| WHITE
MOUNTAIN ENERGY PROJECT: BRINGING 21ST CENTURY
ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TO THE BARCROFT FIELD STATION
A proposal
to the National Science Foundation
Field Stations and Marine Laboratories Improvement Program (FSML)
Submitted
by
Frank Powell, Director, White Mountain Research Station
and
John Smiley, Associate Director, White Mountain Research Station
Selected sections from the proposal:
Project
Summary
Intellectual Merit. White
Mountain Research Station (WMRS) is absolutely unique in the continental
United States in providing environmental scientists with a 3,000 m (>10,000
foot) vertical transect of laboratories separated by less than 20km. The
laboratories are connected by the internet and a network of roads that
provide easy access within a couple of hours. Researchers from over 100
institutions have generated over 600 publications based on work in environmental
science at WMRS, especially emphasizing high altitude, over the past decade.
Although our low altitude laboratories could be relocated if necessary,
the high altitude laboratories could never be replaced with modern development
costs and government regulations. After recent telecommunications upgrades
using FSML funding in 2000, the remaining critical need for continuing
operation of the high altitude laboratories is a reliable and economical
power supply. This is needed for backup and safety during winter conditions,
and must be designed to replace the buried power line, which may permanently
fail and cannot be replaced. We propose a combination of traditional and
renewable power supplies, applied in an innovative distributed generation
system with modern controls and energy conservation measures. The project
is being planned in collaboration with the Advanced Power and Energy Program
at the University of California, Irvine and utilizes funding from different
sources in 3 separate stages.
Broader Impact. The demand for research and educational uses of WMRS as
a biological field station has increased dramatically since it was established
as a rustic high altitude physiology laboratory in 1950. Over 150 individual
researchers and students, 50% coming from outside the University of California,
use WMRS for 6,000 to 9,000 “user nights” in a typical year.
In 2004, these scientists were awarded $1.8M in federal and state contracts
for research critically dependent on WMRS. This research portfolio includes
not only biological sciences, but also atmospheric, earth, physical and
space sciences, which enrich each other. The proposed improvements will
permit WMRS to maintain, operate and modernize shared research and education
infrastructure to stimulate and support the development and dissemination
of next-generation instrumentation, multi-user facilities, and other shared
research and education platforms. History has shown that this approach
leads to new paradigms at the interface between traditional disciplines.
WMRS also hosts research from industrial partners, which promotes the
transfer of technology between academia and the private sector. The remote
location of WMRS integrates the discovery and teaching missions by mixing
research mentors with students in an intimate setting. Also, the WMRS
training programs promote integration of under-represented minorities
in field research (e.g. new partnership with University of Puerto Rico).
Finally, WMRS and UCSD-TV produced a documentary with NSF support last
year to increase public understanding of the value of field research.
This program is being distributed nationally via satellite TV and DVDs.
Project
Description
(only selected parts of the project descrption are included here)
This is a new proposal to
provide reliable, economic and environmentally friendly power for the
high altitude laboratories at the University of California’s White
Mountain Research Station (WMRS). WMRS is absolutely unique in the continental
United States in providing environmental scientists with a 3,000 m (>10,000
ft) vertical transect of laboratories. Although the low altitude laboratories
could be relocated if necessary, the high altitude laboratories could
never be replaced, so it is critical to maintain their basic infrastructure.
With long-term land use agreements renewed and recent communications upgrades
(from FSML funding in 2000), the remaining critical need for continued
operation of the WMRS high altitude laboratories is a reliable energy
supply. We propose a combination of traditional and renewable power supplies,
applied in a distributed generation system with modern controls and energy
conservation measures to reduce demand. This distributed generation system
will enable the Barcroft facilities to go off the grid at any time. This
is important, as the buried power line has developed problems and is at
the end of its rated lifetime. The project is being planned in collaboration
with the Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California,
Irvine and utilizes funding from different sources in 3 stages.
Overview of
Infrastructure Improvements needed at Barcroft Station.
We refer to the WMRS laboratories
near Mt Barcroft as “Barcroft Station” or simply “Barcroft”.
Barcroft Station is the principal site for high elevation research in
the White Mountains and surrounding regions. Established in 1951, the
Pace Laboratory at Barcroft is the focal point of this research. It has
a long history of supporting physiology, developmental and behavioral
biology, atmospheric studies, technology development, astronomy, and other
disciplines requiring a high mountain base. Currently, there are several
research groups using Barcroft, and still others have applied for funding
and have plans to work at Barcroft in the next few years. Supplemental
Document 2 summarizes these groups some of their specialized needs.
