Mike Reese, director of the Renewable Energy Program at the West Central Research and Outreach Center provides an "Energy 101" to residents of Stevens County.

1. “Our Energy Future” Dialogue Primer
Presented by:
Michael Reese
Director, Renewable Energy Program
Univ. of Minnesota West Central Research and
Outreach Center (WCROC)
Morris, MN USA
Presented at:
Stevens County “Our Energy Future”
Morris, MN
December 6, 2017

2. Village of Hancock, Stevens County, MN
Circa Early 20th Century

3. University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center
NH3 Pilot
Plant
1.65 MW
Vestas V82
Wind Turbine
101 kW solar PV
and two 10 kW
small wind turbines
Three thermal
solar systems

4. Renewable Energy Program Strategy and Goals
1. Reduce dependence of production agriculture on fossil fuels
and increase long term profitability for producers
2. Increase local markets for renewable energy
3. Decrease long term ecological and economic risks
4. Provide producers with tools to meet market demand for
commodities with lower carbon footprints

5. Areas of Farm Energy Research at the WCROC:
1. Renewable generation and energy efficient systems for crop, dairy, and swine
production
2. Large and small scale wind energy systems
3. Renewable hydrogen and anhydrous ammonia production
4. Solar photo voltaic (electric) and solar thermal systems
5. Biomass feedstocks, gasification, and combined heat power district energy
6. Clean energy for vehicles, trucks, and tractors
7. Energy storage
8. Algae for energy, feed, nutrient remediation, and biochemicals

6. 1. What changes are taking place (or are likely to take place in the next
10 years) with our energy system in Stevens County [or
Minnesota/US]?
2. What opportunities and challenges are there related to changes and
trends in our energy system?
3. Why might community members (and not just experts) want to think
about what our energy system looks like? Why is energy important?

7. 1. What changes are taking place (or are likely to take place in the next
10 years) with our energy system in Stevens County [or
Minnesota/US]?
 Technology is improving and systems are becoming less costly
 Policy is (somewhat) dictating energy mix
 Society is (overall) demanding cleaner energy mix
 Behavioral modification / demand-side management
 Realization that keeping dollars in our communities is important
(circular economy)

8. 2. What opportunities and challenges are there related to changes and
trends in our energy system?
Opportunities:
 Energy audits
 Energy efficiency
 Renewable energy
 Energy storage
 Electric vehicles
 Microgrids and distributed energy generation
 Ownership of energy generation / production
– Maintain and build wealth of population

9. 2. What opportunities and challenges are there related to changes and trends
in our energy system?
Challenges:
 Technical (not really)
 Cost of energy (Yes, but what should be included? total costs, economic
impact, socialized costs, subsidies, etc)
 Policies and rules (Are they fair and for whom?)
 Fairness (Who decides? Are citizens represented fairly?)
 Lack of competition (Extremely difficult to participate in energy production.)
 Resistance to change

10. 3. Why might community members (and not just experts) want to think
about what our energy system looks like? Why is energy important?
 We want our energy systems to work 24/7
 Financial implications
 Social (fairness) and economic impact to our community
 Impact to the global climate
 Leave positive legacy for future generations – “Triple bottom-line”
 Are there artificial barriers preventing an energy system that is better
for all? (eg. Horse and buggy vs automobiles)

11. Why renewable energy and energy efficiency in Stevens County?
1. The technology has improved (less expensive, more reliable, produce more, easier /
safer to interconnect and maintain).
2. The systems can be practical and may provide a reasonable financial return.
3. State and Federal incentives are available to farmers, small businesses, and rural
residents.
4. Ag commodity processors and retailers may place a premium (or mandate) low
carbon footprint products.
5. Renewable energy fits the farming / rural philosophy (Land-based, creates
independence, may improve efficiency, production of a commodity).

