HomeMy WebLinkAboutPart 2 Exhibits
APPLICATION FOR AN ORIGINAL HYDROKINETIC
POWER PILOT PROJECT LICENSE FOR THE
WHITESTONE PONCELET RISEC PROJECT
FERC Project No. 13305
INITIAL STATEMENT
1. Whitestone Power and Communications (WPC) applies to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) for a hydrokinetic pilot project license, under guidance of FERC’s
Licensing Hydrokinetic Pilot Projects whitepaper, for the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC
Project as described herein. The project number assigned by FERC to this project is
13305.
2. The location of the project is:
a. State or territory: Alaska
b. County: N/A
c. Township or nearby town: Whitestone
d. Stream or other body of water: Tanana River
3. The exact name, address and telephone number of the applicant are:
Whitestone Power and Communications
P.O. Box 1630
Delta Junction, AK 99737
907-895-4938
4. The exact name, address, and telephone number of each person authorized to act as agent
for the applicant in this application, if applicable are:
Steven M. Selvaggio
President
907-803-5432
Steven A. Selvaggio
Registered Agent
907-803-3021
Address for both agents is the same as that for the applicant as listed above.
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EXHIBIT A
5. The applicant is a domestic non-profit entity and is not claiming preference under section
7(a) of the Federal Power Act. See 16 U.S.C. 796.
6. (a) The statutory or regulatory requirements of the state(s) in which the project would be
located that affect the project as proposed with respect to bed and banks and the
appropriation, diversion and use of water for power purposes, and with respect to the
right to engage in the business of developing, transmitting and distributing power and in
any other business necessary to accomplish the purposes of the license under the Federal
Power Act, are included along with, (b) The steps which the applicant has taken or plans
to take to comply with each of the laws cited:
7. CONSULTATION AND COMPLIANCE
a. Clean Water Act
i. Statutory Regulation
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, as amended, any activity
requiring a federal license or permit that may result in discharge into
navigable waterways, requires certification from the state that confirms that
any such discharge will comply with applicable state water quality
standards. This requires WPC to obtain Section 401 Water Quality
Certification prior to issuance of the Pilot Project License and a subsequent
Letter of Permission from the USACE under Section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act. The project is not subject to the auspices of Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act since it requires no excavation of the river bed and will
have no discharge of any material into the water.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has received a Section 10 Letter of Permission from the United States
Army Corps of Engineers which precludes the need for a clean water
certification since USACE considers the project to have no substantial
individual or cumulative effects.
b. Endangered Species Act
i. Statutory Regulation
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires an authorizing or
acting federal agency to consult with USFWS/National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) on any actions that might affect listed species or their
habitats. If the authorizing/acting agency or USFWS/NMFS determines an
action is likely to adversely affect a species, formal consultation is required
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EXHIBIT A
with USFWS or NMFS depending on their jurisdiction over the listed
species. Formal consultation consists of submittal by the authorizing/acting
agency of a Biological Assessment (BA) for review by USFWS or NMFS.
Upon review of the BA, USFWS/NMFS would each prepare a Biological
Opinion (BO) which assesses whether the action is likely to jeopardize the
existence of the listed species. The BO may include binding or discretionary
recommendations to reduce potential impact. An Incidental Take Statement
may be attached to the BO if there is potential jeopardy to the species.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has been advised by the USFWS that there are no endangered species
within the proposed project boundary. A copy is provided in the USFWS
section of Attachment A- Communication Records
c. National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106
i. Statutory Regulation
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal
agencies to consider the effect of federally permitted projects on historic and
cultural resources and requires consultation with the Alaska State Historic
Preservation Officer (SHPO) prior to authorizing a project. Compliance with
Section 106 of the Act also requires consultation with the tribes in the
region. FERC typically satisfies Section 106 requirements for license term
through Historic Properties Management Plans developed by the applicant
in consultation with SHPO or a Programmatic Agreement to which FERC,
SHPO and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) are
typically the signatories.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
As part of a separate project conducted with the Denali Commission from
2007–2009, the Alaska SHPO conducted a study of the proposed project
area and concluded that there were no historic landmarks or resources within
the proposed project location. WPC has received a letter from SHPO
confirming that there are no affected historic properties within the project
boundary. This location is not part of any tribal lands as shown on the map
in Exhibit G.
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EXHIBIT A
d. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
i. Statutory Regulation
The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
requires WPC to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service to
determine whether the proposed project will have adverse impacts to the
habitat or migratory paths of fish species which are deemed important by
NMFS and which are a food resource.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has been advised by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
that there are no concerns regarding the habitat or safety of species protected
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,
and that they will not require WPC to develop an Essential Fish Habitat
Assessment (EFH). These emails can be found in the in Attachment A -
Communication Records, which are organized alphabetically by agency.
e. Coastal Zone Management Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
WPC received a letter of concurrence from the Alaska Department of
Natural Resources. A copy is provided in the DNR section of Attachment A-
Communication Records.
f. Alaska Fish and Game Code
i. Statutory Regulation
The Alaska Fish and Game Code (AS16.05.817) gives the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) the responsibility of protecting the
states wildlife resources. As such, this statute grants ADFG the
responsibility of issuing permits for projects which have the potential to
impact the wildlife population. State law requires WPC to receive a Title 16
permit from ADFG before beginning construction.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has received a Title 16 permit from ADFG. A copy is provided in the
DNR section of Attachment A - Communication Records.
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EXHIBIT A
g. Alaska Water Use Act
i. Statutory Regulation
The Alaska Water Use Act (Title 46) give the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) the power to adjudicate water usage rights for waters
owned by the State of Alaska. This regulation requires WPC to receive a
water use permit from DNR prior to deployment of the proposed project.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has received the following Title 46 permit from DNR. A copy is
provided in the DNR section of Attachment A - Communication Records.
h. Alaska Land Act
i. Statutory Regulation
The Alaska Land Act (Title 38) grants DNR the authority to issue permits
for the use of state lands. This statute requires WPC to receive a Land Use
Permit from DNR prior to the construction or deployment of the proposed
project since the project will be entirely constructed and deployed on state
owned land.
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has received the following Land Use Permit from DNR. A copy is
provided in the DNR section of Attachment A - Communication Records.
i. Wild and Scenic Rivers and Wilderness Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
j. Code of Federal Regulations Navigation and Navigable Waterways (Title 33)
i. Statutory Regulation
CFR Title 33 gives the United States Coast Guard (USCG) the responsibility
of monitoring the nation’s waterways to insure the safety of the public
among other concerns. This regulation requires WPC to receive a permit and
PATON regulations from USCG prior to deployment of the proposed
project.
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EXHIBIT A
ii. WPC Consultation and Compliance
WPC has received a permit and PATON specification from the USCG. A
copy is provided in the USCG section of Attachment A - Communication
Records.
k. Pacific Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
8. Brief Project Description
a. 100 kW
b. Check appropriate box:
□Existing Dam □Unconstructed Dam
□Existing Dam, major modified project (see §4.30(b)(14))
■Hydrokinetic Pilot Project
9. Lands of the Unites States affected (shown on Exhibit G):
a. National Forest: N/A
b. Indian Reservation: N/A
c. Public Lands Under Jurisdiction of: N/A
d. Other: N/A
e. Total U.S. Lands: 0
f. Check appropriate box:
□Surveyed Land ■Unsurveyed Land
Construction of the project is planned to start within 18 months and be completed within
24 months from the date of the issuance of the license. In no event will construction
begin later than 2 years from the issuance of the license.
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EXHIBIT A
(In Compliance With CFR Title 18, Subpart G. 4.61(c))
1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND OVERVIEW
Whitestone Power and Communications is proposing to develop the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC
project near the confluence of the Delta and Tanana rivers (See map in Figure 1) under the
Commission’s new Hydrokinetic Pilot Project Licensing Process. The project would consist of
the following:
One pontoon-mounted, 12-foot wide, 16-foot diameter Poncelet undershot water wheel
with a nominal capacity of 100 kW
A float with a total footprint on the water surface of 34-feet by 19-feet
Float-to-shore mooring system and electrical power transmission cabling
Vessel mounted switch gear and appropriate navigational safety appurtenances
A staging area with two 40-ft storage connexes
Whitestone Power and Communications proposes to develop the project as follows:
2011-2016: Obtain hydrokinetic pilot project license and test project for at least three
years under its auspices.
a. Project Specifications
Key Component Description
No. Gen Units, Capacity 100kw (at 25-35% efficiency)
Turbine Type Epicyclic Transmission, Permanent Magnet
Generator (36-Pole, 480 V, 3-phase, 30:1 gear
ratio)
Plant Operation Automatic, Non-Peaking
Estimated Annual kWh Production 217 MWh
Estimated Average Head NA*
Reservoir Capacity NA*
Estimated Hydraulic Capacity Cubic
Feet/Sec
NA*
Estimated Average Flow, Feet/Sec Min=5fps, Max=16fps
Size, Capacity, Materials: Wheel 12’ Long, 16’ Diameter Cylinder. 5086
Aluminum
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EXHIBIT A
Key Component Description
Size, Capacity, Materials: Blades 36 blades, 4’wide, 2’deep. HDPE
Size, Capacity, Materials: Float 2 pontoons (42” and 36” dia).
Total Area 34’x19’
Size, Capacity, Materials: Mooring
System
See mooring specifications
Size, Capacity, Materials: Power
Transmission Lines
See product specifications, total cable length:
900 ft., 480 volts
Interconnection Line Voltage 14,400 volts
Estimated Project Cost $1.4 million (see detail below)
Estimated Environmental Monitoring
Cost
See Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance
Table
Estimated Environmental
Components Cost
See Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance
Table
*hydrokinetic run-of-river design precludes these project dimensions
b. Project Construction Cost Estimate
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE DETAIL
Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 Components
Aluminum Wheel Frame and Chassis
Fabrications $120,000
Structural Pipe $6,444
Screw jacks $5,000
Fifth Wheel $2,000
Fasteners $4,000
Pontoons
Debris Cone $1,500
Pontoons $22,000
Pulling Heads $11,000
Blades $50,000
Transmission $45,000
Electronics and Generator $180,298
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EXHIBIT A
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE DETAIL
Anchoring
Rock Anchors $10,000
Stabilizer Bridge $30,000
Rigging $10,000
Safety
Railings $12,000
Demarcation $5,000
Shipping $10,000
Component Materials Total (FOB Seattle) $524,242
Shipping
Seattle to Anchorage $15,000
Anchorage to Whitestone $4,800
Shipping Total $19,800
Survey Fees
Survey Total $15,000
Assembly
Assemble at Munson's Plant 4 Men, 4 weeks $60,000 $90/hr shop
charge Disassemble and crate at
Munson's Plant 4 Men, 2 weeks $30,000
Re-assemble at Whitestone 3 Men, 4 weeks $24,000
$50/hr skilled
labor
Assembly Total $114,000
Intertie
Intertie 3 Men, 6 weeks $36,000
$50/hr skilled
labor GVEA Hookup Contractor $30,000
Parts $50,000
Intertie Total $116,000
Deployment
Mule Boat $95,000
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EXHIBIT A
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE DETAIL
Staging Materials $15,000
Anchoring 2 Men, 4 weeks $10,000 $25/hr Laborer
Stabilizer Bridge 3 Men, 1 week $3,000
$25/hr Laborer
Float 3 Men, 1 week $3,000
Deployment Total $126,000
Equipment Rental
Loader 4 weeks $5,000
Skidsteer 4 weeks $2,000
Excavator (for intertie) 2 weeks $3,000
Anchor driving equipment 3 week $3,000
Transportation 12 weeks $15,000
Equipment Rental Total $28,000
Testing
Initial operational cross check 2 Men, 1 week $8,000
Engineering
Contractor
Initial verification of debris
management 2 Men, 1 week $8,000
Testing of electronic capabilities
and optimization 2 Men, 2 weeks $16,000
Continuing testing and
optimization over following two
years estimated at 360 hours per
year at an average cost of $100
per hour $72,000
Testing Subtotal $104,000
Project Supervisor
Manufacturing Oversight 150 hours $11,250
$75/hr project
manager Plant Visit Travel $15,000
Procurement 80 hours $6,000
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EXHIBIT A
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE DETAIL
Assembly Oversight 160 hours $12,000
Project Coordination 80 hours $6,000
Project Supervisor Subtotal $50,250
Per Diem
Intertie $16,800
$100/day/man
Mechanical $25,200
Per Diem Subtotal $42,000
Fuel
1000 gal 4.00/ gal $4,000
Fuel Subtotal $4,000
Contractor's Fees
Contractor's Fees Subtotal $240,000
TOTAL PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST $1,383,292
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EXHIBIT A
ANNUAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Annual operations and maintenance costs are estimated in the matrix below.
ANNUAL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Deployment
Stabilizer Bridge
3 Men, 1
week $3,000 $25/hr Laborer
Float
3 Men, 1
week $3,000
Deployment Subtotal $6,000
Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance
Initial operational cross check
2 Men, 1
week $8,000
Engineering
Contractor
Initial verification of debris management
2 Men, 1
week $8,000
Testing of electronic capabilities and
optimization
2 Men, 2
weeks $16,000
Continuing testing and optimization over
following two years by contract with
Hasz Consulting LLC Hasz $36,000
Estimated Environmental Monitoring Cost
Hasz
Costs included in
contract with
Hasz Consulting
Estimated Environmental Components Cost Hasz
Costs included in
contract with
Hasz Consulting
Testing Subtotal $68,000
TOTAL $74,000
c. Annual Operation and Maintenance Expense Narrative
The purpose of the project as proposed is to determine the maintenance and operations
costs and compare them with construction costs and the energy produced in order to
confirm that the design is feasible for energy production in remote locations. All systems
and operations will be insured by the Whitestone Community Association's general
liability insurance policy which offers coverage up to $1,000,000.00. All necessary
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EXHIBIT A
administrative staff, equipment and supplies are already maintained by WPC at its own
costs and will not be charged to the project.
WPC will seek to obtain a funding agreement with a third party which will provide
funding not only for manufacturing and construction of the device but also for
monitoring, testing, maintenance and operation on a time and materials basis. WPC plans
to purchase enough extra parts from the manufacturers as part of the purchase price to
facilitate three years of testing. In addition to this, WPC will seek funding for an engineer
and a technician to test the various segments of the design in order to recommend and
implement any necessary changes and upgrades to the design during the test period. WPC
expects these costs to be less than $200,000.00 and will seek funding for them as part of
funding for construction. Deployment and recovery costs will be part of the construction
cost. In the event of an emergency or required shut down or end of license recovery,
WPC will assume all costs for removal of the turbine and appurtenant systems using
labor and infrastructure it maintains at its own expense on a perpetual basis.
d. Project Specifications Narrative
The following Project and Operations description follows the requirements of §4.61(c)
for Exhibit A, with some needed expansions and adjustments to accurately describe a
hydrokinetic project
Whitestone Power and Communications’ RISEC device includes an undershot water
wheel arranged according to the method of General Poncelet. The wheel drives an
epicyclic transmission and permanent magnet generator. The main structure of the wheel
as well as the chassis and other structural elements are constructed from aluminum with
stainless steel fasters as needed. The blades of the wheel are a proprietary curved design
constructed from high density polyethylene (HDPE). The pontoons on which the wheel is
suspended are constructed from HDPE. The entire float will be moored to the shore and
will have no submarine structures or cabling. At the date of this writing, the project is in
the design phase and no construction has taken place.
The Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 consists of five major components:
Main wheel with 36 fixed blades
Support chassis and flotation
Transmission and generator system
Electronic controls and grid intertie
Mooring and propulsion systems
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EXHIBIT A
e. Turbine Wheel
A 12-ft-diameter wheel constructed from 5086 aluminum will be used for this design.
HDPE blades with a profile of 2-ft depth and 4-ft width will be fastened to the frame of
the wheel. The design of the blades was formulated by Hasz Consulting, LLC (Hasz) of
Delta Junction, Alaska and will be manufactured by Ferguson Industrial Plastics (FIP) of
Washougal, WA. The wheel is a modular, 3-stage design which gives an improved power
signal and smoother operation.
If the wheel needs to be stopped for repair or inspection, it can be braked manually
through the generator for a short period of time then lifted from the water; or it can be
lifted from the water and allowed to coast to rest.
f. Chassis And Flotation
The wheel is supported on one side by the transmission flange and on the other side by a
spherical, self-aligning bearing. Both supports can be adjusted for plunge depth of the
blades in the water by the use of high-load, manual screw jacks. These jacks are also to
be used for lifting the wheel entirely out of the water for the purpose of transportation or
repair. The entire frame is constructed of 5086 aluminum and consists of closed box
beams which are bolted together to create the decking of the float. These are bolted to
long C-channels which run the entire length of either pontoon providing both the
mounting surface for the structure as well as adding strength to the pontoons for the
deployment and recovery operations. Due to the extreme harshness of Alaska winters, the
craft will have to be deployed in the spring and removed from service during the winter.
The pontoons are manufactured from HDPE by Ferguson Industrial Plastics of
Washougal, Washington. The drive train is on one side, causing uneven weight
distribution. Therefore, one pontoon will be 42-in diameter and the other 36-in diameter.
The ends of the pontoons will be capped with pulling heads capable of sustaining loads in
excess of 200,000 lb which far exceeds the requirements of this application but represents
the standard in the industry. Both pontoons are 34 feet long.
The entire craft will weigh approximately 20,000 lb. All appurtenances other than cables
and mooring equipment will be located on the craft in order to minimize the footprint and
increase ease of deployment and recovery. The entire deck is surrounded by safety
railings both between the wheel and the deck and shielding the deck from the surrounding
river environment.
g. Transmission And Power Generation System
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EXHIBIT A
The transmission is an epicyclic or planetary transmission having a gear ratio of 30:1.
This transmission is produced by Brevini USA. This design is recommended for several
reasons. The slow speed of the wheel renders a belt system ineffective due to its
prohibitively large size and the inefficiency of belts at low speed. The weight and
expense associated with a chain drive system render it unsatisfactory. In addition, the life
expectancy of chains is substantially lower than that for gear transmissions. Synchronized
belt drives are slightly more advantageous than chains in that they do not require
lubrication and sealed cases, but the dependability of these systems at low speed is
unfavorable. Due to the expense of designing a gear transmission and having it custom
made, it is recommended to use a stock transmission and the Brevini design is ideal for
this particular application. The life expectancy of the transmission is 100,000 hours.