Some common themes are evident from the list in Supplement 2:
- A need for broad band internet
access, which has been met with funding from a our last FSML grant
- A need for web-based remotely
operated electronic monitoring and control during both summer and winter
- Reliable electric power,
of a quality that will not damage instruments and will sustain remote
operations
- Access during the winter,
including full-time staffing for animal care, equipment monitoring,
and hosting of scientists
- Economical, safe and reliable
winter transportation to and from Barcroft
Between November 2003 and
May 2004, WMRS conducted a trial year of year-round operations at Barcroft.
This effort required a large investment of resources for the station,
including purchase of a new snowcat for transportation and funding for
four staff positions. While the research mission was fully successful,
we became aware of changes necessary for year-round operations to be repeated
on a continuing basis. Current weaknesses include:
- Inadequacy of the water
well inside the building and the need to use the outer well (distance
0.5 km) to get through the winter
- The Tucker “Terra
2000 lite” snowcat needs to be replaced with a heavier model that
can rapidly and safely grade a flat trail on the entire the 40 km access
route.
- The electric power system
is subject to failure, resulting in serious safety concerns as well
as compromising the scientific mission of the station.
WMRS is committed to correcting
these problems, and is currently planning to host winter operations in
the winter of 2006-07. Before then, we will correct the water supply issues
using our maintenance budget and development funds, and we are seeking
external support to replace the snowcat (cost: approx. $180,000) However,
upgrading the energy supply is more complex and expensive, requiring outside
help with analysis and planning.
Barcroft Energy
Infrastructure
In the early years, Barcroft
used propane for cooking, radio for communications, and electric generators
for everything else. In 1957, an above-ground pole line was installed
to bring commercial electric power up to Barcroft. This line tied into
the existing Southern California Edison pole line which runs across the
southern end of the White Mountains, and went up to Crooked Creek, Barcroft,
and up on the Barcroft Plateau. This installation provided power to the
station for a time, but in the following winters icing brought down the
lines at the upper elevations. After that time Barcroft ran on diesel
generator power for electricity and heating, until the mid 1980’s,
when a pair of direct-buried underground cables were installed between
Crooked Creek and the Barcroft stations. These tied in to the above-ground
line which remained in service to Crooked Creek. This buried line is still
in service, and provides electricity for all electric power needs at Barcroft.
A 50-year-old 40 KW diesel generator was retained in the Pace Lab for
backup, but the existing wiring cannot carry its current to the outbuildings
or the Barcroft observatory dome.
In 2002 a lightning strike
surged through the buried power line. This event (and the subsequent repairs)
highlighted the fragile nature of the current system. The direct-buried
cables are aging and some of the splices are in substandard condition
now. The cost of complete replacement would be extremely high, exceeding
$7M. In addition, the existing system has limitations which inhibit our
ability to conduct research at Barcroft. Voltage spikes result in damage
to sensitive electrical equipment, and short to long-term outages cause
difficulty with automated monitoring equipment. While these problems can
be partially corrected by power filtering, uninterrupted power supplies
and use of backup generators, the more fundamental issues of safety and
reliability remain. For safe winter operations, the station must have
built-in redundancy so that if one system fails a backup system can be
brought into operation smoothly and reliably. Under the harsh and remote
winter conditions which prevail at Barcroft, at least two backup systems
are needed to provide the required margin of safety. In addition, the
backups should be designed to operate for long periods. An early-season
failure of the power line could be irreparable until the following summer,
depending on the type and location of the damage, the station could be
off the power grid for as long as 7-8 months. Finally, we must plan for
the buried cables to go out of service permanently as some point in the
future, as they have already exceeded their rated lifetime of twenty years.
White Mountain
Energy Project
In 2002 the station began
investigating energy alternatives by hosting an alternative energy conference
(the WMRS “Hydrogen Retreat”), which was extremely well-attended
and brought attention to the station’s potential role as a leader
in developing alternative energy strategies. In 2003 WMRS began developing
a strategy for energy infrastructure improvement. Informal energy audits
and winter staff interviews were conducted and documents prepared which
outlined the problem and suggested some solutions. Then, in 2004, with
a grant from UC Office of Research, WMRS partnered with the Advanced Power
and Energy Program (APEP) at UC Irvine. Under the direction of Prof. Scott
Samuelsen, engineering students were assigned to analyze and assess the
Barcroft power situation and come up with a working design which would
successfully overcome the current limitations. This project was named
the White Mountain Energy Project (WMEP). Later in the summer of 2004
this group installed monitoring equipment and a demonstration solar photovoltaic
system to quantify and characterize the actual loads, needs, and potential
for solar, wind and other forms of power generation. Using this data,
the APEP group has prepared analytical and planning documents, and has
modeled outcomes depending on the kinds of equipment to be installed.
They are still directly involved in the planning and preparation of the
energy project and this proposal. Two key planning documents for WMEP
produced by the UCI group are attached (Supplemental
Document 3 and Supplemental
Document 4).
