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on TOL Remote in Newport: Wave Energy
I suggest that you contact Des McGinnes of Pelamis Wave Energy to call in, as he is a member of the Oregon Wave Energy Trust (http://www.oregonwave.org/index.php/about-owet/board-of-directors-2009.html).
Des is very knowledgeable about this topic and can explain it well to the general public, technically, economically and from a regulatory perspective. The company he works for (www.pelamiswave.com) is the only company to my knowledge that has a commercial wave energy system installation.
He can be reached on e-mail at d.mcginnes@pelamiswave.com, with the caveat that he is located in Scotland and the show will be in the wee hours of the morning for him.
posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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on Powerful Combination
Website with news, commentary and technology links about Smart Grid, Demand Response, Energy Storage and Electric Vehicles: http://sites.google.com/site/energywebus/
posted 4 years ago
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on Powerful Combination
Cost effectiveness is the issue with integration of wind power. The lowest cost resource that can balance load is demand response (DR), which is turning thermostats up/down depending on season or turning off hot water heaters (no it won't impact your shower).
BPA has been aware of these issues for years and helped produce a wind integration report in 2007, of which Elliot coordinated the writing. There is an appendix of technical options and relative costs. BPA's customers want low rates and limit the ability of Bonneville to spend money on new technology.
The average cost per kw for new Smart Grid complimentry DR is under $300 versus natural gas at $600 - $1000/kw or energy storage at $1500+ kw.
This is market transformation question of how to give customers real time control of their main enegry use, heating and cooling, HVAC). The customers can benefit from saving energy and the utilities could shave peaks and integrate wind with DR systems, such as Powermand or Tendril.
Natural gas turbines are more expensive and centralized, DR is distributed and small. The choice is between big centralized, expensive and long lead time to install resources or small, quick, inexpensive and distributed resources for wind integration.
Slides presented to NW Environmental Business Council on renewables integration: http://docs.google.com/Presentation?docid=dhh6ghv6_41hg2r7vhc&hl=en
Enabling customer participation in the Smart Grid via DR: http://docs.google.com/Presentation?docid=dhh6ghv6_0d8qb74gt&hl=en
posted 4 years ago
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on The Efficiency Factor
Distributed small generation can be an answer, based on cost and energy produced. Do you have one of these devices installed at your location?
posted 4 years ago
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on The Efficiency Factor
Having 30 years in utilties and being an electrical engineer is a hurdle I have to work constantly at to overcome, as my wife the the attorney is constantly reminding me to make concepts simple.
Bottom line: hardware with easy to use software makes energy management easy and profitable. See www.powermand.com, www.tendrilinc.com or www.energyhub.net for examples of these system. Powermand is located in Portland.
posted 4 years ago
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on The Efficiency Factor
Home Energy Management System Required functionality:
Consumer friendly, easy to use interface via web browser (energy version of iPod)
Control heating ventilating and cooling (HVAC) systems as well as hot water heaters, homes and lighting via programmable communicating thermostats and load control modules
Allow users to choose between maximum comfort and minimum cost on a sliding scale
Be able to document energy efficiency savings
Provide real-time metering and sub metering data, from the utility meter or sub metering equipment
Provide HVAC continuous commissioning and diagnostics
Be easy to install by an HVAC technician and be self provisioning
Have automated the firmware and software updates over the Internet
Display carbon impacts, energy use, cost savings, utility rate plan options can do so via a PC or "in home display" (IHD)
Provide a payback of 36-60 months under utility rate recovery
Easily add and control new Smart appliances
Integrate with charging systems for plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles, for control
Respond to under and over, frequency and voltage events, with utility control of set points for voltage and frequency
Monitor power quality the end-use site
Provide ongoing building performance information, such as R factor building energy response to weather conditions
Nice to have functionality:
Read early generation automated metering systems and send back data via broadband to utility
Optional two-way broadband connection via a cellular or WiMAX for locations without broadband
Pass utility messages to Smart appliances
Control solar inverters for power firming
Ability to turn on loads when system overvoltage or frequency events occur (hot water heaters, electric vehicle's or refrigeration for example)
Multitenant option using only an in home display and remote programming via any web browser, thus eliminating the need for a PC
posted 4 years ago
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on The Efficiency Factor
On June 19-20, 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) held a technical workshop on implementation of smart grid technologies, from the "Executive Summary Major Findings" - the first one was: Enable active participation by consumers.
Enabling active consumer participation in the Smart Grid was the topic of Jeff Hammarlund's PSU Smart Grid class on 20 April 2009. I presented slides to the class. I retired as the Technology Innovation Lead in Energy Efficiency at BPA last August.
Home Energy Management Systems (EMS) using broadband technology can reduce energy use (PNL GridWise study - 10% savings quoted, Maria Cantwell, US Senator - National Smart Grid conference, Spokane WA 6 April 2009), reduce peak load and potentially defer investments in transmission and distribution systems.
After my work at BPA implementing broadband demonstration projects in Ashland Oregon and the PNW GridWise, I believe that the best option for efficiency improvement is automated energy management for homes.
If the Oregon Public Utility Commission were to allow PGE/Pacificorp to put in place a program that lets them pay for half of a Home EMS (with the utility being able to reset a thermostat 50 hours a year - reducing peak load), the customer could pay for the other half and save energy using the automated energy management functions of the Home EMS.
The basis rewarding or punishing personal consumption is embedded in utility rates. Utilities currently are not rewarded for helping their customers reduce use. If the Oregon Public Utility Commission were to allow PGE/Pacificorp to put in place a program that lets them pay for half of a Home EMS (with the utility being able to reset a thermostat 50 hours a year - reducing peak load), the customer could pay for the other half and save energy using the automated energy management functions of the Home EMS.
A list of the requirements that a Home EMS would require to be economic and make both consumers and utilities happy, is posted in my next post/comment. Powermand is a local company that has a system that meets many of these requirements. I suggest you contact Dan Russell CEO (ex-Intel VP) for this story, 503 922-3280. Disclaimer: I am a founder of, and an advisor to Powermand, but I am not involved in day to day management.
posted 4 years ago
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