HomeMy WebLinkAboutFeasibility Assessment Victory Bible Camp Miracle Lodge Biomass Heating System Coffman 09-04-2018-BIO
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems
at Victory Bible Camp’s Miracle Lodge
800 F Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
p (907) 276-6664 f (907) 276-5042
Lee Bolling, PE
David Nicolai, PE
FINAL REPORT – 9/4/2018
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc. i
Contents
1. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... 1
2. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 2
3. Preliminary Site Investigation ............................................................................................ 3
BUILDING DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 3
EXISTING HEATING SYSTEM .............................................................................................................................................. 3
EXISTING BIOMASS BOILER ............................................................................................................................................... 4
AVAILABLE SPACE, STREET ACCESS, FUEL STORAGE AND SITE CONSTRAINTS .............................................................................. 4
4. Biomass System ................................................................................................................. 6
BIOMASS SYSTEM OPTIONS .............................................................................................................................................. 6
BIOMASS SYSTEM INTEGRATION ........................................................................................................................................ 6
DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEM .............................................................................................................................................. 7
5. Energy Consumption and Costs ........................................................................................ 10
ENERGY COSTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 10
WOOD ENERGY ........................................................................................................................................................... 10
WOOD PELLETS AND CHIPS ............................................................................................................................................ 11
REJECTED JET FUEL ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
HEATING OIL ............................................................................................................................................................... 11
ELECTRICITY ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
EXISTING FUEL OIL CONSUMPTION .................................................................................................................................. 12
BIOMASS SYSTEM CONSUMPTION ................................................................................................................................... 12
6. Preliminary Cost Estimating ............................................................................................. 13
7. Economic Analysis ........................................................................................................... 15
O&M COSTS .............................................................................................................................................................. 15
DEFINITIONS................................................................................................................................................................ 15
RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................... 18
8. Forest Resource and Fuel Availability Assessments .......................................................... 19
FUEL AVAILABILITY ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
AIR QUALITY PERMITTING .............................................................................................................................................. 19
9. General Biomass Technology Information ........................................................................ 20
HEATING WITH WOOD FUEL ........................................................................................................................................... 20
TYPES OF WOOD FUEL .................................................................................................................................................. 20
HIGH EFFICIENCY WOOD PELLET BOILERS ......................................................................................................................... 21
HIGH EFFICIENCY CORDWOOD BOILERS ............................................................................................................................ 21
LOW EFFICIENCY CORDWOOD BOILERS ............................................................................................................................. 21
HIGH EFFICIENCY WOOD STOVES .................................................................................................................................... 22
BULK FUEL BOILERS ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
GRANTS AND FINANCING ............................................................................................................................................... 22
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc. ii
Appendices
Appendix A – Site Photos
Appendix B – Economic Analysis Spreadsheets
Appendix C – AWEDTG Field Data Sheets
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Abbreviations
ACF Accumulated Cash Flow
ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
AEA Alaska Energy Authority
AFUE Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
B/C Benefit / Cost Ratio
BTU British Thermal Unit
BTU/hr BTU per hour
CFM Cubic Feet per Minute
Eff Efficiency
F Fahrenheit
ft Feet
GPM Gallons Per Minute
HP Horsepower
HVAC Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning
in Inch(es)
kW Kilowatt(s)
kWh Kilowatt-Hour
lb(s) Pound(s)
MBH Thousand BTUs per Hour
O&M Operations and Maintenance
MMBTU One Million BTUs
PC Project Cost
R R-Value
SF Square Feet, Supply Fan
TEMP Temperature
TPY Tons per Year
V Volts
VBC Victory Bible Camp
W Watts
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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List of Figures
Figure 1 – Miracle Lodge ............................................................................................................................... 2
Figure 2 – Existing Wood Boiler Building ...................................................................................................... 4
Figure 3 – Miracle Lodge Site Layout ............................................................................................................ 5
Figure 4 – Garn WHS-3200 Wood Boiler ....................................................................................................... 6
Figure 5 – Building Site Map ......................................................................................................................... 8
List of Tables
Table 1 – Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 1
Table 2 – Energy Comparison Overview ....................................................................................................... 1
Table 3 – Building Characteristics ................................................................................................................. 3
Table 4 – Boiler Equipment ........................................................................................................................... 3
Table 5 – Buildings for Potential District Heat System ................................................................................. 7
Table 6 – Energy Comparison ..................................................................................................................... 10
Table 7 – Existing Fuel Oil Consumption ..................................................................................................... 12
Table 8 – Proposed Biomass System Fuel Consumption ............................................................................ 12
Table 9 – Estimate of Probable Costs ......................................................................................................... 14
Table 10 – Discount and Escalation rates ................................................................................................... 15
Table 11 – Economic Definitions ................................................................................................................. 16
Table 12 – Economic Analysis Results ......................................................................................................... 17
Table 13 – Sensitivity Analysis – Heating Oil Price vs Cord Wood Price ..................................................... 18
Table 14 – Sensitivity Analysis – Cord Wood Price vs Project Cost............................................................. 18
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc. 1
1. Executive Summary
Coffman performed a preliminary biomass feasibility assessment for the Miracle Lodge at the Victory Bible
Camp in Sutton, Alaska, to determine the technical and economic viability of biomass heating systems.
The proposed biomass heating system is a cord wood boiler located in a detached building with a heat
loop to the lodge. The cord wood boiler would supplement heat for the existing oil boiler system.
Four scenarios were evaluated with two different project costs (contractor labor vs volunteer labor) and
two different cord wood prices ($250/cord and $90/cord). All of the scenarios evaluated have benefit to
cost ratios greater than 1.0. Any project with a benefit to cost ratio greater than 1.0 is considered
economically justified, and therefore all of the scenarios are economically justified at this time.
The benefit to cost ratios range from 1.85 (using contractor labor and $250/cord) all the way to 5.14 (with
volunteer labor and $90/cord). These are good economic numbers and show that this project is viable
over many different variables.
A summary of each projects economic analysis is shown in the following table.
Table 1 – Executive Summary
Item
Scenarios
Contractor
Labor and
$250/cord
Contractor
Labor and
$90/cord
Volunteer
Labor and
$250/cord
Volunteer
Labor and
$90/cord
Project Capital Cost ($312,000) ($312,000) ($171,000) ($171,000)
Present Value of Project Benefits (20-year life) $1,094,450 $1,094,450 $1,094,450 $1,094,450
Present Value of Operating Costs (20-year life) ($516,134) ($215,489) ($516,134) ($215,489)
Benefit / Cost Ratio of Project (20-year life) 1.85 2.82 3.38 5.14
Net Present Value (20-year life) $266,316 $566,961 $407,316 $707,961
Year Cash Flow is Net Positive First Year First Year First Year First Year
Payback Period
(Year Accumulated Cash Flow > Project Capital Cost) 13 years 9 years 8 years 5 years
The current energy prices at Victory Bible Camp are shown in the following table. Cord wood is less
expensive than heating oil and electricity on an energy basis.
