Sessions

Sponsored by Plug Power: To make our carbon reduction goals a reality, our electric grids must use a significant amount of renewable but intermittent resources.  Integrating solar and wind at a meaningful scale will require solutions to critical challenges including (1) seasonal discrepancies in electricity generation (2) dispatchable clean supply with fast ramp rates for supply-side balancing and (3) zero emission sources of energy to fill in the gaps.  The world was built using fossil fuels but the path to zero and net zero electricity requires an ecosystem of devices that work together to maximize solar and wind energy.  Fuel cells and hydrogen are two of the key devices that can be deployed in tandem with solar and wind assets to enable a zero-carbon future. Plug is building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem to bring renewable energy to customers around the globe, helping them meet their business and sustainability goals. Plug Power is a leading manufacturer of fuel cells, hydrogen systems and green hydrogen. This session will cover our commercially available PEM technologies and provide a glimpse toward the future.  We will explain how PEM fuel cells coupled with green hydrogen can help meet carbon reduction goals.

This Case study examines unique project approach taken by a group of stakeholders who worked as a tightly integrated team to achieve CHP integration into existing industrial facility. Process considerations required will be highlighted and discussed in detail. Tate & Lyle, Global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, undertook a large-scale sustainability upgrade for its Lafayette South corn wet milling plant in Indiana. Transitioning from existing coal-fired boiler to new natural gas turbine co-generation system, to generate electricity and steam to power and heat the facility, will lead to drastic improvement in operational and energy efficiency at the plant and deliver more than a 30 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and around 5 percent reduction of water usage. Project drivers and challenges will be discussed, along with best practices and successes integrating the project into the regional energy landscape. The infrastructure improvement aspects will be covered in addition to practical considerations as the paper outlines steps that were taken to Engineer, Procure, Construct and Commission a fast-tracked project. Our case study outlines project delivery innovation which helped drive successful completion. The team leveraged innovative design, procurement, and construction package sequencing to maximize schedule efficiency and reduce project risk. Time spent at the planning and budgeting stage helped ensure a clear path to completion with minimum impact to ongoing plant operations. The new system consists of two 25 MW gas turbines, coupled with heat recovery steam generators integrated into the existing plant infrastructure. The Owner, Tate & Lyle, initiated development and budgeting process for the project in 2018, Middough Inc. provided the engineering design and worked with major equipment suppliers to integrate their packages into the overall plant design. Detailed design started in mid-2019, continuing through project completion. Tate & Lyle self-executed construction and commissioning with engineering support from Middough. Design packages were utilized to optimize installation schedule and help construction contractors drive efficient work fronts. This project highlights growth in commercial and industrial power generation and necessity of excellent BOP design and engineering support partnered with an owner commitment to achieving high quality and performance in construction.

Much of the attention and interest with energy storage has focused on the ability to firm capacity for solar generation (and to a lesser extend, wind generation) but energy storage can mimic and even outperform most generators in a variety of ways. This presentation will provide a brief overview of solar coupled and standalone energy storage system architectures before focusing on how storage systems can provide performance capabilities including: - Fast frequency response - full load response times under 250ms - Peaking capacity - both front and behind the meter applications - Islanding and grid forming - ability to support loads in the event of an outage with a seamless transition - Black-start - supporting restoration of power after a partial or total outage - Reliability - distributed design to provide high levels of reliability and availability for the generation facility - Reactive power support - the use of power electronics allows the battery energy storage system to function as a STATCOM when not in use as a BESS. And some battery-side design considerations require additional power electronics to be included in the system, allowing for a much wider power factor during charge and discharge than is required. Case studies will be provided using Mitsubishi Electric projects (solar coupled and standalone) which are operational in multiple ISOs, including our project in ERCOT which was operational throughout the 2021 winter storm and demonstrates storage's ability to provide energy and ancillary services in cold and hot extremes. And if POWERGEN sees benefit in showing the overlap with the distribution market (given the co-location with DistribuTECH) the case studies can be extended into our systems being used for distribution equipment deferral. Finally, the presentation will present the future for storage in renewable coupled and standalone applications with and without an investment tax credit (will be updated based on status of the legislation and our work with the bill sponsors).

