In this agreement, Schneider Electric will be the main automation and electrical contractor and partner for digital energy management and automation solutions for Hy Stor Energy’s operations. This will include the provision of AVEVA process operation and AI optimization software, weather analysis, predictive operations and digital energy management solutions.

Laura Luce, CEO and founder of Hy Stor Energy, said in a statement: “Innovating both the physical and digital operation of renewable and storage assets is a critical part of the energy transition.

“We’re grateful to have a digital partner that understands the importance of deploying climate-aligned renewable hydrogen solutions and look forward to deploying first-of-its-kind, 100% renewable, fossil-free energy that’s dispatchable to our customers 24/7.”

Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub

The MCHH project is a fully integrated renewable hydrogen ecosystem.

It will feature Hy Stor Energy’s solution including on-site renewable hydrogen production via electrolysis and off-grid renewable power, coupled with hydrogen storage in purpose-built salt caverns to deliver energy storage dispatched on demand.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast was selected for the project because of its maritime and infrastructure assets, the abundance of solar and wind energy, and its naturally occurring underground salt formations that can support the development of large caverns. Furthermore, the project aims to uplift local, disadvantaged communities by providing economic growth opportunities.

Heather Cykoski, senior vice president, Industrial & Process Automation North America, Schneider Electric, added: “Projects like the Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub will help usher in the transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable forms of energy. Our collaboration will help Hy Stor Energy optimize their facility, from engineering and operation through energy management and storage.”

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

Listen to this episode of the Energy Transitions podcast for insights from Professor Dr Emmanouil Kakaras, Executive Vice President NEXT Energy Business, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA, about how to build an effective hydrogen economy and ecosystem.

This year’s show in New Orleans was no different, as the engine manufacturer was a Diamond Sponsor for the fourth year in a row.

“I do this for all the people that have joined the journey, all the growth we’re having in [power generation],” said Braden Cammauf, V.P. of FPT North America. “I want them to come in, bring their customers, bring their partners and show the same pride that I have for this division.”

Cammauf gave us a tour of the company’s booth and showcased the company’s lineup of engines designed for rental and high-volume applications, highlighting their versatility and ability to cater to various power needs efficiently.

He teased a new offering in the 500-kilowatt range for grid backup applications, indicating FPT’s continuous innovation and response to market demands. Cammauf noted that grid backup is a growth opportunity for the company.

Watch the interview above for more on FPT Industrial’s offerings.

The fuel cell power system, which combines Kohler’s power generation control platform and system integration expertise with a fuel cell module from Toyota, can be used as a prime or back-up power source or as part of a distributed network.

Klickitat Valley Health

Klickitat Valley Health (KVH) is a hospital that serves as the principal medical center for over 10,000 people in their district.

The hospital previously announced plans to reinforce their electrical infrastructure including backup and secondary power generation that included a hydrogen fuel cell to ensure uninterrupted operations.

According to Ben Crawford, business development manager, Kohler Energy and Richard Ferguson, new markets manager, business development, Fuel Cell Solutions at Toyota Motor North America, this type of solution was a good fit for KVH.

“For installations such as healthcare facilities, resiliency is critical…The KOHLER Fuel Cell System features a Toyota Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell for high-efficiency energy conversion, and the system has been designed for fast start-up and exceptional transient handling.

“Kohler provides one-source responsibility for the generating system and accessories, with the fuel cell unit being prototype-tested and factory-built within Kohler facilities. This approach results in a highly optimized and scalable solution that is built to last.”

The fuel cell system

Toyota has consolidated various components from a second-generation Toyota Mirai passenger vehicle fuel cell system into a single, compact fuel cell module.

The newly created module includes the second generation’s improved fuel cell stack and the elements responsible for the generation of electricity (air containing oxygen and the gaseous hydrogen fuel), system cooling, and on-board power control.

“Toyota has been exploring various applications of our fuel cell technology and this opportunity with Kohler highlights the decarbonization opportunities that hydrogen as a fuel can provide for customers,” said Chris Yang, Group vice president, Business Development, Toyota. “Our fuel cell technology can be scaled and used to power a wide variety of products beyond transportation, and it does so without any emissions except water.”

Kohler will also complete the system integration and balance of the plant to ensure all supporting components and auxiliary systems needed to deliver energy operate together safely and reliably and within a turnkey package.