There are several key findings
of the WMEP quantitative analyses and modeling efforts:
- Barcroft should be re-wired
to distribute power to all facilities from a centralized “distributed
generation (DG) room”
- The majority of the current
electrical load is for space heating. To reduce this highly inefficient
electrical load, a hydronic (hot-water) distribution system should be
installed in the Barcroft main building and animal care buildings, including
hot water storage tanks inside the building.
- Solar photovoltaic panels
should be installed on the roof of the main building and connected to
a battery-inverter system.
The propane tank field should be expanded to about 6000 gallons capacity
(currently 1500 gallons) to carry the station through the winter should
the power fail.
- The existing Pace lab
generator room should be remodeled to become the DG room and the 50-year-old
diesel generator replaced with two 30 KW micro-turbine generators. The
generators should be plumbed to recover waste heat (by heating water)
while they are running.
- Two modern high-efficiency
boilers should also be installed in the DG room to heat water directly
when the generators are not running.
- The existing 12 KV link
to the grid should be maintained as long as feasible with an isolation
switch so that the link can be quickly disconnected when necessary and
reopened when desirable.
- A metering, control and
display system should be installed so that the system performance can
be monitored and optimized. This will serve as an educational tool as
well.
Reliability and efficiency
increase as each component is added – the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts. The keys to this effect are the ability to store
hot water, the battery system, and the programmable control system. When
connected to the commercial power grid, the ability to reverse-meter power
also results in cost savings.
These recommendations are
illustrated in a schematic diagram in Supplemental
Document 3 (page 5). The WMEP combines proven technologies in an integrated
whole which is quite innovative at the scale and constraints which apply
at Barcroft. Implementing these systems will have the following effects
on energy infrastructure and operations at Barcroft Station:
- Triple redundancy for
space heating, providing an important safety margin for winter operations.
- Triple redundancy for
electrical service, with a battery-backed system for core electrical
functions such as lighting, propane heating and communications.
- Capability of keeping station
open all winter using stored propane and environmental energy sources
- Capability of going off-grid
completely when buried line fails permanently
- Modular design facilitates
later upgrades in capacity and energy source, including experimental
sources such as fuel cells, hydrogen generators, etc.
- Capacity to add wind turbines,
solar PV and solar hydronic modules to provide increased environmental
energy supply. As these capabilities are added the propane costs and
electric bills will decrease
- The new energy sources
will provide high quality “clean” electric power
- Reduction in overall energy
costs of 20% or more, potentially reaching 90% savings (see Supplemental
Document 4, pages 7-9)
- The new system will provide
a platform for energy research, education and interpretation.
Scientific impacts of WMEP
will include:
- Barcroft will become a
safe, reliable platform for year round research, including support for
staff, room, board, high speed internet access, and lab space, in the
high alpine environment at 12,500’ elevation, with access to the
14,250’ elevation summit hut and the 12,700’ Barcroft Observatory
- Year-round telemetering
of Spermophilus lateralis ground squirrels and other wildlife will be
supported
- Year round animal care
will be supported, including multi-year, many-generation studies of
the evolution of altitude acclimation in Peromyscus mice
- Barcroft will become a
uniquely accessible, low cost site for ground-based environmental monitoring
and ground truthing in the alpine environment, benefiting programs such
as the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and other remote
sensing and environmental monitoring efforts.
- The astronomy, cosmology
and astrophysics community will have an inexpensive, reliable, accessible
site for observation above the atmospheric water vapor which blocks
millimeter CBE wavelengths. The closest comparable sites are in the
South American Andes or at the South Pole.
- Improved support and augmentation
of the existing climate monitoring stations at Barcroft, Crooked Creek
and White Mountain summit, including the Mountain Climate Network monitoring
system, the Alpine Climate Network being developed with the Niwot Ridge
LTER and the GLORIA network.
The proposed improvements
are relatively inexpensive when compared with the benefits which will
accrue to Barcroft operations. By combining in-house expertise (we have
a professional electrician and several semi-skilled workers on staff)
with APEP and private contractors, we will be able to keep installation
costs to a minimum while keeping a high standard of quality.
WMEP Timeline
and funding
Because of the
remote location and short working season at Barcroft, this project will
take at least three summers to complete. Stage 1 includes more planning
and site preparation in summer 2005. Stage 1 can be completed within the
current WMRS routine maintenance budget In summer 2006 (Stage 2, first
year) we will install key components of the power system: the station
wiring, the augmented propane capacity, the microturbine generators, and
the hydronic heating system. This will enable us to operate and test these
components of the system during winter 2006-07. Then, in summer 2007 (Stage
2, second year), we will install the solar photovoltaic system. Stage
2 is completely dependent on funding by the NSF FSML program, and is the
subject of this proposal. Stage 3 will be completed if funds can be obtained
from other agencies to purchase and install additional solar and wind
energy generating equipment, and additional monitoring and controls. In
August 2005 we will submit applications to the California Energy Commission
for Stage 3 funding. In 2006, as the project begins to take shape, we
also plan to apply to the Department of Defense for funds to set up a
sophisticated monitoring and control system. This system will facilitate
installation and testing of energy generating technologies as they are
being evaluated by the military and by DOE. If these funds are awarded,
then Stage 3 will be implemented by 2007.