The AC electric generator is a 36-pole, 480 V, 3-phase, permanent magnet generator
which is designed for low speed applications with its operating range between 0-rpm and
200-rpm. This generator allows the turbine to be used as a grid-tie system, standalone
power producer or as a parallel assist to small power producers on finite grids. The
versatility of the design is key to producing power in remote locations with severe
conditions where the grid conditions are widely variable and unpredictable.
h. Electronic Controls And Intertie
The electronic controls system will be supplied by Energetic Drives, LLC. The system is
based on Parker variable frequency drives which work efficiently to accept a wide range
of frequencies and voltages and produce a clean power signal with a unity power factor.
This control system allows for remote monitoring, startup, shutdown and manipulation
and control of the turbine at all times either remotely or on site. In addition, the controls
allow the operator to optimize the operation for grid-tie, standalone or parallel operation
depending on the situation at hand. The programmable logic controller (PLC) also allows
these settings to be changed automatically based on load or a daily, weekly or monthly
time cycle depending on changing demand, parallel generators coming on or off line or
other predictable changes to the active grid to which the unit is tied.
The grid-tie portion of the system is controlled by a Schweitzer relay which gives the
system the ability to sense load, frequency, power factor and other critical values
including taking the system offline in the case of a power failure on a large grid or any
other emergency. The system is then also capable of bringing the turbine back online
once the problem is corrected. The entire system can also be disconnected and connected
remotely or on site by an operator.
Marine grade, sealed shore plugs including breakaways will be used for all electrical
connections. The breakaways will also be disconnects so that, in the unlikely event that
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EXHIBIT A
the craft breaks loose from its moorings or some other emergency arises, the power can
be quickly disconnected without injury or damage to operators or equipment.
The cable running from the output side of the inverter/rectifier system is a 4-conductor,
4-ought, armored copper cable. It will be anchored at various points along its route from
the float to the grid-tie-point. In order to satisfy the Commission's requirements for the
system to be easily removable, the cable will be run along the surface of the ground and
anchored using grouted ground anchors. The anchoring system is being developed by
Williams Form Engineering, of Portland, Oregon.
i. Mooring And Propulsion Systems
Because of the harsh Alaskan winters, the turbine will have to be deployed each spring
and recovered in the fall. For this reason, easily manipulated moorings systems will be
needed. A well formulated approach to deployment and recovery will be necessary to
avoid high labor costs and potential equipment damage. The turbine will be assembled on
shore near the location of its deployment and slid into the water on the HDPE pontoons
via an earthen ramp constructed for the purpose. The deployment process will be aided
by a workboat which will be docked to the float and will help maneuver it in the water.
This boat will push the float into position near the final mooring location.
Once in position, the float will be docked to a gangway using a similar device to the fifth-
wheel and pin connector used for large trucks and trailers. This gangway will hold the
float at the desired distance from the shore and will have its own anchoring cable. The
float will have an additional anchoring cable which will run at water level to the shore.
This cable will act as a debris diverter as well as an anchor cable and will be a 3/4"-
diameter stainless steel aircraft cable. The gangway and the cable will work together to
hold the float in position and hold it parallel to the direction of flow. Both anchoring
systems will be adjustable for height as the river level rises and falls. Secondary tether
cables will be in place in the event that the primary anchoring system fails. One of the
cables will be attached to the rear of the craft and one to the front. These secondary
cables will be designed to swing the craft to shore in the event of a mooring system
failure. At the time of this writing, it is expected that the distance from the shore to the
inner pontoon of the float will be approximately 30 ft.
The first advantage of anchoring to the shore rather than the river bed is that the
tremendous down force that would accompany such an anchoring system is eliminated.
The second advantage is that by keeping the cable out of the water, it is not subject to
catching submerged debris which would greatly increase the load upon it and possibly
jeopardize its integrity. Finally, by anchoring the float to the shore with the cable making
an angle of approximately 30 degrees to the direction of flow, the cable will act as a
debris diversion device. Although it will not divert all debris, it will divert that debris
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EXHIBIT A
which has an above water profile greater than six inches. This will keep large root wads
and trees with large branches and protrusions from impinging on the wheel. Proximity to
the shore also offers the advantage that most debris tends toward the middle of the
stream.
An additional debris consideration is the risk of rocks falling from the rock face to which
the float is moored. The risk of this incident is minimal and would probably require an
earthquake to break rocks loose from the face of the cliff. Although there are rock slides
on the bluff to which the project is moored and although these rocks do reach the river,
these slides tend to occur where the slopes are less steep and the surface is covered with
loose rocks. The proposed project has avoided these locations. It is moored at the base of
a solid rock face which could be subject to rocks breaking loose but probably only in the
event of a natural disaster.
The work boat mentioned above will be supplied by Munson Boats based in Seattle,
Washington. It will be a variation of their 30-ft Packcat design equipped with pushing
knees for assistance in deployment of the float. It will have twin 150 hp Honda outboard
motors and will be built as a landing craft to assist in maintenance and installation duties.
j. Staging and Storage Facilities
The project staging area would be located approximately 1400 ft downstream of the
project location on the opposite side of the river as shown in Exhibit G. This area is
approximately 150 ft upstream of the docking area used by the community of Whitestone.
The equipment at the site would consist of two 40-foot connex storage containers. These
containers will contain the parts when the turbine is shipped to the site and will be
retained after construction is complete to house tools and spare parts. The connexes will
be painted to minimize their visual impacts on the docking area.
Also located at the staging area will be an earthen ramp which will be built for the
purpose of deploying the turbine to the water and will only be necessary at low water
levels such as in the spring and fall. Should a summer time recovery or deployment
become necessary, the ramp would not be necessary. The ramp itself will be a small area
of the bank roughly the width of the float (19-ft) which will be smoothed from the shore
to the water line in order to make the sliding of the turbine float into the water a smoother
and more controllable process. This will be accomplished using a backhoe and will need
to be done each spring and fall. The reason for this is that the ramp will be washed away
or refilled with silt and gravel by the river each summer during the high water time. No
other people or entities will make use of this ramp or staging area and the project will not
use any other facilities for these purposes.
k. Project Design, Manufacturing And Construction
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EXHIBIT A
The prototype to be tested as part of this project is being designed in full by Hasz. The
design paradigm has focused around the objective of maximizing the use of commercial-
off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies and integrating them with new ideas to create a system
robust enough to withstand the harsh and demanding power generation environment in
Alaska. This design process will be ongoing as the system is tested in situ over the
license term. All design costs to date have been funded by WPC and through the
Department of Energy's 2010 Marine Hydokinetic Technology Advancement grant
opportunity.
l. Manufacturing
As stated above, a major tenet of the design paradigm was to maximize the use of COTS
technologies. In keeping with this design goal, most of the important components are
being integrated into the design from established manufacturers.
The transmission is manufactured by Brevini USA Power Transmission based in
Yorktown, Indiana. The generator and electronic controls are being supplied by Energetic
Drives, LLC based in Gresham, Oregon. The pontoons are being manufactured by
Ferguson Industrial Plastics based in Washougal, Washington. The blades (Hasz
proprietary design) are being manufactured by ACI Plastics based in Kansas City,
Missouri. The anchoring systems are being supplied by Williams Form Engineering
based in Portland, Oregon. All custom aluminum parts comprising the chassis, wheel
frame, struts and other parts will be manufactured by qualified aluminum fabricators in
Alaska, certified in aluminum welding procedures.
m. Construction
Construction of the system must take place on site due to the size of the float and wheel.
At this point, WPC plans to construct the device in partnership with CE2 Engineers, Inc.
(CE2) of Anchorage, Alaska and with personnel from the Alaska Energy Authority
(AEA), a state agency which has assisted WPC throughout the process of design and will
play a continued role in the deployment of these systems throughout the state pending a
successful test period. CE2 is a highly respected remote construction management firm
working exclusively in rural locations throughout Alaska, and has over 25 years of
experience in constructing and operating complex technical systems in adverse and
isolated conditions.
Pending the necessary funding and timely decision on the part of the Commission, WPC
plans to commence the manufacturing and construction of the device over the summer
and winter of 2011 with the goal of deploying the turbine during May 2012.
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EXHIBIT A
The grid-tie system will be constructed by Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA)
personnel assisted by WPC personnel during Spring 2012. WPC will supply all materials
for the project. WPC expects the total ground disturbance to be less than 0.25 acre. The
only permanent components will be the drilled rock anchors for anchoring the turbine and
securing the grid-tie cabling. The anchors for mooring the turbine to the shore will be
threaded rods of 2-inch diameter or less and will be less than 30 in number. The anchors
for securing the power transmission line will be threaded rods of 1-inch diameter or less
and will be less than 100 in number.
Having all necessary permits in hand by the end of 2011, WPC expects to begin
construction in 2011 in order to deploy the turbine as quickly as possible following the
Commission's decision. WPC expects the cost to manufacture and construct its Poncelet
Kinetics RHK100 prototype to be $1,400,000.00.
n. Efficiency And Return-On-Investment Projections
For a horizontal axis water wheel arranged according to the method of General Poncelet,
the maximum efficiency is obtained when the tip speed of the blades on the wheel is 40%
of the velocity of the water. WPC has chosen a controls system which is comprised of a
permanent magnet generator and a variable frequency inverter/rectifier system. This
system will allow the generator to control the speed of the wheel and maintain the most
efficient ratio of the rotational speed of the wheel to the speed of the water at all water
velocities. This technology provides a significant efficiency upgrade over the standard
induction generator design. The wheel is designed for a maximum water speed of 16 fps.
During the summer of 2010, the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) completed a
velocity survey for the purposes of this project over a 3,500 ft section of the Tanana
River including the project area. The purpose of this study was to provide a benchmark
from which return-on-investment numbers could be generated and to allow WPC to
determine the best location for the float to be installed. There are many considerations
that affect this decision, including: distance from intertie point to the main grid, ease of
anchoring, aquatic habitat concerns, and others. However, the principle consideration was
the location of fast-moving water within 100 feet of the shore line.
The survey was conducted using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) which
measures water velocity as a function of depth and distance from a set point on the shore.
The UAA team took measurements at 10 different transects spanning the entire project
area as well as some measurements above and below the project area. This allowed WPC
to make an informed decision concerning the location of the float and final project
boundary delineation.
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EXHIBIT A
Monthly Flow Duration Curve
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
April May June July August September October
MonthAverage Velocity (fps)
The numbers returned from the study were somewhat better than expected, particularly
considering that the study was conducted in early June when the water is not at its highest
point. Based on the June study results with an allowance for higher peak velocities during
July, WPC expects to operate in water velocities at or exceeding 12 fps for a majority of
the summer.
The output of the turbine is 107 kW at 15 fps and 7 kW at 6 fps, as shown in the diagram
below.
Figure A.1 Monthly FLow Duration Curve
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EXHIBIT A
Power vs. Water Velocity, 12 ft Wheel
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00
Water Velocity (fps)Power Output (kW)
Although the cost of electricity is widely variable, the average cost of power in remote
communities in Alaska is approximately $0.50. This number was used for the return on
investment calculation depicted in the chart below.
Figure A.2 Power vs. Water Velocity, 12 ft Wheel
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EXHIBIT A
Return on Investment (Assumes $0.50 per kWh, $1m
installation cost and 3600 hrs running time per year)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00
Water Velocity (fps)Time (yr) o. Project Operation And Maintenance
The Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project will operate using the natural river currents of
the Tanana River. The WPC design captures energy efficiently from the flow of the
current using an undershot wheel arranged according to the Poncelet method. The blade
construction is from high density polyethylene (HDPE). This gives the system excellent
resistance to both corrosion and the destruction from repeated impingement by trees and
other debris which is so prevalent in Alaskan rivers.
The electronic control system chosen for this design will control all aspects of power
generation including disconnecting the generator from the grid in the event of blackout
and dissipating the power produced by the wheel until the grid can be reconnected.
Additionally, these controls will bring the system back online when the grid is stabilized
or after a repair. The controls will also act to optimize the speed of the wheel relative to
the water.
The blades and wheel are designed to withstand the impact of a 1,500 lb tree without
sustaining any damage or interrupting operations. The debris diversion cable which runs
at an acute angle to the flow of the river is designed to deflect any debris with a large
profile. In the event that a large log or tree is ingested by the turbine and damage is
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EXHIBIT A
caused or power is interrupted, the controls system will alert technicians of the issue via
an alarm system which operates via Ethernet connection. This will alert the team to the
need for repair or clearing of debris from the system. Technicians will be in place to deal
with these issues although WPC is confident that the debris management systems
formulated in this design will be effective.
Data acquisition will be controlled from the shore where the health and power variables
of the unit can be read, interpreted and stored. A combination of these techniques will
provide advance warning of failure and timely response should a failure occur. Night
time inspections will also be necessary periodically in the spring and fall to insure that
the marker lights and beacons are all operational. For a majority of the time during which
the unit will operate, there will be 24 hour daylight. It is expected that the turbine will
operate 24 hours per day while it is deployed with less than one day per month down
time. Much of the necessary maintenance such as greasing of the axle and checking
integrity of the unit can be performed during operation. Because the unit will be removed
from the water each winter, any extensive repairs can be completed during the winter
months.
Remote monitoring software allows the generator to controlled and connected and
disconnected from the grid manually in the case of a failure of the automatic controls.
However, the system is designed to operate unattended the majority of the time. It is not
expected that the system will have to be monitored more often than a weekly inspection.
Maintenance should be minimal. The float will need to be visually checked for debris
caught on it. In addition, it will need periodic inspections to verify that it has not been
compromised in any way. However, all this should be possible from the shore. The health
of the system should be readily observable both by sight and by inspection of the on-
shore gauges monitoring power output. Should any of the blades be destroyed or should
any part of the transmission or wheel be compromised, the power output signal will
signal this to the monitor equipment and alert the operator. The oil level in the
transmission will need to be checked every 1,000 hours along with the tightness of the
belts. Other than this, the system should require very little maintenance.
Although the specific design considerations are not articulated here, the float will be
demarcated in such a way that it will be clearly visible at night and complies with all
USCG regulations. It is recommended that high efficiency LED strobes be used for this
purpose. They could easily be powered by batteries and last for several weeks or even
months at a time. This will not necessitate more maintenance but is a vital safety
consideration.
The deck on the front of the float as well as the railing should be sufficient to prevent any
boat, however small, from floating into the wheel while it is in operation in case of an
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EXHIBIT A
emergency. Should an emergency arise, medical and rescue personnel and equipment will
be available from the nearby community of Whitestone to respond. The anchoring cables
will run from either side of the craft to the shore at the water line. These cables will have
an angle to the direction of the current of not more than 30 degrees. This will allow them
to deflect an unpowered boat from floating into the craft. In addition, after additional
consultation with the USCG at the request of FERC, it was decided to add signs above
and below the installation warning boaters to avoid the north shore of the river. This
should further diminish the chance of collision. WPC will also employ on-craft video
surveillance as well as daily inspections to insure that the system is operating properly.
p. Annual Energy Production
In order to develop an estimate of the dependable capacity and average annual energy
production in kilowatt-hours for a hydrokinetic facility using river current, a slightly
different approach to hydrologic analysis must be outlined compared to the conventional
hydroelectric requirements under the license application regulations.
The minimum, mean and maximum flow (in cfs) is not applicable. Instead a
velocity versus time profile must be developed which shows the variation of the
river current during the spring, summer and fall. Because the river in question is
glacially fed, there is a large amount of variability in its level and current velocity.
Since there is no impoundment, area-capacity curves are not applicable.
The estimated minimum and maximum hydraulic capacity (typically flow Q on
the y-axis and efficiency on the x-axis) is redefined for a hydrokinetic RISEC
device as velocity on the y-axis and efficiency on the x-axis. Therefore rather than
a flow duration curve, a river current exceedance curve is generated. As there are
no control wicket gates, efficiency is further defined as cut-in speed and best
efficiency of the unit. Generator output under these conditions is easily defined.
Tail-water rating curves are not applicable since this is an open-channel device.
Power plant capability versus head and maximum, normal and minimum heads
are also not applicable since the river current velocity determines the output of the
generator.
During the summer of 2010, the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) sent a
surveying team to the project location to determine the velocity distribution of the river at
that point and to ascertain whether suitable velocities were available for power
production. They conducted velocity measurements at 10 different transects of the river
over a total distance of approximately 3,500 feet along the path of the Tanana River. The
survey was conducted using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) which gives
velocity as a function of depth and horizontal distance from a set point on the bank of the
river. The results of this study have led to the conclusion that this is a favorable site for
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EXHIBIT A
power production with velocities as high as 14 fps measured relatively near the shore.
WPC believes that, given the time frame of the study (June 11-12) and the known river
behavior, it is likely that high velocities will be available for at least 5 months of each
year, with the possibility of 6-7 months of operation depending on temperatures and river
conditions.
Chart 1-Velocity distribution in a cross-section of the Tanana River at the site selected for project deployment
Because the Tanana River is glacially fed, the level and velocity of the river is highly
variable within each season. This variation follows a fairly reliable trajectory within each
season that varies little from year to year based upon USGS discharge charts dating back
to the early 1970s as shown below. Losses due to the effects of an array do not apply to
this project since it is a single unit application.
q. Water-To-Wire Efficiency
Figure A.4 Velocity Distribution
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EXHIBIT A
A key metric for all developers of kinetic hydropower is the water-to-wire efficiency
which is the ultimate efficiency of the entire system from the power in the flowing water
to the electrical power inserted into the grid or other end-use. This includes the cascaded
efficiencies of the rotor, load-matching, drive train, seals, bearings, gearing, generator,
cabling and power conditioning. The overall efficiency of the Poncelet Kinetics RHK100
is projected between 25% and 35%.
WPC has determined that the following requested information in Exhibit A is not
applicable, based on kinetic hydropower technology and projects:
The estimated average head on the plant
The reservoir surface area in acres and, if known, the net and gross storage
capacity
The estimated minimum and maximum hydraulic capacity of the plant (flow
through the plant) in cubic feet per second and estimated average flow of the
stream or water body at the plant or point of diversion; for projects with
installed capacity of more than 1.5 megawatts, monthly flow duration curves
and a description of the drainage area for the project site must be provided
Sizes, capacities, and construction materials, as appropriate, of pipelines,
ditches, flumes, canals, intake facilities, powerhouses, dams, transmission
lines and other appurtenances
2. PURPOSE OF PROJECT
The Whitestone Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 would be interconnected to the Golden Valley
Electric Association (GVEA) grid system which supplies power to interior Alaska. Direct
connection to the grid as a small power producer will be administered under the auspices of
GVEA QF-1 tariff which governs renewable power production plants with a capacity greater
than 25 kW.
3. LICENSE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT COST
Whitestone Power and Communications estimates the cost of developing this application to be in
excess of $200,000. Due to the fact that this project is still in its infancy, much of the costs of
this application have been spent in developing the design and researching and preparing the
various permits and licenses necessary to install the device.
