THE ROLE OF MICROGENERATION IN IRELAND’S ENERGY FUTURE Dublin Institute of Technology 13 th November 2009
Survey of Microgeneration Technologies ~ Definitions and Potential
Keith Sunderland Electrical Power Research Group School of Electrical Engineering Systems School of Electrical Engineering Systems Overview
Context for Microgeneration Range and operation of technologies Performance of technologies Role of microgeneration in domestic context Overview of microgeneration in Ireland to Date International Comparisons Alternatives to microgeneration: solar thermal/GSHP, energy efficiency and insulation
7 November 2009 2 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Defining Microgeneration
Heat generation : solar water heating, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, biomass stoves and boilers (e.g. wood and energy crops e.g. willow)
Electricity generation : Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, micro-wind turbines, microhydro systems (in hilly areas or river valleys)
Combined Heat and Power: MicroCHP (provides heat and electricity together; many technologies can be used including gas, Stirling engines, internal and external combustion engines, and fuel cells).
7 November 2009 3 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Context for Micro Generation in Ireland
European Position – Electrical energy from renewable sources (‘RES Directive’ – 2009/28/EC [1] ) • Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (23 rd April, 2009) – Ireland’s target being 15% by 2010 – Directive 2002/91/EC on Energy Performance of Buildings [2] • Article 5 • Recast proposal – Directive 2006/32/EC on Energy end-use efficiency and energy services • EU Action Plan for Energy Efficiency
Incentives? – Reliance/Reliability/Cost/Sustainability ~ issues for current energy usage – Environmental/Social Responsibilities
7 November 2009 4 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Context for Micro Generation in Ireland
Policy Stakeholders – Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) • Arrangements for Micro Generation (CER/06/190) [3] • Demand Side Management and Smart Metering (CER/07/038) [4] – ESB Networks • Connection Protocol • Compliancy issues concerning EN 50438 [5] – The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources • Energy White Paper (March ‘07): ”Delivering a Sustainable Energy future for Ireland”[6] – Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) • “Your Guide to Connecting Micro-generation to the Electricity Network, 2009 [7]
7 November 2009 5 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Context for Micro Generation in Ireland
Energy in Ireland – Key Statiscs 2008 [8]
In 2007, renewables accounted for 5.1% of the energy inputs to generate electricity with wind contributing 3.3% of total inputs. Wind accounted for 71% of the renewable energy used for electricity generation
Electricity generated from renewable energy accounted for 9.4% of gross electricity consumption in 2007 – Ireland’s target being 15% for 2010! This implies a 74% growth of electricity generation from renewables is required over the period 2008 - 2010
7 November 2009 6 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Domestic Micro Generation
Utility connection
Consumer Interface Equipment
Distribution Board
7 November 2009 7 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Wind Generation
Utility connection
WIND TURBINE CHARACTERISTIC Power [W]
1.4
1.2 P[Elec]
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 Wind 7 November 2009 Speed8 [m/s] School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Wind Generation
Micro Wind issues [9] : HAWT / VAWT HAWT ~ most common technology in Ireland Start generating electricity at c3m/s and depending on the machine will reach rated output at between 8 and 12m/s. Power ratings from hundreds of Watts up to 11kW (3-phase). Domestic wind turbines are predominantly rated up to 2.5kW (although the costs become preclusive with increased power ratings due to civil and building works) If prevailing wind is constant, this could be an efficient, clean energy solution
Micro Wind issues: Performance Coefficient can range from 0.18 to 0.41 (speculatively based on manufacturers data) Cost effectiveness Consensus and uniformity in technology parameters
7 November 2009 9 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Wind Generation Market Status
