World-Gen Nov/Dec 2018

WORLD-GENERATION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 22 PERSPECTIVE pass quality RFPs to identify the best new resources and at locations that will be attractive to their system costs. In some cases, utilities may even reduce their T&D costs and new or replacement build costs. Many utilities will focus on the last mile and controlling the customer interface. New regulatory compacts for utilities will take time to nurture and develop. The best utilities will work with regulators to design important incentives for new distri- bution assets that help avoid unnecessary costs and encourage new resources that are the most competitive. Corporate customers will likely work with multiple suppliers to obtain the best renewable supplies at cost-effective pricing at or below long-term avoided costs. Many buyers seek to improve resiliency, lower energy costs, and reduce their carbon foot- print. New technologies have driven down costs and corporate customers are expected to continue to be relentless in their drive for lower cost energy. The best corporates, utilities and devel- opers will work together for the good of local communities and jobs. Suppliers will seek to differentiate themselves on the bases of the best prod- ucts at the best price. Availability of product and avoidance of tariff disincentives will also be factors. The cost declines expected by the industry will be a challenge to all suppliers. The overall opportunity is to create win- ning value propositions in this challenging environment. Leading companies recognize and respond to challenges and usually find a way to be optimistic about their chances of success. When put in context, Churchill faced a greater challenge than we do today. 2019 INDUSTRY CHALLENGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 The researchers are also investigating the possibility of developing a continuous- operation version of the process, which would use a steady stream of carbon diox- ide under pressure with the amine materi- al, rather than a preloaded supply the material, thus allowing it to deliver a steady power output as long as the battery is supplied with carbon dioxide. Ultimately, they hope to make this into an integrated system that will carry out both the capture of carbon dioxide from a power plant’s emissions stream, and its conversion into an electrochemical materi- al that could then be used in batteries. “It’s one way to sequester it as a useful product,” Gallant says. NEW BATTERY DEVELOPED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 With advance notice from the utility that an outage is likely, Haley’s power plant personnel can now parallel the utility feeds with their own generators, then switch to on-site power seamlessly with a closed-tran- sition transfer. If there is an unexpected outage (and during automatic transfer switch testing), there will be a 1 to 10 sec- ond “blip”, depending on the load. For life- safety and other critical loads, the blip is only 1-3 seconds. Blips for other loads are adjustable; most are set for 8-10 seconds. ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES The new power system provides many more capabilities than the previous system. “We’ve had some storms come through, and it has been really nice because we do not have to worry,” says Taylor. “One time, we saw the storms com- ing and TECO asked us to drop off the grid. We fired up our generators, and we operated on our own power for 17 hours, while TECO concentrated on restoring power to its residential customers. That sort of thing has happened several other times for shorter perods, and there has never been a problem.” Hagen particularly appreciates the quality of the power from the backup system. “We get more blips from TECO than we do from our system,” he notes. “It is exceptionally smooth.” MEETING HOSPITAL’S FUTURE NEEDS The fact that the system is designed to allow for modifications as the hospital con- tinues to grow is a huge benefit. Concludes Taylor, “With this new power system, we have seen what is possible. It provides us with the information we need to analyze our power usage and consider new possibilities – opportunities we never would have con- sidered before.” POWERING FLORIDA VA HOSPITAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 ABOUTTHE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA) The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international co-operation, a centre of excel- lence, and a repository of policy, technolo- gy, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy. With 159 Members (158 States and the European Union) and 24 additional countries in the accession pro- cess and actively engaged, IRENA promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, includ- ing bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy. EGYPT’S RENEWABLE OUTLOOK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18