IRJET- Development and Comparison of an Improved Incremental Conductance Algo...
PVAmerica-2013-Presentation-FINAL
1. Developing Utility Scale PV Solar
Installations on Closed Landfills
WEST COAST
1 Pointe Drive
Suite 320
Brea, CA 92821
714.388.1800
EAST COAST
5 Great Valley Parkway
Suite 350
Malvern, PA 19355
610.251.6851
Presented by
Robert Potter
PV America East, Philadelphia, PA
Feb 5th
, 3:00p to 4:30p
www.pvnavigator.com | www.projectnavigator.com
2. Project Navigator, Ltd.’s, PVNavigator, LLC Has Grown a
Landfill-Specific, Solar Power Development Group Since 2007
2
What
PVN develops MW-scale, PV installations
on landfills and Brownfields sites
Typically fixed-tilt, rack-mounted, self-
ballasted installations
Approximately 50 MW of site capacity
under Option
More than 300 MW in overall PVN
pipeline
Who
PVN is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Project Navigator, Ltd.
(www.ProjectNavigator.com)
Internally financed (to date)
Staffed by engineers, land development
and power experts
4 year growth and branding effort
Relationships with Enel, Gestamp and
Chevron Energy Solutions
Where
Projects primarily in CA and NJ
Caribbean expansion goals
How
Detailed sites/landfill locations knowledge
Knowledge of Fortune 500 boneyard
acreage
Excellent regulatory relationships
Landfill post closure PV permitting expertise
Leverage proven PV technologies and apply
to landfills
(e.g. PVN’s California Energy Commission
Grant)
Growing brand recognition
3. 3
11
10 10. Buena Vista Landfill: 1MW
11. Delaware City: 4MW
12. Ocean Township: 5.86MW
13. Lumberton Landfill: 2.4 MW
14. Owens Corning Landfill:
3.1 MW
East Coast
1
2
3 4
5
68
7
CA
NV
OR
AZ
ID
1. Avon Refinery: 10 MW
2. Purity Landfill: 1MW
3. OII Landfill: 4MW
4. BKK Landfill: 10MW
5. WDI Landfill: 4MW
6. Big Bear Landfill: 2MW
7. Gemcor Site (Chevron Landfill): 10MW
8. Milliken Landfill: 5MW
9. Barstow Landfill: 10MW
West Coast
MA
VT
NH
NY
CT
RI
NJ
PA
DEMD
OII Landfill: 4MW
BKK Landfill: 10MW
Avon Refinery: 10MW
Buena Vista Landfill: 1MW
12
13
9
14
PV Solar Development Projects
4. 4
Key Partnerships Have Been Formed to Grow the Business.
CES Providing EPC Capabilities and Interconnect Feasibility.
5. Blower & Flare
Station
Power Generation via Gas Turbine
or Steam Cycle Systems
Waste/
Complex
Organics
Organic
Acids
Landfill
Gas
Other Landfill Monitoring
Systems (e.g. for
groundwater)
Landfill Gas
Collection Wells
in Waste
Breakdown Process of
Landfill Waste
Typical Landfill
Perforated
Gas Pipe
Methane and
Carbon Dioxide
Methane and
Carbon Dioxide
Landfill Gas-to-Power
Landfill gas (LFG) migrates to waste
prism extraction wells and the
associated collection systems. The LFG
is conveyed via a network of pipes to
feed a power generation plant.
While Large Scale (100 MW and up) Solar Facilities Are Planned for
throughout the U.S., They Face Permitting, Financing, and
Interconnect Challenges. Not so for Urban Located Landfill or
Brownfield Sites.
6. Perforated
Gas Pipe
Methane and
Carbon Dioxide
Methane and
Carbon Dioxide
Blower & Flare
Station
Power Generation via Gas Turbine
or Steam Cycle Systems
Waste/
Complex
Organics
Organic
Acids
Landfill
Gas
Landfill Gas
Collection Wells
in Waste
Landfill Gas-to-Power
Landfill gas (LFG) migrates to waste
prism extraction wells and the
associated collection systems. The LFG
is conveyed via a network of pipes to
feed a power generation plant.
PV Solar Power
A photovoltaic (or PV) cell is a specially treated wafer of silicon, sandwiched
between two thin contact plates. The top contact is positively charged and the back
contact is negatively charged, making it a semiconductor.
• The n-type semiconductor has an abundance of electrons, giving it a negative
charge, while the p-type semiconductor is positively charged.
• Electron movement at the p-n junction produces an electric field that allows
only electrons to flow from the p-type layer to the n-type layer.
• When sunlight hits the solar cell, its energy knocks electrons loose from the
atoms in the semiconductor.
• When the electrons hit the electrical field, they’re shuttled to the top contact
plate and become a usable electric current.
• PV panels are mounted in racking systems specially designed to accommodate
landfill-specific requirements such as “no cap damage” and “waste
settlement.”
A typical racking module is
10ft. By 20ft. and generates
2.5kW. This translates to
about 1MW from every 3-5
acres.