Table 2 – Energy Comparison Overview
Community Fuel Type Units Gross
BTU/unit
System
Efficiency $/unit Delivered
$/MMBTU
Victory Bible
Camp
Cord Wood cord 18,200,000 80% $250 $17.17
Heating Oil gal 134,000 65% $2.55 $29.28
Electricity kWh 3,412 99% $0.18 $53.29
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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2. Introduction
A preliminary feasibility assessment was completed to determine the technical and economic viability of
a biomass heating system for the Miracle Lodge at Victory Bible Camp (VBC). Victory Bible Camp operates
and maintains the Miracle lodge and was awarded a biomass pre-feasibility study from the Fairbanks
Economic Development Corporation (FEDC).
Figure 1 – Miracle Lodge
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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3. Preliminary Site Investigation
A site visit of Victory Bible Camp was completed by Coffman Engineers on June 28, 2018. The main focus
of the study is on the Miracle Lodge, which is the largest building at the camp and the largest consumer
of energy. During the site visit other buildings surrounding the Miracle Lodge were investigated for
biomass potential.
Building Descriptions
The Miracle Lodge is occupied year-round and was built with typical construction methods in the Mat-Su
Valley. For the Miracle Lodge, the square footage, date of construction, occupant characteristics and type
of construction is shown in the following table.
Table 3 – Building Characteristics
Building Square
Footage
Year
Built
Occupants Type of Construction
Miracle
Lodge 24,296 2002
320
CMU block and stick frame walls (R-19), composition
shingles roof with batt insulation (R-38), and built-up
flat roof with rigid insulation (R-38)
Existing Heating System
The Miracle Lodge is heated by a combination of a wood fired boiler, a fuel oil boiler, and two used oil
boilers. These boilers serve perimeter baseboard, air handlers, and radiant floor using glycol as the
circulating fluid. Domestic hot water (DHW) is also provided by these boilers, by means of indirect heat
transfer in a separate storage tank. The Miracle Lodge does not have direct digital controls; however,
there is an installed, custom built monitoring program that can display the critical information of the boiler
system. The fuel oil boiler appears to be in good working condition. The two used oil boilers appear to be
old and well-used, and one of the boilers is currently out of service. They plan to take the second used oil
boiler out of service in the coming weeks. The following table shows the heating capacities of the boiler
plants.
Table 4 – Boiler Equipment
Building Boiler Plant DHW Plant Fuel Tank
Miracle
Lodge
Econoburn Gasification
Wood Boiler
Model EBW-500
500 MBH Gross Output
Weil McLain Fuel Oil Boiler
1,000 MBH Gross Output
Two New Yorker
Used Oil Boilers
500 MBH Gross Output Each
A.O. Smith
Indirect DHW Heater
Model TJV 200A
200 gal
Four 3,000 Gallon fuel
tanks. Above Ground
located in Fuel Oil
Concrete Vault
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The boilers, central pumps and hot water heaters are located in mechanical rooms. The combustion
efficiency of the boilers is unknown, as no combustion test reports were available. For this study, the
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of the oil boiler system is estimated at 65% to account for typical oil
boiler inefficiencies, including short cycling, due to the age of the boilers.
Existing Biomass Boiler
Victory Bible Camp uses an existing cord wood boiler to supplement heat at the Miracle Lodge. The
Econoburn EBW-500 boiler is located inside a detached boiler building on the south side of the Miracle
Lodge. It is reported that the Econoburn does not work well and puts out less than 200,000 BTU/hr even
though it is rated for 500,000 BTU/hr. The Econoburn has had issues with smoking and has had many
maintenance issues. The actual efficiency of the unit is questionable and is estimated at around 55%
based on these issues. Victory Bible Camp is interested in replacing the existing cord wood boiler with a
new more efficient cord wood boiler system.
It appears that the detached boiler building shell and ventilation components is in need of upgrades and
repairs to operate in a reliable manner.
Figure 2 – Existing Wood Boiler Building
Available Space, Street Access, Fuel Storage and Site Constraints
There are few site constraints associated with available space, access, and fuel storage. There is ample
space for cord wood storage in the existing wood storage shelter. However, it was reported that the wood
storage shelter does not have adequate air flow, and so it is recommended that active ventilation with
fans be installed. Additionally, ventilation louvers or stacks could be added to provide additional natural
ventilation. Should additional wood storage structures be required, there are locations throughout the
site that are feasible to build on.
The oil boilers are located in a ground floor room that has limited access and no space for future biomass
boilers or equipment. There are no other suitable locations inside the structure for biomass equipment.
A detached biomass boiler module or addition is required. The existing wood boiler is located outside the
structure near the mechanical room. The wood boiler structure could be demolished and replaced with a
larger biomass boiler building.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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The Miracle Lodge is built into a hill on the east side and is surrounded by a lake on the northern and
western sides. This limits access to the north of the building, Due to these constraints, the proposed
location of a new biomass boiler module is on the southern side of the building where the existing wood
boiler is located. This location was used for the basis of estimate.
A site layout of the site constraints at Miracle Lodge is shown on the following page.
Figure 3 – Miracle Lodge Site Layout
OIL TANKS
EXISTING WOOD
STORAGE SHELTER
EXISTING WOOD
BOILER
PROPOSED CORD WOOD
BOILER
MECHANICAL ROOM
PROPOSED BURIED
PIPE LOOP
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4. Biomass System
Biomass System Options
Cordwood is currently the biomass heating fuel that is readily available at Victory Bible Camp and so a
cordwood boiler system was selected as the preferred option for the Miracle Lodge. Additionally, the
maintenance personnel are familiar with cord wood systems and thus minimal additional training would
be required to operate the system. A Garn WHS-3200 wood boiler was selected as the basis of design.
Figure 4 – Garn WHS-3200 Wood Boiler
The Garn WHS-3200 wood boiler has a 3,200-gallon water tank and is 7’-4” wide x 7’-8” high x 12’ long.
The Garn boiler would be housed in a 10’ wide x 24’ long insulated building, that would be located in
approximately the same location as the existing Econoburn wood boiler building. The boiler building
would contain the Garn boiler, circulation pumps, piping, heat exchanger, electrical wiring,
instrumentation and control panel. The manufacturer stated combustion efficiency of the Garn boiler is
85%. For this study, the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency for the Garn boiler is estimated at 80%, to
account for heat loss in the system.