4. ON-PEAK AND OFF-PEAK PROJECT POWER VALUES
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EXHIBIT A
The project operates in run-of-river mode and therefore will not create on-peak or off-peak
power values.
5. IMPACT TO EXISTING POWER PRODUCTION AND POWER VALUES
WPC is applying for an original license. No existing project power will increase or decrease as a
result.
6. REMAINING UNDEPRECIATED NET INVESTMENT OR BOOK VALUE
The project is a new development project and no underappreciated net investment or book value
will result.
7. DETAILED SINGLE-LINE ELECTRICAL DIAGRAM.
8. SAFE MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE STATEMENT
(as per Appendix C, Licensing Hydrokinetic Pilot Projects White Paper, April 2008)
a. Monitoring Plans
i. Environment: Fish, Wildlife, Plants, Soils, Recreation, Land Use
Because of the small footprint of the proposed installation, the project is expected
to have minimal impacts. The turbine moves at slow speeds and incurs a low
pressure differential. The only moving parts below surface are the turbine blades
and these have only two-foot penetration below the river surface. The pressure
differential is small enough (under 1 psi) that juvenile salmon are not endangered,
and the turbine moves slowly enough (at 40% river velocity) that no danger to
fish or waterfowl is anticipated. Additionally no components are mounted on or
anchored to the river bottom, so no shore or river bottom disturbance is predicted.
Nonetheless, during inspections of the craft, technicians will specifically check
for injured or trapped waterfowl, game or fish, or project site disturbances.
Public safety is another important consideration. As mentioned previously, the
purpose of this project is to determine craft suitability under a variety of loading
and environmental conditions; it is anticipated that for the duration of
deployment, at least one technician will be on site full-time during business hours;
this will allow for observation and attenuation of any boating-related hazards.
Surveillance cameras will also be added for site monitoring; additionally signs
and LED buoys complying with USCG regulations for night time and inclement
weather visibility will be installed and checked as part of daily routine craft/site
inspections. Since this section of the Tanana is not heavily traveled
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EXHIBIT A
(approximately one boat per hour between 6 AM and 8 PM), and since debris
diversion cables will prevent accidental collisions, it is not anticipated that this
installation will pose a danger to the public. An additional level of protection for
boaters is provided by the decking which prevents anything taller than 18-in from
river surface from traveling between the pontoons and into the turbine. Additional
consultation with the USCG resulted in the addition of two signs above and below
the project warning boaters to avoid the north shore of the river. Record of this
consultation and the drawing received from the Coast Guard detailing the
implementation of the additional signage can be found in the communication
record.
Hasz will be responsible for observing and recording any environmental damages
above threshold levels for the following environmental factors: cultural heritage,
ecology, landscape, lighting, noise and vibration, pollution, topsoil, traffic,
recreation, and waste disposal. For the purposes of this application, it is proposed
to define threshold levels as those which would inflict permanent or irreversible
environmental damages during or after the licensing period; disrupt or halt the
livelihood or recreation of residents or visitors, or impose a landscape change that
would inhibit or prevent transportation, incur habitat loss, and/or which could not
be reversed before the end of licensing period. These observations will be
summarized by Hasz in an annual report provided to FERC.
Environmental Emergency Incident Reporting Protocol
In the event of craft failure or potential public safety emergency, it is the
responsibility of supervising responder to alert relevant authorities and agencies
regarding the nature of the emergency.
In the event of an environmental emergency, it is the responsibility of the
supervising responder to alert, and if necessary, coordinate emergency response
procedures with local authorities, as well as appraise Hasz which shall notify the
Department of Natural Resources, Department of Fish and Game, Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation, United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the Army Corps of Engineers within 24 hours of an environmental
incident. In the event of an accident involving personnel injury, the supervisor
must alert and coordinate with local emergency medical personnel. Hasz shall be
responsible for contacting relevant authorities within 24 hours of an incident, and
shall also record the incident and include it in its annual report.
General Project Facility and Operations Monitoring
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EXHIBIT A
The RISEC float and its location will be monitored on a weekly basis by trained
technicians. All scheduled maintenance will be logged as well as important device
events and repairs. A workboat equipped for repairs and recovery of the float will
be available at all times along with a trained crew.
The RISEC float will be monitored by a web based monitoring system which will
record power values and video feed of the device and its surroundings as well as
GPS location. All operations and procedures will be OSHA-compliant.
b. Safeguard Plan
Project Safety Plan
The RISEC float and its location will be monitored on a weekly basis by trained
technicians. All scheduled maintenance will be logged as well as important device
events and repairs. A workboat equipped for repairs and recovery of the float will
be available at all times along with a trained crew.
The RISEC float will be monitored by a web based monitoring system which will
record power values and video feed of the device and its surroundings as well as
GPS location. All operations and procedures will be OSHA-compliant.
Worker Safety
Hasz shall be responsible for training and supervising full and part-time laborers
involved with craft assembly and deployment, and shall establish and enforce
worker safety protocols as follows:
Require hearing protection near loud equipment.
Require hard hats on site.
Require eye protection on site.
Ensure safety shoes for workers.
Provide first-aid supplies and trained personnel on site
Require personal floatation device usage for marine activity
Require strict adherence to all applicable OSHA safety standards
Personnel Responsibilities
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EXHIBIT A
Hasz will supervise environmental monitoring and assessment including
engineering and technical supervision and assembly and deployment site
inspections. The development of procedures to monitor construction to achieve
the environmental and safety objectives as well as training for assembly personnel
and emergency technical response personnel will also be the responsibility of
Hasz. Purchasing and maintenance of environmental monitoring and emergency
response equipment, and coordination with local emergency response teams as
well as local, state and federal authorities and agencies will be the responsibility
of the project supervisor. Additionally Hasz shall conduct weekly “tool-box talks”
with workers to discuss environmental and safety standard compliance. Also Hasz
shall coordinate with all local and state authorities regarding environmental
compliance, and shall be responsible to appraise relevant authorities of any
environmental incident or breach of environmental objectives.
Pre-Construction Monitoring
Prior to craft assembly, preconstruction activities shall be as follows: transport of
materials to assembly site, unloading and staging construction materials, and basic
site preparation for the assembly process. During this phase, Hasz shall discharge
the following responsibilities: daily inspections to ensure compliance with
environmental objectives, training of workers (including relevant environmental
and safety training), and weekly “tool-box talks” with workers regarding safety
and environmental standards. Also Hasz shall coordinate with all local and state
authorities regarding environmental compliance, and shall be responsible to
appraise relevant authorities of any environmental incident or breach of
environmental objectives.
Construction and Assembly Phase Monitoring
Craft assembly and installation activities will involve a crew of five to ten
workers, and shall involve the usage of heavy equipment such as a front end
loader for installing heavy components, and a cable skidder for moving assembled
craft. During this phase, Hasz shall be responsible for daily inspections and
supervision to ensure compliance with environmental objectives. Additionally
Hasz shall be responsible to train all temporary personnel involved in
construction, assembly and deployment in relevant safety and environmental
standards. Also, Hasz shall conduct weekly “tool-box talks” with workers to
discuss safety and environmental compliance. Hasz shall coordinate with all local
and state authorities regarding environmental compliance, and shall be
responsible to appraise relevant authorities of any environmental incident or
breach of environmental or safety objectives.
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EXHIBIT A
Deployment and Operations Phase Monitoring
This proposal involves the assembly and deployment of craft at low water levels
during spring, followed by an intensive testing regime during operational months,
and disestablishment and disassembly during fall. During operational months,
Hasz shall be responsible for procurement and maintenance of secure storage
facilities and appropriate tools for emergency environmental response.
Additionally, Hasz shall train personnel as on-call emergency responders to
environmental incidents or breach of project environmental objectives.
Hasz shall conduct daily inspections of deployment site during the first summer
season of operation to ensure compliance with environmental and safety
objectives. Additionally, Hasz shall be responsible to appraise relevant authorities
of any environmental incident or breach of environmental or safety objectives.
Remote Safety Monitoring System
The proposed project shall follow a safety objectives plan to protect personnel and
public interest, as well as concurrently protecting against environmental hazards.
Hasz shall be responsible to provide engineering and technical supervision for the
proposed project. Additionally, Hasz shall be responsible to procure, install, and
maintain a robust and comprehensive remote monitoring and control system. This
SCADA interface will provide remote access to real-time information from
onboard sensors including load, voltage and current outputs, and turbine speed.
Integrated into this system is a positional monitoring unit which senses craft
motion and alerts a response team in the incident of craft movement; additionally,
an array of surveillance cameras will be installed, both as a visible deterrent to
unauthorized access, and to monitor and record such access. These cameras will
also provide remote visual inspection capability for debris buildup or other threats
to the integrity of the float.
Inspection Schedule
Safety and environmental inspections shall be conducted concurrently by Hasz.
During the assembly and construction phase, inspections shall be conducted daily.
During the initial summer season of operation, inspections shall be conducted
daily. Detailed records of these inspections shall be maintained and available to
FERC personnel or other resource agencies upon request. This shall include both
inspections of craft and mooring integrity and function, as well as function of
remote monitoring system itself. After the first season of deployment, Hasz shall
assess the results of the inspection regime to determine if weekly inspections will
be sufficient to protect against breach of safety or environmental objectives.
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EXHIBIT A
Daily craft and site inspections will include checking cables for wear, fraying, or
corrosion and mooring components for signs of wear, stress or lodged debris;
inspecting turbine, transmission, and generator components for wear, improper
installation, and signs of vandalism or damage; inspection and testing of
monitoring and alarm system, including testing and inspection of surveillance
cameras, and cellular alarm dialing systems; and inspection of signage and buoys.
The following inspection checklist will be used as the basis of the daily
inspections.
Daily Monitoring and Inspection Checklist:
1. Mooring connections securely fastened
2. Mooring locations free from erosion/damage
3. Mooring system and float free of debris
4. Turbine operating normally, gauges, instruments, and surveillance
equipment operational
5. Boating traffic characterization
a. Size of crafts
b. Density of traffic
c. Interaction between turbine and boat traffic
6. Wildlife interaction with the mooring system
7. Avian and aquatic interaction with the turbine wheel
8. Recreational and wildlife interaction with the electrical intertie structures
and easement
9. Impact of turbine operation on river conditions including wake,
turbulence, current redirection, etc.
Data from each daily inspection shall record all the above information and daily
reports shall be stored in a secure location. Within 30 days of the end of each
operating season, Hasz Consulting, LLC shall submit a summary of the daily
inspections to WPC detailing the interaction of the turbine with its surrounding
environment. The report shall specifically address the following items:
1. A characterization of the total downtime during the season, the causes for
the lost operational time and recommended solutions
2. A characterization of the type and density of boat traffic and the nature of
its interaction with the turbine float
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EXHIBIT A
3. A characterization of any deficiencies in operating procedures and an
assessment of necessary safety and environmental measure to be taken
during the next season
Additionally Hasz shall be responsible to provide training for emergency response
personnel on a seasonal basis including mock-up emergency shut-down
procedures to ensure that emergency response personnel remain competent and
familiar with tools and techniques needed to address environmental or safety
incidents.
Annual assessment of safety equipment and functionality shall be conducted prior
to final installation at the beginning of each operating season. This shall include a
test of functionality of GPS locating device, cellular dialing system, and SCADA
control system.
Additionally Technicians will conduct annual tests of the emergency shutdown
procedure, including receiving an emergency signal from onboard sensors,
meeting at rally point, accessing craft, disconnecting power, and raising wheel to
stop turbine.
Progress Report Schedule
Hasz shall report annually to relevant local, state, and federal authorities and
agencies as required regarding environmental and safety incidents, and any
protocol changes or meaningful feedback from emergency and technical
personnel crews.
Additionally, Hasz shall alert relevant authorities within 24 hours of any
environmental or safety incident, and shall include record of violation in periodic
progress reports. At this time WPC has been advised that no state or local
agencies will require progress reports unless major changes to the project scope
occur or unless there is an unforeseen incident which would harm the
environment or public safety. For this reason, Hasz will publish an annual
progress report detailing the findings of each season of operation as relates to
public safety and environmental integrity.
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EXHIBIT A
Anticipated Level of Effort
The previously mentioned SCADA monitoring system will require a fiber-
optic/Ethernet connection. A remote GPS position monitoring and alert system
will be included. The proposed project implementation budget includes provision
for costs of environmental and safety training, equipment procurement and
maintenance, and engineering supervision.
Facility Failure Safety Plan
Several precautionary measures shall be employed to reduce possibility of failure,
identify and attenuate failure modes, and design proper monitoring/alarm systems.
Significant reduction in failure probability is afforded by the mooring system
design. First, a rigid linkage structure between shore and craft which is rated for a
20,000 pound load would prevent craft motion outside of linkage pivot range in
the event of a mooring or debris diversion cable failure. Additionally redundant
mooring cables on the rear of the craft are installed to prevent the craft drifting
downriver with the current in the event of mooring system failure.
It is not anticipated that either the primary or redundant safety mooring cables
would break since they are designed with a factor of safety of 3. Nonetheless
some consideration of equipment recovery in case that craft should drift
downriver is still necessary.
To attenuate risk of equipment loss and to facilitate emergency craft recovery,
deployment efforts shall involve two boats; thus in the instance of engine failure
or mechanical incident, the extra boat shall be used to secure craft and prevent a
safety or environmental incident. Before and during mooring cable attachment,
the craft shall be securely fastened to the work boat with attachment cables as
depicted in Figure 4, below.
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EXHIBIT A
Figure 4: Boat Attachment Apparatus
Typically, if even one of the mooring components is intact and correctly attached,
the craft will not drift more than thirty feet downstream, and would easily be
recovered by towing into position with the work boat, whereupon it would be
fastened by cables.
Instrumentation for Mooring System Failure Alarm
Since the event of an unaddressed remote location craft mooring cable failure
would be detrimental in terms of power output and craft damage, mooring system
integrity will be evaluated using a SCADA type positional monitoring system
employing a Dynamic Global Positioning System coupled with an excursion
monitoring/reporting software package. If the system senses the craft moving
outside of the defined excursion envelope, an alarm will sound to indicate
mooring cable failure; this system interrogates onboard GPS sensors for craft
position every five seconds, updates a five-year data-logged history of craft
positions and headings at a one-minute sampling rate, and additionally records
alarms and events in a data log.
Figure A.5
Boat Attachment Apparatus
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EXHIBIT A
The proposed positional monitoring system is tolerant of power outages and
currently supports the following industry standard communication protocols:
MODBUS RTU Over TCP
MODBUS ASCII/RTU/TCP
NMEA 0183
Means of Alerting Technicians
The proposed SCADA system interfaces with a Protalk CV3 alarm dialing system
with cellular amplification, integrated cellular module with voice and SMS text
capabilities. This alarm system is tolerant of power outages, and may be
programmed for four different shifts, is highly modular, and has low footprint. It
will continue to dial numbers in its database until technicians give confirmation of
alarm notification.
The proposed system also has built-in radio port and public address systems
which may be programmed with redundant alert capability in after-hours
situations.
An additional consideration for the SCADA monitoring/alarm system is alarm
cascade. Since the Protalk interface is capable of supporting a wide array of
specific alarm messages from digital and analog inputs, it is important that the
acquisition and broadcast of craft data be configured to give technicians optimum
awareness of the mode of failure and extent in the event of emergency involving
several alarms from multiple component failures. The integrated PLC interface
would then organize the alarm cascade such that technicians would be able to
differentiate a transmission rotation stoppage caused by a debris jam from one
caused by mooring cable failure or transmission component failure. This allows
emergency personnel and technicians to best prepare themselves to address
emergency situations.
Emergency Response Plan
This proposal includes the following delineation for full-time and emergency
personnel responsibilities and methodology:
Rapid emergency response by technical personnel is available at any time during
operational months. A rotating personnel schedule system will allow for a senior
technical supervisor, a pilot and crew of two technicians to be selected from a
pool of qualified workers as first responders at any given time. Trained
technicians shall be equipped with cellular phones or use their personal cellular
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EXHIBIT A
devices as well as redundant CB or Military Spec- long range radio system such
as used by volunteer fire departments and emergency medical service teams to
rally members.
Emergency Response crew responsibilities are as follows: The technical
supervisor is responsible for assembling a response crew, assessing the nature of
emergency, and following emergency attenuation procedures in the event of
emergency. Additionally, he/she is responsible for the maintenance of safety
equipment and tools used in emergency response. Technical supervisors also are
responsible for coordinating with relevant local, state, and federal authorities and
agencies in the event of an emergency.
The pilot is responsible for the operation of work boats and vehicles in the event
of emergency, and for their maintenance (ie: fueling and basic repairs).
Each member of the response crew is responsible for his/her availability for the
duration of their scheduling period. This means that each member must keep their
cellular phones and/or radios charged and working during this interval.
Figure 5: Workboat Hauling Rigid Strut Support Sections
Emergency Responder Response Time
Response time varies with technician proximity. During day-time emergency
response, a down-river technician is expected to confirm alarm in under a minute,
and reach a motor vehicle rally point in under fifteen minutes. An up-river
technician may require up to fifteen minutes to reach an upriver boat launch and a
Figure A.6
Workboat Hauling Rigid Strut Support Sections
Page 37
EXHIBIT A
further five minutes to reach downriver boat launch. It is anticipated that
departure of a repair/emergency response team from boat launch in work boat
may be effected in under thirty minutes. The boat trip from launch to craft area is
less than one minute.
It is anticipated that night-time response may require up to twenty-five minutes
for team departure from down-river boat launch. In either case, docking the craft
and disembarking will likely require no more than one minute.
The purpose of this installation is primarily to test the proposed design for
suitability under a variety of loading and environmental conditions. Consequently
it will already be subject to a robust monitoring protocol. A full craft and site
inspection will be carried out by a qualified technician daily. During business
hours, at least one technician will be on duty monitoring craft. Technicians have
full or part-time jobs within a 1.5 mile radius of the craft. Each of these
technicians is equipped with a cell-phone. During day-time emergency response, a
technician is expected to confirm a cell-phone text or voice alarm in under a
minute, and reach a motor vehicle rally point in less than ten minutes. It is
anticipated that departure of a repair/emergency response team from boat launch
in work boat may be effected in under fifteen minutes. The boat trip from launch
to craft area is less than one minute.
After business hours, technicians reside in domiciles within a 1 mile radius of
craft. It is anticipated that night-time response may require up to twenty minutes
for team departure from down-river boat launch. In either case, docking the craft
and disembarking will likely require no more than one minute.
Location of Emergency Response Personnel
The proposed technicians all have full or part-time jobs, with varying proximity to
craft site. Since emergency response is inherently time-critical, response teams
would be picked based on proximity rather than scheduling during day-time hours
from 6 AM to 6 PM. From 6 PM to 6 AM, it is proposed to employ a rotating
schedule of technicians who would be alerted first to an emergency condition.
