in Spain for instance.” But policies vary significantly. Going forward, howev ‘other nations will likely also use similar green certificates to access funding, Barriers and Challenges Ahead ‘There are many barriers to further CHP adop: tion. “One is simply the lick of ambition from EU member states to implement existing EU legislation that promotes the use of cogenera- tion,” said Korteweg, though this could also be as a lack of desire to invest more in fossil fuels in any way. Indeed, one of the key criticisms of CHP from renewable advocates is that it simply props up fossi-fueled plants and helps the remain viable as more renewables come ‘online. Without question, CHP has helped Disseldort’s city-owned CHP plant remain profitable. This is indirect contrast to several gas plants that had no CHP potential, such as the Uniper-controlled Hartmann plant in Irsching, Germany. Now, after remaining idle for some time, Uniper has petitioned regula tors to decommission it despite the plant re: cently holding world records for efficiene While historically the competitive benefits ‘of cogeneration have been widely recognized by a large share of industry, which has invest ced in CHP to ry needs in a reliable and cost-effective way, this was viewed out side the prism of climate change a a way to reduce costs Revisiting the Plant of the Year Inan interview with Siemens’ The Magazine, Brockmeier defended the city’s adoption of gas-fired CHP, stating that initially planners 1. Heating 178 square kilometers. This image shows the district heating tunnel under the Kiel Fjord. The tunnel is 1,368 meters long, up to five meters in diameter, and up to 38.3 me- ters below the water level. As the shortest path to outlying district heating systems, it ensures the fastest possible energy transfer and least energy loss. Courtesy: Stadtwerke Kiel AG‘COMBINED HEAT & POWER 2. Controlling the operation. the control room of the Lausward heat plant is state-of theart filed with monitors. Courtesy: Stadtwerke Dusseldorf AG ‘were “thinking mainly in terms of a product- Jed rather than a generation-led strategy. In other words, we were asking ourselves what product was relevant for the Dusseldorf market, The answer was heat and power, ‘generated in an environmentally and climate friendly manner (Figure 2). In retrospect, we slill believe it was the right decision, espe cially when we look at the difficult situation other plants ing only electricity find themselves in.” he said. However, there was also an economic dimension to Disseldort's decision: “the fact that the German govern- ment is promoting CHP plants alongside its subsidies for renewables.” In the first year of operation, the new gas-fired power plant in combination with the district heating was estimated 0 have saved 600,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. about 60% of electricity will come from the CHP plant while 20% will come from wind and solar generation, with the rest from other 3. Kiel construction site panora- ‘ma. Stadtwerke Kiel's coastal power plant is. expected to produce electricity and heat start- ing this fall It includes 20 highly eficient gas engines and a 60-meter tal heat storage tank Courtesy: Stadtwworke Kiel AG sources, Brockmeier sad. Nonetheless, he unequivocally acknowl! edged that despite the turbine’s technological abilities, it’s not electricity that stabilizes the plant, but rather its heat byproduct. “Given the competition from other producers, it's not always possible to feed electricity into the grid profitably. This is what makes the flexibility of our plant so incredibly impor: ‘ant. A gas turbine can be fired up and down very quickly.” However, despite the potential of CHP, Brockmeier highlighted one major point that underscores continuing uncertainty around adoption: “CHP plants only achieve high efficiency if you produce combined heat and power,” he said. Stadtwerke Disseldorf is currently buikd- ing a heat accumulator next to the power plant. “I be 30 meters in diameter and 50 ‘meters high. This willbe able to store surplus heat at times when there's demand for power but not for heat. This substantially increases the time we ean cogenerate heat and power, We can release the heat again when the situ: ation reverses,” Brockmeier said in the Sie: CHP Projects Abound in Europe Throughout Europe, there are several high- profile CHP projects that have recently come online, are under construction, oF have been sreen-lighted. One of the largest isthe new ‘municipal cogeneration project underway in the por city of Kiel, about 90 kilometers north of Hamburg, Germany. Unveiled in August 201: js constructing a new natural gas facility (Figure 3) to replace an existing coal- fired community power plant. By cogenerat- ing in such a manner, Kiel is “wuly killing 4 they say in German, By replacing coal with natural gas, the city will immediately achieve a CO, re duction, combined with capturing and dis trbuting the heat byproduct, and the city will achieve even greater greenhouse gas savings. ‘According to COGEN, the new CHP plant comprised of 20 gas engines is expected t0 reduce CO; emissions from 1.8 million tons {0 approximately 540,000 tons. The total effi- ciency of the GE J920 gas engines are greater than 90% (electrical efficiency is 45%). Serv- ing 70,000 Kiel households, the new GHKW ‘cogeneration facility represents a total invest- ‘ment of about €290 million and is the larg- fest investment in the history of Stadtwerke Kiel. Utilizing a heat storage accumulator, this CHP facility is also unusual because it relies on the aforementioned fleet of engines ‘to ramp up and down quickly and thus ain a igh efficiency In mid-January, the BC adopted two fund- ing decisions to support the construction of a CHP plant in Vilnius, Lithuania, designed to produce electricity and heat from biomass ‘and municipal waste. More than €139 million from the EC Cohesion Fund was invested in the plant, in addition to a €190 million Eu- ropean Investment Bank loan backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe. The state-owned utility Lietuvos Energija thas already begun work on the €350 million project, which is expected to supply 87.6 MWe ‘and 227 MWth, About 18 MWe and $3 MWth fare planned to come from waste-lo-energy systems. Commissioning is planned for late 2019. The project is reportedly Lithuania’ largest energy project to dat Lietuvos Energija and also building a 24 MWe/70 MWth CHP plant inthe city of Kaunas, at an estimated cost of approximately €150 million. State-owned Fortum, looking to acquire ‘even more stable CHP facilities, just closed a multi-billion Euro deal in February to ac- uire the mostly-fossil-fueled assets of Ger- rmany’s Uniper. Formerly owned by E.ON, ‘one of the largest investor-owned utilities in the world, the parent company had bundled most of its older fossil-fueled assets into Uniper to concentrate on renewables. Fortum Publicly announced it was secking t0 acquire CHP plants and found Uniper’s plants tractive because a large number of those old coal-fired power plants, many of which are located within the Ruhr Valley—Germany’s historic industrial heart—ate tied into district beating systems. Vatienfall’s CEO Magnus Hall also re cently requested that the new German gov: cemment provide a clear date to shift away from coal while continuing to provide incen- tives to maintain and expand CHP. Vattenfall, completely owned by the Swedish state, re- cently sold off its lignite mines in Germany ‘along with the associated power plants but re tained several more-advanced hard coal-fired power |agiz84. Engine heat and power. This GE Jenbacher gas engine is one of several daliv tered to Hamburg’ largest and mast modern combined heat and power plant—operated by HanseWerk Natu. The plant generates a total electrical output of 8.4 MW, and supplies heat and hot water to 500 residential uldings and businesses. Courtesy: GE fof several of the newest coal-fired plants in ‘urope, including the 1,650:MW Moorbung CHP-capable plant in Hamburg, Vattenfall’s reduced fleet consists of only CHP or CHP-capable plants But in a 2013 referendum, Hamburg's vot- cts decided to remunicipalize the city’s pow and heating systems and supplies th are currently majority-owned by Vattenfal Following the vote, Hamburg and Vattenfall signed a contract that allowed the city to buy ‘out the company’s nearly 75% share by 2019, but as of mid-February both parties remain deadlocked over the price (between €950 million and €1.3 billion) One aspect of the dispute is the suspen: sion of the nearby Wedel CHP project. In 2016, Vattenfall announced plans. to invest £€83.5 million to refurbish the 260-MWel433- MWth hard coal-fired CHP plant in order to “secure Hamburg’s district heating supply for the next couple of years” in the face of more environmental standards. At the Reuters reported thatthe company was developing a concept to achi neutrality in Hamburg heat operations by 2050," which could potentially include “heat Storage, power-lo-heat, industrial heat, d centralized solutions and possibly gas-CHP ‘that will replace the existing plant However, in 2017, a local environmental consultancy group won the backing of many citizens when it proposed an underground facility designed to store excess heat from industry and power generation, supplying COMBINED HEAT & | about a quarter ofthe city’s heat demand and thereby rendering Vattenfll’s scheme unnee ‘essary. The fi nds of an xdependent arbitrator, who will make an an- rnouncement in April. It suffices to say Ham- burg’s voters are looking intensely at getting away from coal as soon as possible. With that in mind, there were muted cel ‘ebrations in early February when, with GE's help, the city commissioned a new 8.4-MWe CHP plant that will supply power for up to 20,000 households as well as heating and hot water for 500 businesses and residential buildings. Operated by HanseWerk Natur, it utilizes GE Jenbacher engines (Figure 4) and replaces he ation from a landfill plant. Owned by the newer version of E.ON, the CHP plant can achieve a total effici greater than 95% when taking into consider: ation both heat and power generation. Emis- sions are also expected to be 40% lower than ‘conventional coal-fired plants, satisfying the cconcems of local green energy advocates. © Lee Buchsbaum (www.imbphotography. com), a former editor and contributor to Coal Age, Mining, and EnergyBiz, has covered coal and other industrial subjects for nearly 20 years and is @ seasoned industrial photographer. decision isin the h seen power AIR process total systems solutions field ‘ERVCE DONE RIGHT The one call for all your air and materials handling needs! GAS Precipitator & Air Heater Maintenance/Repair processbarron.com southernfield.com 205-663-5330. J Fu me ice aes elit ae MTT eels ee Michele Minicozzi in him, Cody was father passed away sand through it all, he maintained his drive to be successful. Regardless of the challenges around him, Cody knew he was different. He also knew that, in the Fi vironment, he would certainly be successful ke his father proud, For Cody and many young men like him. illiamson offers an extraordinary opportu- nity. Just 20 miles southwest of Philadelphi in Media, Pennsylvania, this fully residential offers a values-based curticu Jum, It employs an inclusive support sys tem that provides 100% scholarships to all economically challenged students, and the school enables each to develop the character traits that postion them for suecess in life The Lee Rowan School of Power Plant Technology With one of just « handful of collegiate power plant technology programs in the US, Wil Tiamson provides an exceptional opportunity for hands-on train Students within its own powerplant ool of Pow. the Lee Rowan 3 er Plant Technology gain valuable practical ‘experience, preparing them for positions in the ower and utilities industries through the op- ‘eration ofthe college power plant and a nance