“Kohler is committed to investing in new technologies to help our customers achieve their resiliency goals without sacrificing their climate-related objectives, and fuel cells are a hugely promising opportunity – both on their own, and when combined with other complementary technologies for more flexible power strategies, such as microgrids,” said Charles Hunsucker, Kohler Power Systems president.

According to Ben Crawford and Richard Ferguson, on-site or emergency power is becoming more prevalent because every mission-critical facility needs back-up power.

“It is a fundamental building block of resilient energy supply.

“In some cases, highly efficient generators using renewable fuel, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), represent the best solution for mission-critical applications. In other cases, it will be hydrogen fuel cell systems.”

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

The funding round was led by VTT, Yes VC and Lifeline Ventures.

According to Steady Energy, the funding will be used for research and development work and to build a full-scale demo plant powered by electric heat.

The Low-temperature District heating Reactor or LDR-50 is a small modular nuclear reactor with a heat output of 50 MW, which has been in development at VTT since 2020.

The LDR-50 is sufficient for heating a small city. A single heating plant can have multiple reactors and can be modified to produce steam for industrial purposes.

It’s designed to operate at around 150 degrees Celsius and below 10 bar (145 psi), operating conditions less demanding than those of traditional reactors, stated Steady Energy.

“The pressure required by the LDR-50 reactor is comparable to the pressure of a household espresso machine. It operates at a lower pressure than a district heating network. This ensures that in case of a malfunction which leads to a leak, the leak is contained within the heating plant, without endangering people or the environment,” says Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.

The LDR-50 nuclear reactor uses a passive heat removal solution which makes it safer. The LDR-50 reactor module is made of two nested pressure vessels, with their intermediate space partially filled with water.

When heat removal through the primary heat exchangers is compromised, water in the intermediate space begins to boil, forming an efficient passive heat transfer route into the reactor pool.

The system does not rely on electricity or any mechanical moving parts, which could fail and prevent the cooling function.

“Nuclear power know-how, national energy policy and the world’s leading district heating network provide the world’s best starting point for Steady Energy to start its business specifically in Finland,” says Timo Ahopelto, Founding Partner at Lifeline Ventures.

The project has been part of VTT LaunchPad, an incubator connecting VTT researchers and technology with industry and investors.

“On top of being safer than traditional reactors, SMRs are more affordable. We’re setting up a demonstration plant for district heating purposes ideally in Finland, but our long-term plan is to have several plants operating around the world, producing carbon-neutral heat to homes, offices and for various industrial applications,” said Tommi Nyman, CEO of Steady Energy.

According to the European Environment Agency, heating and cooling account for half of the final EU energy use.

A third of all energy in the European Union (EU) is used for heating and hot water in buildings, 72% of which comes from burning gas and oil.

Originally published by Power Engineering International.

The keynote, which took place at Orange County Convention Center on February 21, is generally regarded as setting the tone for the conference and the four speakers hit all of the major themes facing the power industry today.

Jan Aspuru, Chief Operating Officer at Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) kicked off the keynote highlighting the innovative technology OUC is testing at the Gardenia Innovation Center, which was a stop on yesterday’s POWERGEN technical tour yesterday. OUC has a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 but has milestones of 50% emission reductions by 2030, and 75% emission reductions by 2040.

Aspuru spoke of the challenge of using renewable energy generation in Florida, which is dubbed the Sunshine State but should actually be called the “partly cloudy” state because 277 days a year are at least partly cloudy if not completely cloud covered. In addition, the lack of wind or large water basins means wind power and hydropower are not viable options for renewable energy generation.

Alex Glenn, CEO of Duke Energy Florida and Midwest took the stage following Aspuru and gave an inspirational speech about the challenge of net-zero. He explained that Duke expects to rely on zero emission load following resources (ZELFRs), which haven’t been commercialized yet but mentioned that hydrogen and nuclear power breakthroughs look like potential promising solutions.

“We, in this room, have to figure this out,” he told attendees.

“My ask of you today is three things,” he said, challenging attendees to think about the following: “‘How do I fit into this transformation?  How am I going to contribute and where am I going to start to change the world?’’