Consequently response type would be categorized as day-time or night-time type
response.
A day-time approach would be based on proximity of technicians based upon
work-place locations. Under this paradigm, the technician first reaching the rally
point would assume the role of senior technician, and would assemble a response
team from available workers.
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EXHIBIT A
The night-time approach would be based upon a rotating scheduling system that
spreads after-hours emergency response among a pool of qualified individuals.
This ensures that a number of persons remain qualified for emergency operations.
In event of an emergency, the first responder to reach the rally point shall assume
the role of technical supervisor, and will be responsible for designating piloting
and technical responsibilities among the remaining responders. Additionally, the
technical supervisor shall coordinate with local emergency responders if need be
and is responsible for appraising the project supervisor at Hasz, of environmental
or safety incidents within 8 hours of incident occurrence.
Emergency Response Guidelines
In the event of an alarm, technicians would respond in accordance with following
general procedure:
Alarm input triggers alarm system, which broadcasts radio and cellular
signals until confirmation is received, and logs alarm event in database.
Technicians give single button confirmation response, and converge to a
common rally point.
Supervisor confirms that appropriate team members have assembled,
assigns team duties, determines and acquires required safety equipment
and tools based on SCADA system.
For teams converging to "downriver" rally point, pilot technician uses
specialized off-road motor vehicle to transport response team and
equipment to boat launch area.
Senior Technician confirms that appropriate team members are present at
work boat.
Pilot activates project work boat, which is equipped with safety equipment
including spot-lights, crane and winch, high visibility personal floatation
devices, and anchoring and towing equipment. Work boat is piloted to
craft site.
Senior Technician assesses damage, hazards, and potential risks, and
determines suitable attenuation plan.
Response team carries out appropriate attenuation plan, ensuring operator
safety and craft integrity as primary goals.
Technician team ensures that all tools, equipment, and vehicular
conveyances used are properly stowed and maintained after usage, and if
necessary, senior technician alerts a repair crew to attend or modify craft
as needed.
Senior Technician reports to supervisor at Hasz within 8 hours.
Page 39
EXHIBIT A
Annual Coordination with Responding Agencies
Local EMS and fire department services are exclusively volunteer-based, and
have no watercraft. Consequently, the proposed plan does not rely upon local
emergency response services, and no effort shall be made to coordinate with such
agencies. Instead, Hasz shall supervise and train a specialized response team
equipped with proper tools, as well as land and aquatic transportation.
Prevention of Unauthorized Access
During operation, the proposed installation is located in swift water, and anchored
by submerged cables to the vertical face of a 250-ft high rock cliff; it is practically
accessible exclusively by boat. It is anticipated that the probability of
unauthorized or accidental access will be substantially attenuated by the remote
location and difficulties associated with accessing craft. Unauthorized access is
further discouraged by warning signs, which will alert boaters to hazards caused
by the presence of submerged cables, rotating turbine components, and high
voltage wires and electrical hardware. Surveillance cameras will be visibly
mounted on the craft to discourage vandalism or theft as well as monitoring
interaction between the public and the installation.
Additionally, operator safety and unauthorized access prevention will be
maintained by two fences on the craft. The outer perimeter fence railing system
prevents unauthorized persons from accessing the craft deck, and protects
operators and technicians from falling off the craft. The rotating turbine
components are cordoned off by an additional inner fence which prevents
unauthorized or accidental access to turbine should unauthorized persons gain
access to craft.
All onboard adjustable controls, including onboard SCADA controls, electrical
panel boxes, screw-jack height controls, and craft fifth-wheel attachments and
anchoring attachments, will be maintained in lockout mode when not in use by
qualified personnel. This will prevent unauthorized tampering with craft or
turbine settings, or accidental release of craft from anchoring system.
Signage
Warning signage shall be installed on craft in accordance with US Coast Guard
protocols, both to warn public against unauthorized access to deployed craft and
alert workers to potentially hazardous situations. As shown in below, these signs
shall include three standard USCG signs warning marine traffic of submerged
cable and other navigational hazards. Additionally crush hazard placards in
Page 40
EXHIBIT A
accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z535.2 color
coding shall be placed at each corner of fencing surrounding the turbine, as well
as on both height adjustment mechanisms (see figure I-1011). Electrical shock
hazard placards shall be placed by generator, as well as upon both cabinets, and a
non-skid floor sign shall mark a trip zone by the bridge strut. Also, signs warning
against access by unauthorized personnel shall be posted on both ends of the craft,
as well as by the bridge strut (see figure I-1011, I-1012).
Page 41
EXHIBIT A
Page 42
EXHIBIT A
c. Project Removal Plan
The proposed craft is designed to be installed and disestablished rapidly and safely at
the beginning and end of each operating season. It is anticipated that two technicians
will be able to raise the water wheel entirely out of the water using a screw jack array,
and bring it to a halt in approximately three minutes.
The turbine may be readily removed from water while craft remains stationary, which
allows the easy implementation of emergency measures to modify or temporarily
cease craft operation. Additionally, in the proposed plan, technicians will be able to
completely remove all project components from the site (except the threaded rock
anchors in cliff face) in less than five hours. The following measures will be applicable
for the duration of the operating season.
In the event that the Senior Technician's assessment dictates a temporary cessation of
power generation, a crew of two technicians may apply load breaks and use screw jack
adjustors to raise turbine out of stream flow to stop turbine. This procedure will
require less than five minutes, and stops all moving parts on craft.
In the event that the assessment requires a complete removal of all craft components
from installation site, a full disestablishment may be effected in 9 hours. Ideally two
boats will be utilized to remove craft from deployment site as follows:
Pilot docks work boat into rear craft fitting; technician buckles attachment
cables on boat to craft.
Two technicians utilize screw jacks to lift turbine out of water. Load breaks
are thrown, and power cables are disconnected.
(The above two steps will require approximately one an hour.)
Work boat pushes craft forward to remove tension from mooring cables.
Technicians on secondary boat detach primary and secondary mooring cables
from the bluff, maintaining secure hold on cable ends.
Technician on craft reels in mooring cables while work boat prevents craft
from sliding downstream.
Technician on craft releases fifth wheel pin lock, allowing work boat to move
craft freely.
It is anticipated that the above four steps will require approximately three
hours.
Pilot guides work boat and craft to shore, where craft may be winched entirely
out of water.
Staging the craft on a level section of shore, winching it in using a skidder,
and safely preparing it for off-season storage will probably require five hours.
Page 43
EXHIBIT A
It is predicted that withdrawing craft from deployment site will require nine hours for
a crew of four technicians.
d. Navigation Safety Plan
Signs and LED buoys complying with USCG regulations for night time and inclement
weather visibility will be installed and checked as part of daily routine craft/site
inspections. Since this section of the Tanana is not heavily traveled (approximately one
boat per hour between 6 AM and 8 PM), it is not anticipated that this installation will
pose a danger to the boating public. An additional level of protection for boaters is
provided by the decking which prevents anything taller than 18-in from river surface
from traveling between the pontoons and into the turbine.
e. Emergency Shutdown and Removal
The proposed craft is designed to be installed and disestablished rapidly and safely at the
beginning and end of each operating season. The turbine may be readily removed from
water while craft remains stationary, which allows the easy implementation of emergency
measures to modify or temporarily cease craft operation. Additionally, in the proposed
plan, technicians will be able to completely remove all project components from site
except the threaded rock anchors in cliff face in less than five hours. The following
measures will be applicable for the duration of the operating season:
In the event that the Senior Technician's assessment dictates a temporary cessation of
power generation, a crew of two technicians may apply load breaks and use screw jack
adjustors to raise turbine out of stream flow to stop turbine. This procedure will require
less than five minutes, and stops all moving parts on craft.
In the event that the assessment requires a complete removal of all craft components from
installation site, a full disestablishment may be effected in 9 hours.
Ideally two boats will be utilized to remove craft from deployment site as follows:
Pilot docks work boat into rear craft fitting; technician buckles attachment cables
on boat to craft.
Two technicians utilize screw jacks to lift turbine out of water. Load breaks are
thrown, and power cables are disconnected.
The above two steps will require approximately one an hour.
Work boat pushes craft forward to remove tension from mooring cables.
Technicians on secondary boat detach primary and secondary mooring cables
from the bluff, maintaining secure hold on cable ends.
Page 44
EXHIBIT A
Technician on craft reels in mooring cables while work boat prevents craft from
sliding downstream.
Technician on craft releases fifth wheel pin lock, allowing work boat to move
craft freely.
It is anticipated that the above four steps will require approximately three hours.
Pilot guides work boat and craft to shore, where craft may be winched entirely out
of water.
Staging the craft on a level section of shore, winching it in using a skidder, and
safely preparing it for off-season storage will probably require five hours.
It is predicted that withdrawing craft from deployment site will require nine hours for a
crew of four technicians.
Figure 6: Strut Assembly Diagram Figure A.7
Strut Assembly Diagram
Page 45
EXHIBIT A
Site Maintenance after Removal
Once the craft has been removed from deployment site, and cables reeled in, the only
remaining mooring components are the rigid suspension support member (Figure 6), rock
anchoring system, and power intertie components with GVEA grid (including a run of
armored cable). The rigid support member is a compact modular design which prevents
the current from sweeping the craft toward the shore and is an important component in
the mooring system. The support is comprised of three modular 10-foot sections pinned
together, and secured to the shore by a pintle-hitch assembly; it is anticipated that a pilot,
supervisor, and two engineers may require six hours to disassemble and remove bridge.
The five-foot threaded rock anchors are designed by Williams Form Engineering. These
are permanent structural components that are grouted into the rock face. Over winter
these will be covered with plastic caps to prevent thread corrosion. If required, these rock
anchors may be cut or ground flush with the rock to leave minimal long-term impacts at
installation site.
The only permanent fixture at the deployment site are four sets of one inch diameter rock
anchors for securing the bridge and mooring cables, and a 900-foot by 20-foot easement
for the armored cable. The easement will need to be cleared of brush for the installation
of cable, however the armored cable only requires a one foot wide clearance, and no large
trees will be cut down. The armored cable will be anchored into the ground using grouted
thread anchors, which may be either capped or cut flush with rock face. Since no trees of
substantial size shall be cleared, there is no anticipated need for replanting efforts
following removal of craft due to emergency or license termination.
Page 46
FINANCIAL ASSURANCE
In accordance with FERC’s whitepaper, WPC is providing financial assurance for all
project costs including complete project removal and site remediation at the conclusion of
the license term or at the request of the Commission.
Page 47
Page 48
Whitestone Farms
PO BOX 1229
Delta Junction, AK 99737
Phone: (907) 895-4938 * Fax: (907) 895-4787
August 21, 2013
LETTER OF GUARANTEE
This letter will serve as notification that Whitestone Farms will irrevocably continue to
financially support Whitestone Community Association, dba Whitestone Power &
Communications.
This guarantee insures a continuance of all payments on the part of Whitestone Farms for all
costs and debts incurred by Whitestone Power& Communications. It is in our best interest to
continue to pay for this service in exchange for the benefit that this utility provides.
We have interlocking directorships on the two boards, including Mr. David DiGloria, the
treasurer; Mr. Nathan Vereide and Mr. Gabriel Greenleaf.
Signed:
David J. DiGloria
Treasurer
Page 49
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
EXHIBIT E
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT
1. GENERAL AREA DESCRIPTION
The Tanana River is the largest tributary of the Yukon River. Its headwaters are located at the
confluence of the Chisana and Nabesna Rivers just north of Northway in eastern Alaska. It flows
northwest from near the Canada border and Yukon Territory, and laterally along the northern
slope of the Alaska Range, roughly paralleled by the Alaska Highway. In central Alaska, it flows
into a lowland marsh region known as the Tanana Valley and passes to the south of the city of
Fairbanks. In the marsh regions it is joined by several large tributaries, including the Nenana and
Kantishna rivers. It empties into the Yukon River near the town of Tanana. Altogether, the river
drains an area of over 45,000 square miles according to the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game. It is a glacially fed river with many tributaries and a total length of approximately 515
miles. This project is located at its confluence with the Delta River at River Mile 361,
approximately 90 miles southeast of Fairbanks and about ½ mile downstream of the Alyeska
Pipeline Bridge which crosses the Tanana River.
a. Topography
The proposed project is located in the Tanana Valley between the Alaska Range to the
South and the Brooks Range to the north. In the immediate vicinity of the project area, is
the confluence of the Delta and Tanana rivers. The north side of the project area is a bluff
rising approximately 250-feet above the surface of the river at normal high water. On the
south side of the project area the river lowlands form sandy beaches along both the Delta
and Tanana rivers. Approximately 1 mile south of the project location another bluff is
situated. The Tanana River runs approximately from east to west through the project area.
A map showing the topography of the area can be seen in Exhibit G.
b. Climate
The project area located at mile 361 of the Tanana River where the Delta Rivers flows in.
The climate in this part of interior Alaska is arid, with an average annual precipitation of
22 inches. Attached are temperature charts taken for the year of 2005 which are
representative of the normal temperature distributions for the project area. The
temperature readings were taken about a mile downstream of the project area during a
wind resource study conducted for a different project. Also included is a histogram
showing temperature distributions for the entire year.
Exhibit E-1Page 50
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - January
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - February
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
Degrees FFigure E.1: Temperature Trend - January
Figure E.2: Temperature Trend - February
Exhibit E-2Page 51
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - March
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - April
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Degrees FFigure E.4: Temperature Trend - April
Figure E.3: Temperature Trend - March
Exhibit E-3Page 52
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - May
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - June
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Degrees FFigure E.5: Temperature Trend - May
Figure E.6: Temperature Trend - June
Exhibit E-4Page 53
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - July
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - August
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Degrees FFigure E.7: Temperature Trend - July
Figure E.8: Temperature Trend - August
Exhibit E-5Page 54
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - September
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - October
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Degrees FFigure E.9: Temperature Trend - September
Figure E.10: Temperature Trend - October
Exhibit E-6Page 55
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Temperature Trend - November
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
Degrees F
Temperature Trend - December
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
Degrees F
Figure E.11: Temperature Trend - November
Figure E.12: Temperature Trend - December
Exhibit E-7Page 56
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Wind is also a major consideration in the project area. The particular area of the Tanana River
Basin in which the project is located in a 50-mile radius has periods of high winds. The
following wind distributions show a representative year of wind data.
January
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Windspeed (mph)
Figure E.13: Temperature Distribution
Figure E.14: Windspeed - January
Exhibit E-8Page 57
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
February
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Wind Speed (mph)
March
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Wind Speed (mph)
Figure E.15: Windspeed - February
Figure E.16: Windspeed - March
Exhibit E-9Page 58
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
April
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Wind Speed (mph)May
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Wind Speed (mph)Figure E.17: Windspeed - April
Figure E.18: Windspeed - May
Exhibit E-10Page 59
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
June
0
5
10
15
20
25
Wind Speed (mph)July
0
5
10
15
20
25
Wind Speed (mph)Figure E.19: Windspeed - June
Figure E.20: Windspeed - July
Exhibit E-11Page 60
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
August
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Wind Speed (mph)September
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Wind Speed (mph)Figure E.21: Windspeed - August
Figure E.22: Windspeed - September
Exhibit E-12Page 61
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
October
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Wind Speed (mph)
November
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Wind Speed (mph)
Figure E.23: Windspeed - October
Figure E.24: Windspeed - November
Exhibit E-13Page 62
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
December
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Wind Speed (mph)
2. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS AND SCOPE
a. Cumulative Effects
According to the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) regulations for
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR §1508.7), an
action may cause cumulative effects on the environment if its effects overlap in time or
space with the effects of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions,
regardless of what agency or person undertakes the actions. Cumulative effects can result
from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of
time, including hydropower and other land and water development activities.
This project is a test project with a maximum life of five (5) years. At the end of five
years the structures will be permanently removed. Within this short time duration it is
expected that no cumulative effects will accumulate. Currently no other projects are
operating in the area, nor are there any projects planned for the area during the life of the
project.
b. Geographic Scope And Effects
The geographic scope of the analysis defines the physical limits or boundaries of the
proposed actions’ effect on the resources. Because the proposed action would affect
resources differently, the geographic scope for each resource may vary. The geographic
scope of the effect analysis broadly includes the Tanana River and the mouth of the Delta
Figure E.25: Windspeed - December
Exhibit E-14Page 63
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
River in the area of the proposed project. The surface area occupied by the project
boundary is approximately 540,000 sq. ft. Please refer to the area maps in Exhibit G.
The proposed project will extend into the Tanana River from the right (north) bank
approximately 50-feet. Thus it will cause a 9% restriction in the channel which is 600 ft
wide at the project location. In addition, approximately 100 rock anchors will be used to
anchor the craft and power transmission cable to the bluff at the project location. It is
expected that the project will create some turbulence in the river channel that will be no
wider than 50-feet and no longer than 100-yards. In consideration of the size of the river
channel in question and the light nature of the traffic both in size and frequency, these are
not expected to be significant impacts. WPC has consulted with State agencies such as
Fish and Game, Natural Resources, and Historic Preservation, as well as federal
representatives from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Corps of Engineers, and Coast
Guard. After reviewing our proposed project none of the agencies found that their
particular area of jurisdiction or resource management would be impacted. All
consultations with agencies and local governments are documented in Attachment A –
Communication Records. The documentation is organized alphabetically by agency.
Although hydrokinetic technology is applicable in most river environments, WPC has a
responsibility primarily to the residents of the community of Whitestone. For this reason,
no other sites were considered for this project as the site chosen is the only one in
proximity to the community with sufficient resource.
c. Temporal Scope And Effects
The temporal scope of analysis includes a discussion of the past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable future actions and their effects on cumulatively affected resources. This Pilot
Project License Application is for a 5-year term which would expire in 2017. At the
present time there are no riverine projects in the vicinity of the project boundary. From a
historical perspective, the project location and any resources it might affect have not been
disturbed by any events other than the normal course of nature.
While the project is in operation, it is not expected to impact any resources outside the
footprint of the float, nor is it expected that any changes made to the surrounding
environment cannot be completely reversed at the conclusion of the project. The
electrical power transmission cable will not be strung overhead on poles nor will it be
buried so no excavation will be required. Instead, the cable will be laid on the ground and
anchored to the rock faces of the bluff using drilled rock anchors. These anchors will be
less than 1-inch diameter and less than five feet long. At the conclusion of the project
they will be cut off and ground down to the level of the earth leaving no discernable
projection. These anchors will be less than 100 in number. Small brush covering 4,500
sq. ft. will be cleared to make room for the cable. It can be reasonably projected that all
this brush will be regrown within five years of the end of the project.
