Grant Ap- Green Investment Fund
Title: Energizing the Ondine- Retrofitting with Fuel Cell technology
Describe your project goals (who or what will the project/building impact, what will your high performance project offer to this entity or audience, etc.?):
Portland State University is Portland’s laboratory for emerging sustainable technologies. As such, it is appropriate that we have partnered with the Ida Tech Corporation and the US Department of Energy to provide the beta demonstration site for a 50 kW Combined Heat and Power Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System. This unit will be incorporated into the retrofit of one of PSU’s student housing buildings- The Ondine. The Ondine site is ideal for testing purposes because its use as a high occupancy dorm makes its energy consumption patters similar to a hotel- the market target for this technology. A fuel cell of the proposed design and energy generation capacity is ideal for the needs of 40% of the 13,000+ domestic hotels. In addition, a system of this size has potential for energy generation in:
· Hospital and other Medical Care Facilities
· Multi-dwelling Residential Units
· Commercial Laundry Facilities
· Prisons …and other, as yet to be determined applications
However, as with every new technology, before it can find its place in the Market (in this case the Green Market) it must successfully demonstrate its utility, robustness and economic feasibility. Doing this is the project goal and why Portland State University is the ideal site for such an endeavor.
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Describe the critical measures of your project and how their performance differentiates them as a green building or site strategy (include projected performance metrics compared to standard practice and related information sources):
As a starting point, the energy flow and assumed thermal recovery is shown in Figure 1.2A below. Throughout this proposal references are made to energy flows and efficiencies on a module or technology basis. The overall interaction of these processes can be visualized by this energy flow diagram.
The energy flow illustration describes the energy balance at the system architecture level by representing the energy content of fuel gases, electrical energy, and thermal steams. Energy is conserved for each block, i.e. energy is converted from one form to another resulting in a net zero sum (the fuel processor and purification blocks are to be considered together as a single block). All energy efficiencies and recovery opportunities are expressed. It has been assumed that thermal recovery will exist for all exiting process streams to a usable temperature of 50°C. Additional cogeneration opportunity exists for building systems using integrated pool heating. These energy streams will be received by a liquid cooling system integral to the existing building system. The assumed temperature difference between the cooling system and exhaust streams (called the approach temperature) is 5°C. Figure 1.2A leads to efficiency figures exceeding the solicitation objectives:
· Overall System Efficiency 71%
· Gross DC System efficiency 38%
· Net AC System Efficiency 31%
· Thermal Efficiency 40%
A significant portion of the economic return for the CM-50 comes from the thermal recovery of the system. The useful heat to electricity (H/E) production for the system is estimated to be 1.3, and is shown in Figure1.2A as recovery in both air and circulated heating water. Full utilization of this heat will take careful sizing with the demands of the host building, and is the key reason why the CM-50 cannot competitively fulfill the requirements of a smaller 50 kW building.
A primary goal of the GIF is to fund projects that achieve high performance by incorporating multiple green building and site strategies (“integrated design”). Describe how your project achieves integrated design and addresses more than one of the GIF’s resource conservation objectives:
The Team proposes to develop a commercial 50 kW (CM-50) net electric power system based on steam reforming of natural gas, and Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM) power generation. The CM-50 has the potential to provide an economic savings to building structures with a baseload of 50 kW and greater by providing 50 kW building b locks of electrical energy and 65 kW of water preheating. Based on fuel value alone the CM-50 system substantially reduces the cost of building operation by supplying electricity and co-generated heat at a combined cost lower than the independent consumption of these energies through utility supply. Adjusting for the capital recovery of the system amortized over the energy costs, the CM-50 provides varying levels of economic return based on differing forecasts for energy pricing. The economics of the CM-50 are highly dependant on the relative cost ratio of natural gas to electricity. The economics are most favorable when the host building has the ability to fully absorb cogenerated heat and operate at a high capacity factor. The heating demand is influenced by the size of the building, the function of the building, and seasonal factors.
Economic optimization under constant or seasonally variable energy rates dictates location of the CM-50 in regions where the relative cost of electricity is high compared to natural gas or the demand for heating is high year-round. Work under this program endeavors to locate U.S. areas and building structures whose demands closely match the available energy streams of the CM-50. The heat to electrical energy generation of the CM-50 is estimated to be 1.3 which is consistent with the requirements of hotel systems (between 0.8 to 2.2).
The Team’s proposed fuel cell system incorporates the ability to operate in standalone UPS mode. This is a significant environmental advantage because the proposed fuel cell systems could displace on-site emergency backup diesel generation. In San Diego alone there are over 1,000 emergency diesel gensets deployed. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) estimates that each day these gensets operate they would add 75 tons of NOx to the air. A diesel genset emits approximately 3 lbs of NOx per MWh; the proposed system would emit less than 0.1 lbs of NOx per MWh.
The Team’s proposed cogeneration design and hotel applications allow for high overall fuel efficiency which lowers carbon dioxide emissions versus separate electricity and heat generation. Adding to this benefit is the fact that steam reforming has the highest theoretical efficiency of all reforming technologies available to the fuel cell industry[1]. A prologue to the Team’s proposed effort is a recent emissions examination of a 1 kW PEM system, developed by IdaTech and tested by the SouthWest Research Institute. Operating with propane, the system emitted no detected SOx, carbon monoxide or total hydrocarbons at the system exhaust. This suggests that the proposed CM-50 plant for hotels will be virtually emission free.