Using two smaller Garn WHS-2000 wood boilers is also an option, instead of a single WHS-3200. The
benefit of using two WHS-2000 is that there is an extra unit in case one unit is down for service. However,
the downsides are that the combined heat output of two WHS-2000 is less than a single WHS-3200; the
foot print of the boiler building would need to be bigger; and more manual loading is needed because
now two units need to be loaded and fired instead of one. The costs are comparable between the two.
The WHS-3200 unit is $49,000. The WHS-2000 unit is $18,000/each, or $36,000 for two. Shipping costs,
installation, foundation, and mechanical and electrical connections would be larger for two units.
Biomass System Integration
The Garn boiler creates heated water that would deliver heat to a heat exchanger inside the detached
boiler building, which would transfer heat to a buried insulated piping loop system with 50% propylene
glycol. This loop would deliver heat through a direct buried, insulated arctic pipe to the Miracle Lodge
mechanical room and tie into the return side of the existing oil boiler. The buried piping run is a short
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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distance and so the risk of having a puncture in the buried piping is low, therefore a second heat exchanger
in the Miracle Lodge mechanical room is not necessary. Not including a second heat exchanger will
increase thermal performance. An injection pump would add heat from the Garn building heat exchanger
to the oil boiler return piping.
By tying into the oil boiler return line, the wood boiler will be able minimize the firing of the oil boilers. In
the event that the wood boiler cannot meet the heat demand of the building, the existing oil boilers will
fire to provide the supplemental heat required. It is recommended that an aggressive outside
temperature reset schedule on the oil boilers is used in order to maximize the utilization of the wood
boiler. This allows the supply water temperature for the oil boilers to be set lower throughout the year,
which allows the Garn unit to easily meet these water temperatures and deliver more heat to the lodge.
District Heating System
There are many other buildings on the Victory Bible Camp property. Most of the buildings are small
seasonal cabins that are dispersed throughout the property, making them difficult to serve with a district
heating system.
However, there is a group of larger buildings located to the south of the Miracle Lodge that could be
candidates for a district heating system because they are relatively close together and are larger
consumers of energy. These buildings are listed in the table below and shown in the following map.
Table 5 – Buildings for Potential District Heat System
Map
Number Building HVAC System
Heating
Oil Usage
(gal)
Cord Wood
Usage
(cords)
Equivalent amount of
heating oil energy
used if no wood is
burned (gal)
17
Miracle
Lodge
Baseboard, Radiant,
Convectors 4,500 120 18,300
19 Aspen Baseboard 800 800
19A Birch
Currently gutted and
unoccupied 800 800
20 Cedar Baseboard 700 700
21/22 Douglas Baseboard 1,800 1,800
24 Spruce Baseboard and Convector 1,500 1,500
27 Gym Forced Air 500 500
25 Alder Baseboard 800 800
31 Shop Convector 20 2,300
30 Cranberry Toyotomi Laser 56 150 150
28 Raspberry Toyotomi Laser 56 150 150
29 Mossberry Toyotomi Laser 56 15 15
Totals 11,715 140 27,815
The challenge with this district system is that many of these buildings on the list are only used seasonally
and have relatively low energy consumption compared to the Miracle Lodge. As can be seen, the
Miracle Lodge consumes twice as much energy as all of the other buildings on the list combined.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Therefore, the most economical system will be to focus solely on the Miracle Lodge, which is the largest
consumer of energy.
Figure 5 – Building Site Map
Rough calculations were completed to see what the viability of a district system would be. The district
system would feed both the Miracle Lodge and the rest of the buildings in the table above. Assuming
that the district heating plant could offset 90% of the heating oil use with cord wood (approximately 150
cords) the entire district heating and wood boiler project would need to cost less than $810,000 to be
economically viable, with a benefit to cost ratio greater than 1.0. This is based on $250/cord and
$2.55/gal of heating oil.
A district system would require interconnections to each building and adding new low temperature heat
emitters at the buildings. It would require a large buried piping loop and circulation pumps.
Burning this quantity of wood with a Garn boiler system will require a lot of manual labor loading and
storing wood. If a district system is wanted, then a wood chip boiler system may be a better option
because it is an automated system with less manual work. However, a source of chips would be
required, or Victory Bible Camp would need to chip their own. A large chip storage building would be
needed. The footprint of the detached boiler building containing the chip boiler, augers, hoppers,
pumps, and heat exchanger would be larger than the Garn system.
19A
31
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Based on these preliminary results, a viable district heating system might be possible but requires a
much larger initial capital construction outlay and further engineering to develop a more detailed cost
estimate of the project. Providing just a system for the Miracle Lodge captures the majority of the
energy savings with a significantly smaller initial construction cost.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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5. Energy Consumption and Costs
Energy Costs
The table below shows the energy comparison of different fuel types in the community. The system
efficiency is used to calculate the delivered MMBTU’s of energy to the building. The delivered cost of
energy to the building, in $/MMBTU, is the most accurate way to compare costs of different energy types.
As shown below, cord wood is cheaper than fuel oil and electricity on a $/MMBTU basis at Victory Bible
Camp.
Table 6 – Energy Comparison
Community Fuel Type Units Gross
BTU/unit
System
Efficiency $/unit Delivered
$/MMBTU
Victory Bible
Camp
Cord Wood (Donated) cord 18,200,000 80% $90 $6.18
Cord Wood cord 18,200,000 80% $250 $17.17
Rejected Jet Fuel gal 118,000 65% $1.50 $19.56
Heating Oil gal 134,000 65% $2.55 $29.28
Electricity kWh 3,412 99% $0.18 $53.29
Wood Energy
The gross energy content of a cord of wood varies depending on tree species and moisture content.
Victory Bible Camp typically burns birch at 20% moisture content which has an energy content of
18,200,000 BTU/cord, according to the UAF Cooperative Extension. Wet or greenwood has higher
moisture contents and require additional heat to evaporate moisture before the wood can burn. Thus,
wood with higher moisture contents will have lower energy content. Seasoned or dry wood will typically
have 20% moisture content.
Another option to improve moisture content, depending on source of wood and allowable timing of
harvesting, is to cut wood in the late fall after the sap has left the tree trunk. Tok has indicated that wood
harvested this way has a much lower moisture content and thus does not require as much seasoning time
for the wood to get to useable moisture contents.