ofits utilities. Graduates ofthe prog hited by utilities, industrial power facili ties, refineries, manufactures, and consulting firms as power plant operators, stationary en gincers, field service technicians, instrun Each semester, students spend on average 200 hours standing watch and performing shift work atthe school's power plant, which includes taking readings and making adjust ments; stating up and shutting down boil: ers, turbines, and plant equipment; eval daily water treatment tests; analyzing. flue gas emissions; and performing mechanical and electrical maintenance. Proper operation, ind testing of boilers, turbines, diesel engines, electric generators, switch 1. Hands-on training. The Williamson College of the Trades Power Generation Technol oy program provides students with practical maintenance experience, Pictured here from left to right are Moises Baires, class of 2018; Bradley Jones, class of 2019; and instructor Scott Chik ‘man. Courtesy: Willemson College of the Trades power |agi2082. Cooking with steam. The willamson College of the Trades Energy Island ules two ‘Skinner steam turbines to generate electricity. Exhaust from the turbines is also used for several steam distbution loads on campus, including the dining hall kitchen. Pictured here from left to Fight are Jack Colins, lass of 2018; Tom Ort, trustee; Arsenio Kerr, class of 2018; Harold Chapin, class of 2018; and Matt Ruskowski class of 2018. Courtesy: Willamson College of the Taades ‘gear, purnps, and other auxiliary equipment is ‘core component ofthe program curriculum, Students lear nuclear, fossil fuel, hydro- electric, combined cycle, and other power ‘generation system theory, as well as the basic Principles of electricity, electrical power, mo- ‘or controls, wiring diagrams, engineering me- chanics, and n This theoretical instruction is reinforced by hands-on training on-campus (Figure 1), ‘The learning is supplemented through a sha ‘owing program with local power pl ing their fist and second years, during summer breaks, and participation in a schanical and electrical systems. nuclear plant outage during their senior yea ‘When Williamson was founded in the late 19th century, eampus power generation was a necessity, because the school was not located near a central power station and the grid did not exist. The college’s founder saw the in- structional opportunity, envisioning a physi- cal plant that could provide hands-on training in power generation. By default, Williamson became an Energy Island for the better part of ‘a century—initiatng its curriculum just afew developing ‘central station power plants. Williamson was powered as an Energy Island by direct et rent power until the 1950s, followed by ceades of electrical power generation training ina remarkable living classroom, The Energy Island Williamson trustees and alumni, working to- gether with power industry professionals, have raised the funding and deliberately revitalized Williamson's powerplant © not only serve 4 its own Energy Island, but also to te the system into the Williamson grid supplied by PECO Energy Co. power lines. Williamson is grateful wo its trustees, alumni, and friends for their financial suppor, in-kind donations, ‘and countless volunteer hours, which have ‘been instrumental in improving facilities and enhancing curriculum focused on producing leaders for the industry year after year. ‘The current Energy Island project is only the second major upgrade of the physi plant since alternating current generators ‘were installed in the late 1950s, When severe ‘weather or auto accidents knock down power lines, Williamson now has the capability to separate from the grid and generate all of the power needed to operate the campus. In addition to providing power and gener ating heat for the campus, today’s Energy Is land in the Lee Rowan School of Power Plant ‘Technology at Williamson College is the center for power plant training. The complex ‘of buildings includes a shop maintenance building; the Rupp Power Plant, the school's powerAheat generating plant and living labo- ratory: and the Lipp Educational Center, which includes classrooms and faculty of. fices, a computer laboratory, a resource room with a technical library, and three sepa 3. Hamessing Pennsylvani 's sunlight. Wilamson installed rooftop soler panels on the campus’ sports center to help supply peak load in the summertime. Pictured here is Pete COMBINED HEAT & POWER | | laboratories for traning in mechanical opera- tions, industrial wiring, instrumentation, and electrical studies. The nagnitude that phases, which included expansive modi tions to the existing power plant, the addition Of industry-relevant equipment, and major construction renovations. Besides incorpo: rating more efficient technologies to provide power for campus facilities, the project has Significantly improved the education pro- vided to the college’s power plant technology students, preparing them more effectively for entry into the workforce. Designed with Efficiency in Mind Williamson has been previously featured in a POWER magazine article (see “World-Class ing Lab Prepares Next Generation of lant Operators” in the June 2006 issue and ‘online at powermag,com). Much has changed since that time. The following includes de- is about the current Energy Island arrange: ‘ment and some improvements that have been implemented. Steam Turbines and Combined Heat and Power. Williamson's combined heat and power (CHP) system employs two Skinner steam turbines for electric power generation (Figure 2) with the high-pressure (HP) tur- bine driving a 75-kW induction generator. A portion of the HP turbine exhaust is used for steam distribution to several campus work shops and buildings, as well asthe kitchen in the campus dining hall for meal preparation and cleanup. ‘The balance of the exhaust from the HP turbine flows to a 35-kW low-pressure (LP) ‘Skinner condensing turbine. The LP exhaust steam (at about 170F) is cooled by the con «denser circulating water and that exhaust he: ‘energy is transferred to a thermal storage ring the winter, power is generated from the steam turbines and the exhaust heat is recovered to heat campus buildings and workshops. Two fire-tube boilers—capable tank Gaglio, class of 2019. Courtesy: Wiliamson College of the Trac4, Standby gasired power. Wiliam son adsed a Catopilar G3812, 12 recprocat- ing engine to suppl baseload power and stabilize frequency when operating in send mode. Cour ‘ey: Wilamsen Colege ofthe Tades ‘COMBINED HEAT & POWER of firing both natural ga vide 125-psi steam. ‘Thermal Storage. A thermal storag. system is designed to store exhaust steam heat in the form of water for campus heat- ing.. This process utilizes the most effective and efficient CHP, 24 hours every day. ‘The concept of using stored water for chillers is common for stadiums and build- ings that typically experience a surge in chilled water demand, Stored hot water for CHP, however, is not that common. The thermal storage system in Williamson's mi- crogrid provides the capability of generating power during peak daytime hours using the two-stage steam turbines and storing some of the exhaust heat overnight for building heating as electric demand decreases. Solar Array. In aneffort to incorporate re rnewable energy education into Williamson's comprehensive program, a 92-kW solar ray was installed on the roof of the campus sports center, The solar array demonstrates the practical application of solar panels to four students, as well as serving to reduce the electric peak power demand during the summer air conditioning season. The solar panels (Figure 3) have operated at a capacity factor of about 2: mer of 2017, and they have achieved demand ing and power savings to reduce peak load in the summer, keeping within a typical 200-KW to 350-KW average electrical load. Natural Gas Reciprocating En; pillar G-3412, V-12, 450-KW recip- rocating natural gas engine (Figure 4) was installed to use as a standby emergency generator (SEG). The Cat SEG is used to serve as a baseload generator and to stabilize ‘campus power frequency and voltage when the campus operates in Energy Island mode, separate from PECO Energy. Control Room and Distributed Con- trol System (DCS). Located in the main power plant, the newly constructed control room mirrors that of a large central station power plant. A Rockwell Automation DCS system is under construction and will pro- 1 oiI—pro- 2% since startup in the sum= 2 5. Water is a power plant's lifeblood. instructors teach students the importance of proper water chemistry by analyzing samples in Williamson's water and fuels lab. Pictured hore from lft to right are Instructor Scott Chlman and Moises Baires, class of 2018, Courtesy: Wi liamson College of the Trades vide the students with the ability to moni tor energy flows throughout the campus, including steam flows, boiler performance data, generated electricity from each unit, purchased power, electricity flows to each ‘major building, and more. The control room functions to manage Energy Island processes while training students in energy balancing, energy flows, and economic dispatch of power. Water and Fuels Laboratory. Because so much of today’s power generation i volves chemistry, Williamson’s new Energy Island incorporates a state-of the-art water and fuels laboratory to conduct liquid and solid fuel analyses. The laboratory is also used for instruction in water chemistry (Fi tre 5), and it serves as a quiet space within the power plant for small group lectures and instruction away from the sound of the steam turbines and gas engine. Diesel Generators. Diesel fuel-powered generators have been installed at William son for many years. These are for training and emergency backup, which provide the school's microgrid with off-grid power, Diesel generators typically run just a couple hundred hours per year: Moving Forward ‘White the investment has been significant, the benefits of the Energy Island at Williamson are immeasurable, Improving safety, enrich- substantial objectives that have been achieved for this societally relevant program. Yet, these are just a few of the anticipated outcomes. Incorporating Williamson's approach of in: volving students in its operations, the Energy Island is designed to be operated by students, providing experiences forthe next generation ‘of powerplant students that are unrivaled. in any traning program ofits kind. Williamson has been fortunate to have the support of countless alumni, corporations, foundations, and friends. All of the backers recognize the critical value that enhancing the school’s Energy Island provided. It al- lows instruction to reach the highest profes- sional standards so that students receive the training needed to emerge as leaders within power industry Cody has already completed a summer internship at a local refinery. By the time hae graduates in 2019, he wil likely be able to choose from numerous job offers for re- ‘warding. positions with major power and service companies across the country. With an overall job placement record of 98% (5- year average), the primary objective of a Wil Tiamson education is to enable every student to become highly proficient in his rade and secure employment in his field upon gradua- tion, Williamson's Energy Island has cerain- ly created an opportunity fr its power plant technology students to be sucessful in this remarkable industry. The school is extremely proud to have Kept the Williamson power generation technology program current with the changing times. « —Michele Minicozzis director of Grants & Research at Williamson College of the Trades. Richard F (Dick) Storm, PE, con- tributed to this article. He isa 1962 gradu- ate of Willamson and a current member of the Board of Trustees. Credit for images 08s to Scott Chilman, director of the Power Generation Technology program, ‘and Carl Vairo, director of Public Relations at Williamson. aoaDISTRIBUTED