Fostering development of innovative solutions to Alaska’s energy challenges through applied energy research at the University of Alaska. The Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) is an applied energy research program based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. ACEP provides leadership in developing energy systems for islanded, non-integrated electric grids and their associated oil-based heating systems. Integration is a central feature of our program. ACEP develops energy systems for islanded non-integrated grids. My job responsibilities include project management for research projects and business contracts by providing assistance with logistics of day-to-day operations, procurement of materials, scheduling tasks and general project oversight and cost management. Furthermore, I am responsible for data management at ACEP. We collect data, perform quality control on the data and then provide data to interested parties. In this context we developed and maintain an online database with resolution powerhouse data throughout the state (acep.arsc.edu). The database will be expanded in the future as more data become available.

1. Case study
Cordova, Alaska
Energy Storage of Renewable Power in Islanded
Microgrids
Heike Merkel,
Data and Project Manager, Alaska Center for Energy and Power
Dec 3th, 2016

2. Location of Map
Cordova
Humpback Creek
Hydro Plant
Power Creek
Hydro Plant
Crater Lake
Orca Power
Plant
CEC
Substation

3. Orca Power Plant:
5 Units:
2 x 1125 kW
1 x 2450 kW
1 x 2500 kW
1 x 3800 kW
TOTAL: 10.8 MW
Produced 10 GWh (2011)

4. Power Creek Hydro Plant
2 x 3 MW turbines
Total: 6MW
Produced 15.7 GWh (2011)
Potential ~ 21 GWh
Spilled ~ 5.3 GWh

5. Humpback Creek Hydro Plant
3 Units:
2 x 500 kW Francis
1 x 250 kW Turgo
Total: 1.25 MW
Produced 1.6 GWh (2011)
No spillage, plant runs at full capacity

6. Power Creek Generation and Loads

7. Animation by Marc Mueller-Stoffels (ACEP)

8. Objective and Approach
• Energy Storage analysis
and optimization
modeling to:
– Recover spilled power
– Reduce diesel
consumption
– Reduce diesel O&M
– Support grid stability
• Deliverables
– Technical specification for
RFP by CEC
– Project blue print for
other AK utilities
Cordova Energy Mix in 2011
• 18 GWh Hydropower
• 10 GWh Diesel
• 781,000 Gal Diesel @ $3.55/gal
• $2.77M Fuel bill
• Cost of generation:
• Hydro: ~$0.06/kWh
• Diesel: ~$0.35/kWh
• Estimate: ~5.3 GWh spilled hydro
Can some of the spilled hydro be
recovered to displace diesel fuel?

9. ESS Potential in 2011
Diminishing returns of reduction of diesel fuel. Low power ESS (<1MW) of limited
value.
Range included
in the simulation
To recover ALL
spilled hydro
power would
require a
10 MW/2.5 GWh
battery!
Reductionindieselconsumption

10. Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO
Reduction in Diesel Consumption

11. Reduction in Diesel Run Time
Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO

12. Diesel Capacity Factor
Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO

13. Diesel Switching
Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO

14. ESS Cycles/Cycle Amplitude
Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO

15. ESS as SRC Support
Diesel charging ESS: YES Diesel charging ESS: NO

16. Preliminary Results and Next Steps
• Replacement of 1GWh of diesel
with hydro results in a potential
savings in diesel fuel of ~ $300k
• Estimate diesel O&M cost
• Merge our data with dynamic
system model by Sandia
National Lab to determine the
optimal ESS location
• Develop technical specification
for the ESS
• CEC: Issue RFP with option to
own/operate or bidirectional
PPA.

17. Thank you!
ACEP Project team:
Dr. Marc Mueller-Stoffels (PI),
Dr. Hendrik Schaede,
Jeremy Vandermeer,
Luis Miranda,
Heike Merkel
http://acep.uaf.edu