Cord Wood
Victory Bible Camp has two sources of cord wood. The most expensive option is to buy cord wood for
$250/cord from a local source. The lower cost option is to collect donated wood from recently cleared
land in the area and using volunteers to cut the wood at the camp. The only cost to Victory Bible Camp is
for the transportation of the donated wood, which is around $90/cord. Donated cord wood is not always
available and so is not counted on as a reliable source each year. For this study, these two cord wood
prices were evaluated.
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Wood Pellets and Chips
There is no local wood pellet manufacturer or distributor in the area, which means that wood pellets
would have to be trucked into the community. Therefore, wood pellet costs will be higher than the cord
wood resources available.
Wood chips could be an option at Victory Bible Camp, however there is no local seller of wood chips. The
VBC could chip their own wood, but would need to buy a wood chipper to do this.
Since VBC is already using cord wood for heating, and has the infrastructure and knowledge to use cord
wood boilers, it is recommended that cord wood continue to be used. Donated cord wood represents the
cheapest form of energy.
Rejected Jet Fuel
Occasionally, Victory Bible Camp has access to rejected jet fuel from a Ted Stevens Anchorage
International Airport fuel distributer which is 118,000 BTU/gal and costs around $1.50/gal. This energy
source is used whenever it is available because of its low cost. However, it is not always available and is
not counted on for yearly budgeting.
Heating Oil
The high price of fuel oil is the main economic driver for the use of lower cost biomass heating. Fuel oil is
currently purchased at $2.55/gal. The price of fuel oil has fluctuated greatly over time, and currently
appears to be at a lower price than in the recent past. The wide variation of fuel oil prices is a disadvantage
compared to more stably priced wood pellets. For this study, the energy content of fuel oil is based on
134,000 BTU/gal, according to “Heating Values of Fuels” by the UAF Cooperative Extension, 2009.
Electricity
Electricity for Victory Bible Camp is provided by the Matanuska Electric Association (MEA). The effective
electricity rate at the camp is $0.18/kWh. The effective electricity rate is the cost of all electric costs
(demand, energy, customer charges) per kWH for a billing period. On a BTU basis, electricity is the most
expensive energy source. There are 3,412 BTU per kWh.
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Existing Fuel Oil Consumption
The Miracle Lodge consumes approximately 4,500 gallons of heating oil and 120 cords of birch every year,
based on data provided by VBC. For this analysis, it is assumed that the existing Econoburn wood boiler
will be replaced. Therefore, the economics for the new Garn boiler will be based on the Miracle Lodge’s
consumption of energy based on heating oil only. 120 cords of birch being combusted by the Econoburn
boiler (at 55% efficiency) is approximately 13,800 gal of heating oil. The total estimated heating oil
consumption of the Miracle Lodge, without any wood burning, is 18,300 gallons.
Table 7 – Existing Fuel Oil Consumption
Building Fuel Type Annual
Consumption
Net
MMBTU/yr
Avg. Annual
Cost
Miracle Lodge Heating Oil #2 18,300 gal 1593.9 $46,665
Biomass System Consumption
It is estimated that the proposed biomass system will offset approximately 97% of the heating energy for
the building. The remaining 3% of the heating energy will be provided by the existing oil boilers. This
result is based on an analysis of the building’s annual heating oil consumption, the heat output of the Garn
boiler and BIN weather data for the area. During the winter it is assumed that the Garn WHS-3200 is
loaded three times per day, which will produce around 300,000 BTU/hr, per manufacturer
documentation. More frequent loading is possible, which will increase BTU output and allow additional
heating oil offset during colder times of the year. The annual energy consumption and energy savings of
the projects are shown in the following table.
Table 8 – Proposed Biomass System Fuel Consumption
Building Fuel Type
%
Heating
Source
Net
MMBTU/yr
Annual
Consumption
Energy
Cost
Total
Energy
Cost
Annual
Energy
Savings
Miracle
Lodge
Cord Wood 97% 1546.1 106 cords $26,547.25
$28,037 $18,628 Fuel Oil 3% 47.8 549 gal $1,400
Additional Electricity N/A N/A 500 kWh $90
Note – Based on cord wood at $250/cord, heating oil at $2.55/gal and electricity at $0.18/kWh.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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6. Preliminary Cost Estimating
An estimate of probable costs was completed for installing the wood boiler system at the Miracle Lodge.
The estimate is based equipment quotes and from previous projects in Alaska.
Two different estimates were completed. The first estimate is using a contractor for the work, which is
typically done on most biomass related projects. The second estimate is using volunteer labor for
construction. Victory Bible Camp has an impressive volunteer base that is capable of taking on
construction projects such as this, per the facility director. Many of the volunteers are professionals that
work in the construction industry.
A 5% remote factor was used to account for increased shipping costs. Project and Construction
Management was estimated at 5%. Engineering design and permitting was estimated at 20% and a 25%
contingency was used. A 25% contingency is used as no specific design engineering effort has been
completed, specific quotes for all materials have not been prepared, and all the integration components
have not been determined. Thus, there are unknowns related to the extent of Mechanical, Electrical, and
Civil work required for the proposed project.
It should be noted that the Project and Construction Management could be completed by Victory Bible
Camp in-house. This would further lower the cost of the project.
It is assumed that the existing wood boiler heat exchanger (located in the mechanical room) and existing
below grade piping between the wood boiler and lodge will need to be replaced. During final engineering
design the heat exchanger size and below grade pipe size may need to be resized to optimize the Garn
boiler performance.
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Table 9 – Estimate of Probable Costs
Category Description
With
Volunteer
Labor
Using
Contractor
Labor
(No Volunteer
Effort)
Site Work Site Grading for Module $0 $2,000
Foundation $2,000 $5,000
Buried Utilities $500 $1,200
Subtotal $2,500 $8,200
Electrical Utilities Service Entrance $1,000 $3,000
Conduit and Wiring $1,000 $3,000
Subtotal $2,000 $6,000
Wood Boiler Module Boiler Bldg 10 ft x 24 ft ($200/SF) $15,000 $48,000
Garn Boiler WHS-3200 $49,900 $49,900
Interior Installation, Piping, Pump & Materials $10,000 $35,000
Heat Exchanger $5,000 $7,000
Fire Alarm Allowance $5,000 $7,000
Controls Allowance $2,000 $4,000
Electrical Allowance $2,500 $7,000
Shipping $5,000 $6,500
Subtotal $94,400 $164,400
Building Connection Insulated Piping from Module $1,500 $4,500
Boiler Room Modifications $2,500 $5,000
Subtotal $4,000 $9,500
Subtotal Material and Installation Cost $102,900 $188,100
Remote Factor 5% $5,145 $9,405
Subtotal $108,045 $197,505
Project and Construction Management 5% $5,402 $9,875
Subtotal $113,447 $207,380
Design Fees and Permitting 20% $22,689 $41,476
Subtotal $136,136 $248,856
Contingency 25% $34,034 $62,214
Total Project Cost $170,170 $311,070
Total Budgetary Cost $171,000 $312,000
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7. Economic Analysis
The following assumptions were used to complete the economic analysis for this study.