Photovoltaic Cell
Detailed cross-section
Solar Panel
Glass covering
Transparent adhesive
Anti-reflection coating
Not to scale
Electric
Current
DC/AC Inverter
Necessary to convert
electric current for
consumer use
Utility Company
Solar Power to the Grid
Excess energy from the solar array is fed
into the power grid. It helps provide
extra electricity to the community,
especially during peak daytime hours.
Customers
Solar Panels
The sun gives
off about 400
trillion watts
of power
Other Landfill Monitoring
Systems (e.g. for
groundwater)
Landfill Sites are Excellent Platforms for PV Solar Facilities. Flat
Acreage, Close to Load and Interconnect, Putting Otherwise Unusable
Acreage Back to Use. Projects are Technically Straightforward but
Administratively Complex.
7. 7
PV Navigator, L.L.C.’s solar development business is centered around the following drivers:
Costs and project risks associated with
central-scale projects and associated
transmission are eliminated
PVNavigator’s business area
Conventional Generation
Present Day Large Desert PV Plants
Long Distance
Transmission
Local
Substations
Local distribution
Consumption
PVNavigatorStrategyBrightline
• Brownfield site or Landfill
• Urban location
• Close to power consumption point
• Local transmission
Project cost avoidance via use of Brownfield sites and the need for new
transmission lines
Minimizing permitting requirements via development on State or Federal
superfund sites
RPS regulatory drivers for green power purchase
• e.g., in CA, 20% renewable power by 2010, and 33% by 2020
Speed to marketplace ahead of larger central-scale projects
Availability of urban landfill or Brownfield sites which can
host the panels
Availability of funding for small plants
Location of sites by existing distribution or local load
1 – 10 MW, Small-Scale, Distributed, PV Solar Facilities Can Rapidly Deliver Power
to Meet Utilities’ RPS Standards or Generate Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
8. • Over 400,000 identified
Brownfield sites in the
United States
• 16 million acres are
available for development
of renewable energy
• That’s enough land to
generate approximately
3,175,000 MW
• (For reference, the
Hoover Dam generates
about 2,000 MW)
8
According to U.S. EPA, There is No Shortage of Brownfield and Landfill Site Acreage
Which Could be Suitable for Renewable Energy
10. 10
Environmentally
Impacted Land
(Restricted
Future Use)
Appropriate
Geographic
Location
Land Control
(Title or Long-
Term Lease)
Nearby
Interconnection
Point
Adjacent Load
(PPA Approach)
State-Mandated
Renewable
Portfolio
Standards
Green Corporate
Goals
Project
Financing
• External
• Internal
A Landfill Site is a Good PV Development Candidate if
Certain Screening Criteria are Met
11. 11
* Can be in form of an “option agreement” between landowner and solar project developer, or a longer term land lease. Option would convert to a land
lease once the scope and economics of the proposed project are better defined, such as at the execution of a PPA.
Site
Identification
Civil Engineer
Selection
Financing
Site Control*
Technology
Provider/EPC
Contractor
Selection
Tariff Rate
Determination
Permit
Acquisition
Contract
Execution
Contract
Execution
Power Purchase
Agreement
Execution
Site Plan /
Layout Design
Power
Scheme
Design
Inter-
connection
Agreement
Execution
Site Upgrades
Procurement
Commissioning
Operations
and
Maintenance
Early Planning, Negotiations and
Project Marketing Phase
• Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
Proposal and/or Negotiations
• Power Marketing
• Interconnect Study
• Environmental Permitting
Including Any EIR Work and
Associated Environmental
Document Revisions
• Facility Conceptual Design
• Project Economic Calculations
The Stages in PV Solar Power Plant Development.
The Challenges Lie in the Front-End Permitting
12. 12
Design considerations include eliminating
cap penetration, continued functionality of
the ET cap, storm water management, wind
design and insuring protectiveness during
an earthquake event.
Design of PV Array will take into consideration:
1. Settlement
• Total
• Differential
2. Panel placement on cap
• Spread footings
• Anchors
3. Continued performance of
evapotranspirative (ET) cap
• Infiltration minimization
• Vegetative growth
4. Stormwater management
• No standing water
• Runoff management
5. Other
Settlement monument
Electrical lines in above-ground, lightweight,
flexible steel conduit
2
1
3
4
ET monocover
Drainage swale
SunPods solar array with
adjustable footing
Swale cross-section
design
Landfill ET
cap designs
Key Design Criteria are Minimal Settlement & The
Continued Need for Cap Functionality.
Pre-cast concrete footing
SunPods adjustable
footing Ballasted racking
Types of footings for
rigid glass solar panels
13. 13
Degreeof
CapPenetration
Earth Anchors/
Auger System
Shallow Piers Self Ballasting,
Higher Load
Type of Racking System
L
M
H 1
2
3
1. http://www.mass.gov/dep/energy/solarlf.pdf
2. http://aec.army.mil/usaec/newsroom/update/win08/win0812.html
3. http://www.sunpods.com/sunpods-products-and-solutions.html
REFERENCE:
The Solar Panel Rack’s Design Must Not Damage the Landfill’s
Cover and Must Accommodate Future Settlement.