CONFERENCE S ymht re DISTRIBUTED ENERGY CONFERENCE buted generation resources are uniquely suited for scale, bringing 'y companies together with other power generators including municipalities, cooperatives, private enterprise, and commercial and industrial facilities. That means today’s energy landscape includes entities that can aggregate enough capacity to take on the generation profile of a conventional power plant. This scalability opens an opportunity for delegates from across the value chain to gain insights into the technical, operational, business case, regulatory, and financial aspects of this rapidly expanding segment of the power industry. RUSS UT i a Sra SUC VEU —— WWW.DISTRIBUTEDENERGYCONFERENCE.COMReliability, Resiliency Key to Caribbean Rebuild As another hurricane season approaches, the lessons learned by energy com- panies that have repaired power infrastructure in Hai |, Puerto Rico, and other areas provide a path forward for reducing the impact of future major storms. Darrell Proctor pit do Tees ere ee ne minaenapreae onrecret coereuea ee teenies ee eee Sees aa eee Soa cece se comtaane ef eee eee ere eae oes eee pense crea eae Taree SiLunueeee oe eee eae een Sree aera nee ee eee seer ate eaten fee a eines ees Sean as emerges Sacto as aeees eon ae ie accman ne ee ew apie cent fe aateaa 2 1. Utilizing local talent. Sigora technicians work with cable as they prepare to head out to a fed site in Hai. Sigora relies on workers from the local population for much ofits work in ‘developing nations. “The micro-utity cannot be operationally sustainable uniess the skis end expertise reside in the local community” Frank Bergh, Sigora’s vice present of gid engineer ing, told POWER. Courtesy: Sigora to lessen the impacts of future catastrophic weather events, and bring reliable, affordable power tothe developing word. ergy resilience is much broader than safeguarding assets and operations.” said Frank Bergh, vice president of grid engi |. a US. company work: ing in areas that traditionally have been underserved and isolated from major power transmission, The company in 2016 received widespread acclaim for helping Haiti recover after Hurricane Matthew and continues tode- velop projects in small nations with emerging ‘energy markets, “IF customers lose their house, they can’t buy power, so hurricane preparedness be- ‘comes about what can be done to also pro- tect the community.” Bergh told POWER in ‘recent interview. “In this way it is deeply human, and this is just one of the many rea sons we believe in developing capacity for O&M [operations and maintenance} locally. ‘Our teams understand innately the challenges facing their communities, and they ate in vested in their development, and care about the well-being ofits members. neering for In the Eye of the Storm Part of the blueprint for restoring and re- building the power grid in Puerto Rico and clsewhere in the Caribbean after the 2017 storms was designed by Sigora, with its work in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. ‘The Category 4 storm hit the stand nation on October 4, 2016. The combination of wind and rain brought flooding and landslides, and left hundreds dead; some estimates put the death toll at more than 1,000. It aso lett many of the country’s nearly 11 milion resi dents without power. “The aftermath of {the 2017} hurricane season, ike [2016], was an opportunity tof ‘us on how we can (restore electricity] faster land better in the face of extreme weather ‘events that are becoming ever more common: place, this involved deve for making decisions if similar preventative measures are required again. Knowing what to do 72, 48, and 24 hours out fom the huri- ‘ene, alongside more routine precautions like cauttng back vegetation o limit debris and se- curing anything that might presenta hazard Power | aya itWork Continues in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has been the poster child for the challenge of disaster recovery. In late January, Gov. Ricardo Rossell6 announced a plan to privatize the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the state-owned electric utility that has been widely criticized for its response to Hurricane Maria, and which filed for bankruptcy protection last July, citing $9 billion in debt. PREPA has suffered from mismanagement and underinvestment for years; its then- executive director, Ricardo Ramos, resigned last November in the wake of questions about his approval of a restoration contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings, a small Montana company that was hired to rebuild the country's rid. The $300 million contract, awarded without competitive bidding, was soon canceled. PREPA had balked at offers of aid from U.S. utility companies in the aftermath of Maria. Rossello said privatization of PREPA could take 18 months, in part because a federal judge would have to approve any transactions due to the bankruptcy filing. In the ‘meantime, the utilities whose intial offers of help were rebuffed are now working on the istand. More than 20 U.S. utilities, including Ameren; Xcel Energy: Norwich (Connecticut) Public Utilities; PPL Electric Utilities; Duke Energy; Southern Company; Florida Power & Light; and others have sent lineworkers and other personnel to Puerto Rico. More than 1,000 lineworkers from across the country have been working on the island, joining staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which has led the planning, coordination, and integra- tion efforts to restore power. Duke Energy has used drones to resting transmission lines. ry- an Williams, the utility's head of aviation services and unmanned aerial systems, sai his team is among the first U.S. operators to use a drone for that purpose, as he discussed Duke's efforts in Puerto Rico during POWER's Connected Plant Conference in Char- lotte, North Carotna, in February. Iiving, Texas-based Fluor Corp. has played a large role in res- toration efforts on the island, receiving task orders from the US- ‘ACE that could total more than $1 billion. Fluor estimates 80% of Puerto Rico's grid, which includes 2,400 miles of transmission tines, 30,000 miles of distribution tines, and 300 substations, was affected by Hurricane Maria. Michigan-based OTE Eneray in late January sent 80 tinework- ers and other personnel to Puerto Rico, primarily to help restore power to the northeastern part of the island. The utility said its workers would remain on-site for 30 days. The utility, in a state- ‘ment to POWER, said, “DTE Energy's crews are energized and ready to help restore power for the residents and businesses in Puerto Rico. Our employees all volunteered for this assignment because oftheir trong desir to give back. We have colleagues who moved to Michigan from Puerto Rico to work for DTE—and we have heard their stories about the hardships their families and friends have faced.” DTE, like other utilities now in Puerto Rico, said it was asked to join the restoration effort in mid-December; it began ‘once winds pick up, is critical when time is. limited and the consequences of delaying ae: tion are potentially catastrophic.” Bergh also said those working in devel- seam power oping countries must build trust in the local community, particularly since 1 workers (Figure 1) need to com local population. “The micro-utility cannot [RELIABILITY & RESILIENCY a 2. Installing mobile turbines. APR Energy founder and chairman John Campion, lef, talks with one of the company’s tech nicians as they look at equipment being used to restore power in Puerto Rico. The Florida-based company has had more than a dozen ‘workers in Puerto Rico, installing two of the company's M2500 mo- bile gas tubines atthe Palo Seco power plant, and another at a plant in Yabucoa. Courtesy: APR Energy ‘moving equipment from Michigan to Virginia the day after Christ- mas, The equipment, including vehicles and bucket truck, along with diggers, was loaded onto a barge in Norfol, Virgin for Puerto Rico. ‘APR Energy, a Jacksonville Florida-based company that special- ‘izes in delivering modular, turnkey power plants, particularly to areas hit hard by disaster, began moving equipment to Puerto Rico ahead of Maria. Its workers were on the ground in San Juan soon, after the storm, installing three of the company’s TM2500 (railer- mounted) mobile gas turbines (Figure 2), two of them at the Palo ‘Seco power plant on the island's northern coast, and another at YYabucoa on the southeastern coast. “There is a lot of aging infrastructure {in Puerto Rico], with a lot of it in disrepair” John Campion, APR’s CEO, told POWER, “In, Puerto Rico, much of the power is generated in the South, and used in the North, and [workers] are gradually bringing those ines, back. We installed two units in San Juan [at Palo Seco], making ‘about 58 to 65 MW, running baseload. Our team installed those Units in about 15 days, which is remarkable.” The Edison Electric Institute, which has helped coordinate the efforts ofits member utilities on the island, in January gave APR its “Emergency Assistance Award” in recognition ofits swift power restoration efforts. “Our goal is bringing stability to the grid,” Campion said. “Ultimately, what happens in Puerto Rico fs up in the air We are interested in a longer presence there, but if PREPA is privatized, wel have to see what happens with that.” ‘APR has had 15 people on the island, working three shifts a dday—much like other companies and utilities who have staff ‘working around the clock to rehabilitate the country’ rid. ‘When ‘you turn the power on, you can see the people are excited to get their power back,” Campion said. “You look at the buildings, you see people cheering and clapping.” bbe operationally sustainable unless the skills ‘and expertise reside in the local comm nity.” he said. Building that trust ‘mean helping the community in ny of its from theRELIABILITY & RESILIENCY 3. Managing logistics. Jean-Pierre Verti, a development and deployment engineer for Sigora, noted the logistical challenges of operating in rural areas of the Caribbean, He told ‘POWER tha in Haiti last year, Sigora workers removed panels from their solar aray in advance of Hurricane Irma, Sigora the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, our teams dispatched bucket trucks and tech nicians to assist with the rescue effort in neighboring communities, while others or: ‘ganized emergency relief distributions and clean-up efforts. Weeks after {the] storm, Sigora staff was still assisting neighbors to rebuild their homes. Jean-Pierre “JP” Vertl, development and deployment engineer for Sigora, is a native of Haiti, He is in the middle of the com- ppany’s operations there and knows well the challenges any power generator faces in the rural areas of the Caribbean. “Working in rural Haiti is no doubt challenging.” he told POWER. “There is the issue of basic logis tics. It takes about nine hours to drive fron the capital [Port-au-Prince] to our project site, half of which is on unpaved dirt tracks. ‘To bring in large equipment like turbines, we are going to have to transport them on barges via the bay. “Then there are the unexpected events. The ‘other day we experienced flash flooding that ‘wiped out the only road between Jean Rabel and Méle-Saint-Nicolas;” Vertl said. “But ‘you have to keep going and find workarounds ‘that allow you to keep on schedule. For ex- ample, in advance of Hurricane Irma last year, ‘our team took the decision to remove all the solar panels from the aray [Figure 3] in order to prevent damage that could take weeks to re- pair after the fact. Getting new solar panels 10 Male is not a two-day afr. ‘Another challenge is the lack of up- to-date maps, and the fact that most of our clients do not have house addresses,” Vertl said, “To overcome this, we geotag every hhouse and created an app that provides a live View of all meters on the grid” Technology Applications ‘Some of the lessons Sigora learned from its 2016 work in Haiti are being incorporated 2 to prevent damage that could take weeks to repair after the fact” Courtesy. as into its technology in that nation today, where the company operates three microgrids in the northwest part of the county. “In terms of our technology, it is com- monly accepted that decentralized infrastruc: ture is more resilient, but how can we make it more robust?” Bengh asked. “How can we integrate lessons learned from the field into ‘our product offering so that it can better meet the needs of frontier utilities elsewhere? “An example of this isthe application of key elements of [Sigora’s] technology to di- saster-recovery situations,” Bergh said.