Table 10 – Discount and Escalation rates
Real Discount Rate for Net Present Value Analysis 3%
Wood Fuel Escalation Rate 2%
Fossil Fuel Escalation Rate 5%
Electricity Escalation Rate 3%
O&M Escalation Rate 2%
The real discount rate, or minimum attractive rate of return, is 3.0% and is the current rate used for all
Life Cycle Cost Analysis by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. This is a typical
rate used for completing economic analysis for public entities in Alaska. The escalation rates used for the
wood, heating oil, electricity and O&M rates are based on rates used in previous Alaska Energy Authority
funded biomass pre-feasibility studies.
A net present value analysis was completed using real dollars (constant dollars) and the real discount rate,
as required per the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Handbook.
Even though Victory Bible Camp is not a part of the Alaska Department of Education and Early
Development, the life cycle cost analysis handbook is still followed because it is a best practice.
O&M Costs
Non-fuel related operations and maintenance costs (O&M) were estimated at $600 per year. The
estimate is based on annual maintenance time for Garn boiler system. For only the first two years of
service, the maintenance cost is doubled to account for maintenance staff getting used to operating the
new system.
Definitions
There are many different economic terms used in this study. A listing of all the terms with their definition
is provided below for reference.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Table 11 – Economic Definitions
Economic Term Description
Project Capital Cost This is the opinion of probable cost for designing and constructing the
project.
Present Value of
Project Benefits
(20-year life)
The present value of all of the heating oil that would have been consumed
by the existing heating oil-fired heating system, over a 20-year period.
Present Value of
Operating Costs
(20-year life)
The present value of all of the proposed biomass systems operating costs
over a 20-year period. This includes wood fuel, additional electricity, and
O&M costs for the proposed biomass system and the heating oil required by
the existing equipment to supply the remaining amount of heat to the
building.
Benefit / Cost Ratio of
Project
(20-year life)
This is the benefit to cost ratio over the 20-year period. A project that has a
benefit to cost ratio greater than 1.0 is economically justified. It is defined
as follows:
𝐵𝑐𝑛𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑟 / 𝐵𝑛𝑟𝑟 𝑅𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛= 𝑂𝑉(𝑂𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑐𝑟 𝐵𝑐𝑛𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑟)− 𝑂𝑉(𝑂𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐 𝐵𝑛𝑟𝑟𝑟)
𝑂𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑐𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝐵𝑛𝑟𝑟
Where:
PV = The present value over the 20-year period
Reference Sullivan, Wicks and Koelling, “Engineering Economy”, 14th ed.,
2009, pg. 440, Modified B-C Ratio.
Net Present Value
(20-year life)
This is the net present value of the project over a 20-year period. If the
project has a net present value greater than zero, the project is economically
justified. This quantity accounts for the project capital cost, project benefits
and operating costs.
Payback Period (Year
Accumulated Cash Flow
> Project Capital Cost)
The Payback Period is the number of years it takes for the accumulated cash
flow of the project to be greater than or equal to the project capital cost.
This quantity includes escalating energy prices and O&M rates. This quantity
is calculated as follows:
𝐼𝑛𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑐𝑐 𝐵𝑛𝑟𝑟≤∑𝑅𝑘
𝐽
𝑘=0
Where:
J = Year that the accumulated cash flow is greater than or equal to the
Project Capital Cost.
𝑅𝑘 = Project Cash flow for the kth year.
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Results
An economic analysis was completed to determine the simple payback, benefit to cost ratio, and net
present value of the proposed cord wood boiler system at the Miracle Lodge. A Garn cord wood boiler
system and heat exchanger would be located in a detached building and a heating loop would connect to
the lodge’s mechanical room. The cord wood boiler would supplement heat for the existing oil boiler
system.
Four scenarios were evaluated with two different project costs (contractor labor vs volunteer labor) and
two different cord wood prices ($250/cord and $90/cord). All of the scenarios evaluated have benefit to
cost ratios greater than 1.0. Any project with a benefit to cost ratio greater than 1.0 is considered
economically justified, and therefore all of the scenarios are economically justified at this time.
The benefit to cost ratios range from 1.85 (using contractor labor and $250/cord) all the way to 5.14 (with
volunteer labor and $90/cord). These are good economic numbers and show that this project is viable
over many different variables.
The results are shown in the table below. Refer to Appendix B for the economic analysis spreadsheets for
greater detail. (Note: values shown in red and parenthesis are negative numbers)
Table 12 – Economic Analysis Results
Item
Scenarios
Contractor
Labor and
$250/cord
Contractor
Labor and
$90/cord
Volunteer
Labor and
$250/cord
Volunteer
Labor and
$90/cord
Project Capital Cost ($312,000) ($312,000) ($171,000) ($171,000)
Present Value of Project Benefits (20-year life) $1,094,450 $1,094,450 $1,094,450 $1,094,450
Present Value of Operating Costs (20-year life) ($516,134) ($215,489) ($516,134) ($215,489)
Benefit / Cost Ratio of Project (20-year life) 1.85 2.82 3.38 5.14
Net Present Value (20-year life) $266,316 $566,961 $407,316 $707,961
Year Cash Flow is Net Positive First Year First Year First Year First Year
Payback Period
(Year Accumulated Cash Flow > Project Capital Cost) 13 years 9 years 8 years 5 years
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Sensitivity Analysis
A sensitivity analysis was completed to show how changing heating oil prices, cord wood prices and
project costs affect the benefit to cost (B/C) ratios of the project. As heating oil costs increase and wood
costs decrease, the project becomes more economically viable. The B/C ratios greater than 1.0 are
economically justified and are highlighted in green. B/C ratios less than 1.0 are not economically justified
and are highlighted in orange.
As can be seen from the tables below, the project is economically viable over a wide range of variables.