System Losses Reduction in demand supplied from network, SEI Report (2008) on the energy in hencethe reductionDomestic in losses Sector, suggests that wind energy accounts for theVoltage electricity Regulation needs of over 647,000 Injection of power reduces voltage drop or leads homes [10] to voltage rise which needs to be maintained with network limits Planning issues can be significant,Voltage e.g. Unbalance noise, shadow flicker, land Background voltage unbalance present take, impact on flight paths and radar,Unequal access connection/operation roads offor connected installation generation, leading to voltage unbalance in and maintenance. network Reverse Power Flow Obstacles (such as high buildings) canBoth real reduce and reactive wind power flow speeds Possibly leading to problems with protection and Wind speed estimates for area topologytransformer (cognisant operation of turbulence Fault Levels and shearing issues) must be establishedUnlikely to be significant increase in fault currents Must be a minimum distance from other buildings Integration into electrical supply network …?[11]
7 November 2009 10 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Solar PV
LOAD Front Contact
LIGHT
p-type n-type Module PV MODULE CHARACTERISTIC Back Contact Current [A]
3.5
3.0 Sunny
2.5
Utility connection 2.0 Partially Cloudy 1.5
1.0
Cloudy Consumer Interface 0.5 Equipment
0 Distribution Board 5 10 15 20 Module Voltage [V] Max Power Range
7 November 2009 11 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Solar PV
Photovoltaics concerns the technology converting light directly into electrical energy Two types: Wafer-based silicon; and Single crystal and polycrystalline wafer based (Si) is the most common material used in manufacture and accounted for c85% of total production in 2004 Thin films Building orientation and angle of incidence is important The electricity is DC and is normally converted to AC for direct use The efficiency of PV is normally quoted between 13% to 18% - being low in efficiency when compared with other clean energy solutions Any potential shading can reduce benefit significantly At present even with grants, payback is long but can be reduced where PV panels are replacing alternative expensive facades
7 November 2009 12 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Solar PV Market Status
The current use of solar technologies in Ireland is predominantly low temperature application such as water heating and space heating which do not requires direct sunlight. Electricity generation from solar technologies is not fully commercialised or competitive and so this energy is predominantly applied to navigational aids (road/water) in Ireland As of 2006, the installed photovoltaic capacity was 0.3 MW [12] The average global insolation values for Ireland range from 2.6kWh/m 2/day [12] A surface area of 1m 2 receives approximately 900 – 1000kWh of solar energy per year [13]
7 November 2009 13 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Micro CHP
Exhaust 5-15%
Micro-CHP fuels: Gas
Oil Utility connection Biomass Wood-Chip Hydrogen (Fuel Cells)
Elec 30% Micro CHP Heat 70% Gass 100%
7 November 2009 14 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro Generation Micro CHP
Micro-CHP (combined Heat and Power) involves a gas/Oil/Biomass/Wood-Chip or Hydrogen fired (e.g. stirling ) engine driving an electrical generator that allows individual homes to generate a proportion of their own electricity supply, whilst also supplying heat and hot water. It is not a clean energy solution but it is highly fuel efficient and has good carbon displacement properties Definition: Micro-CHP, maximum capacity 50kWe Small-scale CHP, installed capacity below 1MWe Market Application: Market Micro Small Scale Large Scale <50kWe ≥50kWe and ≤1MWe ≥1MWe Industrial × Services × × Commercial × × District Heating × Domestic ×
7 November 2009 15 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro CHP Market Status
CHP in Europe is about 10% presently with Denmark leading the way at 50% and the Netherlands with 40% In Ireland CHP accounts for about 5% share of electricity generation – mainly industrial 26% of sites but 88% of capacity
SEI, “CHP in Ireland”, February 2006 [14]
7 November 2009 16 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro CHP Market Status
SEI Grant Support The Programme will provide the following grant levels depending on the nature of the project and the technologies involved: Up to 40% funding for qualifying CHP feasibility studies; Up to 30% investment grant support to eligible small-scale ( ≥50kWe and <1MWe) fossil-fired CHP projects, limited to the maximum cost per kWe as defined below :
http://www.sei.ie/Grants/CHP/Grant_Support/
7 November 2009 17 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Domestic Micro Generation Utility Connection
EN50438 In 2004, CENELEC began to draft – very similar to G83 (UK Standard) ESBN Document: “Conditions Governing Connection and Operation of Microgeneration” Definition of Microgeneration: …source of electrical energy and all associated equipment, rated to and including 25A at low voltage [230V], when the DSO network connection is single-phase 16A at low voltage [230/400V], when the DSO network connection is three-phase