Not all that long ago most plants were coal-fired and base-loaded. They also had a plethora of instrumentation and technicians to assure that the steam cycle was under control and protecting the metallic assets of the plant. Now, all bets are off even if that coal facility is still in operation. Moving to a combined cycle or heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) does not necessarily mean the job is any easier. Trends in monitoring the water cycle chemistry in a power generation facility have evolved as well, but not all for the better. This review will take a look at several areas within the steam cycle to examine what can be done to enhance monitoring for optimal asset protection. Often decisions on which parameters to monitor are influenced by budget and not by the information being provided. On the other hand, sophisticated analysis of a single parameter does not always offer overall protection. A proper understanding of the information gleaned from any measurement is key in making informed decisions regarding water chemistry. Several key parameters will be considered which impact the quality of steam being produced. Conductivity is a widely monitored parameter which provides important information on water quality for the steam cycle. Yet this data is often mis-used to the detriment of the turbine and piping it is supposed to be protecting. The differences and limitations of specific, cation and degassed cation conductivity need to be understood. Proper control of pH is one of the most critical parameters in controlling corrosion in the steam cycle. Yet this is hard to do if the proper sensors are not being used. In some cases, calculated pH can be utilized as an alternate method with certain advantages. Corrosion product transport is a generic term which encompasses a number of different monitoring techniques to verify effectiveness of the chemistry program and to support the other measurements discussed above. These include iron monitoring and the use of film forming products and amines. There is much confusion around this topic regarding what works and what doesn’t. A synopsis will be offered. Finally, presence of cationic and anionic species, including sodium, silica, chlorides, and sulfates will be considered. The current trends, benefits, and drawbacks of these important parameters, along with those previously addressed, will be discussed in light of the frequent cycling encountered at coal and gas-fired units.

In what may be an industry first,  machine learning applied in a trial program at 740 MW CCGT merchant plant has proven its power both to detect previously unidentifiable performance anomalies in real time and forecast performance to enhance day-ahead merchant power market bid strategies.  This case study summarizes the initial situation, trial program solution, results and future prospects.  

The definition of a microgrid is a decentralized group of electricity sources and loads that normally operates connected to the traditional wide area synchronous grid but can also disconnect to "island mode" and function autonomously as physical or economic conditions dictate. Based on aging electric infrastructure, growing electric demands and focus on carbon reduction the microgrid market is growing to meet these global requirements. Recip engines are an integral part of a microgrid now and into the future based on their ability to provide consistent, sustainable, reliable electricity and thermal energy. Recip engines can operate on many different fuels such as natural gas, diesels, biogas, propane, etc. They are also being designed and configured to operate on clean zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen, renewable natural gas to meet carbon reduction goals. Manufacturers are also focusing on making sure current reciprocating engine microgrids can be retrofitted to operate on zero-carbon fuels as they become readably available and are cost-effective. This abstract will focus on two operating microgrids that incorporate reciprocating engine technologies today. One operates an engine in a simple cycle mode and the other incorporates an engine operating in combined heat and power application (CHP). The first project contains a continuous duty generator set rated for is a 423 kW for a microgrid project located at the Chattanooga, TN airport. The customer is the local municipal utility, Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB). This project utilizes a recip gen set, PV solar panels, battery energy storage, and a microgrid controller. EPB worked with the University of Tennessee to develop the microgrid controller as part of a grant. The second project is a 5-MW microgrid for Tasteful Selections, a vertically integrated farmer-owned, farmer-driven bite-size potato growing, packing, and shipping operation. Combining 3.6 MW cogeneration firm power with 120-kW solar and 1.25-MW/625-kWh lithium-ion battery storage, the microgrid has approximately 5-MW total capacity with provisions to add additional renewables, including more solar and renewable natural gas. It is architected to create efficiency at every turn, from capturing and repurposing heat to optimizing engine efficiency and advanced load side management. The microgrid incorporates solar energy generation and battery storage to provide Tasteful Selections a pathway to net-zero carbon.