Budget
Justification (equipment justification shown here)
- Upgrade propane tank field,
$7,000 (independent contractor): to meet the storage and delivery needs
of the propane boilers and the microturbine generators. The specifications
are 15 gal/min delivery of propane at 45 psi into the DG room, with
6000 gallons of storage. According to the APEP analysis, 6000 gallons
is enough to sustain full off-grid operations at Barcroft for approx.
7 months under normal winter conditions. WMRS has worked with the local
vendor, Amerigas, on estimating the cost of making these changes. WMRS
will set up a service contract with Amerigas.
- Hydronic Heating system,
$57,000 (independent contractor): The project includes purchase and
installation of twin “Munchkin” boilers in the DG room,
purchase and installation of hydronic baseboard heaters in all rooms
of the Pace lab and animal quarters, all hot water plumbing based on
blueprint plans of the Pace lab, and final testing and initiation of
the system. These two contracts taken together will achieve the goal
of heating Barcroft with propane rather than electricity, saving costs
as well as providing a much needed safety backup for winter emergencies.
- Final electrical hookup
and testing, $3,400 (independent contractor): wiring and service equipment
will be purchased and installed by our physical plant lead technician,
an electrician and former linesman for Pacific Gas and Electric. However,
we plan to make the final checkout and installation of the electrical
equipment by employing an electrical contractor. Rawlins Electric, a
local electrical contractor who knows Barcroft conditions, estimates
this will require 40 hours of work at the prevailing wage for this type
of work ($85/hr).
- DG control system, $5,
000 (equipment): We need to purchase an automatic monitoring and control
system for the DG room. The $5000 cost is based upon an estimate provided
by Jim Meacham, UCI - APEP program.
- Micro-turbine Generators,
$75,000 for two (equipment): These are Capstone Model C30 Micro-Turbine
Generators (MTGs). The Capstone Model C30 system is a compact, low emission,
power generator providing up to 30kW of electrical power. The Model
C30 Micro Turbine generates electricity from various fuels with low
exhaust emissions. These units cost $30,000 each. The hot water cogeneration
kits will cost an additional $7,500 each. These are highly reliable,
efficient sources of power that are very compact and relatively quiet,
will fit into the DG room easily, and when running produce large amounts
of hot water for storage and distribution through the hydronic heating
system.
- 10KW flexible PV panel,
$40,000 (equipment): The solar PV array will be installed over the south
facing roof of the Pace Lab, providing power generation through the
inverter battery system. Flexible panel technology will allow the panels
to be draped over the smoothly curving Quonset-style roof, providing
a sturdy wind-proof, snow-free installation. We plan to purchase the
Unisolar PVL-136, a flexible 18’ x 15” amorphous silicon
panel that APEP is currently testing on the Pace Lab roof and is performing
well. (ratings: Power = 136W, Vopen = 33.0V, operating amperage = 4.1A;
APEP testing reveals that the panels perform better than the rated power
under Barcroft conditions.). The Pace Lab roof area available is 100’
x 22’, and we plan to drape 75 panels, covering 1755 sq ft of
area. This gives us a total of 10,190 KW power rating. We estimate a
$40,000 cost for the panels, including a $10,000 rebate at the current
rates.
- Electrical storage batteries,
$10,000 (equipment): The PV installation also requires a battery storage
system.
- Inverters, $10,000 (equipment):
10. 4 KW Sunny Island Inverters (2) @ $4500 each, to provide the required
capacity and reliability.
- 12 DV isolation switch,
$2,500 (supplies): This isolation switch is needed to immediately disconnect
Barcroft from the power grid if the power becomes interrupted or does
not meet quality requirements. Once the power is disconnected the backup
systems can automatically come on-line and remain in operation until
the staff decides line electric power should be re-established.
- Wiring, conduit, breakers,
remodel DG room (supplies): We will need to purchase wire, conduit,
fittings, connectors, shunts, circuit breakers, junction boxes, paint,
fasteners, and other supplies to install and assemble the equipment
into a working system which powers 5 separate buildings and connects
power from diverse sources. APEP calculations estimate $7000 for these
items in the YR1, 2006.
- Wiring, conduit, connectors,
fasteners, switches and other miscellaneous items, $3,000 (supplies)
needed to install and operate solar photovoltaics and connection to
rest of WMEP system in YR2, 2007.
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