“ tributed computing power provides more situational awareness, which is incredibly valuable in postaisaster contexts, particu- larly in low-connectivity environments. Un= like a typical utility where you might have ‘4 computer at every substation, [today] we know from house to house what is happen- ing because every meter has its own onboard ‘computer and its GIS coordinates are logged in the system. “With the demand-side management capa- bilities of the system, which allows for con- trollable generation and controllable load, it would be possible to isolate intact sections ‘of the system should the grid sustain dam- age during a natural disaster, and prioritize electricity supply to critical service provid- cers, such as hospitals, while necessary repa were carried out.” Working on the Grid ‘The devastation from Irma, followed by the destruction caused by Maria, has pro- vided an opportunity for power generators to study grid reliability and resilience from an infrastructure standpoint. I's not about whether a facility has a supply of fuel on hand, but whether power can be generated and transmitted where no traditional grid ‘exists. Bergh outlined several challenges ‘companies face when building and oper ing systems in these regions. “The challenges we face in Haiti [in terms ‘of operating a micro-utlity} are not unique to that context,” Bergh said. “Those challenges are true for many emerging energy marke from Latin America to sub-Saharan Arica. Vertil discussed measures Sigora takes in Haiti that could provide an outline for other ‘companies in developing nations. “Working in small rural community also means lever aging existing community resources that we know are effective,” he said. “It’s not unusual for myself or one of our managers to make fan appearance on the local radio station to "update our customers on planned outages or work that might affect their service [Figure 4), During hurricane seasons, we instruct our 4. Customer awareness. Part of the strategy for working in places ike Heit is leting fesidents know when work, such as @ planned outage, is scheduled that could impact them, This Sigora lineman works on a light pole used by the company as part of its grid. Technicians ‘also maintain the company’s mesh network, which collects important data for Sigora, and en: ables residents to have internet service. Courtesy: Sigora5. Part of the community. Sigora staff in Haiti make a concerted effort to be par of the local community, often going doorto-doot to meet customers. “We sim to be as transparent and approachable as possible, as ths is key to developing and keeping tust” saidVertil, Sigora development and deployment engineer. Courtesy: Sigora customers on precautionary measures which also help us prevent avoidable damage. We ‘im to be as transparent and approachable as possible [Figure 5], as this is key to develop- ing and keeping trust.” ‘Bergh said his company’s past experiene- ces have helped in the evolution and product development for those regions. “Frontier market utilities, whether established urban {rid utilities or rural microgrid developers, -e common challenges,” he said, includ- “poor revenue collection, energy theft, customers. Moreover, the type of labor- intensive operations required for regular O&M—manual [meter] reading, bill collec- tion, connection, and disconnection—drives up operational expenditures of already fi- rnancially strapped utilities.” Bergh also noted, “Inadequate cost re- covery is a systemic and endemic feature of the electricity sector in most developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa for ex- ample, nearly 65% of countries have tariffs below cost recovery. In other words, revenue “The challenges we face in Haiti are not unique to that context. Those challenges are true for many emerging energy markets, from Latin America to sub-Saharan Africa.” —Frank Bergh, vice president of grid engineering for Sigora high capital and operational expenditures, and restriction to a single regulated revenue stream.” He noted a World Bank study that showed only about half the power generated in sub-Saharan Africa was actually paid for, due to low rates of power that were actually billed and low levels of collection. “A eash-based [payment] system leaves utilities. susceptible to payment default, billing errors, and outright fraud,” he said. “Existing metering and billing systems were designed for use in developed markets id are not suited to conditions in which Fromtier-market utilities operate. They are expensive and oversized, making them ill. 1d for low-income, low-consumption seam power for utilities is artificially capped because of sovernment-regulated tats “Taken together, these factors cause frontier-market grid utilities to net yearly losses in the hundreds of millions and pre vent them from expanding their service to new customers.” he said. “Meanwhile, mi- crogrid developers face similar challenges and either fail to scale their operations de spite the enormous need for electricity or [they] are prevented from entering the mar- ket altogether. At the crux of the eneray- access challenge globally is the financial Viability and long-term sustainability of so: lutions to address it. In short, the last mile is not [yet] bankable.” RELIABILITY & RESILIENCY i Developing a New Business Model It was in the process of developing the first ‘ogrid in Haiti that Sigora realized the daunting task of sourcing appropriate tech- nology to address these challenges, while juggling the specific technical requirements ‘of a grid that would service primarily small- er residential consumers drawing just 200 ‘watts of power, but also serving larger cus tomers with peak loads exceeding 45 kW, at a price point that would economics of such a system feasible. The experience led to the company developing a ‘meter in-house, which evolved into a sepa- rate company, Sigora International Sigora International offers vertically inte grated energy payments, content, and a con trol platform capable of transforming energy access for underserved markets into a bank- able business. Its platform streamlines bill collection, reduces revenue losses, identifies and helps prevent energy thefi, and increases ‘operational efficiency for energy providers ‘operating in emerging markets. It's being offered as what Bergh called the “operating system” for micro-utiity business models, Vert noted the business model in Haiti also includes finding additional opportu nities. “We are proud of the fact that our technology not only gives us the ability 10 ‘overcome the many challenges we face on a daily basis, but [also] enables us to be cre- ative and generate multiple revenue streams,” he said. "AS a very tangible example, our ‘mesh network does not simply enable us 10 gather live data, giving us a quick and good understanding of our grid. performance— wwe are also able to sell Wi-Fi and content Such is the beauty of having owners! ‘our technology: we adapt to the reality in the field and cater to the needs of our communi ties, namely our customers, technicians, and investors, Turning challenges into opportuni ties is at the core of what we do.” “The future of microgrid technology will bee defined in terms of adequacy and finance- ability.” Bergh said. In terms of adequacy, “Does the power delivered to customers make them more powerful? Reliability is one factor, the trust thatthe grid will be available when [customers] need it, And it's also that the grid will offer affordable power for productive uses {that spur] local economic development. "And microgrids must mature into infra- Jevel financing, similar to roads and bridges,” he said, “Achieving univers gy access is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, and key to reaching this am- bitious goal is financing. Ultimately, our mis- sion is to power and empower underserved ‘communities all over the world. —Darrell Proctor is 2 POWER associate editor aDisaster Preparedness: The Quest for Transformer Resilience Though critical to the nation’s power grid, large power transformers are some of the most vulnerable components in the system. Armed with a shared determination for resiliency, government, industry, grid owners, and ac- ademia are collaborating on every front—policy, technology, and busi- ness—to ensure that if disaster strikes, the grid will persevere. Sonal Patel tric operation and delivery system—col leetively referred to as the grid—is com- pared to a human body. Its 6,000 power plants serve critical digestive and pulmonary functions to convert fuel into energy and re- lease it imo the bloodstream. Large power transformers (LPTS) perform the significant cardiac function of stepping up voltage for cfficient long-haul transmission over roughly 360,000 miles of lines uni it is stepped down again for distribution suitable for end use. But, though so crucial to the bulk power system, LPTs—which a North American Reliability Corp. (NERC) definition limits to generation step-up (GSU) transformers on the high-volt- age side (100 kV or higher, with a nameplate rating of at least 75 MA) and transmission transformers on the low-voltage side (100 kV or higher, with a nameplate rating of atleast 100 MVA)—are under a constant barrage of threats, both natural and manmade. ‘A number of entities have increasingly ‘warned that along with historic weather events such as lightning strikes, toradoes, derechos, and tropical storms, certain high-impact, low: frequency events, like severe geomagnetic dis turbances (GMDs) or electromagnetic pulses (EMPS}—although rare—could damage mul- tiple transformers, causing a cascading effect fon the system (see sidebar). Physical threats are also ever-present. In April 2013, attackers incapacitated a number of power transform: ers at the Metcalf transmission substation in California using high-powered rifles. While 4 blackout was avoided through power re- dispatch, the incident caused more than S15 million in physical damages that took nearly a month to repair Meanwhile, as an added, significant com plexity, the average age of installed LPTS in the U.S. was about 40 years in 201 1—when about 70% of LPTs were more than 25 years ‘old. The life expectancy of an LPT depends ‘on how it is used, but clearly, “aging pow- | £ very casually the North American elec 2 cr transformers are subject to an increased risk of failure,” the Department of Energy (DOE) has warmed. Industry, on the other hand, notes that GSU transformers are at & heightened risk of failure owing to a decline in available technical expertise, along with \wear-and-tear as plant functions transform and more baseload plants are forced to oper- ate in peaking mode. AVulnerable Heart For NERC, which is working to ramp up measures 10 improve resiliency and recovery ‘of the bulk power system, and guard against these and other threats, LPTs pose specific vulnerabilities. LPTs are typically mammoth pieces of ‘equipment weighing as much as 410 tons Because they are tailored to customer speci fications and require intricate procurement ‘and manufacturing processes, lead times for obtaining an LPT often range between five and 16 months, but could stretch beyond 20, months to make them, according to a 2014 DOE estimate. They're also usually not 1. Heavy load. Because large power transformers can be 80 big, ral ‘changeable, and worse, they aren’t typically produced for extensive spare inventories. ‘And they are costly. In 2017, an unnamed transformer maker told the Government Ac- ‘countability Office that an LPT weighing be- tween 170 and 410 tons could cost between $2 million and $7.5 million in the U.S.