Exhibit E-15Page 64
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Rock anchors will also be used to moor the craft to the bluff face during operation. These
will also be ground flat at the end of the project and will not have any protrusions
remaining. All other facilities and equipment used for the project are portable and
completely removable and will not leave any evidence of their presence after they have
been removed. Since this is a test project which will be permanently removed at the end
of the license period, there will be no long term economic, social, or recreational impacts.
In consideration of the inaccessibility of the project location, the fact that it has not been
used historically for any purpose and the fact that there are no plans for the project
location in the future, it can be reasonably asserted that there will be no long term
cumulative impacts resulting from the project.
3. APPLICABLE LAWS
a. Section 401, Clean Water Act
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, as amended, any activity requiring a
federal license or permit that may result in discharge into navigable waterways, requires
certification from the state that confirms that any such discharge will comply with
applicable state water quality standards. This requires WPC to obtain Section 401 Water
Quality Certification prior to issuance of the Pilot Project License and a subsequent
Letter of Permission from the USACE under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
The project is not subject to the auspices of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act since it
requires no excavation of the river bed and will have no discharge of any material into the
water.
Consultation: WPC has received a Section 10 Letter of Permission from the
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) which precludes the need for a
clean water certification since USACE enforces the Clean Water Act in Alaska
and considers the project to have no substantial individual or cumulative effects.
This documentation is provided in the USACE section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
b. Endangered Species Act
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires an authorizing or acting federal
agency or designated non-federal representative to consult with USFWS/National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) on any actions that might affect listed species or their habitats.
If the authorizing/acting agency or USFWS/NMFS determines an action is likely to
adversely affect a species, formal consultation is required with USFWS or NMFS
depending on their jurisdiction over the listed species. Formal consultation consists of
submittal by the authorizing/acting agency of a Biological Assessment (BA) for review
by USFWS or NMFS. Upon review of the BA, USFWS/NMFS would each prepare a
Exhibit E-16Page 65
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Biological Opinion (BO) which assesses whether the action is likely to jeopardize the
existence of the listed species. The BO may include binding or discretionary
recommendations to reduce potential impact. An Incidental Take Statement may be
attached to the BO if there is potential jeopardy to the species.
Consultation: WPC has been advised by the USFWS that there are no endangered
species within the proposed project boundary. This documentation is provided in
the USFWS section of Attachment A – Communication Records.
c. National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to
consider the effect of federally permitted projects on historic and cultural resources and
requires consultation with the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) prior to
authorizing a project. Compliance with Section 106 of the Act also requires consultation
with the tribes in the region. FERC typically satisfies Section 106 requirements for
license term through Historic Properties Management Plans developed by the applicant in
consultation with SHPO or a Programmatic Agreement to which FERC, SHPO and the
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) are typically the signatories.
Consultation: As part of a separate project conducted with the Denali Commission
from 2007–2009, the Alaska SHPO conducted a study of the proposed project
area and concluded that there were no historic landmarks or resources within the
proposed project location. WPC has received a letter from SHPO confirming that
there are no affected historic properties within the project boundary. This
documentation is provided in Attachment A – Communication Records.
Additionally, this location is not part of any tribal lands as shown on the map in
Exhibit G.
d. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires WPC to
consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service to determine whether the proposed
project will have adverse impacts to the habitat or migratory paths of fish species which
are deemed important by NMFS and which are a food resource.
Consultation: WPC has been advised by the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) that there are no concerns regarding the habitat or safety of species
protected under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, and that they will not require WPC to develop an Essential Fish Habitat
Assessment (EFH). This documentation is provided in Attachment A –
Communication Records.
Exhibit E-17Page 66
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
e. Coastal Zone Management Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
Consultation: A concurrence letter from the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) is provided in the DNR section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
f. Alaska Fish and Game Code
The Alaska Fish and Game Code (AS16.05.817) gives the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game (ADFG) the responsibility of protecting the states wildlife resources. As such,
this statute grants ADFG the responsibility of issuing permits for projects which have the
potential to impact the wildlife population. State law requires WPC to receive a Title 16
permit from ADFG before beginning construction.
Consultation: WPC has received a Title 16 permit from ADFG. This
documentation is provided in the ADFG section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
g. Alaska Water Use Act
The Alaska Water Use Act (Title 46) give the Alaska Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) the power to adjudicate water usage rights for waters owned by the State of
Alaska. This regulation requires WPC to receive a water use permit from DNR prior to
deployment of the proposed project.
Consultation: WPC has received a Title 46 permit from DNR. This
documentation is provided in the DNR section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
h. Alaska Land Act
The Alaska Land Act (Title 38) grants DNR the authority to issue permits for the use of
state lands. This statute requires WPC to receive a Land Use Permit from DNR prior to
the construction or deployment of the proposed project since the project will be entirely
constructed and deployed on state owned land.
Consultation: WPC has received a Title 46 permit from DNR. This
documentation is provided in the DNR section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
Exhibit E-18Page 67
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
i. Wild and Scenic Rivers and Wilderness Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
j. Code of Federal Regulations Navigation and Navigable Waterways (Title 33)
CFR Title 33 gives the United States Coast Guard (USCG) the responsibility of
monitoring the nation’s waterways to insure the safety of the public among other
concerns. This regulation requires WPC to receive a permit and PATON regulations from
USCG prior to deployment of the proposed project.
Consultation: WPC has received a permit and PATON specification from the
USCG. This documentation is provided in the USCG section of Attachment A –
Communication Records.
k. Pacific Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Act
This statute is not applicable to the Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project.
4. PROJECT FACILITIES AND OPERATION
a.
Project Description
As described in Exhibit A, and illustrated with maps and diagrams in Exhibit G, the
Whitestone Poncelet RISEC project is in the design stage and is the basis for the design
and proposed action contemplated in this Draft Pilot License application.
The proposed action for which the applicant seeks a pilot license is the development,
testing and environmental monitoring of a 100 kW River In-Stream Energy Conversion
(RISEC) system using run-of-river current. This pilot project would consist of:
A single Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 having a wheel of 16-ft diameter and 12-ft
width producing a maximum of 100 kW
Mooring and power cables running above the water from the float to the shore
Appurtenant facilities for navigation safety and operation.
Based on the resource analysis of the current velocity and the projection of the annual
duration of operation, the proposed project is expected to have an annual average power
generation of 200 MWh.
Exhibit E-19Page 68
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
b.
Location And Layout
Based upon the velocity study completed by the University of Alaska, Anchorage survey
team during the summer of 2010, the turbine will be anchored approximately 30 feet
from the shore of the bluff shown on the northern edge of the project boundary. The total
footprint of the device in the water will be 34 feet long and 19 feet wide. The total water
surface area enclosed by the project boundary as shown in Exhibit G is approximately
540,000 sq. ft. (12.4 acres).
For a complete project description as well as operation, maintenance and monitoring
plans, see Exhibit A of this draft application.
c.
Alternatives Considered
WPC has studied various technologies over a period of three years and consulted with
many developers, researchers and regulatory agencies in order to arrive at the conclusion
that there is a need for a new technology. As such, WPC has formulated a new design in
order to produce a technology that is uniquely suited to environments characterized by
shallow water and heavy debris loads.
i.
Alternative Sites Considered
Although this technology is applicable in most river environments, WPC has a
responsibility primarily to the residents of the community of Whitestone. For this
reason, no other sites were considered for this project as the site chosen is the only
one in proximity to the community with sufficient resource.
ii.
Alternative Facility Designs, Processes, and Operations Considered
WPC has had the opportunity to be involved in statewide discussions regarding the
advent of hydrokinetic technology in Alaska from its inception. Over the last
several years, WPC has had the advantage of observing many of the initial attempts
to apply this technology to Alaskan rivers. Many of these technologies are
available, although the vertical axis turbines have gained the most traction here in
Alaska. All these designs have two problems. None of them is able to shed debris
effectively in a manner that does not obstruct the flow of water to the rotor.
Secondly, none of them has proven satisfactory to the various regulatory agencies
particularly in the area of interaction with aquatic life. For these reasons, WPC
Exhibit E-20Page 69
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
considers these technologies ineffective for application to the Tanana River site
near Whitestone.
5. PROPOSED ACTION AND ACTION ALTERNATIVES: ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW
The potential impacts of the proposed action on the environment are analyzed in this section.
Each “Resource Area” listed in the Commission’s White Paper (and in CFR Title 18, 5.6(d)(3))
is described below in detail using standard FERC NEPA format. Consideration has been given to
all relevant resource areas identified for analysis in the Commission’s whitepaper on
hydrokinetic projects in Appendix B of whitepaper §5.18(b)(5)(ii)(B). As stated earlier, this
exhibit has been developed in cooperation with resource agencies and has been based on detailed
environmental information collected. The exhibit has been designed to avoid and minimize all
environmental impacts.
Exhibit A includes a description of the environmental monitoring plan under section 9: “Safe
Management, Operations, and Maintenance Statement”, subpart a: “Monitoring Plans”, sub-
subpart i: “Environment: Fish, Wildlife, Plants, Soils, Recreation, Land Use”. The plan presented
in Exhibit A applies to all the “Resource Effects Measures” described in this section.
a. Geology And Soils
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
The proposed Whitestone Poncelet RISEC project would not excavate, disturb or
make any use of the river bed. For this reason, there are no expected effects to the
geology and soils of the river bottom due to anchoring. In addition, because the
plunge of the blades is very small compared to the depth of the river, there should
be no adverse effects as a result of turbulence disturbing the river bed.
The lands which will be used for construction of the project and storage of project
maintenance and operation materials will not require any clearing of trees or brush.
The existing sandy shore area near the river which has been granted to WPC to be
used under ADNR Permit # ADL 417428 will be used for this purpose. Since this
project will be removed after five years of testing, the use of this land will be
temporary and non-invasive. Connexes will be used to store tools and materials and
will be set on wood cribbing for the project duration. All of these materials will be
removed at the conclusion of the project.
The craft will be moored to the opposite bank. The mooring location of the craft
and power line intertie is an almost shear rock face. The rock is composed of schist
and biotite gneiss. A map showing project area geology can be found in Exhibit G.
Exhibit E-21Page 70
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
These rocks have been recommended as being relatively hard and advantageous for
anchoring. Not more than 100 individual anchors having a length not greater than
5-ft and a diameter of not more than 2-in will be drilled into the rock faces to
support the mooring of the float and the anchoring of the overland armored
electrical cable. These anchors will not require any digging or soils removal; they
will be drilled into the rock and grouted in place. At the conclusion of the project,
they will be cut off and ground flat with the rock surface. This proposal has been
approved by the ADNR as evidenced by the land use permit received by WPC for
the purpose of this project (Permit # ADL 414914). A copy of this permit is also
provided in Attachment A – Communication Records.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
It is not expected that there will be any environmental effects to the river bed soils
or geology. The wheel and the blades will contact only the surface of the water, a
minor penetration relative to the depth of the river, and there should be no adverse
effects as a result of turbulence disturbing the river bed. The rock faces
immediately bordering the river at the project location will be have rock anchors
permanently grouted into them. These will be small, few in number and of a color
similar to the existing rock.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effects on river bed soils or geology will be observed as part of the
environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A, Section
9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might
relate to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
8
Exhibit E-22Page 71
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on river bed soils or geology is
consistent with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s
Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the US
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is presented in Attachment A –
Communication Records.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
b. Water Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
The proposed project will be situated in the Tanana River at the site of its
confluence with the Delta River, i.e. the mouth of the Delta River. The river-mile
mark on the Tanana is 361. The surface area occupied by the project boundary is
approximately 540,000 sq.-ft. The Tanana River is a relatively large river having
discharge rates as high as 8,000 cfs in the summer months. Due to the high
sediment load and remote location its water is not used for commercial purposes
other than incidental transportation.
The device will extend into the Tanana River from the right (north) bank
approximately 50-feet. Thus it will cause a 9% restriction in the channel which is
600 ft wide at the project location. In addition, approximately 100 rock anchors will
be used to anchor the craft and power transmission cable to the bluff at the project
location. It is expected that the project will create some turbulence in the river
channel, the wake of which will be no wider than 50-feet and no longer than 100-
yards.
8
Exhibit E-23Page 72
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
On June 11 and 12, 2010, the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) surveyed
the project area using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and recorded water
velocities to determine which spots were viable for power production. Velocities
recorded at the project site were as high as 14 fps measured relatively near the
shore. The following graphic shows the bathymetry and velocity distribution at the
chosen location for the project during the time of the study. Please note that
velocities range from magenta (low) to red (high) and that the proposed turbine will
be situated approximately 50 ft from the left side of the plot.
Velocity distribution at the site selected for project deployment. The complete study results
can be found here.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
In consideration of the size of the river channel in question and the light nature of
the traffic both in size and frequency, these are not expected to be significant
impacts. WPC has received assurances from all the appropriate local resource
agencies that they do not expect any impacts to wildlife as a result of the project.
WPC has also received assurances from the DNR that they do not expect any
significant impacts to soils, terrain or water resources in the project area.
Figure E.26: Velocity Distribution
Exhibit E-24Page 73
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Documentation is provided in the DNR section of Attachment A – Communication
Records.
WPC believes that, given the time frame of the UAA velocity study (June 11-12)
and the known river behavior, it is likely that high velocities will be available for at
least 5 months of each year with the possibility of 6-7 months of operation
depending on temperatures and river conditions.
This proposed project will not remove any water from the river nor will it discharge
any water or other liquid into the river. For this reason, and because the amount of
energy being harvested from the river is minute in comparison to the energy
available, there would not be any noticeable changes to the river either with regard
to hydrodynamics, water quality, river level or discharge rate. The proposed project
would have approximately the same effect on the river as a large boat moving at
low speed. For this reason, no substantive effects to the river environment are
expected as a result of the proposed project.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effects on water resource will be observed as part of the environmental
monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might
relate to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on water resources is consistent with
the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
8
8
Exhibit E-25Page 74
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Consultation with the USCG, the USACE, and the Alaska DNR are documented in
Attachment A – Communication Records. The documents are organized
alphabetically by entity.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative, especially in light of the velocity study done by UAA, and
described in this section.
c. Fish And Aquatic Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
The Tanana River is a relatively large river having discharge rates as high as 8,000
cfs in the summer months. The area includes a sensitive, high priority spawning
area and migration path for several species of anadromous fish, most notably chum,
coho and chinook salmon. The project will not have any effects outside the project
area and even these effects should be minimal given the fact that this is a single
unit which is similar in action to paddle wheel powered boats, many of which
frequent Alaska’s rivers with no deleterious effects on the fish populations.
The official species listing detailing the aquatic life which is present in the
proposed project area at any given time throughout the year is as follows:
Common Name Scientific Name
arctic lamprey Lampetra japonica
least cisco Coregonus sardinella
broad whitefish Coregonus nasus
humpback whitefish Coregonus pidschian
round whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum
inconnu (sheefish) Stenodus leucichthys
chinook (king) salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
chum (dog) salmon Oncorhynchus keta
coho (silver) salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch
arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus
Exhibit E-26Page 75
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
northern pike Esox lucius
lake chub Couesius plumbeus
longnose sucker Catostomus catostomus
burbot Lota lota
slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus
Many of these fish are anadromous and migratory although a few of them live their
entire lives more locally. The primary concern for these species with regard to the
proposed project is the potential effects to out-migrating juveniles which can be
found in the proposed project area for much of the summer. A secondary concern
regards the adults returning to spawn in fall. ADFG has raised some concerns that,
without proper location, the proposed project may interfere with the migrating
patterns. WPC is in discussions with ADFG in an effort to satisfy their concerns. It
is likely that the initial project location will be in a less sensitive portion of the
proposed project area. This will allow ADFG to monitor the effects of the float on
fish behavior during the initial stages of the project in order to determine whether
the proposed project is too invasive to operate in more sensitive locations.
ii. SEASONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TANANA RIVER
The Tanana River, in which the proposed project would be located, is the largest
tributary of the Yukon River. During the summer months, it is fed primarily by
glacial melt. As a result of this, it is heavily silt laden. The Tanana River is also
considered a braided stream even though not all portions of the river are braided.
The project area is a reach of the river which is not braided. The river levels vary
by as much as 10 feet throughout the year. During the winter, the river is entirely
spring fed and the water becomes clear.
The portion of the Tanana River in which the proposed project would be located
does not freeze over during the winter. This is a result of the large amount of
upwelling spring water which holds the water temperature high enough to avoid
freezing. The river experiences small ice flows in October and November each year
which are dumped into it by the Delta River which empties into the Tanana River at
the proposed project location. The river also experiences large ice flows in May.
These usually only last for two or three days and are a result of the annual ice
breakup that occurs on the Goodpaster River which is several miles upstream of the
project location. The depths of the river vary from less than 5 feet in some places to
depths exceeding 30 feet in other areas. The proposed project location has an
average summer depth less than 20 feet.
iii. UNDERWATER NOISE
Table E.1: Aquatic Life Present in Project Area
Exhibit E-27Page 76
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
WPC does not expect there to be high levels of underwater noise generated as a
result of this installation. To begin with, the drive train and generator will not be
submerged. In addition, the plunge depth of the blades on the wheel is only 2 feet.
Additionally, these blades will be moving at about 50% of the speed of the water
producing a pressure drop of only 0.51 psi at the tips of the blades. The amount of
noise generated would be smaller than that of a small boat propelled by an outboard
motor which is very common in Alaska’s rivers.
iv. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 and related systems will have little or no
environmental effects on the aquatic environment because of its noninvasive
design. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has advised WPC that the
pressure drop of 0.51 psi at the tips of the blades associated with power production
is safe for all fish species which frequent the proposed project location. WPC will
continue to consult with the local regulatory agencies as the project develops to
ensure the safety and well-being of the aquatic species in the proposed project area.
Additionally, WPC has received approval from ADFG and USFWS to given the
known migration patterns of the anadromous fish populations (see Consultation
Section below).
v. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effects on aquatic resources will be observed as part of the environmental
monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
vi. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
vii. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might
relate to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
viii. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on aquatic resources is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
8
8
Exhibit E-28Page 77
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
ix. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS, and the National Marine Fisheries Service is presented
in Attachment A – Communication Records.
x. LITERATURE CITED
Durst, J. D. (2000). Fish habitats and use in the Tanana River floodplain near Big
Delta, Alaska, 1999-2000. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Habitat and
Restoration Division, Juneau. Technical Report No. 01-05. 57 pp.
Smith, Laurence C. Bryan L. Isacks, Brad Murray, and Arthur L. Bloom (1996).
“Estimation of discharge from three braided rivers using synthetic aperture radar
satellite imagery: Potential application to ungaged basins” Water Resources
Research, Vol 32, No. 7, July 1996, pp. 2021-2034
Yarie, John, Leslie Viereck, Keith Van Cleve, and Phyllis Adams (1998).