7 November 2009 18 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Domestic Micro Generation Utility Connection
Exhaust 5-15%
Utility connection
Consumer Interface Consumer Equipment Load Distribution Board
Elec 30% Micro CHP Heat 70% Gass 100 %
7 November 2009 19 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Domestic Micro Generation Utility Connection
Utility connection
Isolation Consumer Interface Consumer Equipment
Load Main Neutral Bar Supplementary Distribution Board Neutral Bar
RCD RCBO Supply 1 6A 6A 20A 20A 20A 1 63A 1 Authority Utility Main Fuse 0 0 0 Main 40A Unit Metering TEST TEST Fuse MCB MCB MCB MCB MCB N I? n = 30mA I? n = 30mA
P Main Earthing Main Terminal Protective Conductor Earthing Conductor Consumer Distribution Earth Electrode Board
Technology Connection Utility Metering
~ + ~ Isolation Protection (electrical) Inverter & 7 November 2009 Interconnects 20 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Connection Standards
Is the chosen technology <5.75kW See separate guide on conection of (1-ph) 0r 11kW (3-ph) generation onto the Electricity Grid NO?
Yes?
Interface REquirements? ~ EN50438??
Obtain interface test compliance from manufacturer/supplier
Complete Notification Form (NC6) and submit to ESBN (with interface compliance certificate)
Instlation can proceed if no instruction to the contrary is received within 20 days of submission to ESBN
Installation (RECI/ECSSA to ET101:2008 standards)
Microgeneration technology operational
7 November 2009 21 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Irish Position
Microgeneration Field Trial – €2 million budget provision by DCENR – Approximately 50 trials to be conducted nationwide – Grant support to contribute to the initial start-up costs for the installation of microgeneration systems – Ground work for consideration of a set of feed-in-tariff fro electricity produced through microgeneration
Smart Metering – EU Directive EC 2006/32 – Article 13 – CER desk-top study, 2007 – ESB Networks Pilot • Two separate trials – Customer behaviour Jul ‘09 – Dec ’09 / Jan – Dec ‘10) – Scopes • Fuel • Prepayment • Load Control • Microgeneration
7 November 2009 22 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Irish Position
Planning Exemptions [15]
7 November 2009 23 School of Electrical Engineering Systems The Irish Position
Feed-in-Tariff – Interim offering which will expire at the end of 2010 – 9c/kWh roughly equivalent to forecast average wholesale price of electricity in 2009 – Further to the9c/kWhr offering from ESBCS, a further 10c/kWh payment from ESB will be available to a portion of the output from the first 4,000 microgenerators connecting in the next 3 years. – The payment will be available to all microgenerators and not just ESB Customer Supply customers. The 10c/kWh payment will apply to the first 3,000 kWh exported each year for the next 5 years.
7 November 2009 24 School of Electrical Engineering Systems International Comparison
Energy – Micropower Europe is a broad-based grouping of companies and organizations with an interest in the promotion of microgeneration. • Set up to raise the profile of the EU microgeneration sector and to campaign for improvements in the legislative and regulatory framework to support the growth of this important industry. • Commissioner Piebalgs (Energy Commissioner ) announced that microgeneration will be a key part of the EU’s future energy mix at the launch of Micropower Europe. – Covenant of Mayors – committed to urban sustainable energy
Microgeneration Promotion – Germany • Share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources has almost doubled from 6.3 % in 2000 to 12.0 % in 2006. – Success largely attributed to FiT
7 November 2009 25 School of Electrical Engineering Systems International Comparison
FiT [16,17, 18] – Germany • Anyone generating electricity from Solar PV, Wind or Hydro gets a guaranteed payment of four times the market rate – c€0.385 per unit – for 20 years! – France • The government doubled the base feed-in tariff from €0.15 to €0.30 /kWh with an added 50% tax credit for the cost of the installation – Spain • Initially the Feed in tariff of €0.42 encouraged rapid market growth. This has been normalised to c €0.32 so as to achieve a steadier rate of growth – Italy • Introduced in 2006, ranging from €0.445 to €0.449/kWh with funding of up to 80% of capital costs – United Kingdom…. • 36.5p/kWh for small solar photovoltaic systems up to 4kW and 28p/kWh for systems up to 10kW. • 23.0p/kWh for small wind turbines between 1.5kW and 15kW.