—and that likely did not account for costs of raw ‘materials, which include substantial amounts ‘of copper and steel, commodities that are is ‘creasingly stricken by price volatility owing to high demand in global markets, Nor does it account for transportation, which requires special modes, such as a specialized Schna- bel railroad freight ear (Figure 1). The DOE ‘estimated that raw materials, transportation, installation, and other expenses could add an- ‘other 25% to 30% to the price tag. [As critically, according to the DOE, though the U.S. has seen a growing demand for LPT’ since the 1990s, it has historically suffered a limited domestic capacity to pro- ‘duce them. Since 2010, four new or expand- ced facilities have begun producing LPTS, including SPX Transformer Solutions’ facil- nsport is most common, but they need specialized freight carriers and special permits and routes. Only 30 Schnabel railroad freight cars were available in North America in 2012. This image shows trans Portation of a Consumers Power transformer via Schnabel car in 2008. Source: Quatro Valvole/ Wikimedta Commons Power | aya itity in Wisconsin and Hyundai Heavy Indus- tries’ facility in Alabama. Until atleast 2013, 88% of imported LPTs came from seven ‘countries—the bulk of which arrived from South Korea, However, that country is now embroiled in an LPT trade dispute with the US., announcing in February that it would challenge the Trump administration's 61% anti-dumping duty slapped on Korean-made LPTs in March 2017, Industry and Government: A Heartfelt Collaboration The risks to reliability associated with the loss of one or more LPTs are so worrisome nearly every stakeholder has jumped into action, The DOE recommended in its April 2015 Quadrennial Energy Review that the ageney analyze the technical specifiea- tions of a potential transformer reserve and assess existing industry equipment sharing effort as part of a broader initiative. Con- {gress backed the measure in December 2015 with passage ofthe Fixing America’s Surface ‘Transportation (FAST) Act, and the DOE is sectvely engaging with industry, transformer manufacturer, and ether federal agencies on how t resolve the risks Ina March 2017 report to Congress, while the DOE described the national importance of a strategic transformer reserve, it recom- mended that such a reserve be an industy- based option driven by voluntary industry sections and requirements under NERC's critical infrastructure protection CIP-014-2 standard, Beginning in March 2018, the DOE. will reassess whether that approach has made sufficient progres, and if it has not, whether the government should take action. For now, resiliency gaps conceming trans- mission LPTs, at least, appear bridged. Citing 4 technical analysis led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the DOE highlighted in its repor wo Congress th LPTs are available to repl crucial substations onthe grid operating a each interconnection’s highest volage levels (765 KV and $00 kV in Easter, 500 KV in Wester, and 345 KV in Texas). The ORNL study, it no ed, was based in part on &2016 survey conduct- cl by the ilson Elect Insttute—the tae group representing allU.S. investor owned util ities—the American Public Power Association, and the National Rural Electricity Cooperative Association oftheir members to determine how many spare transssion LPTs were sila “Uilites report they are pur! tional spares: contacting with thin-party organiza- tons (sich as Gr Assurance) to create pools of erical equipment and supplies; stength- ening mutual assistance agreements (sich as the Spare Transformer Equipment Program (STEP); and securely sharing information seam power GMD and EMP Threats: Overblown? While government entities in the U.S. and Canada along with industry organizations have widely studied general threats posed to the grid from a severe geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) resulting fom 2 s0- lar storm, and to a lesser extent, threats posed by a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) resulting from the detona- tion of a nuclear device, consensus is that more research is needed to inform assess- ments for specific mitigation measures by generators and transmission provid- ers. Most studies, however, agree that the ‘vulnerable components with the greatest potential consequence in the event of loss are large power transformers (LPTS). Depending on the design of a trans- former and the magnitude and duration of a GMD event, geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) could cause heat damage ‘to the condition, performance, and in- sulation life of a transformer. However, studies offer mixed assessments of how widespread damage could be. The North ‘American Reliability Corp. andthe Depart- ment of Energy in June 2010 warned that while the failure ofa large number of LPTs during a severe GMD event was unlikely, certain older generator step-up (GSU) transformers could be particularly suscep- tible to breakdown. Such effects were apparent during the March 1989 geomagnetic storm, which resulted in a collapse of Hydro-Quebec’s system, leaving six million people with- ‘out power for nine hours. The event also resulted in damage from hotspot heating to a GSU at Salem Nuclear Power Plant in New Jersey (Figure 2). A moderate inten sity storm on April 3, 1994, meanwhile, resulted in the catastrophic failure of a (GSU transformer at Zion Nuclear Plant and was likely responsible for GSU failures at Braidwood nuclear plant and Powerton about available spares (e.g. through SpareCon ect," it said. However, the DOE noted in its report to Congress, major shortcomings still exist that could require federal intervention. Industry hhas urged the government to play a larger role in transporting spare LPTS, especially in emergency conditions. Industry has at- tempted to resolve the problem on its ow establishing in 2014 the Transformer Trans- portation Working Group atthe request ofthe 2. Scorched by the storm. A March 41969 solar storm resulted in the complete loss of a 1,000-MVA generator step-up (GSU) transformer connected to the 500- KY transmission grid at the Salem Nuclear Plant in New Jersey. This image shows the ‘extensive internal damage that occurred to the 22-kV lowvoltage windings in the tans- former. One expert suggested that within ‘two years after the storm, 1! nuclear plants recorded failures of GSU transformers that ‘were likely liked to the event. Courtesy: ‘Metatech Corp. RELIABILITY & RESILIENCY coal plant within weeks of the event, an ‘expert from electromagnetic environmen- tal solutions firm Metatech Corp. said. 'AHENP event, too, could interrupt ser- vice. But according to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) the effects of an £3 event—involving 2 1.4 megaton bomb detonated 250 miles above the ‘earth (100 times more than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima)—would be limited to a regional level. As part of an ongoing three-year study to investigate HEMPs, EPRI concluded in February 2017 that though hundreds to thousands of transformers could experience GIC flows of eater than 75 amps/phase during an £3 ‘event, only about three to 14, depending on the target location, could be at poten- tial risk of thermal damage. The study aso concluded that damaging levels of tertiary ‘winding heating, resulting from the flow of harmonic currents generated by the re- sulting GIC flows, are unlikely to occur. Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council ‘That group of 70 industry executives has been working to speed up LPT transporta- tion, developing an emergency support guide ‘with railroads, the heavy hauler industry, fed: eral agencies, andthe tty stakeholders also underscored t equipment and personnel are needed for ade {quate storage and installation of replacement LPTs, along with critical components like bushings and circuit be| @ RESILIENCY 3. A solid transformation. For a de- cade now, North Carolina State University’s FREEDM Systems Center has explored how solidstate transformers (SST)—essentally 2 collection of high-powered semiconductor components, conventional high-frequency transformers, and control circuitry—can pro- vide flexbiity to the giid. Courtesy: North Carolina State University As critically, the study noted that a dearth of information exists for GSUs. While these components share manufacturing supply chains, material requirements, and trans: portation resource requ rating station vulnerabilities differed from those of network substations, the DOE noted. “More information will be needed to assess the need for additional spare GSUs, including their © characteristics and vulnerability profiles of crucial power generating stations, ‘comparative lead times to replace GSUs, and the availability of spare GSUs. Technology Is Transforming the Transformer In the backdrop, industry is also develop ing a new generation of transformers tha will address resiliency concerns. Armed with funding from the DOE"s Transform: er Resilience and Advanced Components program, « handful of designs are making headway to inerease sharing and accelerate recovery ‘A Modular Controllable Transformer. Georgia Tech Research Corp, ORNL, Delta Star, and Southem Co, have teamed to design 4 moxularcontllable transformer that can be paralleled as needed to realize power ratings in the range of 100 MVA to $00 MVA. The tans former could support grid operations under single or muliple transformer flues, provi ing flexibility in configuration, load balancing transportation and faster estoraton, 2% 4. A resilient prototype. Thee sin glephase oxtra-high-voltago transformer prototypes developed with backing from the Department of Homeland Security under the Recovery Transformer (RecX) project were field tested from 2012 to 2019 at @ Center Point substation near Houston, where they continue to operate. The field test demon- strated RecX's rapid deployment speed. It ‘was transported, installed, and energized in less than six days. Source: DHS/Paul Wedio High-Frequency Link Transformer. NextWatt, the National Center for Reliable Electric Power atthe University of Arkansas, and General Electric (GE) are developing design for a solid-state, modular high-f ‘quency link LPT rated at 100 MVA wit high-side voltage of 115 kV, variable low. side voltage, and variable impedance capa- bility. According to the DOE, the concept is targeting an average cost of $15-S22/KVA, lifetime of more than 40 years, and an effi- iency of at least 99%, which is comparable to current LPTs. Among the concept’s no: table characteristics is that it could be a third the size and weight of a conventional LPT, ‘easing transportation concerns, Grid-Ready Flexible LPT. GE is also de- veloping a separate flexible LPT capable of accommodating multiple standard voltage ratios in the transmission network as well as providing an adjustable impedance to match that ofa failed transformer to be replaced. A three-phase LPT is proposed with power ca pacity ranging from 300 to 600 MVA, high: side voltage of 345 kV with configurable taps at the low-voltage side for operation at IIS kY, 138 kV, and 161 kV, and adjustable impedance from 4% to 124. “The key inno: ations in this project include multiplet mission class voltage taps atthe low-voltage side; a method for selecting the transforme impedance without changing the voltage ra tio; and arrangement and connection of all the extra windings ton the DOE noted. Novel Flexible and Resilient LPT. Zu- rich-headquartered ABB, a global transform- ce supplier and innovator, and The Universit of Tennessee, Knoxville