How will the proposed project influence the advancement of Portland’s green building marketplace?:
From the beginning, a thorough assessment of the marketplace has driven the development of this technology. A successful “Combined Heat and Power Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System” in the 50kW range can serve the needs of most mid-sized hotel applications; mid sized hotels lead the market in terms of growth rate and total properties. The reasons for focusing on the hotel industry are many but here are the key reasons:
· An estimated 40% of U.S. hotel properties have over 150 rooms, the level where a 50 kW system matches heat and electricity loads well.
· Medium-sized hotels have the highest average electric capacity utilization factor (61%) of all commercial buildings segments (AD Little, 1995) due to little seasonal and daily electricity and thermal demand. For comparison, retail utilization capacities are approximately 28% and school capacity utilization is 17%.
· Hotels have a relatively large and steady hot water demand especially at locations with pools. Hot water demand is preferred over space heating because it tends to be constant over seasons and regions, matching well with diurnal electric demand.
· Hotels have a growing need for power reliability and power quality due to the increasing digital needs of business travels. The Team’s system design incorporates UPS and power quality features.
· The hospitality industry spends over $5 billion on energy annually, and is the fourth most intensive user of energy in the country.
· Discussions with potential hotel partners indicate that hotels have been active in siting DG projects for improving control of energy reliability and costs. The DOE Energy Star program has already registered many successes in the hotel industry.
· Large chains can own 1,000 or more properties so a successful project has the potential to be replicated at many sites as a matter of corporate policy.
· A “Green Energy Tag” or other public display can be a powerful distinguishing factor for business like hotels that cater to public tastes.
· Hotels can aggregate gas purchases in some deregulated markets.
Once this technology has proven its utility in the Hotel industry, there are many follow-on markets into which it can expand.
There are other contributions this project can make to advancing Portland’s green building marketplace, for example;
This project will put Portland on the map for fuel cell demonstration and innovation. Handled correctly, the publicity a project of this type can generate in trade magazines, technical journals, etc. can contribute significantly to Portland’s being branded as the place to go for Green systems as well as for the employees trained to operate them.
Briefly explain why additional grant funding is needed to implement the proposed measures and the public value that will be created by doing so:
This project is emblematic of Portland State University’s commitment to being Portland’s laboratory for sustainable technologies. However, we operate in a progressively restrained state-funding environment that struggles to meet the basic needs of higher education has few resources for innovation. Therefore, as a state funded entity it is in the publics’ interest for Portland State University to aggressively pursue grant funding for any project we are involved in that is innovative and serves the public good. That said, siting such emerging technology at PSU adds value to the project because our faculty have the expertise to maximize the research and knowledge dissemination potential of such a project. Furthermore, our students will benefit from the educational and training opportunities such technology provides. If the Green Marketplace is to make a significant contribution to Portland, and by extension the Oregon economy, then Portland State University has a responsibility to be at the forefront of educating these future employees. Finally, as yet another example of sustainable practices at PSU, the Ondine fuel cell will be included in our Sustainability tours, which will make it accessible to the general public. Since this particular type of fuel cell is one of only three and the only one of its kind in Oregon, we anticipate there will be great interest in its operation.
List all funding sources (3:1 cost ratio for green measure(s) required. For example,a $90,000 package of approved green building and site measures may be eligible for a $30,000 grant award):
The development of the 50 kW Combined Heat and Power Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System is planned to cost approximately $9.6 million with the DOE providing approximately $6.3 million and the project partners, led by IdaTech, providing the remaining approximately $3.3 million.
The contracted role of Portland State University will be to provide siting, installation and ongoing operations and maintenance support for the beta demonstration at the Ondine building on the PSU campus. The expected cost of this support work has been budgeted at $150,000 to $200,000.
The allocated value of the fuel cell system that will be provided to PSU for the demonstration is estimated by IdaTech and the DOE to be approximately $450,000. This value is for the hardware only. Portland State University will be responsible for the systems upgrades needed to demonstrate the maximum potential of the fuel cell. These will include the installation of the following:
· A direct digital control system will be installed (Ondine currently has no DDC system) that will allow monitoring and efficiency control of mechanical systems.
· The new air handling units will have high efficiency fan motors with variable frequency drives.
· VAV reheat systems will be installed for the three large air handlers serving the basement, first, and second floors. This will allow fans to turn down, saving energy when less than full airflow is required to condition the spaces.
· Parallel fan powered mixing boxes will be installed in selected zones. This will allow some room air to be recirculated, saving reheat energy.
· All new pumps installed will have premium efficiency motors with variable frequency drives.
· CO2 sensors will be installed in the new air handling units to provide demand controlled ventilation. This will greatly reduce the amount of outside air brought into the building, saving heating and cooling energy..
· A variable frequency drive will be installed on the exhaust fan serving the large parking garage at the sub-basement level. CO sensors will also be installed and connected to the building automation system. CO levels will be monitored and the exhaust fan will be controlled to maintain a minimum air flow to insure acceptable CO levels in the parking garage. This will save exhaust fan energy in addition to greatly reducing heating and cooling energy required for the conditioned areas adjacent to the parking garage.
· An oversized cooling tower will be installed to provide a larger condenser water temperature difference, resulting in colder condenser water temperature. Colder condenser water will allow the chiller to operate more efficiently, as well as enabling the chiller to produce colder water, which will reduce pumping energy requirements.
· Automatically controlled variable volume exhaust hoods and make-up air unit will be installed to minimize the fan energy used while kitchen equipment is not being used. The hoods will have infrared vapor detectors that will regulate hood flow and make-up air in response to cooking activity fluctuation. This will result in large fan energy savings as well as significant conditioning energy savings due to the greatly reduced ventilation air volume. A study done on an existing installation of the same system that will be installed in Ondine found that the system reduced fan energy by 62%.