Small Hydro Grid Interconnection Dan Harms La Plata Electric Association LPEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer M/F/Disability/Veteran.
Download ReportTranscript Small Hydro Grid Interconnection Dan Harms La Plata Electric Association LPEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer M/F/Disability/Veteran.
Small Hydro Grid Interconnection Dan Harms La Plata Electric Association LPEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer M/F/Disability/Veteran. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected]. La Plata Electric • A 41,000 meter distribution cooperative • Member of Tri-State G&T Interconnected Generation Colorado Durango Pagosa Springs • • • • • 513 PV 5 wind 3 small hydro 3 fuel cells 3 methane recovery • 2 large hydro • 1 large waste heat recovery Items of Consideration • Interconnection Standards for Cogenerators and Small Power Producers – http://www.lpea.coop/pdf/renewables/Inter connectionStandards2006.pdf • • • • • • Safety Electrical requirements Grid infrastructure Area’s appetite for generation Payback economics Process Safety • Inverter based systems must comply with UL 1741 • Must not backfeed a de-energized LPEA line – Backfeeding 240V on the secondary turns into 7,200V on the primary! • Each system will be inspected by LPEA prior to interconnection Electrical Requirement • Single phase or three phase – Single phase limitation will typically be around 25 kW – Three phase lines often carry much more load and can therefore support more generation. Maybe as high as 500 kW. • More than 500 kW would likely require a direct connection to a substation • Voltage – Single phase is typically 120/240V – Three phase either 120/208V or 277/480V Grid Infrastructure • If a three phase connection is required, consider the distance to a three phase line • Conductor size sometimes plays a role in how much generation can be backfed onto grid Area’s Appetite for Generation • Distribution system is designed to delivery power from the substation to the home • Ideally excess power produced by small scale hydro would be “upstream” from the load • Otherwise voltage limits could be exceeded and generation would need to be throttled back Payback Economics • A generator owner can receive compensation for the energy they produce in a variety of ways – – – – Net metered Sell to LPEA Sell to Tri-State Sell on the open market • The Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) of the generation can be sold separately – LPEA is currently at its maximum quota Net Metering • A customer’s load and generation are behind the same meter • Benefit realized is full retail energy rate • Excess energy produced annually is purchased by LPEA at average wholesale rate • Total energy production is limited to 120% of annual load consumption • Intention is to offset a customer’s own usage Sell Generation to LPEA • LPEA is bound by an all requirements agreement with Tri-State G&T • Latitude given to LPEA to purchase 5% of its energy requirements from local generation resources – LPEA is currently near this limit • Purchase price is negotiated between LPEA and generator owner – Credit LPEA receives from Tri-State is governed by Tri-State’s policy 115 – Credit to generator owner is likely to be equivalent to what Tri-State credits LPEA Sell Generation to Tri-State • Often priced at Tri-State’s avoided cost of wholesale power • LPEA may contribute additional funding towards the purchased priced – Sourced by member funding towards local renewable projects • Intended for projects above the 5% Sell On Open Market • Probably least desirable option unless you find a buyer willing to pay a very good price • Wheeling fees will be charged by LPEA and Tri-State for the use of their facilities to get the power to the open market The Process • Summary of Interconnection Procedures can be found at http://www.lpea.coop/renewables/interconnection.html • Application for Interconnection • Engineering evaluation • If Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is necessary, it is initiated – Not required for net metering • LPEA inspection • Liability insurance requirements • Certificate of Completion Questions?