are inves ‘4 design for an LPT comprised of easily transportable, standardized building blocks, which house several transformer modules. During the project, various design possi architectures will be explored ble high-side voltages ranging from IIS KV t0 500 kV, low-side voltages ranging from 69 kV to 230 kV, and power levels up to 500 MVA. Flexible Solid-State LPT. North Carolina State University and Camegie Mellon Uni versity are also developing a Flexible Large Power Solid State Transformer (Figure 3), & modular solution where flexible vo ings will be achieved by series/parallel con nection of a basic building block (5 MVA). ‘The blocks will comprise a power electron- ies-based medium-frequency transformer to achieve voltage isolation and variable step- ‘up and step-down voltage ratios. “The use of standard building blocks can reduce manufac: turing and inventory cost and enable greater interchangeability,” the DOE said. Recovery Transformer (ReeX). The the Office of Infrastructure Protection part- nered with EPRI, CenterPoint Energy, and ABB to develop a 60-1on rapidly deployable ‘extrachigh-voltage transformer design that it successfully demonstrated for one year end ing in March 2013 in Houston (Figure 4). ‘According t the DHS, the three 345-kV/138- KV transformer prototypes were installed and ‘energized in Jess than six days (106 hours), which included a 25-hour road journey from temporary storage site atthe ABB factory in St. Louis, Missouri, where they were designed ‘and manufactured. The RecX transformers reached peak load of 330 MVA on August 9, 2013, which is approximately 55% of their 600 MVA design capacity. However, while RecX was deemed a suitable replacement for ‘more than 90% of 345-KV to 138-KV trans- formers, no additional units have been sold or larger models manufactured, Ina report describing lessons learned from the RecX project, EPRI and the DHS lauded recent technology achievements and indus- try efforts to facilitate LPT sharing, but they noted a long-term strategy is needed. One recommendation they offered is that as stake holders assess new transformers to replace the aging ones now in service, stakeholders should exploit the opportunity to adopt a ‘more broadly applicable transformer de- sign” with rapid deployment characteristics to-make replacements ‘cess and install ‘That may sound far-fetched, but all stake- holders have evidently come together to guard against disasters affecting their common grid, so perhaps a shared « ation for re ‘ency will evolve into the heart ofthe matter. « —Sonal Patel is a POWER associate editor. nd spares easier to aeye ee WTF ELECTRIC@)POWER CONFERENCE + EXHIBITION Register Early with Code PWRAPR to Save! pen tilled Po) R Sa ee el a etd CT Co baer ar ae Discount Expires on April 30", so Act Now! April 23-26 2019 Mirage Events Center PEAY Yer Mn VE N www.electricpowerexpo.comQuick Starts, High Efficiency, Grid Balance—Engines on an Up Cycle The growth of renewable energy, and with it the need for reliable backup gen- eration, along with the increase in combined heat and power applications, is contributing to a rise in the use of reciprocating technology for power production. Darrell Proctor hhe growth of renewable energy has increased opportunites for industries beyond those that manufacture wind turbines and solar panels. The nature of renewable generation bring the need for reliable backup power that can balance the wind and solar output during pe riods of high demand. Enter reciprocating engines, which have increased in popularity over the past few years thanks to advances in technology that make the highly flexible and low-mainte- nance, quick-starting, and fast-ramping units well-suited for many of today's generation projects. The units are being used in several areas, from transportation to industrial facili ‘They've proven to be an economic choice for combined heat and power (CHP) appli cations. The engines also are being increas- ingly used as a lower-emission power source, in addition to powering marine vehicles, and for heating greenhouses, “We've seen reciprocating engine tech in a number of areas, from diesel driven reciprocating engines, to backing up eration, to helping produce power ipalites (munis) and co-ops,” said Paul Paxson, a senior manager for genera tion, operations and maintenance, and plant performance for ICF International based in Greeley, Colorado, Paxson, in & recent inter view with POWER, said, “I think that in the last five to seven years, because of perfor mance enhancements on the heat rate, with the quick-start capability, and penetration of renewables, ulilties are using reciprocating technology more often, It's be competitive with simple-cycle gas turbines.” “wi ‘gy for power gen of key trends that fuel flexibility ‘ and the incor poration of telemetry." Cory Nelson, director of product management for Aggreko, a com- 1. Technology for uti y-scale projects. Sky Global One is a 51-MW natural gas: fired peaking plant near Houston, Texas. The plant, a partnership of Sky Global Partners and San Bernard Electric Cooperative, came oniine in April 2016. It is powered by six 8.6-MW Jenbacher 1920 FleXtra gas reciprocating engines built by GE. Courtesy: GE pany known for providing temporary power worldwide, told POWER. “Power density is simple in the sense that we're looking to get the most power out in smaller packages. In designing generators, looking at the enclo- sure and weight ofa particular unit has to be taken into consideration just as much as siz ing the appropriate engine to meet a particu lar node requirement. End-user customers, particularly those in construction and events, are looking to utilize generators that ulti- ately fit into smaller spaces and lighter to transpor. “The market for reciprocating engines and technology is definitely growing.” Nelson said. “Over the next few years, we will start to see more advancements in fuel efficiency, renewables, and telemetry that ‘generators more attractive and e ever befo Utilities Embracing New Reciprocating Units Entergy Corp's ETR subsidiary, Entergy New Orleans, in March received approval from the New Orleans City Council to build new, $210 million natural gas-fired power plant in the city. The 128-MW New Orleans Power Station, expected online by January 2020, will use seven gas-fired reciprocating ies with self-start capability, enabling startup even when there is no power on the grid. The plant, designed to help with grid stability, and with power restoration after major storms, is also part of Entergy’s ef- forts to support renewable energy in its gen- ‘ration portfolio. ‘Tueson Electric Power (TEP) in July 2017 said it plans to build a new power plant with 10 gas-fired reciprocating engines that would have a combined generation capacity of 200 MW near its gas-powered H. Wilson Sundt Generating Station in Arizona, The Sundt plant's coal-fired e retired in 2015. ‘TEP wants the new plant to provide flexible ‘capacity that will help it integrate more newables into its generation portfolio. TEP has said it would bring half the new ts, powered by Wirtsili. I8VS0SG et ‘online by mid-2019, with the remain- nid-2021. At the its we det put into service by time of lst summer's announcement, David Power | aya it2, Model for CHP. South Texas Electric Cooperatve's 202:MW Pearsall Power Plant is one of the largest CHP facilities in the US. It operates with 24 Wartsld 20V34SG engines. The uti ity says the plant helps balance its generation of wind power. Courtesy: Wartsili/South Texas Electric Cooperative Hutchens, TEP’s president and CEO, said, “The addition of these efficient natural gas resources will help us to preserve safe, reli- able and affordable service for customers as ‘our community continues to expand its reli- ‘ance on renewable energy.” The company ‘said the reciprocating engines would provide fast power during demand peaks, along with balancing the grid due to the intermittency of renewable energy such as solar. “Reciprocating engine technology tends 1 be a good fit for prospective owners looking to supplement their respective gen= eration portfolios by adding fast and flexible resources that can provide shaft diversity ‘while meeting the realtime and day-abead ‘demands of today’s evolving energy market- places,” Jolly Hayden, chief operating officer with Golden Spread Electric Cooperative (GSEC) in Texas, told POWER. “[Recipro- cating engines] are especially attractive to ‘owners in geographic areas where there have been significant increases in renewable re- sources, specifically wind generation.” That's a big reason the technology has taken hold in Texas, which leads the U.S. in ower generation from wind, and where the installed generation capacity of the state’s wind farms—at more than 20 GW—now tops the generation capacity of coal-fired power, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the agency that oversees more than 90% of the state's pow= cr grid. ERCOT, in fact, has said it expects power produced from wind will outpace coal-fired generation as soon as 2019, as coal plants continue to be retired in the stat. South Texas Electric Cooperative's (STEC’s) 202-MW Pearsall Power Plant (Figure 2) in Pearsall, Texas, one ofthe larg fest CHP facilites in the U.S., features 24 Wirtsili 20V34SG engines. STEC’s 220- MW Red Gate Power Plant in Edinburg, Texas, has 12 Wirsili’ I8VS0SG gas-fired engines; each generates more than 18 MW, “We are most familiar with Wastsila recip: so rocating engine technology.” said Hayden, noting “South Texas Electric Cooperative hhas the same technology we do.” GSEC’s 16 member co-ops serve customers in the Texas Panhandle, the South Plains and Ed- ward Plateau regions of Texas, the Panhandle of Oklahoma, southwest Kansas, and part of southern Colorado. “We currently have 168 MW of Wirtsili 20V34SG engines installed in our portfolio,” said Hayde ‘The Denton Energy Center in Denton, ‘Texas, expected online this summer, has 12 Wartsili: I8VS0SG engines that will gen- ‘erate up to 225 MW for city-owned utility Denton Municipal Electric (DME), which proposed the plant to replace coal-fired gen- eration. DME has said the plant will enable it to negotiate long-term contracts for wind and solar power, The utility's “Renewable Denton” plan calls For 70% of DME's gen- eration to come from renewable sources by early 2019. Technology Has Widespread Applications Several companies offer reciprocating tech- nologies, including Warsi, Caterpillar, Cummins, Perkins, MAN Diesel & Turbo, GE Power, Siemens, Mitsubishi Heavy In- dusties, Niigata Power Systems, and Gen- crac, among others, Wirtsli’s technology is used in North America’s largest natur POWER TECHNOLOGY gas-fired peaking power plant (Figure 3), the Plains End 1 and II in Arvada, Colorado, suburb of Denver. The plant, with a total generating capacity of 231 MW, was devel- End 1 utilizes 20 s. and Plains End II has 14 Warts 20V34SG natural gas combustion engines. The plant is able to ramp from low load to full load and back quickly, “To this day, Tyr Energy, the owner, and ‘Xcel Energy continue to see additional value ‘when analyzing the Plains End plant.” Phil Rutkowski, business development ~ man- ager for energy solutions for Waitsili North America, told POWER. “I is stil one of the ‘most flexible and efficient plants available for Xcel, and with its extremely high avail ability, Plains End has recently picked up the role as being the black-start facility for Xcel’s Denver metro service territory.” ‘Wirtsli’s engines also are used at many ‘other facilities, such as the Goodman Energy Center in Hays, Kansas, which was recog: nized as a POWER magazine Top Plant in 2009. The plant, builtin 2008, originally ui- lized nine 20V34SG gas-fired engines, each with selective catalytic reduction technology to meet local air emissions limits, and with a ‘generation capacity of 76 MW. The facility added three engines in 2015, and the expan- sion entered commercial