“Flooding and Ecosystem Dynamics Along the Tanana River” BioScience, Vol. 48,
No. 9, Flooding: Natural and Managed (Sep., 1998), pp. 690-695
xi. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
d. Wildlife And Botanical Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTIONS
Upland Plants
A listing of the main plant species which can be found in the proposed project area
is as follows:
Common Name Scientific Name
white spruce Picea glauca
black spruce Picea mariana
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides
paper birch Betula papyrifera
dwarf arctic birch Betula nana
Exhibit E-29Page 78
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Common Name Scientific Name
alder Alnus spp.
willow Salix spp.
bush cinquefoil Potentilla fruticosa
prickly rose Rosa acicularis
highbush cranberry Viburnum edule
wild iris Iris setosa
reed-grass Calamagrostis spp.
grass Gramineae
sedge Carex spp.
horsetail Equisetum spp.
Wetland Plants
There are no wetland plant communities within the project boundary nor will the
project have any significant impact on wetland communities upstream or
downstream of the installation.
Wildlife Resources
A list of local terrestrial wildlife species is given below.
Black Bear Short-tailed Weasel Mink Red Squirrel
Brown Bear Lynx Moose River Otter
Beaver Marmot Muskrat Wolf
Coyote Marten Red Fox Wolverine
Avian Resources
A list of local bird species is given below.
Avian Resource Common Name
Migratory
Status
Breeding
Status Sp Su Fa Wi
LOONS and GREEBES
Red-throated Loon R no X X X
Pacific Loon R no X X X
Common Loon U probable X X X
Horned Grebe U yes X X X
Red-necked Grebe U probable X X X
DUCKS, GEESE, and SWANS
Trumpeter Swan U yes X X X
Tundra Swan U no X X X
Canada Goose U no X X X
Table E.2: Botanical Life Present in Project Area
Table E.3: Wildlife Present in Project Area
Exhibit E-30Page 79
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Avian Resource Common Name
Migratory
Status
Breeding
Status Sp Su Fa Wi
Greater White-fronted Goose C no X X X
Lesser Snow Goose R no X X
Green-winged Teal U yes X X X
Blue-winged Teal R no X X X
Mallard U yes X X X
Northern Pintail U yes X X X
Northern Shoveler U yes X X X
American Wigeon U yes X X X
Redhead R possible X X
Canvasback R possible X X X
Ring-necked Duck U probable X X X
Greater Scaup U yes X X
Lesser Scaup U probable X X X
Long-tailed Duck R no X X X
Surf Scoter R no X X X
Black Scoter R possible X X X
White-winged Scoter R possible X X X
Harlequin Duck R no X X X
Common Goldeneye C yes X X X
Barrow’s Goldeneye R possible X X X
Bufflehead U yes X X X
Common Merganser U possible X X X X
Red-brested Merganser U possible X X X
Osprey R no X X X
HAWKS, EAGLES, and FALCONS
Bald Eagle R no X X X X
Northern Harrier U probable X X X
Sharp-shinned Hawk U probable X X X
Northern Goshawk U yes X X X X
Swainson's Hawk R no X X X
Red-tailed Hawk U yes X X X
Rough-legged Hawk R possible X X
Golden Eagle R yes X X X
American Kestrel R probable X X X
Merlin R probable X X X
Peregrin Falcon R possible X X X
Gyrfalcon R possible X X X X
GROUSE
Spruce Grouse C yes X X X X
Ruffed Grouse C yes X X X X
Exhibit E-31Page 80
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Avian Resource Common Name
Migratory
Status
Breeding
Status Sp Su Fa Wi
Sharp-tailed Grouse C yes X X X X
Willow Ptarmigan U yes X X X X
Rock Ptarmigan R yes X X X X
White-tailed Ptarmigan R possible X X X X
CRANES
Sandhill Crane C possible X X X
PLOVERS
Black-bellied Plover R no X X X
American Golden-Plover U probable X X X
Semipalmated Plover U probable X X X
SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES, and ALLIES
Killdeer R no X X X
Greater Yellowlegs R yes X X X
Lesser Yellowlegs U yes X X X
Solitary Sandpiper R yes X X X
Wandering Tattler R no X X X
Spotted Sandpiper C yes X X X
Upland Sandpiper C yes X X X
Whimbrel R possible X X
Long-billed Dowitcher R no X X X
Ruddy Turnstone R no X
Semipalmated Sandpiper R no X X X
Western Sandpiper R no X X
Surfbird R possible X X X
Least Sandpiper U possible X X X
Dunlin U no X X X
Wilson's Snipe U yes X X X
Red-necked Phalarope R possible X X X
JAEGERS
Parasitic Jaeger R no X X
Long-tailed Jaeger R no X X X
GULLS and TERNS
Bonaparte’s Gull R no X X X
Mew Gull C yes X X X
Herring Gull U no X X X
Glaucous-winged Gull R no X X
Arctic Tern U possible X X X
Rock pigeon R possible X X X X
Great Horned Owl yes X X X X
Snowy Owl R no X
Exhibit E-32Page 81
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Avian Resource Common Name
Migratory
Status
Breeding
Status Sp Su Fa Wi
Northern Hawk Owl yes X X X X
Great Gray Owl probable X X X X
Boreal Owl probable X X X X
Short-eared Owl R yes X X X
Belted Kingfisher R probable X X X
Downy Woodpecker yes X X X X
Hairy Woodpecker yes X X X X
Three-toed Woodpecker yes X X X X
Black-backed Woodpecker yes X X X X
Yellow-shafted Flicker U yes X X X
Olive-sided Flycatcher R yes X X X
Western Wood-Pewee R yes X X X
Alder Flycatcher C yes X X X
Hammond’s Flycatcher U yes X X X
Say's Phoebe U X X X
Horned Lark U yes X X X
Tree Swallow U yes X X X
Violet-green Swallow U probable X X X
Bank Swallow C yes X X X
Cliff Swallow C yes X X X
Barn Swallow R possible X X X
Gray Jay C yes X X X X
Black-billed Magpie U possible X X X X
Common Raven C yes X X X X
Black-capped Chickadee C yes X X X X
Boreal Chickadee C yes X X X X
Red-breasted Nuthatch R possible X X X X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet C yes X X X
Brown Creeper R no X X X X
American Dipper R probable X X X X
Northern Wheatear R possible X X X
Townsend’s Solitaire R possible X X X
Mountain Bluebird R yes X X X
Gray-cheeked Thrush R yes X X X
Swainson’s Thrush C yes X X X
Hermit Thrush C yes X X X
American Robin C yes X X X
Varied Thrush R yes X X X
American Pipit U probable X X X
Bohemian Waxwing U probable X X X X
Exhibit E-33Page 82
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Avian Resource Common Name
Migratory
Status
Breeding
Status Sp Su Fa Wi
Northern Shrike R probable X X X X
Orange-crowned Warbler C yes X X X
Yellow Warbler C yes X X X
Yellow-rumped Warbler C yes X X X
Townsend’s Warbler R yes X X X
Blackpoll Warbler R yes X X X
Common Yellowthroat R no X
Wilson’s Warbler C yes X X X
Northern Waterthrush R yes X X X
American Tree Sparrow C yes X X X
Savannah Sparrow C yes X X X
Fox Sparrow C yes X X X
Chipping Sparrow U yes X X X
Lincoln’s Sparrow U yes X X X
Golden-crowned Sparrow R no X X X
White-crowned Sparrow C yes X X X
Dark-eyed Junco C yes X X X
Lapland Longspur U possible X X X
Smith's Longspur R probable X X X
Snow Bunting U no X X X X
Red-winged Blackbird R no X X X
Brown-headed Cowbird R no X X X
Rusty Blackbird R possible X X X
Gray-crowned Rosy-finch R no X X X X
Pine Grosbeak U probable X X X X
White-winged Crossbill U yes X X X X
Common Redpoll C yes X X X X
Hoary Redpoll R no X X X
Pine Siskin R no X X X X
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
WPC has no reason to believe that any of the local terrestrial wildlife species listed
above will be impacted by the proposed project in any way nor have any of the
regulatory agencies we have approached expressed any concern for any wildlife
species. The lack of any significant effect on aquatic resources would avoid
harming the food sources of many birds and wildlife species. The traffic of wild
game within the project location is extremely limited. The sheer rock faces at the
mooring location of the float prohibit most species other than small furbearers such
as squirrels, marmots and weasels. In addition, the swift water at the mooring
Table E.4: Avian Life Present in Project Area
Exhibit E-34Page 83
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
location renders it an unattractive location for predators to fish or hunt. At the
construction location, there is also very limited activity although moose frequent
the location as well as bears and other species listed below. The construction of the
project will cover 6 weeks during the spring and will not recur until the project is
dismantled in approximately the same amount of time or less three years later.
Storage of maintenance materials at the location will not be an additional
disturbance to the wildlife as the location is already in use as a boat landing and
staging area for the Community of Whitestone (see Consultation Section below).
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effects on terrestrial resources will be observed as part of the environmental
monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate
to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on terrestrial resources is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) and the US Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is presented Attachment A – Communication
Records. Documentation is organized alphabetically by agency.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
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FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
e. Wetlands, Riparian and Littoral Habitat
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
There are no wetlands within the project area. Shore-based facilities are located on
lands with no hydrophilic vegetation or saturated soils. Likewise, no riparian or
littoral habitats will be impacted.
The craft will be moored to the opposite bank. The mooring location of the craft
and power line intertie is an almost sheer rock face. The rock is composed of schist
and biotite gneiss. A map showing project area geology can be found in Exhibit G.
These rocks have been recommended as being relatively hard and advantageous for
anchoring. Not more than 100 individual anchors having a length not greater than
5-ft and a diameter of not more than 2-in will be drilled into the rock faces to
support the mooring of the float and the anchoring of the overland armored
electrical cable. These anchors will not require any digging or soils removal, they
will be drilled into the rock and grouted in place. At the conclusion of the project,
they will be cut off and ground flat with the rock surface.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The shore-based supports of the proposed project will be situated on solid rock,
sand, and cobble sediments. No wetland, riparian, or littoral environmental will be
impacted.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effects on wetland, riparian, or littoral environments will be observed as part
of the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
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Exhibit E-36Page 85
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate
to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on wetland resources is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) and the Alaska
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is presented Attachment A –
Communication Records. Documentation is organized alphabetically by agency
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
f. Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
WPC has received assurance from the US Fish and Wildlife Service that there are
no rare, threatened or endangered species present or migratory through the project
area. Documentation is provided in Attachment A – Communication Records.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
No rare, threatened, or endangered species are present at the proposed project
location.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
8
Exhibit E-37Page 86
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Any effects on rare, threatened, or endangered species will be observed as part of
the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate
to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on rare, threatened, or endangered
species is consistent with the environmental monitoring plan described in this
application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) and the US Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is presented Attachment A – Communication
Records. Documentation is organized alphabetically by agency.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
g. Recreational Land Use and Boating Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
The portion of the Tanana River being proposed for use under this pilot project
license application is not a recreational resource. Due to its remoteness,
temperature and unpredictable flow patterns, it is not a popular place for
8
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Exhibit E-38Page 87
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
swimming, fishing or recreational boating. The proposed project is approximately
¼ mile downstream of the only observed recreational fishing spot in the project
vicinity. It is also on the opposite side of the river from it and at a location almost
completely inaccessible from shore. There are no trails, lookouts or other known
recreational resources within the project boundary.
There is a small amount of boating transportation that occurs in this portion of the
river. This traffic has been reported and observed to include only commuter traffic
that does not make use of the proposed project area of the river. This traffic
amounts to about 1 boat per hour during the daylight hours. This portion of the
river has not been designated a state or federal park or wildlife refuge and is not
part of any tribal lands. In addition, because it is not in an organized borough or
county, there is very little interest from the public in developing new recreational
resources in this area. For the purpose of this discussion there are almost no
recreational activities within the project boundary.
There have been some observed climbing/hiking activities upstream of the project
area. These incidents are infrequent and tend to occur at least 100 yards upstream
of the project location for the nearest reported activities. Generally, these
occurrences are fewer than once per week and generally involve only 2-3 people at
a time. The location of the power transmission line is in very dense vegetation and
extremely steep slopes which have no reported traffic at all. In addition, the
armored cable will be placed on the ground (no poles or excavations) and is
designed to survive high force impacts of sharp objects without sustaining
significant damage. Casual hikers are very unlikely to access this area and if they
do will be even less likely to be able to be hurt due to the electricity in the cable or
any part of this installation.
WPC has reached out to the Tanana Valley Watershed Council and the Fairbanks
Paddlers Association. WPC received a response from the Fairbanks Paddlers
Association indicating that there is very little recreational boating in the area and
that if proper demarcation is used, it should not pose a risk to boaters. A copy of
this comment can be found in the communication record. Due to the extremely low
incidence of recreational boating an estimate of its amount is very difficult. It is
certain that it never occurs earlier than June or later than September. Overall it
probably includes fewer than a dozen boats each summer. In addition no local
residents have raised any concerns during comment periods or at any other time
regarding the impact on recreational resources. WPC also received a letter from the
NFWS stating that recreational fishing would not be negatively impacted by the
project.
Measures to protect the recreating public from any harmful interaction with the
device are described in the Safeguard Plan in Exhibit A. Signs will be placed on the
Exhibit E-39Page 88
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
craft warning the public of any dangers. In addition, one railing around the outer
edge of the craft will make entry difficult. Should this be trespassed, a second
railing will protect the intruder from the wheel. All electrical controls and
mechanical levers will be locked and made as inaccessible to unauthorized
personnel as possible.
WPC has received a temporary water use permit from the ADNR which states that
there are no anticipated impacts to boating within the project boundary. There is a
boat launch approximately ½ mile upstream from the project location. However,
almost none of the traffic from that location flows downstream. Instead, the great
majority of it uses the launch to access recreational homes on the Goodpaster River
several miles upstream of the project location.
The location where the project will be constructed is used as a boat launch for the
community of Whitestone. However, local consultation has shown there is enough
room for the project to be constructed without disturbing the use of the location as a
boat launch. Additionally, the project is planned to be constructed in April which is
before the boating season really begins at Whitestone due to the cold weather.
The lands being used for the power line intertie easement are wholly unused at this
time since they are on an almost shear bluff face. WPC has already been issued an
exclusive easement for the use of these lands from the ADNR.
The low density of traffic in the area further decreases the danger of a collision or
other catastrophe. WPC’s studies have estimated average boating traffic to be less
than one small craft per hour between the hours of 6 AM and 8 PM. Night time
traffic is almost non-existent. The largest observed boats are 30 ft outboard boats
used by residents of the nearby community of Whitestone for transportation and
commuting. The debris diversion cable at the front of the craft will also help divert
boats from the craft in the case of a collision. Should a boat make it over this cable,
the front of the craft is an aluminum deck 18” from the water line. This will provide
a full stop for any boats that are not diverted by the cable.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The proposed project will have a small foot print on one of the shores of the
Tanana River located at the confluence of the Delta and Tanana Rivers. The project
will be located on the north bank of the river. Land use in the area is limited. All
lands proposed to be used for the purposes of the project are owned in full by the
State of Alaska. WPC has received permits from the ADNR to use the proposed
lands for the project.
Exhibit E-40Page 89
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Approximately 900-feet downstream of the proposed project location a high
voltage power distribution line owned and operated by Golden Valley Electric
Association (GVEA) crosses the river from the bluff on the north side of the river
to the low bank on the south shore.
Approximately 1,500-feet downstream of the proposed project location and on the
opposite bank of the river from the proposed project location is the primary
docking location for the residents of the community of Whitestone. Whitestone has
a population of 167 people according to the 2010 US Census. At any given time, as
many as 6 boats are moored at the dock. Over the past two years WPC has been
conducting a debris study at the proposed project location. At no time during this
period has more than 6 boats been seen docked at the boat launch. This dock will
not be used for any part of the construction or maintenance of the project.
The traffic past the project location averages about 1 boat every hour. Traffic is
somewhat slower at night than during the day. All the traffic on the river at the
proposed project location is commuter traffic. There is no recreational boating in
the area. WPC has contacted the Tanana Valley Watershed Association and the
Fairbanks Paddlers and has not received any comment from them regarding this
area.
The Richardson Highway Bridge 524 (owned and operated by the Department of
Transportation) is located approximately 1/2 mile upstream of the proposed project
location. The proposed project location is partially visible from the bridge due to
the protrusion of the bluff located on the north shore of the river.
Approximately 500-feet upstream of the Richardson Highway Bridge 524 is the
Trans-Alaska Pipeline bridge which is operated and maintained by the Alyeska
Service Company. Between these two bridges, a boat launch is located on the south
shore of the river which is used by residents of Whitestone as well as by
recreational boaters who go upstream to cabins and fishing spots on the Goodpaster
and Clearwater rivers.
Approximately one mile upstream of the proposed project location, Rika's
Roadhouse and Landing, a State of Alaska Historical Park, is located. This park is
open for tourist traffic in the summer from May 15 through September 15. This
state park constitutes the only economic activity in the proposed project area.
WPC has no reason to believe that the infrequent use of the area for recreational
land use will be impacted by the proposed project. No recreational organizations
responded to letters requesting input.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Fairbanks Paddlers. Responses received are located in Attachment A -
Communication Record.
Exhibit E-41Page 90
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Any effect on recreating boaters, hikers, or other users of the proposed project area
will be observed as part of the environmental monitoring plan described in this
application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). The
annual costs for “Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance” are detailed in Exhibit A,
Section 7. We expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs
that might relate to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on recreational uses is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with the National Park Service, the US Coast Guard (USCG), the
Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and local government and tribal
entities is documented in Attachment A – Communication Records. Documentation
is organized alphabetically by agency.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
h. Aesthetic Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
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Exhibit E-42Page 91
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
The proposed project location is a very lightly populated area (fewer than 200
people and only one waterfront property) which is largely virgin forest land. The
impact of this small installation is unlikely to be significant. The float itself has a
footprint of 28-ft x 23-ft and the on shore foot print will be even smaller. Although
some trees may need to be cut down, the project will use the existing GVEA
easement as much as possible to facilitate installations.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The installation of the device, which will be removed each winter, will not cause
significant environmental effects to the aesthetics of the area. However, the project
will be partially visible from the Richardson Highway Bridge 524. The turbine
itself would be visible from the bridge but the support struts, mooring anchors and
power transmission line would not be visible. The use of muted colors (black, gray,
forest green) for all components of the float and turbine will help the installation to
be less obtrusive to the viewshed.
The entire installation will be visible from the Whitestone dock and dock parking
some 1500 feet downstream of the installation. However, the transmission line will
be obscured by the heavy vegetation which grows along the transmission line path.