14. 14
PV Navigator, LLC Entered into an Agreement to Develop a 3.4 MW PV
Solar Installation on the Owens Corning Landfill in Gloucester, New
Jersey
15. 15
Project Financing
Systems Engineering,
Design/Build Services Technology Supplier:
Skid-Mounted PV Solar
Systems
Project Owner, Manager
and Systems Integrator
EIR and NEPA
Services
Energy Solutions
PV Navigator, LLC Leads a Multi-talented Solar Development Team
16. 16
CONCEPTUAL PLAN
1,034 SunPods solar
units (each unit
10’x20’)
Total system would
be capable of 3.4 MW
30 year operating
lifetime (planned)
Solar PV Power Layout
Conceptual Layout of 6 MW
PV System at the Southern
Ocean Landfill
Conceptual Layout of Solar Modules for the Owens Corning Landfill PV
Power Development
The PV solar systems will not penetrate or damage the existing cap.
Develop a 3.4 MW photovoltaic
solar array from approximately
1,034 SunPods, fixed tilt, rack
mounted arrays.
17. 17
Features of SunPods Landfill PV Solar
Unit
3.3 kW per array (as shown)
• i.e. 300 arrays per MW
Arrives prefabricated
• Minimal onsite assembly
20 ft X 10 ft arrays
Weighs 2,500 lbs, supported on a leveling
support system
• Eliminates landfill cap penetration
• Self ballasting
10 Gauge steel frame
Rated to 100 mph + wind speed
Ready to connect
Minimal maintenance
Prefabricated, Racked PV Systems Specifically Designed for Landfill Caps
Will Be Used
18. 18
Very Dense and
Very Hard
Dense and Hard
Medium Dense
and Very Stiff
Loose and Firm
Very Loose and
Soft
First data point is
at 5 ft bgs
N
*Ref: Rogers, J.D, 2006, Surface Exploration Using the Standard Penetration Test and the Cone Penetrometer Test, Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, Vol. XII, No.2 pp162
Legend*
PV Rack Support Geotechnical Calculations are Ongoing
19. Community Outreach and Media
Sierra Club has “unofficially” supported PVN’s Big Bear solar project
Multiple press releases and articles have been published
Fact sheets have been created for public hand outs
19
20. Path Ahead: Opportunities Vs Risks
Solar on Landfills Business Model
is Working
Solar Permitting Can Be
Expedited When There is a Track
Record of Rigorous Closure
Documents
Very Little to No Community
Resistance
Only a Few Companies Exist With
the Requisite Expertise
20
Project Financing
SREC Program Uncertainty
Permitting Delays
Uncertainty in Panel Pricing
OPPORTUNITIES RISKS
21. The challenges are in (1) permitting, and
(2) finding a power off taker who’ll pay
enough (cents/kW-hr) to make the
economics work
– Technology and construction
challenges are secondary
Have a good (probabilistic?) economic
model
Define and negotiate with the potential
offtaker(s) early
– Perform power interconnect /
feasibility study early in the process
Bid the forecasted power from the
development into utility RPS RFOs
21
Regarding landfill post closure use:
– If considering a closed landfill,
evaluate the quality/quantity of
existing site characterization data,
esp. “geotech.” Keep costs down by
leveraging past info.
– Develop solar layout and grading
plans early in the process
– Cross check solar layout Vs final
grades of remedy
– Add “solar final use vision” text to
appropriate docs to environmental
agencies
Develop a project fact sheet, early, and
discuss with all possible stakeholders
Conclusions: Lessons Learned After 5 Years of PV Navigator’s Solar
Project Development Efforts
22. 22
1. WiFi/telemetric system data collection/transmission
2. Reference settlement monument
3. Landfill lateral gas collection system (which may or may not exist for the
selected landfill)
4. Landfill waste
5. Engineered landfill cap/cover. This can be an ET monofill or a multilayer
RCRA equivalent cap
6. Weather station
7. Wireless strain gauge monitoring system, or associated system to measure
strain changes in the solar panel racking system
8. Tilt gauge
9. System orientation monitoring
10. Power generation capacity over entire annual cycle
11. Storm water run off management
12. Monitor growth of cap’s vegetative layer under array
13. Panel washing and associated water use; methods and frequency
Figure shows a small scale, PV solar rack pilot system, located on a landfill
cap. The purpose of the pilot unit is to measure and monitor the systems
power generation operating performance on a landfill site where prior desk-
top calculations have shown the installation of a 1 to 10 MW PV solar facility
may be technically and economically viable.
The pilot facility would typically be operated from 1 to 2 years, thereby
permitting any effects of the solar system on the cap (e.g. in the form of
increased load and altered storm water management) to be evaluated.
Software Generated Data Display
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Goal: The collection of power generation performance
data as well as information on any impacts the solar
racking system may have on the landfill cap’s functions
regarding gas collection and infiltration minimization.
PNL Was Awarded a Grant from the CEC for a PV Solar Pilot Test Program
at a Closed Landfill Site