Changing the world

Celebrating the fact that his small modular reactor (SMR) design in now certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and officially active in the U.S. Federal Register (as of today), Dr. Jose Reyes, founder and CTO of NuScale Power was next on stage.

He explained how his SMRs works and how it cuts costs and time to build. The global power sector will need to add 16,000 GW of generation capacity by 2040 to meet electricity demand. His envisions SMRs as an excellent replacement for retiring coal-fired power plants.

“We have the ability to change the power that changes the world,” he said.

The keynote headliner was Andrew Winston, best-selling author and sustainability strategist. Winston’s newest book, Net Positive, explores mega trends and urges companies to consider how they will contribute to a changing world.

Touching on issues like how generational change, climate goals, sustainability and even something he called a “decency quotient” will change the focus of businesses, he asked leaders to consider how they can have a positive impact on the world.

“Is your world better off because your business is in it?” Building a net positive business requires companies to blow up their boundaries. And, he said, in doing so he posited that greater profits will follow.

A solar microgrid under development at the New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City aims to bring clean energy and resilience to one of the country’s busiest airports.

With more than 13,000 solar panels and 7.6 MW of generating capacity, the rooftop PV system would become the largest on any airport terminal in the US. The microgrid also is designed to feature 3.6 MW of fuel cells and 2 MW/4 MWh of battery energy storage.

The microgrid is planned to consist of four “power islands,” with each island functioning as a local, integrated energy system with sources of generation, storage, advanced automation, and control. 

As a benefit, the microgrid is expected to immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions at JFK by 38% compared to grid-sourced energy, according to AlphaStruxure, which will design, construct, and operate the microgrid. AlphaStruxure is a joint venture of global investment firm Carlyle and Schneider Electric.

NTO—a consortium of labor, operating, and financial partners including Ferrovial, Carlyle, JLC Infrastructure, and Ullico—is building the privately financed all-international terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Originally published renewableenergyworld.com

Our climate crisis has resulted in an urgent demand for more sustainable mission-critical power technologies. To balance environmental impact against the need for mission-critical power, the doughnut economics model is useful – the concept shows that we need to use enough resources to provide the basics for all people, without causing damage to nature and our planet.

For mission-critical power, diesel generators are a proven solution, and the most popular option. They offer flexible outputs across a broad range of power nodes and can be accurately sized within a small footprint.

Diesel provides an efficient and readily available fuel that can be stored safely on-site and works in most climates. Additionally, most generator suppliers offer well-established maintenance and support, giving end-users peace of mind.

But diesel generators do emit greenhouse gases and other pollutants. Switching entirely to another backup power source is unrealistic in the short term, and for some applications, diesel gensets are the only practical option.

Therefore, generator manufacturers have invested heavily in reducing emissions. The focus has been on the engine, with environmental standards such as EPA Tier 4 in the U.S., pushing engineers to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter levels.

Emissions reduction technologies have cut the amount of pollution created, via in-cylinder reductions, and after-treatment technologies. Engineers have also used advanced computer-aided tools and computational fluid dynamics to optimize designs.

For example, high-pressure common rail fuel injection systems improve combustion efficiency, while exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is commonly deployed to reduce NOx, by recycling exhaust gases back into the combustion chamber.

Significant advances have been made in after-treatment. For example, diesel oxidation catalysts break down pollutants in exhaust gases into less harmful components. Other technologies such as diesel particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction can also cut contaminants.

In practice, mission-critical generators are often used for less than 12 hours per year and at low loads, for monthly maintenance. This means the engines cannot sustain the optimal operating temperatures needed to burn the fuel completely, thus causing a build-up of unburnt fuel in the exhaust system – known as wet stacking – which can lead to decreased engine performance and higher emissions.

In the past, the solution for wet stacking has been to run the generators monthly at 30% of their rated capacity to burn off unused fuel or prevent build-up. However, some advanced generators can now be run at 30% of rated capacity as little as once per year, which can cut total pollutant emissions by up to 82%.

Another advance is the development of renewable fuels. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), for example, is a liquid fuel that is synthesized from waste vegetable oils or animal fats. Unlike first-generation biodiesel, HVO does not impact crop resources, and it can translate into up to 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel.

HVO is similar in grade and quality to traditional diesel, and so can be used as a drop-in replacement, or as a blend with diesel. It is resilient in cold weather, safe in hot climates, and can be stored for up to ten years.