Although a small easement (5-10 ft wide) will be cleared to install the transmission
line, it is expected that this easement vegetation will regrow within one season. The
staging area which will also be the storage area for spare parts and equipment will
be located near the Whitestone dock (approximately 150 ft away) and will be
entirely visible from the dock and dock parking area.
As mentioned previously, high efficiency LED lighting will be used to demarcate
the craft in low lighting or bad weather. These lights will not be designed to
illuminate the area but merely to serve as marker lights similar to those found on
automobiles. These lights will run only at night and will be as few in number as
possible while still properly demarcating the boundaries of the installation.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
In general, muted, flat colors which do not contrast with the surrounding
environment will be used whenever possible. Black plastics, unpolished aluminum
in its natural gray color and any steel components in a gray galvanized color will be
used for the great majority of all visible surfaces, minimizing aesthetic impacts.
Exhibit E-43Page 92
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Any effect of the project’s on the aesthetics of the proposed project area will be
observed as part of the environmental monitoring plan described in this
application’s Exhibit A, Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The project will add two small installations which will be visible both during the
day and at night. Their aesthetic effect will be minimal. Mockups of appearance of
the installation can be seen in the following figures.
Figure 1: West-Facing Projected View of Craft Appearance
E.27: West-Facing Projected View of Craft Appearance
8
Exhibit E-44Page 93
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
Figure 2: North-facing Projected View of Craft Appearance
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). The
annual costs for “Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance” are detailed in Exhibit A,
Section 7. We expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs
that might relate to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on recreational uses is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and local
government and tribal entities documented in Attachment A – Communication
Records.
E.28: North-Facing Projected View of Craft Appearance
Table A.3.
8
Exhibit E-45Page 94
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
i. Cultural Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, federal
agencies must take into account the effects of federal actions in historic properties
and give the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation opportunity to comment on
actions and decisions. Consultation related to historic properties is conducted with
state historic preservation officers. Also under the National Historic Preservation
Act (as amended in 1992), federally recognized Native American Tribes can
assume the position of a state historic preservation officer for any activities
affecting tribal lands.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
Due to the absence of historical significance associated with any artifacts or
locations within the project area, there are no expected impacts to the cultural
environment of the area. As part of a project conducted with the Denali
Commission from 2007 – 2009, the Alaska SHPO conducted a study of the
proposed project area and concluded that there were no historic landmarks or
resources within the proposed project location. WPC has received a letter from the
Alaska SHPO confirming that the earlier finding does apply to the proposed project
and that no historic properties exist within the project boundary.
WPC consulted with the SHPO and both parties discussed the project area in
relation to the study performed for the above referenced Denali Commission
project. A copy of this study can be found in the communication record. Mr.
Selvaggio indicated to the SHPO that the anchoring location would be 600-ft –
1,000-ft upstream of the GVEA power line which can be seen in the drawings in
Exhibit G. The SHPO emailed a certification of no expected impacts. This email
can be found in the communication record.
Exhibit E-46Page 95
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effect the proposed project may have on cultural resources will be observed as
part of the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate
to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on recreational uses is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer is documented in
Attachment A – Communication Records.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
j. Socioeconomic Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
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FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
The community of Whitestone has been recorded as a separate community
designated place under the auspices of the U.S. Census Bureau for the first time in
2010. The total population of the community is under 167 people. During the
genesis of this project, the community was paying over $0.30 per kWh. In 2009,
the community was tied into the GVEA grid for the first time which resulted in a
cost reduction of 50%. However, this installation promises to produce power even
more reasonably. In addition, the overriding purpose of this project is to produce a
solution that is applicable state wide and provide energy cost reductions for
communities with far higher energy costs.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The proposed project would not likely have any negative impact to the local
economy. To the contrary, the proposed project will benefit the local economy
through job creation and reduced energy prices. The job creation aspect of the
project would only apply to the construction part of it since staff already employed
by WPC to monitor its various facilities would take on the minimal maintenance of
this facility in addition to their current duties. Unfortunately, due to the limited
resources of the area, the Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 would likely be manufactured
in either Fairbanks or Anchorage and then shipped to Whitestone for installation.
As such, the job creation is likely to include fewer than five people and only for a
few months.
The cost of construction, deployment and intertie is not expected to exceed
$1,400,000. At this point in time WPC hopes to obtain the necessary funds through
various federal and state grant opportunities.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effect the proposed project may have on socioeconomics will be observed as
part of the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). The
annual costs for “Testing, Monitoring and Surveillance” including the wage rates
and man-hour estimates are detailed in Exhibit A, Section 7. We expect no
8
Table A.3.
Exhibit E-48Page 97
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate to
protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) requires the Commission to
consider whether or not, and under what conditions, the project would be consistent
with relevant comprehensive plans on the Commission’s comprehensive plan list.
WPC has reviewed the plans on the list and believes that none of them are relevant
to the proposed project. However, at the Commission's request, WPC investigated
the relevance of 5 comprehensive plans relative to the proposed project.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with US Coast Guard, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Alaska
Department of Natural Resources, and local government and tribal organizations is
documented in Attachment A – Communication Record.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
k. Tribal Resources
i. RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
This location is not part of any tribal lands. In addition, at the request of the
Commission, WPC attempted to contact 5 tribal councils. WPC received feedback
from only the Dot Lake Traditional Council stating interest in the outcome of the
project and support for the effort to lower energy prices for remote communities in
Alaska. WPC believes the project will not affect any tribal resources and this is
corroborated by the lack of interest in participating the process despite repeated
efforts both by the Commission and WPC to contact them. The letters and response
can be found in the Communication Record. The map in Exhibit G shows the
relative size and location of the project boundary with relation to the nearest tribal
Exhibit E-49Page 98
FERC Project 13305 - Exhibit E
lands. As can be seen from the map, the proposed project will not have any impacts
on these tribal resources.
ii. RESOURCE EFFECTS ANALYSIS
The proposed project will not have any impact on tribal resources.
iii. RESOURCE EFFECTS MEASURES
Any effect the proposed project may have on tribal resources will be observed as
part of the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
iv. UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE IMPACTS
The proposed project is not expected to create any unavoidable adverse impacts.
v. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The construction cost of the project is detailed in Exhibit A, Section 1(b). We
expect no additional construction or developmental resource costs that might relate
to protection, mitigation, or enhancement of this resource area.
vi. CONSISTENCY WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Monitoring any effect of the proposed project on recreational uses is consistent
with the environmental monitoring plan described in this application’s Exhibit A,
Section 9.a.i.
vii. CONSULTATION DOCUMENTATION
Consultation with local tribal organizations is documented in Attachment A –
Communication Record.
viii. LITERATURE CITED
No literature cited.
ix. ACTION ALTERNATIVES
No Action Alternatives were considered as part of this Environmental Exhibit. The
proposed project design and geographic situation are considered the single best
possible alternative.
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Exhibit E-50Page 99
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
A A
B B
C C
D D
HASZ CONSULTING, LLC
QUANTITY
TOLERANCES
DRAWN BY
PAGE
DRAWING TITLE
PROJECT NAME
DATE
APPROVED BY
PART NUMBERTHE DESIGN CONTAINED IN THIS
DRAWING WAS ORIGINATED BY
AND IS THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OF HASZ CONSULTING, LLC. IT IS
FURNISHED FOR CUSTOMER
INFORMATION ONLY, AND IS NOT
AN AUTHORIZATION TO MAKE
THIS CONSTRUCTION OR TO
FURNISH THIS INFORMATION TO
OTHERS.
931 INDUSTRIAL LOOP
DELTA JUNCTION, AK
99737-1229
STOCK SIZE
SCALE
MATERIAL REVISION
HEAT TREAT
ASSEMBLY NUMBER
J HASZ, PE
PONCELET KINETICS
RHK100
5086 H34
ALUMINUM 1 OF 11
0 DEC. +/- .125
1 DEC. +/- .063
2 DEC. +/- .01
3 DEC. +/- .005
DIMENSIONS
IN INCHES
N/A
APPROXIMATE WATER LEVEL
3.50
DEBRIS DIVERSION CONE
ANCHORING/ DEBRIS DIVERSION CABLE (APPROXIMATE LENGTH 100 FT)
BRIDGE ANCHORING CABLES (APPROXIMATE LENGTH 60 FT)
40.0
N/A
12/13/2011ANCHOR CABLE
ELEVATION
50:1
SEW
N/A
N/A
N/A
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PONCELET KINETICS
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R18R18
1501.00
1.00
1.00
14.879.87
48.0
13.7
6.1
R9
65
B2000 SERIES
MARCH 1, 2011
D 1000
0.13:1
SAS
36
1
BLADE
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DIMENSIONS
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DEBRIS DEFLECTION CONE
48" DRAPE FORMED HDPE BLADE
ANCHORING/DEBRIS DIVERSION CABLE
HDPE PONTOON
BREVINNI EPICYCLIC TRANSMISSION
PERMANENT MAGNET GENERATOR
5TH WHEEL/KINGPIN ATTACHMENT
PINNED MODULAR STRUT/BRIDGE
SCREW JACK HEIGHT
ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM
40:1 CRAFT FRONT
VIEW
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SHORELINE
DEBRIS DIVERSION CABLE
40:1 CRAFT ISOMETRIC
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12/13/2011
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DEBRIS DEFLECTION CONE
CHOKE TRANSFORMER
ELECTRICAL CONTROLS CABINET
48" DRAPE FORMED HDPE TURBINE BLADES
3/8" BRIDGE MOORING CABLE
3/4" ANCHORING/DEBRIS
DEFLECTION CABLE
HDPE PONTOONS
430.00
198.0
ALUMINUM DECKING
MODULAR ALUMINUM WHEEL FRAME
FLOW DIRECTION
40:1 CRAFT RIGHT
SIDE VIEW
12/13/2011
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BREVINNI EPICYCLIC TRANSMISSION
PERMANENT MAGNET GENERATOR
FLOW DIRECTION
DEBRIS DEFLECTION CONE
RIGID STRUT/BRIDGE
12/13/2011
SEW
CRAFT TOP VIEW
40:1
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1 DEC. +/- .063
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3 DEC. +/- .005
DIMENSIONS
IN INCHES
N/A
112
36
75.4
36
38.0
111
71.676.8
84.6
16
24
20
45.6
18.018.0
618
4
18
4
18
.5
.5
12
4
12
1
1
QUANTITY: 1 EA.
PART CONSTRUCTED FROM 5086 H34 ALUMINUM.
ALL CONSTRUCTION FROM 1 8 " SHEET EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE NOTED.
ALL JOINTS FULL WELDED (1 4 " FILLET WELDS).
ALL HOLES DRILLED AT ASSEMBLY.
120.0
26" DIA. (TYP OF 2)
DRILL THRU BOTTOM PLATE 1.03" DIA. (TYP OF 24)
30
STOCK SIZE
STOCK SIZE
.375", 4 SIDES
.25" 4 SIDES
C1007
1
MARCH 1, 2011
SAS
NON-TORQUE SIDE
WALKWAY
C3000 SERIES1/8
N/A
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0 DEC. +/- .125
1 DEC. +/- .063
2 DEC. +/- .01
3 DEC. +/- .005
DIMENSIONS
IN INCHES
N/A
36
120
180
48 6
6
4.3
4
48.9
4
102
168
133
.25
.75
12.610.8
42.9
408
QUANTITY: 1 EA.
PART CONSTRUCTED FROM 5086 H34 ALUMINUM.
ALL JOINTS FULL WELDED (1 4 " FILLET WELDS).
ALL HOLES DRILLED AFTER WELDMENT IS COMPLETE.
4.5
4.0
7.00
4.75
23.00
46.00
28.00
HOLES DRILLED AT ASSY. (TYP OF 8)
28.00
28.00
36.128.00
DRILL THRU .78" DIA. (TYP OF 32)
STOCK SIZE
STOCK SIZE
1
STOCK SIZE
Transmission Side
Pontoon Mounting
Plate
SASC 1003
1:30 MARCH 1, 2011
C- SERIES
1
HOLES DRILLED AT ASSEMBLY (TYP OF 4)
24 90.0
248.0
360.0
26" DIA. (TYP OF 4)
DRILL THRU 1.03" DIA. (TYP OF 48)
ALL HOLES EQUALLY SPACED
15.0
30.0
N/A
0.25 408See Note
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PONCELET KINETICS
RHK100
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ALUMINUM 1 OF 11
0 DEC. +/- .125
1 DEC. +/- .063
2 DEC. +/- .01
3 DEC. +/- .005
DIMENSIONS
IN INCHES
N/A
124.042.0
18
32.0
81818
4
32 32
135135
36.8 36.8
36 36
12
4
8
1
1
30.0
15.0
QUANTITY: 1 EA.
CONSTRUCT PART FROM 5086 H34 ALUMINUM.
CONSTRUCTION FROM 1 8 " SHEET UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.
ALL JOINTS FULL WELDED (1 4 " FILLET WELDS).
DRILL ALL HOLES AT ASSEMBLY.
30
15.0158.00
26" DIA. (TYP OF 2)
DRILL THRU BOTTOM PLATE 1.03 DIA. (TYP OF 24)
1/8
C 1001
TRANSMISSION WALKWAY
1:1 MARCH 1, 2011
SAS
C- SERIES
11
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2 DEC. +/- .01
3 DEC. +/- .005
DIMENSIONS
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N/A
36.00
12.00
P28.00
14.76
60.00
42.00
145.0029.50
148.00
43.75
MOUNTING FLANGE
TRANSMISSION MOUNTING FLANGE
12/13/2011
SEW
40:1 WHEEL FRAME
ASSEMBLY
Page 111
EXHIBIT G
PROJECT BOUNDARY MAPS
The project boundary is within that granted under the preliminary permit issued to WPC under
Project No. 13305 and is shown below. The exact location of the device within the project
boundary is proposed to be 64°09'22.66" N, 145°51'39.88" W on the right bank of the Tanana
River near the community of Whitestone.
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Whitestone Power and Communications
FY2011
Page 1 of 51
Final Project Report
Project Title: Whitestone Poncelet RISEC Project
Covering Period: October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011
Date of Report: September 23, 2011
Recipient: Whitestone Power and Communications
Award Number: DE-EE0004573
Working Partners: Hasz Consulting, LLC; CE2 Engineers; Energetic Drives, LLC;
Applied Power and Control
Cost-Sharing Partners: Hasz Consulting, LLC
Contacts: John R. Hasz, President, 907-895-4770
jrhasz@haszconsulting.com
DOE Project Team: DOE HQ Program Manager – Jacques Beaudry-Losique
DOE Field Contract Officer – Pam Brodie
DOE Field Contract Specialist – Jane Sanders
DOE Field Project Officer – Tim Ramsey
DOE/NAVARRO Project Monitor – Samantha Quinn
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Table Of Contents___________________________
Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................3
Project Objectives .........................................................................................................................5
Design Paradigm ...........................................................................................................................7
Components Outline ...................................................................................................................11
Float/Craft ..............................................................................................................................12
Decking ..................................................................................................................................13
Anchoring ..............................................................................................................................19
Turbine/Transmission ............................................................................................................25
Power Generation/Conditioning ............................................................................................45
Electrics/Controls/Monitoring ...............................................................................................47
Collaboration...............................................................................................................................50
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................50
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Executive Summary
The efforts of this project were primarily devoted toward developing a practical River In-Stream
Energy Conversion (RISEC) device for Alaskan rivers. This resulted in several important
benefits to RISEC research specifically, and for alternative energy research in general.
1. Surveying and site analysis - This project contributed significantly toward determining
suitable sites for RISEC application in Alaska, as well as providing precisely surveyed
maps of the area.
2. Theoretical Modeling - The project also contributed theoretical models for all structural
components. These models were thoroughly analyzed using analytical closed-form
equations as well as finite element analysis. Additionally, kinetic flux and power output
calculations were applied and validated.
3. Prototyping and Experimentation - Several important components, notably turbine
blade and mounting components were prototyped and tested. These tests validated
analytical predictions; resulted in refined, broadly applicable engineered solutions; and
contributed to a cohesive body of knowledge regarding RISEC design methodology.
4. Application Paradigms- This project required the formulation of specific strategies
regarding logistics, debris management, craft assembly and deployment, RISEC/grid
interfacing and craft anchoring. Many of these approaches simplified RISEC
implementation across a broad scope of project scenarios.
Effectiveness and Feasibility
Four crucial factors justify the economic and technical applicability of the device as follows:
1. Efficiency Paradigm - This project analyzed attempted applications of RISEC
technology in Alaska, and concluded that two primary factors determine system
efficiency - turbine efficiency and operational up-time. Many turbines with high
theoretical efficiency were investigated, but in the debris laden Alaskan waters, potential
down-time and costly maintenance and repairs prevented meaningful application. This
project formulated a design which combined efficient power extraction with high
robustness. This ensured continuous and consistent output across a wide range of
environmental conditions.
2. Remote Location Application - Economic effectiveness is largely contingent on the
pay-off period of an installed device. This particular device is designed for Alaskan
villages, which may have kilowatt-hour costs of up to $0.90. A current economic model
for a 100 KW model operating 8 months a year includes a 1.8 million dollar project cost
covering component cost, assembly and installation. An average load of 100 kW at
$0.90/kWh equates to $259,200 annually. A $1,800,000 installation will then yield a
simplified return on investment of 7 years. Each installation is anticipated to function for
30 years, which would mean an average power cost of approximately $0.21/kWh. The
project return on investment would be prohibitively long for locations with ready access
to inexpensive power; however this installation is readily justifiable for application in
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Whitestone Power and Communications
FY2011
Page 4 of 51
remote Alaskan villages. It is worth noting that the entire project cost is comparable to
the price of a new diesel power plant.
3. Component Methodology - An important factor in providing efficient and low cost
power was the design choice to integrate Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology
into the design wherever possible. This project integrated stock items for mechanical
craft components such as pontoons, transmission, generator, connection and anchoring
hardware. Additionally, the project integrated a novel electrical control system designed
by Energetic Drives, LLC. This system integrated stock electrical components to provide
efficient and clean power output, optimal turbine performance, and operational
versatility. The choice to employ commercially available technology was beneficial for
three reasons. First, the time devoted to designing new components was reduced,
allowing more time to meaningful application research. Additionally, proper application
of state of the art technology improved overall product performance. Finally, installation
and replacement time and cost was reduced.
4. Permitting - Many novel concepts in RISEC technology have been discussed; however,
many designs require permanent structures or involve disturbance of the riverbed and/or
significant alteration of wildlife habitats. While these devices may eventually be
successfully permitted, such design choices imply extensive permitting efforts. In
contrast, this project involved closely working with permitting agencies to specifically
engineer a design with streamlined and realistic permitting goals. While requiring
adherence to strict design constraints, the resulting environmentally friendly design will
ultimately pay off by reducing permitting time at each deployment site.