Table 13 – Sensitivity Analysis – Heating Oil Price vs Cord Wood Price
B/C Ratios Cord Wood Price
$90/cord $150/cord $200/cord $300/cord $350/cord $400/cord
Heating
Oil Cost
$2.00/gal 2.08 1.72 1.42 0.82 0.52 0.22
$2.25/gal 2.42 2.06 1.75 1.15 0.85 0.55
$2.50/gal 2.75 2.39 2.09 1.49 1.18 0.88
$2.75/gal 3.08 2.72 2.42 1.82 1.52 1.22
$3.00/gal 3.42 3.06 2.76 2.15 1.85 1.55
$3.25/gal 3.75 3.39 3.09 2.49 2.19 1.88
$3.50/gal 4.08 3.72 3.42 2.82 2.52 2.22
$3.75/gal 4.42 4.06 3.76 3.15 2.85 2.55
$4.00/gal 4.75 4.39 4.09 3.49 3.19 2.89
$4.25/gal 5.09 4.72 4.42 3.82 3.52 3.22
$4.50/gal 5.42 5.06 4.76 4.15 3.85 3.55
Note: Based on project cost of $312,000.
Table 14 – Sensitivity Analysis – Cord Wood Price vs Project Cost
B/C Ratios Project Cost
($200,000) ($250,000) ($300,000) ($350,000) ($400,000) ($450,000)
Cord
Wood
Price
$90/cord 4.39 3.52 2.93 2.51 2.20 1.95
$100/cord 4.30 3.44 2.87 2.46 2.15 1.91
$150/cord 3.83 3.06 2.55 2.19 1.92 1.70
$200/cord 3.36 2.69 2.24 1.92 1.68 1.49
$250/cord 2.89 2.31 1.93 1.65 1.45 1.29
$300/cord 2.42 1.94 1.61 1.38 1.21 1.08
$350/cord 1.95 1.56 1.30 1.12 0.98 0.87
$400/cord 1.48 1.19 0.99 0.85 0.74 0.66
$450/cord 1.01 0.81 0.68 0.58 0.51 0.45
Note: Based on heating oil price of $2.55/gal.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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8. Forest Resource and Fuel Availability Assessments
Fuel Availability
For this study, the there are two sources of cord wood. The first is to buy cord wood from Valley Firewood
that delivers cord wood by truck (www.valleyfirewoodak.com). The second is donated wood from the
clearing of raw land on the Parks Highway. There appears to be adequate cord wood available in the area.
No further forest resource assessments were obtained.
Air Quality Permitting
Currently, air quality permitting is regulated according to the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation Section 18 AAC 50 Air Quality Control regulations. Per these regulations, a minor air quality
permit is required if a new wood boiler or wood stove produces one of the following conditions per
Section 18 AAC 50.502 (C)(1): 40 tons per year (TPY) of carbon dioxide (CO2), 15 TPY of particulate matter
greater than 10 microns (PM-10), 40 TPY of sulfur dioxide, 0.6 TPY of lead, 100 TPY of carbon monoxide
within 10 kilometers of a carbon monoxide nonattainment area, or 10 TPY of direct PM -2.5 emissions.
These regulations assume that the device will operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year and that no
fuel burning equipment is used. If a new wood boiler or wood stove is installed in addition to a fuel
burning heating device, the increase in air pollutants cannot exceed the following per AAC 50.502 (C)(3):
10 TPY of PM-10, 10 TPY of sulfur dioxide, 10 TPY of nitrogen oxides, 100 TPY of carbon monoxide within
10 kilometers of a carbon monoxide nonattainment area, or 10 TPY of direct PM-2.5 emissions. Per the
Wood-fired Heating Device Visible Emission Standards (Section 18 AAC 50.075), a person may not operate
a wood-fired heating device in a manner that causes black smoke or visible emissions that exceed 50
percent opacity for more than 15 minutes in any hour in an area where an air quality advisory is in effect.
From Coffman’s discussions with Patrick Dunn at the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation,
these regulations are focused on permitting industrial applications of wood burning equipment. In his
opinion, it would be unlikely that an individual wood boiler would require an air quality permit unless
several boilers were to be installed and operated at the same site. If several boilers were installed and
operated together, the emissions produced could be greater than 40 tons of CO2 per year. This would
require permitting per AAC 50.502 (C)(1) or (C)(3). Permitting would not be required on the residential
wood fired stoves unless they violated the Wood-fired Heating Device Visible Emission Standards (Section
18 AAC 50.075). Recent similarly sized Garn wood fired boiler systems installed in Alaska have not
required air quality permits.
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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9. General Biomass Technology Information
Heating with Wood Fuel
Wood fuels are among the most cost-effective and reliable sources of heating fuel for communities
adjacent to forestland when the wood fuels are processed, handled, and combusted appropriately.
Compared to other heating energy fuels, such as oil and propane, wood fuels typically have lower energy
density and higher associated transportation and handling costs. Due to this low bulk density, wood fuels
have a shorter viable haul distance when compared to fossil fuels. This short haul distance also creates an
advantage for local communities to utilize locally-sourced wood fuels, while simultaneously retaining local
energy dollars.
Most communities in rural Alaska are particularly vulnerable to high energy prices due to the large number
of heating degree days and expensive shipping costs. For many communities, wood-fueled heating can
lower fuel costs. For example, cordwood sourced at $250 per cord is just 25% of the cost per MMBTU as
#1 fuel oil sourced at $7 per gallon. In addition to the financial savings, the local communities also benefit
from the multiplier effect of circulating energy dollars within the community longer, more stable energy
prices, job creation, and more active forest management.
The local cordwood market is influenced by land ownership, existing forest management and ecological
conditions, local demand and supply, and the State of Alaska Energy Assistance program.
Types of Wood Fuel
Wood fuels are specified by energy density, moisture content, ash content, and granulometry. Each of
these characteristics affects the wood fuel’s handling characteristics, storage requirements, and
combustion process. Higher quality fuels have lower moisture, ash, dirt, and rock contents, consistent
granulometry, and higher energy density. Different types of fuel quality can be used in wood heating
projects as long as the infrastructure specifications match the fuel content characteristics. Typically, lower
quality fuel will be the lowest cost fuel, but it will require more expensive storage, handling, and
combustion infrastructure, as well as additional maintenance.
Projects in rural Alaska must be designed around the availability of wood fuels. Some fuels can be
harvested and manufactured on site, such as cordwood, woodchips, and briquettes. Wood pellets can
also be used, but typically require a larger scale pellet manufacturer to make them. The economic
feasibility of manufacturing on site is determined by a financial assessment of the project. Typically, larger
projects offer more flexibility in terms of owning and operating the wood harvesting and m anufacturing
equipment, such as a wood chipper, splitter, or equipment to haul wood out of forest, than smaller
projects.