Technical teams around the world are also evaluating new medium-term technologies for mission-critical power, such as batteries and fuel cells.

Battery performance has matured rapidly in recent years, and the technology is already available with an efficiency of nearly 90%. Generator manufacturers have forged several joint ventures with industrial partners to develop battery-powered systems.

However, mission-critical applications would require many large battery packs – presenting cost, complexity, and footprint challenges. And batteries contain high levels of rare metals, which are becoming difficult and expensive to acquire.

Fuel cells have a lower footprint compared to batteries, and the possibility of quick refuelling with pressurized or liquid hydrogen. But they can only really be considered ‘green’ if the hydrogen used to power them comes from renewables, nuclear, or biomass. Achieving this fully is many years away from being practically available at scale, and the hydrogen produced is difficult to store in bulk.

Mission-critical power is clearly becoming more efficient and sustainable. Intense research and development efforts have delivered advances in several critical areas – from engine optimization to the use of renewable fuels. The challenge is to continue this progression while embracing other exciting technologies, such as batteries and fuel cells. However, meeting such ambitions will require ongoing innovation and collaboration to deliver the mission-critical systems of tomorrow.

Beth Splittgerber is the Product Manager for the Small Diesel Product Line for Kohler Power Systems, North America. She has been with Kohler for 30 years.

San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) ordered Mitsubishi Power’s battery storage and equipment for four microgrids the utility is planning.

The total capacity across the utility-scale projects would be 39 MW/180 MWh.

Mitsubishi Power’s Emerald storage solution includes an integrated plant controller, which is an energy management system and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system with a monitoring and supervisory control platform. The company has a 10-year service agreement with SDG&E.

The Elliot, Clairemont, Paradise, and Boulevard microgrid projects were approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on June 23 and are slated to be online in mid-2023.

The microgrids will connect to existing infrastructure in the San Diego area to address Summer 2023 reliability amid high energy demands on hot summer days and peak evening hours.

• The Clairemont substation microgrid will have the ability to power the Balboa Branch Library/Cool Zone, Fire Station 36, and local schools such as Lafayette Elementary and Sequoia Elementary Schools, Innovation and CPMA Middle Schools, and Madison High School
• The Boulevard substation microgrid will have the ability to power the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Fire Station 47, Campo Reservation Fire Station, Cal Fire White Star Station, Campo Tribal Office, Campo Kumeyaay Nation Medical Center, Southern Indian Health Council Campo Clinic, the Boulevard Border Patrol Station, and the Boulevard Post Office
• The Paradise substation microgrid will have the ability to power Fire Stations 51 and 32, the Southeast Division Police Department, and Bell Middle School, as well as Freese, Boone and Fulton Elementary
• The Elliott substation microgrid will have the ability to power Fire Station 39, the Tierrasanta Public Library/Cool Zone, Tierrasanta Medical Center, Jean Farb Middle School, Canyon Hills High School, and Tierrasanta and Kumeyaay Elementary Schools.

The projects stemmed from Gov. Newsom’s Proclamation of a State Emergency issued last summer, which outlines California’s energy needs in the face of growing climate challenges. The four new projects, slated to be completed in summer 2023, are the latest of a series of energy storage investments by SDG&E, including the opening of Top Gun, a 30 MW facility, in June 2021 and Kearny Energy Storage, a 20 MW facility, in March 2022.

The projects must be commercially operable no later than August 1, 2023.

SDG&E has a balance of plant agreement with Morrow Meadows.

The pilot project is expected to help AEP evaluate a variety of potential grid-side use cases for the technology, including placing scalable generation in load pockets to delay or avoid transmission and distribution upgrades, capacity that can switch between multiple fuels as an alternative to new peaker generation, and accelerated electrification of infrastructure including EV charging deployments.

Mainspring’s linear generator is designed to convert motion along a straight line into electricity using chemical or thermal energy. The design uses a low-temperature reaction of air and fuel to drive magnets through copper coils to produce electricity. The design is intended to boost efficiency, result in near-zero NOx emissions, enable dispatchability, and allow switching between fuels.

The product also aims to achieve low capital and maintenance costs by using standard materials, by limiting its number of moving parts to two, and by deploying an air bearing system that replaces oil. 