12. Biomass Energy and Biofuels
1. Combustion
– Heating and electrical energy
2. Traditional biofuels
-Fermentation and distillation (corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol)
-Biodiesel (transesterification)
3. Anaerobic Digestion
-Biogas (Electricity, NG replacement, biochemical, and fuels)
4. Gasification and Pyrolysis
-Combined heat and power
-Biofuels and chemicals (hydrogen, methanol, butanol,
DME, Fischer Tropschs diesel, ammonia, etc)

14. West River Dairy 1.5 MW Anaerobic Digester

15. UMM Biomass Gasification System
English BoilerKMW Biomass Gasifier

16. Cob Harvest Demonstration and Evaluation
Vermeer CCX Cob Harvestor

17. Solar Energy
Two basic types:
1. Solar Photo Voltaic or “Solar PV”
-Generates electricity from the sun
2. Solar Thermal
-Generates heat (and cooling) from the sun

18. USFW 20 kW Solar PV System

20. Wind Energy
Two basic types:
1. Large, utility-scale
~1 MW up to 3 MWs for each turbine
2. Small, farm-scale
~1 kW to 250 kW
-Usually less than 40 kW in Minnesota

21. WCROC Wind Turbine
1. 1.65 MW Vestas V-82
2. Installed March 2005
3. Produces 5 million kWh / yr
4.Excess sold via direct line to UMM
5. Provides UMM with over 60% of electrical
energy needs
6. Approximately 10% power is used for H2
and NH3 production
7. Second Turbine - UMM 80 M Tower

22. Thermal Energy (Heat Pumps)
 Higher up front costs but usually cost effective due to the high
Coefficient of Performance (2.5)
Sources:
1. Ground source (geothermal)
-Drill wells or trenches
2. Air source
-Do not work well in temps below freezing
3. Water source
-”Pump and dumps” or place piping in ponds
4. Other sources
-Milk
-Lagoons and pits
-Anything that generates a consistent heat differential

23. Energy Storage
More challenging:
1. Thermal
2. Compressed air and pumped hydro
3. Batteries / mechanical and chemical storage storage
devices (fly wheels, flow batteries)
4. Hydrogen and Ammonia
5. Biofuels – Considerable progress being made to make ethanol
and other biofuels more “green”

24. Integration
Designing effective local energy systems:
1. Determine goals and objectives (design criteria)
- Save money, lower footprint, energy independence.
- Comprehensive including transportation?
2. Start with energy efficiency. Generate and store
renewable energy to match energy loads.
3. Develop effective control strategies and devices
(islandable micro-grids, smart grids)

25. Two 10 kW
Wind Turbines
54 kW Solar PV

26. WCROC 50 kW Solar PV System (TenKSolar Ground Mount)

27. Sow Cooling Pads

28. Piglet Heating Pads

29. Renewable Fertilizer: An Elegant Idea
Wind Energy + Water + Air = Nitrogen Fertilizer

30. Conventional Corn Production
Fossil Energy Use
• Roughly 1.6 MJ per kg
corn
• Fuel for tillage is a
fairly minor component
• Grain drying is the
largest single energy
consumer
• Nitrogen fertilizers are
also very high
13.88%
1.18%
41.63%
1.57%
3.94%
1.38%
36.42%
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Pesticides
Drying
Transportation
Field Work
Tallaksen, 2016

31. G. Soloveichik, US Dept. of Energy,
2016

32. Dairy Solar Shade and Electric Vehicle Project
Installation Winter 2018

33. University of Minnesota Energy Storage Park Microgrid Concept
West Central Research
and Outreach Center
NH3
Fuel
Cell(s)
H2
Fuel
Cell(s)
X
Battery
Li Ion
Battery
Flow
Battery
NH3
Gen-
set(s)
H2
Gen-
set(s)
H2
Storage
NH3
Storage
Ammonia (NH3) Production
Hydrogen (H2) Production
Transportation fuel, combustion, &
green chemicals
Fertilizer, transportation fuel, green
chemicals
Electric vehicles (cars, utility
vehicles, etc) and fast charging
University of Minnesota,
Morris Campus

34. Contact Information:
Michael Reese
Director- Renewable Energy
West Central Research & Outreach Center
University of Minnesota
Phone: (320) 589-1711
Web: http://renewables.morris.umn.edu
reesem@morris.umn.edu
Acknowledgements:
MN Environmental and Natural Resources
Trust Fund through LCCMR
U of MN MnDRIVE
U of MN IREE
U of MN Rapid Agriculture Response Fund
State of Minnesota
US Dept of Energy ARPA-E REFUEL
Xcel RDF
And the Renewable Energy Team!