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High Efficiency Wood Pellet Boilers
High efficiency pellet boilers are designed to burn wood pellets cleanly and efficiently. These boilers utilize
pellet storage bins or silos that hold a large percentage of the building’s annual pellet supply. Augers or
vacuums transfer pellets from the silos to a pellet hopper adjacent to the pellet boiler, where pellets can
be fed into the boiler for burning. Pellets are automatically loaded into the pellet boiler and do not require
manual loading such as in a Garn cordwood boiler. The pellet boilers typically have a 3 to 1 turn down
ratio, which allows the firing rate to modulate from 100% down to 33% fire. This allows the boiler to
properly match building heat demand, increasing boiler efficiency. The efficiencies of these boilers can
range from 85% to 92% efficiency depending on firing rate.
High Efficiency Cordwood Boilers
High Efficiency Low Emission (HELE) cordwood boilers are designed to burn cordwood fuel cleanly and
efficiently. The boilers use cordwood that is typically seasoned to 25% moisture content (MC) or less and
meet the dimensions required for loading and firing. The amount of cordwood burned by the boiler will
depend on the heat load profile of the building and the utilization of the fuel oil system as back up. Two
HELE cordwood boiler suppliers include Garn (www.garn.com) and TarmUSA (www.woodboilers.com).
Both of these suppliers have units operating in Alaska. TarmUSA has a number of residential units
operating in Alaska and has models that range between 100,000 to 300,000 BTU/hr. Garn boilers,
manufactured by Dectra Corporation, are used in Tanana, Kasilof, Dot Lake, Thorne Bay, Coffman Cove
and other locations to heat homes, washaterias, schools, and community buildings.
The Garn boiler has a unique construction, which is basically a wood boiler housed in a large water tank.
Garn boilers come in several sizes and are appropriate for facilities using 100,000 to 1,000,000 BTUs per
hour. The jacket of water surrounding the fire box absorbs heat and is piped into buildings via a heat
exchanger, and then transferred to an existing building heating system, in-floor radiant tubing, unit
heaters, or baseboard heaters. In installations where the Garn boiler is in a detached building, there are
additional heat exchangers, pumps and a glycol circulation loop that are necessary to transfer heat to the
building while allowing for freeze protection. Radiant floor heating is the most efficient heating method
when using wood boilers such as Garns, because they can operate using lower supply water temperatures
compared to baseboards.
Garn boilers are approximately 87% efficient and store a large quantity of water. For example, the Garn
WHS-2000 holds approximately 1,825 gallons of heated water. Garns also produce virtually no smoke
when at full burn, because of a primary and secondary gasification (2,000 ºF) burning process. Garns are
manually stocked with cordwood and can be loaded multiple times a day during periods of high heating
demand. Garns are simple to operate with only three moving parts: a handle, door and blower. Garns
produce very little ash and require minimal maintenance. Removing ash and inspecting fans are typical
maintenance requirements. Fans are used to produce a draft that increases combustion temperatures
and boiler efficiency. In cold climates, Garns can be equipped with exterior insulated storage tanks for
extra hot water circulating capacity. Most facilities using cordwood boilers keep existing oil-fired systems
operational to provide heating backup during biomass boiler downtimes and to provide additional heat
for peak heating demand periods.
Low Efficiency Cordwood Boilers
Outdoor boilers are categorized as low-efficiency, high emission (LEHE) systems. These boiler systems are
not recommended as they produce significant emission issues and do not combust wood fuels efficiently
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc. 22
or completely, resulting in significant energy waste and pollution. These systems require significantly
more wood to be purchased, handled and combusted to heat a facility as compared to a HELE system.
Additionally, several states have placed a moratorium on installing LEHE boilers because of air quality
issues (Washington). These LEHE systems can have combustion efficiencies as low as 25% percent and
produce more than nine times the emission rate of standard industrial boilers. In comparison, HELEs can
operate around 87% efficiency.
High Efficiency Wood Stoves
Newer high efficiency wood stoves are available on the market that produce minimal smoke, minimal ash
and require less firewood. New EPA-certified wood stoves produce significantly less smoke than older
uncertified wood stoves. High efficiency wood stoves are easy to operate with minimal maintenance
compared to other biomass systems. The Blaze King Classic high efficiency wood stove
(www.blazeking.com) is a recommended model, due to its built-in thermostats that monitor the heat
output of the stove. This stove automatically adjusts the air required for combustion. This unique
technology, combined with the efficiencies of a catalytic combustor with a built-in thermostat, provides
the longest burn times of any wood stove. The Blaze King stove allows for optimal combustion and less
frequent loading and firing times.
Bulk Fuel Boilers
Bulk fuel boilers usually burn wood chips, sawdust, bark or pellets and are designed around the wood
resources that are available from the local forests or local industry. Several large facilities in Tok, Craig,
and Delta Junction (Delta Greely High School) are using bulk fuel biomass systems. Tok uses a commercial
grinder to process woodchips. The chips are then dumped into a bin and are carried by a conveyor belt
to the boiler. The wood fuel comes from timber scraps, local sawmills and forest thinning projects. The
Delta Greely High School has a woodchip bulk fuel boiler that heats the 77,000 square foot facility. The
Delta Greely system, designed by Coffman engineers, includes a completely separate boiler building which
includes a chip storage bunker and space for storage of tractor trailers full of chips (so handling of frozen
chips could be avoided). Woodchips are stored in the concrete bunker and augers move the material on
a conveyor belt to the boilers.
Grants and Financing
There are state, federal, and local grant opportunities for biomass work for feasibility studies, design and
construction. If a project is pursued, a thorough search of websites and discussions with the AEA Biomass
group is recommended to make sure no possible funding opportunities are missed. Below are some
funding opportunities and existing past grants that have been awarded.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has over fifty financial assistance programs for a
variety of rural applications. This includes energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services
The city of Nulato was awarded a $40,420 grant for engineering services for a wood energy project by the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Forest Service. Links regarding the
award of the Woody Biomass Utilization Project recipients are shown below:
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2012/releases/07/renewablewoods.shtml
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
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Delta Junction was awarded a grant for engineering from the Alaska Energy Authority from the Renewable
Energy Fund for $831,203. This fund provides assistance to utilities, independent power producers, local
governments, and tribal governments for feasibility studies, reconnaissance studies, energy resource
monitoring, and work related to the design and construction of eligible facilities.
http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Programs/RenewableEnergyFund
The Alaska Wood Energy Development Task Group (AWEDTG) consists of a coalition of federal and state
agencies and not-for-profit organizations that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to
explore opportunities to increase the utilization of wood for energy and biofuels production in Alaska. A
pre-feasibility study for Aleknagik was conducted in 2012 for the AWEDTG. The preliminary costs for the
biomass system(s) are $346,257 for the city hall and health center system and $439,096 for the city hall,
health center, and future washateria system.