service on April 1, 2016, with an increased generation capacity of 102 MW. ‘At the time of the expansion, Bill Dowl- ing, Midwest Energy's vice president for engineering and energy supply, said, “The continued development of the regional ener- ‘gy market in the Southwest Power Pool plac- ea premium on owning gas-fired generation that is both flexible and reliable ‘The wide applications for reciprocating engines are noted in the projects where Wart silt's engines are used, including the Barrick Goldstrike Mines in Nevada; the Gyorho CCHP plant, which powers the city of Gyor in Hungary; the CHP plant at the Linate Airport in lly; and the 175-MW Sasolburg power plant in South Africa 3. The pinnacle of peaking plants. The Plains End | and Il plant isthe largest gas- fired peaking plant in North Ameria. The facility, located west of Denver, Colorado, near the Rocky Mountains, has 20 Wartsilé 18V34SG reciprocating engines in Unit and 14 Warts 20V34SG engines in Unit . Courtesy: WartsiésPOWER TECHNOLOGY 4. Fourstroke diesel engine. MAN Diesel & Turbo in late 2017 unveiled its 20V45/60 ‘engine for land-based power generation, capable of producing 26 MW. according to the com pany. Courtesy: MAN Diesel & Turbo On Land and Sea “There are a lot of suppliers for reciprocat- ing engine technology,” said ICF's Paxson, “They're being used on big utility-scale proj- ects, coming from a number of manufactur- ers such as MAN Diese! & Turbo, Caterpillar, and Waukesha. They work with a variety of control systems .. you can kind of pick from a cafeteria menu, depending on who the in- {egrator is. Today, a small to mid-size power plant equipped with high-output reciprocat- ing engines can effectively compete against a sgas-turbine plant ofthe same size.” MAN jis among the leaders in engines for marine use. ESL Shipping, a leading carrier of dry-bulk cargoes in the Baltic region, re- cently ordered six MAN L2V30DF generator sets for cargo carriers being builtin China, MAN also supplies engines for power plants. Seven of its SI/60DF gas-fueled ‘gensets will power the new 127-MW Maria Gleta plant near Cotonou, Benin, in West Arica. The plant is scheduled to come on- line in 2019. Late in 2017, MAN unveiled its 2045/60 (Figure 4), a four-stroke diese! engine that the company says is “the most powerful four-stroke engine in the market,” capable of producing 26 MW. It also offers ‘a marine diesel engine, the MAN 45/60CR,, with I2V and 14V versions rated at 15,600 KW and 18,200 kW, respectively. US. Department of Energy (DOE) re- ports released over the past several months highlight the increased use of reciprocat ing engines, particularly in commercial and industrial environments, for power genera- tion and combined heat and power applica- tions. The DOE notes how “industrial and commercial companies have discovered cogeneration utilizing natural gas-fired re- ciprocating engines, not only for high ther- mal output but also low maintenance costs, low emissions, and high reliability for on- site generation and standby power A DOE-sponsored report written by the Gas Research Institute said the use of gas- fired reciprocating engines in cogeneration resulted in “lower operating costs for the user and potential reductions in emissions of criteria pollutants and CO.” The report also noted the increased use of reciprocat- ing engines for standby power, in part due to rapid star-up capability and strong load following characteristics. ‘The engines’ “black-start” capability has 4 role in keeping electric grids humming. Black start is required when a power plant ‘goes offline due to a malfunction or other incident, and the facility needs an external power source to resume operation. Opera torsean then start thei on-site reciprocating engines forthe electicity needed to restart the plant, They ate often used at nuclear power plants to safely shut down and main- tain reactors if there isa loss of power, cool- ant issue, or other operational anomaly Reciprocating engines are used in almost all commercial and industrial markets glob ally" said Aggreho's Nelson, “Primarily used for backup, standby, or emergency power, ‘generators can be eral in situations where Primary power sources are not reliable, are constrained, oF non-existent. In the last few years, an inerease in natural disasters has “riven the need for lage generators [1 MW and above} to provide power for local grid stabilization of for large manufacturers and producers to continue operations. “During the shale boom in the United States in the early 2010s, remote well sites in the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford, and Bakken required generators to power large pumps,” Nelson said. “Utility power was non-existent and an integrated power solution was needed where 40 0 50 wel sites existed ina single location. Petrochemical, refining, and manu facturing plants require off-grid, temporary power during turnarounds and shutdowns.” sven powers com Simplicity Breeds Popularity ‘The simplicity of reciprocating engines also is part of their popularity. “Reciprocating engines are basically the same technology you see in your ear,” said ICF's Paxson. “W's a fairly simple piece of equipment ‘compared to an aero-derivative [combustion turbine), and the munis and co-ops see ft} as much easier to absorb and digest. I's @ lite less seary. The complexity of eommer- cial turbines makes them nervous.” ‘The flexibility of reciprocating engines is cited asa major part oftheir appeal. Ag- ‘greko touts its Next Generation Gas gen- erators as “versatile and flexible on any gas fuel type,” including associated petroleum gas, compressed natural gs, liquefied nat- ural and petroleum gas, as well as stranded for flared gas. The company says its “mo- bile and modular plant design also delivers plant flexibility and full scalability, with the ability to inerease or decrease ca ity according to demand,” and says its gen- cration sets are “ideal for harsh or remote locations.” ‘Though the market for reciprocating ines is party tied to the increased use of renewable energy, another technology— battery storage—could limit the engines market share. “The future of power generation will def- initely be impacted by the implementation ‘of renewables, and what happens inthe stor- ‘age arena,” said Paxson, “The cost of stor- age is going to drop precipitously over the next three five years, much like we saw with sola] panel and inverter pricing. Once storage technology gets close to parity, and it's clean, it’s going to bea real mover and shaker in the marketplace, just as. we've seen coal replaced with gas” GSEC’s Hayden agreed. “The more re- newables we integrate into the gid, the mote need for quick-start and quick-ramp- ing resources” he said. “The biggest threat to [reciprocating engines} is batteries asthe prices continue to fall” More renewables and more storage, along with low prices for natural gas, have changed the face of power generation —and that shift will continue, “We're going to continue to see coal falling off the map. All the technology will be clean. One would expect in our lifetime that fossil could be replaced entirely with storage. In the mid-term, reciprocating technology is a good solution for institu- tions and munis,” Paxson said, noting that when it comes to technology advancements for power generation, “it's going to be a brave new world.” « —Darrell Proctor is a POWER associate editor. owen ipa it47" TURBOMACHINERY & 33" PUMP SYMPOSIA Petrochemical | Oil Refining | Oil & Gas Production | Utility | Power | Aerospace | Related Industries do0+ 90+ 4,600+ EXHIBITORS. TECHNICAL INDUSTRY COUNTRIES SESSIONS PROFESSIONALS REPRESENTED Symposia & Exhibition: George A. Brown Convention Center September 18-20, 2018 Houston, TX The Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia is 2 vital indust fering 2 forum for the exchange of idea rotating equipment engineers and tet lected technica combi inernational exhibition is the perfect ol arning new problem-solving methods and technologies. TPS.TAMU.EDU = AlAdvanced Boiler and HRSG Designs Offer Improved Performance Innovative boiler and heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) designs are im- proving efficiency, reducing emissions, and lowering maintenance costs. Some well-proven technology, such as circulating fluidized bed designs, allow greater fuel flexibility, which is vitally important as plants struggle to compete. Aaron Larson Ultrasupercritical CFB Advances in ultrasupercritical boiler designs ‘continue to be made and proven. Tom Steitz, viee president of Wood Aftermarket Services (see sidebar “An Evolving Brand”), offered the Samcheok Green Power Project in South Korea as a shining example of a plant em- ploying the latest ultrasupereritical boiler technology. The plant includes four $50-MW circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers pow= ering two 1,100-MW generators. The unique low-temperature CFB com- bustion process, coupled with ultrasupercrt cal steam technology, offers high net plant efficiency (reportedly 42.4% LHV (lower heating value] and 38.8% HHV [higher heat- ing value] see sidebar “What's the Differ- cence Between LHV and HHV?"). The low combustion temperature also reduces emis sions, but it doesn’t limit the plant’ ability to achieve ultrasupercritical steam conditions. ‘The Samcheok plant operates with a steam, temperature of 603C (1,117F) and a super heated steam pressure of 257 bar (3,728 psi). Most conventional coal technologies re- {quire the fuel to be finely ground and dried before entering the furnace. The CFB does not require those steps. Instead, the fuel is coarsely crushed and dropped into fuel ‘chutes, which lead to ports in the lower sec tion of the furnace. The CFB's wide fuel range allows excellent fuel procurement flex- «0 ‘bility. The Sameheok plant is sourcing high- ‘moisture Indonesian coal and biomass to fuel its units, which is expected to save millions of dollars in fuel costs over the plants if. Unlike conventional boilers that burn the fuel ina massive, high-temperature flame, CFBs utilize circulating hot solids to cleanly and efficiently bum the fuel ina flameless com bustion process. The low, uniform combustion temperature minimizes the formation of NO, and allows the injection of limestone to capture acid gases as the fuel burs, giving the CFB some ofthe lowest furnace emissions currently achievable, Because CFBs don't require back- end flue gas desulfurization equipment for SO, control, Samcheok’s owner—Korea Souther Power Co,—saved hundreds of millions of dol- lars in construction costs. Solid particles in the furnace are collect by steam-cooled solids separators, which re- cycle most of them back to the furnace, The particles pass through a high-performance Intrex. heat exchanger where superheated steam is produced in steam coils submerged in the bubbling bed of hot solids. Because ash doesn't melt and slag in the CFB boiler, fouling and corrosion are mini- mized. With clean tube surfaces, the hot sol- ids are better able to conduct heat efficiently throughout the entire boiler. In addition to reduced emissions, other benefits include de~ creased maintenance and increased reliability ‘The Samcheok facility entered full com- jal operation in June 2017 (Figure 1). ing first-of-its-kind technology, the commissioning process reportedly went very smoothly Poland Embraces CFB Technology In Poland, coal continues to be the go-to re- source for power generation (see “King Coal Is Alive and Kicking in Poland” in the March 2018 issue), and the country was an early adopter of the CFB design, At the TurSw power plant in westem Poland near the country's bor- der with Germany, pulverized coal units began An Evolving Brand Most readers probably recognize the Foster Wheeler brand name. The compa- ny has been a staple ofthe power indus- tty nearly as long as POWER magazine. ‘The Foster Wheeler tag originated in 1927 when two U.S. companies—Power Specialty Co. and Wheeler Condenser & Engineering Co.