35. Renewable Hydrogen and Ammonia Pilot Plant
Hydrogen Storage Tanks
Nitrogen Storage Tank
Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Ammonia Production Buildings
12.5 kV to 480 V Transformer
Ammonia Product Storage
(3000 Gallons)
Safety Equipment & Shower Building
Ammonia Pump and Loadout

36. Renewable Energy
Staff:
1. Rob Gardner, Assistant Professor
2. Joel Tallaksen, Scientist
3. Eric Buchanan, Scientist
4. Cory Marquart, Assistant Scientist
5. Kirsten Sharpe, Junior Scientist
6. Michael Reese, Renewable Energy
Program Director

37. New Utility Room for Dairy Parlor Facility

38. WCROC 10 kW Ventera Wind Turbines
Installation in Winter / Spring 2017
SPECIFICATIONS:
Assembled Foundation
• 50,000 lbs of ballast for 70 foot
tower
• More ballast required for larger
pole
• Site Prep
• Removed 4 feet of soil
• Added 4 feet of packed
Class 5 gravel
• 25 foot diameter prepped
• 15 foot diameter
foundation
• Foundation is 7 feet tall

39. WCROC 10 kW Ventera Wind Turbines
Installation in Spring 2017

40. WCROC 27 kW Solar PV System on Swine Finishing Facility
Additional 20 kW system added for farrowing facility

41. Animal Behavior

42. G. Soloveichik, US Dept. of Energy,
2016

43. What is a Watt? (UCLA)
Energy Equivalent Key
• Ten 100 watt light bulbs switched on for 1 hour equals one kilowatt hour (kWh)
• 1 kWh usually has a retail price between 5 and 10 cents
• 1 kWh = 1.15 lbs of carbon dioxide (CO2)
• 1 kWh = 1 exercise-ball-sized balloon (2 ½ feet across the diameter) filled with
C02
• 1 kWh = 1.25 miles driven in a car
• 1 kWh = 0.29 gallon of gasoline
• 1 gallon of gasoline = 3.45 kWh
Daily Averages per Person:
Using ~ 6 kWh, same as approximately:
• Producing 7 pounds (lbs) of carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Filling 7 exercise-ball-sized balloons with C02

44. So what do standby service charges mean to farmers
and others on REA systems wishing to install renewable
energy generation? (Monthly Distribution Reservation Fee
and Standby Reservation Fee)
• Farmers face market and regulatory pressures to reduce the carbon
footprint of commodities
• Financial feasibility of renewable generation is much more challenging
to determine considering standby charges
• Complexity is a disincentive
• Multi-generation farms, businesses, homeowners have paid for
infrastructure – charges should account only for added expense
• Perhaps need more balanced approach with set charges
• In addition to full accounting of expenses of interconnect, fully account
for value of generation (largely during peak hours in the case of solar
PV)

45. Flat Plate Solar Thermal System (Solar Skies Ground Mount)

46. WCROC 10 kW Ventera Wind Turbines
Installation in Winter 2017
SPECIFICATIONS:
Wind Turbine—Model VT10—240
10kW at 29mph-13m/s
Cut—In Wind Speed: 6mph-2.7m/s,
Survival Wind Speed: 130 mph-58 m/s
Total Weight of turbine and blades:
580lbs – 263kg
3 blade, downwind,
Diameter: 22 feet-6.7m
Swept Area: 380 SF/35.25 SM
RPM: 270 peak,
Blade: Glass fiber engineered plastic,
injection molded
Generator Rating: 15kva 240vac
at 250rpm, 3 phase