http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Programs/AEEE/Biomass
The Emerging Energy Technology Fund grand program provides funds to eligible applicants for
demonstrations projects of technologies that have a reasonable expectation to be commercially viable
within five years and that are designed to: test emerging energy technologies or methods of conserving
energy, improve an existing energy technology, or deploy an existing technology that has not previously
been demonstrated in Alaska.
http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Programs/EETF1
The U.S. Forest Service also has grants available, such as the Wood Innovation Program. In 2018, there
was $8 million of grant money available to communities to expand and accelerate wood products and
wood energy markets.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/naspf/programs/wood-education-and-resource-center/2018-wood-
innovations-program-request-proposals
Department of Energy (DOE) funding options can be accessed at these links:
https://www.energy.gov/energy-economy/funding-financing
https://www.energy.gov/eere/wipo/energy-efficiency-and-conservation-block-grant-program
https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/apply-eere-funding-opportunities
https://archive.epa.gov/greenbuilding/web/html/funding.html#general
Also, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and DOE have revolving loan funds that can be
used for energy improvements.
https://www.ahfc.us/efficiency/non-residential-buildings/energy-efficiency-revolving-loan-fund-aeerlp/
https://www.energy.gov/savings/energy-efficiency-revolving-loan-fund-program
Finally, clean energy grant programs in Alaska can be found at:
http://programs.dsireusa.org/system/program?fromSir=0&state=AK
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
Appendix A
Site Photos
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
Miracle Lodge
1. West Elevation of Building 2. South Elevation of Building
3. North Elevation of Building 4. North Elevation of Building Opposite Side
5. East Elevation of Building 6. Emergency Generator
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
7. Existing Econoburn Wood Boiler 8. Fuel Oil Boiler
9. Used Oil Boilers 10. Hot Water Heater
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
11. Hydronic Pumps 12. Electrical Panels in Mechanical/Electrical
Room
13. Switchgear in Mechanical/Electrical Room 14. Electrical Panels in Mechanical/Electrical
Room
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
Appendix B
Economic Analysis Spreadsheets
Victory Bible CampSutton, AlaskaProject Capital Cost($312,000)Present Value of Project Benefits (20-year life)$1,094,450Present Value of Operating Costs (20-year life)($516,134)Benefit / Cost Ratio of Project (20-year life)1.85Net Present Value (20-year life)$266,316Year Accumulated Cash Flow is Net PositiveFirst YearPayback Period (Year Accumulated Cash Flow > Project Capital Cost)13 yearsDiscount Rate for Net Present Value Analysis3%Wood Fuel Escalation Rate2%Fossil Fuel Escalation Rate5%Electricity Escalation Rate3%O&M Escalation Rate2%YearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYearYear1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20Existing Heating System Operating CostsExisting Heating Oil Consumption$2.5518,300gal$46,665$48,998$51,448$54,021$56,722$59,558$62,536$65,662$68,945$72,393$76,012$79,813$83,804$87,994$92,394$97,013$101,864$106,957$112,305$117,920Biomass System Operating CostsCord Wood Cost (Delivered)$250.0097%106cords($26,500)($27,030)($27,571)($28,122)($28,684)($29,258)($29,843)($30,440)($31,049)($31,670)($32,303)($32,949)($33,608)($34,281)($34,966)($35,666)($36,379)($37,106)($37,849)($38,605)Fossil Fuel$2.553%549gal($1,400)($1,470)($1,543)($1,621)($1,702)($1,787)($1,876)($1,970)($2,068)($2,172)($2,280)($2,394)($2,514)($2,640)($2,772)($2,910)($3,056)($3,209)($3,369)($3,538)Additional Electricity$0.18500kWh($90)($93)($95)($98)($101)($104)($107)($111)($114)($117)($121)($125)($128)($132)($136)($140)($144)($149)($153)($158)Operation and Maintenance Costs($600)($612)($624)($637)($649)($662)($676)($689)($703)($717)($731)($746)($761)($776)($792)($808)($824)($840)($857)($874)Additional Operation and Maintenance Costs for first 2 years($600)($612)$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0Total Operating Costs($29,190)($29,817)($29,834)($30,478)($31,137)($31,812)($32,503)($33,210)($33,934)($34,676)($35,436)($36,214)($37,012)($37,829)($38,666)($39,524)($40,403)($41,304)($42,228)($43,175)Annual Operating Cost Savings$17,475 $19,182 $21,614 $23,543 $25,585 $27,746 $30,033 $32,452 $35,011 $37,717 $40,576 $43,599 $46,792 $50,165 $53,728 $57,490 $61,461 $65,653 $70,077 $74,745Accumulated Cash Flow$17,475 $36,657 $58,271 $81,814 $107,399 $135,145 $165,178 $197,630 $232,641 $270,358 $310,934 $354,533 $401,324 $451,490 $505,217 $562,707 $624,168 $689,821 $759,898 $834,643Net Present Value($295,034) ($276,953) ($257,173) ($236,256) ($214,186) ($190,949) ($166,530) ($140,911) ($114,078) ($86,014) ($56,700) ($26,121)$5,742 $38,907 $73,392 $109,218 $146,403 $184,967 $224,931 $266,316Economic Analysis ResultsInflation RatesDescription Unit CostHeating Source ProportionAnnual Energy UnitsEnergy Units
Feasibility Assessment for Biomass Heating Systems Victory Bible Camp
Coffman Engineers, Inc.
Appendix C
AWEDTG Field Data Sheets
Same as aboveNo
Only for heating4500 Gallons
See photos
Gravel. No permafrost.
Same as aboveNo
Only for heating.1500 Gallons
See photos
Gravel. No permafrost.
NoSame as aboveAs Needed/Seasonal
Only for heating.1800 Gallons
See photos
Same as aboveNoAs Needed/Seasonal
Only for heating.700 Gallons
See photos
NoSame as aboveAs Needed/Seasonal
Only for heatingWeil-Mclain WTGO-3 100,000 BTU Gold Oil Boiler. #386-100-832800 Gallons
Same as oil boiler.See photos
Gravel. No permafrost.
NoSame as above
Only for heatingUsed oil stored in external structure located on the south wall of the gym. Outside access only. Single tank.500 Gallons
See photosUsed oil stored in external structure located on the south wall of the gym. Outside access only. Single tank.
Gravel. No Permafrost.
Same as aboveNoAs Needed/Seasonal
Only for heating.Weil-Mclain WTGO-3 100,000 BTU Gold Oil Boiler. #386-100-832800 Gallons
See photosSame as boiler.
Same as aboveNo0-6
See below.Hot water heater.Propane tank located at rear (South) of building. Unused fuel oil tank also on site.0 Gallons
Same as Unit heaters.See photos
Gravel. No Permafrost.