—merged, In November 2014, AMEC, a UK-based company with a storied history of its own, and Fos- ter Wheeler combined to form a global engineering, project delivery, asset support, power equipment, and consul- tancy conglomerate. Wood Group, with headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland, ac- quired Amec Foster Wheeler in October 2017. The combined company now goes by the name Wood and is a global lead- er of project, engineering, and techni- cal services in the energy, utility, and process markets. Wood operates in more than 60 countries, employing about 55,000 people. ‘burning low-quality brown coal in 1962, Doe to ‘deteriorating environmental conditions, among ‘other things, in the 1990s the directorate de- cided to upgrade to CFB technology as part of $1.6 billion modernization effort. Six boilers were replaced with the Foster Wheeler design between 1998 and 2004. The environmental impact was significant. SO, emissions decreased 72%, NO, was cut to less ate emissions dropped 90%. Furthermore, the units have improved availability and greater fuel flexibility. The Lagisza plant located near Bedzin in south-central Poland offers another success story. It is home to what was the first su percritical CFB boiler, constructed between 2008 sand 2008. The unit has lost some ofits Power | aya it1. State-of-the-art. This image showing ‘ tiumphant group of power plant workers with ists raised was taken to mark Samcheok Unit 2 entering commercial operation in June 2017, Courtesy: Korea Southern Power Co. bragging rights now that the ultrasupercrti- ceal Samcheok plant is in commercial opera tion, but itis still a notable project. “The CFB design is suitable not only for coal-fired plants, but also for plants burn- ing petcoke, municipal solid waste, refuse derived fuels, and wood and agricultural biomass. Amec Foster Wheeler sold its CFB technology to Sumitomo SHI FW last year Sumitomo licensed the technology back to the company (now Wood), giving it aftermar- ket servicing rights for North American units. HRSG Upgrades ‘With the large amount of renewable energy being added to the power grid, combined cycle plants are increasingly being asked to Fy output. That can be a challenge, and in many cases, heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) are the limiting factor. Tony Cirillo, senior program director for strategic devel- ‘opment with AECOM, said many OEMs are improving designs to make HRSGs more re- sponsive to load swings and ramping. “Basically, it’s all about the material thick- nesses” Cirillo said, ‘When you weld tubes to headers or tubes to drums, the welds become a source of fa- e and fracture. Cirillo said the tube could be x thick and the drum could be 5x thick Correspondingly, there are differences in ex- pansion and contraction where the pipe joins the header or where the pipe joins the drum, Which presents the potential for corrosion and cracks, and ultimately failure. To account for this, warmup times must be extended. “From a design standpoint, instead of welding a bunch of tubes from mult-rows to ‘header, manufacturers are going to singular rows for collection,” he said. “New designs now have a very gradual tube-to-headerto: «drum transition rather than simply a tube-to- drum transitio ‘Analogous to conventional, natural circu- lation fossil-fred power boilers, some OEMs ‘are going so far as to eliminate the drum al- together. Called a once-through design, the HRSG essentially has no superhe drum and uses vertical steam separators to seam power POWER TECHNOLOGY a What's the Difference Between LHV and HHV? Understanding plant efficiency claims ‘an be confusing. That's because some hydrogen-rich fuels release water during the combustion process. The water is sub- sequently evaporated during combustion with the process using some of the heat released by the fuel. This latent heat of vaporization is temporarily lost and there- fore does not contribute to net power generation, If the water vapor released by fuel combustion is simply discharged to the environment via the exhaust stream, the latent heat of vaporization is permanently lost. That fs the case, for example, with many internal-combustion engines and simple cycle gas turbines. On the other hand, some advanced boilers have @ secondary condensation process downstream of the combustion step, which condenses the water vapor in the exhaust stream and recovers at least some of the latent heat being carried with The recovered heat can then be used productively. The numerical difference between the lower heating value (LHV) and the higher heating value (HHV) of a fuel is roughly ‘equivalent to the amount of latent heat ‘of vaporization that can be practically re- ‘covered in a secondary condenser per unit ‘of fuel burned. The numerical value of a fuels HHV is always greater than or equal to the LHV. Therefore, a power plant’s net cfficiency on an LHV basis is always high- fer or equal to the HHY-based efficiency. Comparing the efficiency of power units without knowing which calorific heating value was used to calculate the efficiency ‘an be misleading. 2. Mega project. inthis image one of the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) modules destined for Egypt is loaded onto a transport vessel in South Koree. Siemens will supply a total of 24 HASGs fr thee 4.8-GW plants in Beri Sue, Burulus, and New Capital. Courtesy: Siemens ble faster start-ups. This is an improve- ‘ment in many respects, but the HRSG loses ‘most of its surge capacity “While that allows you to be responsive, the range over witich you can respond is not that great because the drum acts like a surge ddamper, if you would, to moderate between rapid changes between the demand and the supply.” Cirillo pointed out ‘One company that has made some mean- ingful improvements is Siemens Heat Trans- fer Technology (HTT). Formerly NEM Energy, the Siemens subsidiary was rebrand ed and renamed Siemens HTT in January 2018. The company offers two types of fast- start HRSG technologies. One is its Benson HRSG, which is a once- through design built without a high-pressure (HP) steam drum. The Benson model is typi: cally a vertical HRSG with a modular design (Figure 2), which allows a smaller footprint ‘The other fast-start design is called the DrumPlus HRSG. It has an HP drum, but it has a relatively small diameter and corre- spondingly small wall thickness. As a result, peak stresses are significantly reduced. ‘To reduce the size of the DrumPlus steam drum, the watersteam separators, known as bottles, were relocated outside of the drum. ‘This allowed the separator to be optimized without the limits set by space restrictions inside the drum, Of course, that means there ‘number of separation bottles that must be led in something similar to an instrumen- during erection, but it does allow nes to ramp-up without restrictions, nproves flexibility, reduces. startup costs, speeds power delivery to the grid, and lowers NO, emissions during startup. « —Aaron Larson is POWER’s executive editorInnovative Firefighting Technology Improves Equipment, Personnel Safety A hybrid fire protection system has the ability to discharge a cloud of hybrid media into protected spaces to extinguish fires without the use of danger- ous chemicals. The hybrid cloud is based on cyclonic distribution of both nitrogen and tiny water particles, introducing a better solution for fire sup- pression in power generation facilities. Mark Martella ince 1882, when the world’s first coal-fired power station was erected and POWER magazine was founded, people have been protecting their plants with CO,, foam, and other types of fire suppres- sion systems. The best way to avoid fire-re- lated incidents is to remove the hazards that ause them. While this is highly unreal istic, taking an uncommon but increasingly popular approach to fire safety threats allows facilites to develop ways to minimize the likelihood of ignition. While individual com- panies examine their facilities, and invest in improving safety culture, organizations like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are devoted to eliminating death, in jury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. Following guidelines and protocols im- proves safety, but unfortunately, even when ‘many potential sources of fire are eliminated, and safety guidelines are followed, it is pos- sible for threats to remain. This is part ly true in power plants, which by design are vulnerable to fire hazards. Throughout these facilites, many processes integral to power generation make use of lube oil, natural gas, and combustible materials, all of which can become fuel if a fire breaks out Most turbine and generator fires are caused by lube oil combustion, as gaseous emissions from compressors can leak and cause explosions. Flammable substances coursing through the veins of cooling tower structures can be ignited by outside sources, such as incinerators and smokestacks. The smallest of sparks has the potential for a eu- mulative effect that could lead to significant structural or equipment damage or worse— ‘worker fatalities ‘This paints @ sobering picture. Removing every potential thre: the most controlled is unachievable even in ronments; so, plant ‘owners must be realistic and evaluate the best fire suppression systems for the workers and assets they are trying to protect. Traditional Solutions To date, plant owners have had to examine fire safety systems and choose from among them, knowing thatthe final decision would require tradeoffs and would bring with it im- itations. For years, one of the most common choices for power-generation facilities has been a CO; system. Historically, these sys- tems have been the cause of worker fatalities since, by nature, they pose a health hazard because they rob the environment of oxygen, ‘Anyone who isin an area in which a CO; sys- tem is activated could be asphyxiated ‘As an alternative to CO:, halon—a vola- tile organic compound similar to chlorofluo- rocarbons—has been used. The difference between CO; and halogens is that halogens ‘generally are not fatal. They can, however, ‘cause difficulty breathing, and skin and eye invitation, with extensive exposure leading to unconsciousness. In addition to the nega tive effects they have on people, halogens are harmful to the environment because of their Jong lifetime in the atmosphere. Some en- ter the stratosphere where they have caused ‘ozone-layer damage, which is the primary driver for the phase-out of halogens. Halo- ‘carbon-based agents, although less damaging, to the stratosphere, exhibit their own chal: lenges when used within these environments, Fire protection systems using halon- and halocarbon-based agents have inorganic ‘chemical compositions in the form of gas, which in tur form hydrogen fluoride (HF) when exposed to heat, such as from the fire that the agent is being used to extinguish. The thermal decomposition byproduct—HF— may cause corrosion damage to electronic ‘components, The degree of corrosion dam- age is dependent on HF concentration, expo- sure time, temperature, and relative humidity in the enclosure, and the properties of the ‘equipment exposed. HF mixed with humidity becomes a highly corrosive systemic poison that burns the skin and deeply penetrates the tissue. Inhaling even a small amount of hy- NR . a » bic Part » Legisl Fe ExchangeMonitor Publications & Forums, a division of Access Intelligence 9211 Corporate Bivd. 4th Fl | Rockville, MD 20850 | Tel: 1-888-707-5814 | clientservices@accessintel.com | www.exchangemonitor.comIncreased thermal sensitivity Expand focus with compatible lenses Intuitive user interface Best-in-class true resolution Sharper on-soreen images Our bestselling infrared cameras a just got better! The Fluke PRO series introduces a leading-edge visual infrared experience. 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