7 November 2009 26 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Heating & Micro-Generation : Ground Source Heat Pumps
Heat Pump
Compressor
Evaporator Condensor
Heat Distribution Ground Heat Exchanger Utility connection System
Heat Pump
Compressor
Evaporator Condensor
Ground Heat Exchanger Heat Distribution Ground Heat Exchanger System
Ground Heat Exchanger
7 November 2009 27 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Heating & Micro-Generation : Solar Thermal
Evacuated Tube PV Using a thermal store offers Solar Thermal the following key benefits: – Mains pressure hot water tank from an open-vented low-pressure tank (via brazed plate heat exchanger) Utility connection – Can accept heat from secondary sources such as wood stove or Hot Water Taps gas burners
Pump
From Central Heating
7 November 2009 28 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Micro-Generation : Broader Comparisons
Domestic Efficiency Measures – estimated costs and savings [19]
7 November 2009 29 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Barriers to Micro-Generation
With regard to Microgeneration, terminology ‘trial’ is preclusive – Implies that technologies are not-tested equipment and that consumers may be in effect ‘gambling’ Poor awareness of the benefits of micro generation technologies • Poor market dissemination – Funding of 30% for mini CHP and 40% for qualifying CHP feasibility studies is currently available – Microgeneration Scheme Improved forecasting for load and generation Carbon incentives VAT rates – incentives provided in other countries Network inertia – Momentum of adoption of principals in terms of infrastructure/supply chain Technical Issues FiT…. Normalisation towards European standards?
7 November 2009 30 School of Electrical Engineering Systems Barriers to Micro-Generation
Barrier importance vs. mitigation action timescales.
Energy Saving Trust: Potential for Micro generation Study and analysis, November 2005 http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file27558.pdf [20]
7 November 2009 31 School of Electrical Engineering Systems REFERENCES
1. DIRECTIVE 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources 2. DIRECTIVE 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings, December 2002 3. Arrangements for Micro Generation (CER/06/190) 4. Demand Side Management and Smart Metering (CER/07/038) 5. CENELEC EN 50438 Requirements for the connection of micro-generators in parallel with public low-voltage distribution networks 6. Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, “Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland”, 2006 7. “Your Guide to Connecting Micro-generation to the Electricity Network, 2009 8. Energy in Ireland – Key Statiscs 2008 (SEI Energy Policy Statistical Support Unit) 9. Domestic Energy Supply Technology Review: Current Status and Future Potential, Energy Policy Research in Domestic Building (DIT) 10. Energy in the Domestic Sector, 2008 Report 11. “Cost and Benefits of Embedded Generation in Ireland”, Report prepared for SEI by PB Power, September 2004 12. T.E. Agency. Solar Energy Resource report 2007 13. S.E. Ireland. Irish Solar Energy Facts, 2003 14. SEI, “CHP in Ireland”, February 2006
7 November 2009 32 School of Electrical Engineering Systems REFERENCES
15. The Idiots Guide to Renewable Energy Electricity? What you NEED to know!, John Quinn 16. http://www.microgenerationforums.co.uk/uk-feed-in-tariff-microgeneration.html 17. http://www.pv- tech.org/news/_a/uk_set_to_approve_feed_in_tariff_for_renewable_micro_generation/ 18. http://www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk/article.php?article_id=268 19. Integration and Optimisation of Renewables for UK dwellings, Dr. Tony Sun (Barrats Homes 20. Energy Saving Trust: Potential for Micro generation Study and analysis, November 2005
7 November 2009 33