Last August, Pacific Gas & Electric said it deployed a Mainspring generator to help it provide replacement power during weather emergencies, earthquakes and Public Safety Power Shutoff events. Under the agreement, NextEra Energy Resources provided the financing for the technology deployment as part of a $150 million purchase and financing agreement with Mainspring.

In June, Mainspring said that its generator had successfully run in tests using both 100% hydrogen and 100% ammonia fuels. The company said its product runs on biogas, renewable natural gas, and other gaseous fuels, and can switch between fuels with software-based control.

One targeted market segment is diesel generators that are used for backup generation operations at data centers, hospitals, and other operations. Mainspring has cited a 2021 report that said that California alone hosts diesel backup generators with a capacity greater than 12 GW, about 15% of the state’s entire electricity grid.

Mainspring said its hydrogen or ammonia-fueled product could replace a diesel backup generator with equal resilience at zero-carbon, while also offering streamlined permitting, demand response, and wholesale market participation.

That was the message from Shelli Zargary and Jorge Castilla Aguilar of GenCell, who spoke during a Knowledge Hub session on the exhibit floor of POWERGEN International in Dallas on May 23.

GenCell’s process creates hydrogen on demand from anhydrous ammonia (NH3) at what it said is 10 times the efficiency of other solutions and without any outside electrical power. The fuel cell design includes no platinum and reduces the amount of noble metals in an effort to provide affordable, clean backup power for utilities, telecom, homeland security, healthcare, and other applications.

The two discussed technology related to hydrogen-to-power and ammonia-to-power applications, the latter of which is intended to replace diesel generators and offer a lower operating price point.

The presentation highlighted that hydrogen for electric power generation offers a number of benefits, including long-duration backup during climate-relate outages, an extended temperature range, immediate startup on demand, high reliability, and a long “shelf life” for seasonal storage. Hydrogen also is able to balance renewable and other dynamic control loads such as electrolyzes coming onto the grid, and can help achieve zero carbon targets.

To demonstrate the potential value, Margery and Aguilar offered a case study involving Mexico’s state power utility, Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) which has nearly 90 GW of installed power plant capacity.

The state-owned utility, Latin America’s largest, requires backup for its DC auxiliary system to support breakers, transformers and switches across multiple substations. In addition, it requires backup for its communications and controls network equipment which enables some 80,000 personnel to communicate across the company.

In 2018, two of GenCell’s hydrogen-to-power G5 products were deployed for extended testing and validation. The system was found to offer reliable redundancy for the substations by extending and ensuring the reliability of the distribution division’s electrical substation backup solution.

In a separate use case, GenCell deployed 46 alkaline fuel cells, hydrogen cylinders, as well as its Energy Bridge to ensure safe connection with the batteries, to support 130 VDC control panels and endusers across multiple CFE sites. It also deployed its NOC IoT Remote Management Software to ensure operational validation and execute alarms test procedures.

And it provided 20 GenCell units across multiple CFE sites for 48VDC SCADA data hubs and 12VDC radio communications support. It also provided eight units supporting 12VDC radio equipment for disaster recovery for high-risk hurricane-prone electricity stations.

The scope of work included design and engineering to meet CFE requirements, installation, technical training, maintenance and support, and hydrogen consulting services.

Key benefits realized to date include uninterrupted power and extended runtime, power security and compliance with IEC-61850 standards, substation automation, flexibility for dynamic voltage configuration changes for 130VDC or 48 VDC, and operational intelligence for smart grid interoperability. The hydrogen fuel source also results in a zero-emission profile that supports CFE’s decarbonization targets.

Future planned steps with the Mexican state utility include expanding the green hydrogen backup power network to include off-grid sites in remote rural locations, and hybrid micrograms in areas where electricity distribution is not economically justified. In addition, green ammonia fuel may be used as a primary source where no electricity is available, and to support development in rural parts of Mexico.

Margery and Aguilar ended their presentation by quoting Raul Gabriel Alvarez Guerrero, head of CFE’s substation maintenance office, who said that the GenCell systems represented “an important step” toward a more reliable power network based on hydrogen technology. The successful integration of GenCell’s systems into CFE’s power network and critical transmission infrastructure, he said, will “contribute to a more reliable, advanced and sustainable power network.”