The small but measurable deficit in an operating condenser and cooling tower performance that results in continual turbine backpressure losses of more than 0.1 in hg is often overlooked. However, that slight deficiency can cause a yearly plant revenue reduction of over $500,000 for a large nuclear facility. Since there are few new design advancements from the condenser and cooling tower manufacturers today, that leaves the burden of improving the performance of the cooling system to the utilities. Of course, condenser and cooling tower maintenance, such as the periodic cleaning of the tubes of the condenser, reducing air leakage, or clearing fouling from the cooling tower, are essential in keeping a level of performance.  But there are also other cost-effective equipment modifications that extend performance above any past backpressure deficiencies. This presentation will explore some of the simpler improvements that can be accomplished by modest, focused utility projects after an analysis of collected performance data or quantitative testing to define the specific shortcoming. These added condensers or tower improvements can also concurrently reduce the likelihood of plant down powering during extreme summer conditions which may become more frequent due to climate change. 

The proposed contribution is a panel discussion of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) and the increasing interest in development of such projects in the U.S. and internationally. With increasing interest in sustainability, renewable energy and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, Waste-to-Energy and Waste Conversion Technologies will be of growing importance for the foreseeable future. Currently, Waste-to-Energy represents 4% of the total energy mix of renewables and a small fraction of total U.S. energy generation. Diversion of organic waste from landfills, which are a major source of methane and greenhouse gas equivalent emissions, will be a major driver of WTE in the future. This panel will be comprised of experts who will discuss various aspects that need to be considered in developing WTE projects. The panel will discuss several technologies that are currently being deployed in the U.S. and Europe and speak to the challenges of implementing projects using biological and thermal conversion technologies. Thermal processes for converting fiber and plastic waste to clean distillate fuels will also be described. An Environmental expert will discuss the positive aspects for a net reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions when Waste-to-Energy is used as an alternative to landfilling our waste. The panel will include a representative from an ESCO to discuss financing and developing Waste-to-Energy for Municipalities, DoD, industries, Universities, and other government entities. Their perspective can be shared on the challenges and risks associated Waste-to-Energy projects and how they can be financed. The ESCO expert has direct experience with Waste-to-Energy, to include also Landfill Gas projects and Biomass conversion. This panel will have direct knowledge of Waste-to-Energy market and be able to discuss what they see for the future of Waste-to-Energy as part of the evolving energy mix.

As nations on a large scale and businesses on a smaller scale are making commitments worldwide to reduce carbon emissions, hydrogen is considered an important part of the solution as we look to the future. 2G Energy’s Combined Heat and Power units with a reciprocating engine as the prime mover have now entered the field of hydrogen use, with the world’s first reciprocating engine CHP that runs on 100% hydrogen fuel. These engines are highly efficient, field-tested, and are more robust and less expensive than fuel cells. Hydrogen is used as a climate-neutral fuel in the CHP system in order to convert it back into electricity and also heat or cold in an efficient, economically attractive, and environmentally friendly way. With zero carbon emissions, hydrogen CHP is the energy supply of the future. Several case study examples of hydrogen CHP are now in operation in Europe. The Berlin Airport, APEX Group, and Stadtwerk haBfurt in Germany, and Orkney Airport in Scotland all have implemented 2G CHP systems using hydrogen as fuel and incorporate reciprocating CHP into their larger-scale projects.

Workers in the utilities and energy industries are at an increased risk of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). According to a recent study from safety consulting firm DEKRA Insight, workers in utilities had a SIF exposure rate of 32 percent, compared with 25 percent across the larger industrial workforce. There is a moral and business imperative to do better. Much attention is paid to better protecting our critical infrastructure, including the entire power supply chain, while improving efficiency, environmental impact and productivity. The same attention is not applied to the workforce that keeps that infrastructure up and running. What's more, as experienced workers retire across utilities and power generation is is even more crucial to deploy tech-enabled solutions that can protect and empower newer workers while integrating into increasingly digitized systems. Connected worker solutions starting to fill these needs. This presentation will dig into 1) the detailed drivers for connected-worker solution adoption, 2) types of solutions available and key differentiators, 3) learnings from deployments across Nuclear (w/ Westinghouse), Biomass (w/ Enviva) and industrial applications from mining to oil & gas with similar worker profiles from frontline and lone worker to hazardous location work, as well as networking and data privacy challenges and 4) key considerations in building your business case for deploying connected worker solutions and expected ROI,