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FY2011
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Project Objectives
a) A feasibility study that describes the basic properties and operational characteristics of the
technology, and identifies the technical and economic merits of the concept (TRL 1-2)
i) Completed prior to the start of the project
b) A preliminary design and engineering (TRL 1-2)
i) Completed prior to the start of the project
c) A systems engineering analysis that may include a needs analysis, requirements flowdown to define
R&D pathways, work breakdown structure, concept definition, management plan, and risk
assessment (TRL 1-2)
i) Completed during the second quarter of the grant period
d) Consider and identify potential deployment sites and the associated potential resource
i) Completed prior to the start of the project
e) Identification of the intended marine resource application, with potential extractable energy
estimates
i) Completed during the second quarter of the grant period
f) Engineering and design focused on advancing the device/component for proof of concept modeling,
developing solutions to technology hurdles, determining all components/subsystems, developing high
fidelity estimates of such values as device/component size, weight, layout, interfacing and
performance (TRL 3)
i) Completed during the second quarter of the grant period
g) Small scale prototyping and testing of components to reduce uncertainty provide input into numeric
models and validate high level assumptions (TRL 3)
i) Planned Work for the Quarter: It was planned to complete this task during the fourth quarter.
ii) Actual Work Completed During the Quarter: This task was partially complete when the
project began. The gearbox transmission, permanent magnet generator, electronic controls
systems, floatation systems, anchoring systems and propulsion systems were individually tested
to the satisfaction of the WPC technical team. However, the design of the prime mover wheel and
the blades which engage with the water required more resources than originally planned. As a
result, the process of prototyping this component and initiating the completion of a scale model of
the entire system was delayed until the fourth quarter.
iii) Explanation of Variance: The design of the blades changed substantially from the conceptual
design model delineated in the conceptual design report (CDR) submitted with the initial
application to DOE. For this reason, prototyping was delayed till the fourth quarter. All
component prototyping has now been completed.
h) Assess Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) equipment that can be employed within the system
i) Completed prior to the start of the project
i) Develop specifications for a proof-of-concept model and fabrication plan/costing
i) Completed during the second quarter of the grant period
j) Test and integration plan
i) Completed during the third quarter of the grant period
k) Numerical model(s) and simulation(s)
i) Planned Work for the Quarter: It was planned to complete this task during the fourth quarter.
ii) Actual Work Completed During the Quarter: This task was completed in full during the
quarter.
iii) Explanation of Variance: Due to a greater research burden than originally anticipated, the
design of the blades for the prime mover was not ready for prototyping as quickly as planned.
That process is now complete with the result of full validation of the theoretical design.
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l) Assessment of risks and barriers - resource, environmental, ecological, stakeholder, etc. Define a
proposed follow-on RD&D effort that seeks to prove out the concept
i) Completed during the third quarter of the grant period
m) Conduct stage transition design reviews (go/no-go commitment criteria)
i) Completed during the second quarter of the grant period
n) Consider and discuss Permitting and NEPA requirements where needed to meet future testing and
deployment plans.
i) Completed prior to the start of the project
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Design Paradigm
Overall Design Criteria
Alaskan river environments and permitting requirements have placed significant design
constraints on hydrokinetic turbine development to date. Alaskan rivers tend to be swift, shallow
and debris laden; and many potential areas for hydro power development are not readily
accessible. Additionally, many rivers and streams are sensitive and environmentally significant
habitats. This incurs significant challenges for RISEC development; consequently, the following
stringent design criteria were developed:
Environmental Criteria
1. Turbine shall not disturb the river bed, incur risks of pollution, or harm either land or
aquatic habitats.
2. The system shall not involve any permanent structures.
3. The turbine shall not require impoundments or races to constrict or substantially alter
water flow.
Assembly Criteria
1. Turbine design shall be modular; turbines shall be easily specified and outfitted for a
wide range of remote locations and power needs.
2. Turbine assembly and deployment shall be readily accomplished in remote locations
without requiring on-site welding or machining.
3. All components shall be sized for easy shipping to any potential deployment location.
Performance Criteria
1. Turbine must be able to produce power over a wide range of river height and velocity
levels, and withstand high debris load flows.
2. Turbine shall have simple mechanical operation and low maintenance effort and costs.
3. Turbine shall be able to function consistently to provide standalone power, provide power
cooperatively in tandem with one or more power sources, and provide power on an
infinite grid.
Engineered Solutions
Modern research in hydrokinetic technology has typically focused on axial flow turbines such as
Darrieus turbines, and vertical cross flow turbines such as Grashov or Kaplan turbines.
Considerable research effort has been devoted to improving the coefficient of performance
(power output/power available) for these turbines. These turbines typically turn at comparatively
high RPM (60-100 RPM).
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Most of the turbines above share the common drawback of requiring rapid rotation for efficient
power production. Such lightly built turbine assemblies provide low torque, high speed
operation, and are efficient when running. However, they remain vulnerable to debris collision.
Additionally, full submersion demands a deployment depth no less than turbine height, and
potentially threatens aquatic life.
The solution considered here was an undershot cross flow turbine. The Poncelet style turbine
extracts optimum energy when blade tips travel at 40% water speed, implying a high torque, low
speed turbine. This would require a transmission for practical electric generation. It allowed for
deployment in shallow water and a robust design attenuated problems encountered with debris
collision. This design was eventually chosen for the project.
Consequently the general design paradigm was as follows: The craft would consist of two
pontoons supporting a deck. On this would be mounted the Poncelet style turbine, a
transmission, an electrical generator, and any controls and electrical components. This assembly
would be positioned in the current using an anchoring system entirely fastened to the river bank.
Paradigm Shifts
Within the context of the engineering solution above, several significant paths of design
methodology were considered during development.
Figure 1: Early embodiment of RISEC device
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Navigation and Deployment
Initial design concepts included a pilot station, controls, and motor on the craft itself. A self-
propelled craft was certainly the most compact method of deployment, and eliminated the need
for another vessel for moving the craft. However, this method required installing control, fuel
storage, and a motor which would be used infrequently, and could not be otherwise utilized.
Additionally, expensive and unmonitored components of this nature in a remote environment
might increase the incidence of vandalism or theft.
For this reason, a paradigm shift was made toward utilizing another boat to deploy the craft. To
this end, a workboat with "pushing knees" was specified. This boat would be capable of pulling
or pushing the craft into position, and would additionally be useful for transporting workers,
tools, and components to and from the craft. The boat would be secured to the craft using a
cabling system. In many remote communities, such boats are likely to be available to be rented
for the project allaying any need to purchase additional hardware.
Figure 2: Early Embodiment of RISEC device
Power Generation
The initial design involved using a compact, inexpensive induction generator for power. This
paradigm involved low costs for the generator, but implied certain design constraints. For
instance, an inductive generator required excitation to produce power, and had specific
synchronous speeds it must exceed before it would produce power. This meant that certain
mechanical braking controls would be installed. Additionally, an induction generator could not
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be relied upon to provide standalone power. Essentially, the initial design would be more
compact and inexpensive, but less versatile in application.
A number of factors contributed to a significant paradigm shift regarding power generation. It
was desirable to design a craft able to provide standalone power, interface with other power
generation sources, and provide power to an infinite grid. Additionally, a search was conducted
for a more efficient solution for providing clean power; this led to the discovery of and
collaboration with Energetic Drives, LLC. The benefits in terms of power generation and
mechanical simplification caused a significant paradigm shift; the final model had a more
expensive and heavier permanent magnet generator. It was anticipated that, on balance, the
benefits from mechanical simplification, efficiency, and versatility, would outweigh the costs of
a permanent magnet generator.
Figure 3: Final embodiment of RISEC device
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Components
Float/ Craft
I. Pontoons
1. General Design Requirements (loading, debris, fastening)
2. Previous Designs (material selection process, manufacturing availability etc.)
3. Advantages of current design
II. Decking
1. General Design Requirements (loading, twisting moment)
2. Design parameters (size, material, section geometry)
3. Advantages of current design
Anchoring
I. Cables
1. General Design Requirements
2. Vortex Shedding
3. Mounting Considerations (pulleys, height adjustments)
4. Debris (Shedding, deflection etc.)
II. Rigid Strut
4. General Design Requirements
a. Buckling Load
b. Vertical Load
c. Assembly
d. Water level variation
5. Previous Designs
a. Monopole
b. Sliding Unit Types
c. Fastening Types
6. Advantages of Current Design
Turbine/ Transmission
I. Blade Design
1. Previous Designs.
2. Geometry (dictated by Poncelet)
3. Materials (dictated by geometry <machinability issues>, loading)
4. FEA, analytical, experimental results
II. Turbine Section Design
1. Design Requirements (modularity, simplicity, loading, etc.)
2. Previous Designs (axle/spoke, etc.)
3. Materials
III. Bearings/adjustments
1. Design Requirements
2. Methods (screw jack, ball screw actuators etc.)
IV. Transmission
1. Design Requirements (required gear reduction ratios)
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2. Previous Designs (chain, belt drives etc.)
3. Benefits of Brevini two-stage epicyclic (coupling options, maintenance etc.)
Power Generation/ Conditioning
I. Generator
1. Design Requirements (rotation speed, power output, flexibility, cost, weight)
2. Previous Designs (induction generator)
3. Advantages of PM motor
II. Conditioning
1. Design Requirement ( universal grid, stand-alone, diesel pairing)
2. Previous Designs
3. Advantages of Energetic Drives System
Electrics/ Controls/ Monitoring
I. SCADA controls
1. Design Requirements
II. Emergency Alert System
1. Design Requirements
Float/Craft
The craft design was subject to specific operational requirements. In order to maximize stability
and load handling, a pontoon mounted craft was specified.
Pontoons
The pontoon design had several requirements. Pontoons are required to be light, resistant to
debris, tough, and equipped with appropriate fastening hardware.
Initially, an aluminum design was considered. A pontoon with required floatation and weight
was specified; however some concern was voiced that debris collision or dragging along rocky
terrain during launch might dent or permanently deform pontoon skin. Additionally, aluminum
pontoons are comparatively heavy.
Fiberglass pontoons were also investigated. However, fiberglass was considered more likely to
crack or splinter under collision or abrade if dragged over gravel or rocks during deployment.
Having rejected the idea of using fiberglass or aluminum pontoons, the concept of high-density-
polyethylene (HDPE) pontoons was investigated. HDPE has low flexural stiffness; however a
stiffening channel section fastened on top attenuated this problem. It was recommended to fill
the pontoon with closed cell foam to ensure continued floatation in case of hull failure.
Additionally a steel plated pulling head option for cable attachment was offered with a load
capacity of over 200,000 lbs. This exceeded operational requirements for anchoring. An
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aluminum cone would be installed over the pulling head to reduce the energy loss due to the
occurrence of turbulent flow around the pontoons.
The advantages of this design were numerous. The resulting pontoons were comparatively light,
structurally sound, tough, relatively inexpensive, and offered robust performance during
deployment and operational phases.
Decking
Due to a combination of design choices, the craft was specified with a turbine mounted with a
generator on one side and a free bearing on the other. During operation, this implied a twisting
moment between the torque (generator mount) side and the non-torque (plain bearing) side of the
craft.
The force distribution through the pontoons, decking, and frame components was complex.
Understanding the forces and designing components to withstand them, was a crucial aspect of
project development.
The torque is transmitted to the frame through the generator mount and exerts a rotational
moment on the pontoon which "buries" the upstream side of the pontoon and lifts the
downstream side. The torque is transmitted through the decking (which is rigidly attached to the
mounting channels on each pontoon) to the plain bearing mount pontoon. Thus the pontoons
share the torque loading of the blades by rotating to equilibrium. Any difference in co-planarity
of the pontoons would be due to distortion in the decking. Additionally, anchor cable placement
implied a compressive axial load in the decking.
First it was desirable to determine what angle of heel the craft would assume due to the torque,
and then assess the internal stresses in the craft frame the moment would create. Assuming a
static equilibrium, it was assumed that the torque moment must be resisted by an equal and
opposite "righting moment".
This may be related to the angle of heel by the following equation:
cmetacentridisplacedHeightVolumeMR..
where α is the angle of heel, in radians, γ is the density of water, and metacentric height the
distance between the metacenter and center of gravity of the craft.
To determine values for substitution, first the center of gravity was calculated. For a given
number of objects with known heights and weights, this may be expressed:
n
nn
WeightWeightWeight
HeightWeightHeightWeightHeightWeight
....
...
21
2211
A simplified center of gravity for craft + wheel was estimated as follows:
A 15,000 pound craft with CG at 4 feet, 5000 pound wheel with CG at 7 feet.
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75.4000,20
750004000,15
Thus a simplified estimate of CG is 4.75 feet.
The center of buoyancy could be readily calculated by determining the CG of displaced water.
This was done by simplifying the model analytically by assuming the minor center of buoyancy
change under loading makes a negligible difference in calculations- this was validated later.
A weight of 20,000 lbs in water with a density of 62.5 pounds per cubic foot required 320 cubic
feet of displacement. To simplify calculations, the pontoons were considered to have a square
rather than round cross section - the difference being assumed negligible (this too was validated
later, as will be seen). For a 34 foot simplified pontoon of 3.5 foot width and height, the
immersion height is 2.68 feet.
Metacentric Height is calculated as follows:
buoyancygravity
displaced
cmetacentri CenterCenterVolume
IHeight
It is clear that the primary factor in metacentric height is inertia controlled, so the simplifications
of square pontoons and small heel angle are validated since they have negligible effect- the
metacentric height was then
194.47 - 4.75 + 2.68 = 192.4 feet
Thus the overall craft angle of heel is calculated by substituting into equation above:
deg56.1027.0
4.1923204.62
000,105..
3
3
radians
ftftft
lb
lbft
HeightVolume
MR
cmetacentridisplaced
Since the decking provides the sole structural interface between these elements, the decking must
be sufficiently stiff to withstand this torque. To this end, a decking solution was sought which
would fasten between the pontoons. Such a decking design would need to be lightweight and
resistant to bending and twisting- that is, a high polar and area moment of inertia.
feetVolume
LengthWidth
Volume
I
displaced
craftcraft
displaced
47.19432012
3419
12
33
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Figure 4: Hollow decking section showing cross section with support rib
Hollow, closed, geometric sections were chosen for decking cross-section, since they combine
high area and polar inertial moment with low weight. The decking had an additional design
constraint of being flat- this led to the choice of a hollow rectangular cross section. The area
moment of inertia would be analytically expressed:
1212
33
innerinnerouterouterHeightWidthHeightWidth
and bending stresses would be expressed:
I
CMoment
where C is the distance from neutral axis to outer edge of beam, and I is area moment of inertia
For an axial torque, the maximum shear loading for a thin walled beam is determined by first
calculating shear flow in the hollow section:
midlineArea
Torqueq2
where q is the shear flow, and midline area is the area defined by the midline of the beam cross
section.
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Shear stresses are found by dividing the shear flow by wall thickness. Then shear stresses and
bending stresses are combined to determine principal stresses.
yx
yxyx
ba ,
2
,22
Alternatively, the von Mises effective stress may be calculated in terms of applied stresses:
222'3 xyyxyx
The problem with this method was that the specific geometry of the craft implied that the highest
bending stresses occurred at the ends, with lower stresses in the middle - since for a given angle
difference between the pontoons, the forces were not equally distributed. It was very difficult to
develop an accurate closed form equation to describe the stresses due to a combination of
bending and twisting.
The design methodology was as follows: the decking would be of uniform height, and would
need to be able to transmit torque between the pontoons without incurring unacceptable stress
levels. The pontoons themselves were considerably less stiff than the mounting channels on top
of them. Thus the mounting channels were designed to maintain shape and integrity under axial
twisting and transverse bending loads - the small displacements were not anticipated to produce
high stresses in the pontoons (see FEA results in figures 5, 6, and 8).
Material selection was an important design decision. Steel was considered for its ease of
welding and construction, and high strength. However, certain aluminum alloys offered superior
strength to weight ratios and better corrosion resistance. Below is a table of relevant mechanical
properties for several candidate materials.
Material Properties Table
Material Type Density
(lb/in)
Elastic
Modulus (psi)
Yield Strength
(psi)
Fatigue
Strength1 (psi)
440 C annealed
Stainless Steel
0.28 30,000,000 65,000 33,000
304 annealed
Stainless Steel
0.28 30,000,000 35,000 17,000
5086-H32
Aluminum
0.10 10,300,000 33,000 23,000
5086-T0
Aluminum
0.l0 10,200,000 17,000 N/A
7075-T6
Aluminum
0.10 10,400,000 83,000 23,000
6061-T6
Aluminum
0.10 10,000,000 40,000 14,000
6061-T0
Aluminum
0.10 10,000,000 8,000 9000
1 At 500,000,000 cycles- measured in fully reversed bending using R.R. Moore apparatus and sample type
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Several noteworthy details with regard to design are shown in the table above. First, heat
treatment and tempering make considerable differences in mechanical properties. Additionally,
high yield strength is not necessarily an indication of fatigue performance. The performance of
candidate materials under repeated load cycling was of definite significance in material choice.
Eventually 5086 (aluminum-magnesium alloy) was chosen for decking construction. The
resulting deck pieces were constructed of hollow rectangular sections with widths varying from
18-24 inches and a height of 8 inches.
Since the individual bending loads in the decking sections were difficult to calculate utilizing
closed form analysis, an FEA model was developed to ensure that the decking and channel
components were sufficient. In this model, a moment was developed at the generator mount
pontoon, and a cable anchoring force at the pulling head of the other pontoon. Both pontoons
were constrained at the ends using theoretical radially flexible spring bearings to simulate water
buoyancy and floatation, and a roller constraint was applied at a decking section to simulate the
rigid strut constraint (more detail about this design element will be presented in a later section).
A limitation of the model is that the spring bearings are an imperfect model of water support in
several ways. First, they constrain in every radial direction rather than merely providing buoyant
forces. This causes artificial resistance to anchor cable force where water floatation opposes
vertical but not horizontal motion. Furthermore, since all bearing was at the ends of the
pontoons, the FEA bearing stresses would be higher than actual stresses. Additionally, the
moment in the model was exerted, not at the generator mount, but at the pontoon (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: FEA stress and deflection plot showing loads and constraints
Nevertheless, the FEA testing resulted in displacements and stress which validated expectations.
Note the deviation from planarity caused by warping in deck elements in figures above and
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below. The deflections are normalized to make small deflections visible; hence, the aspect ratios
are skewed.
Figure 6: FEA results of decking and frame deflection under operational loading.
To obtain a more precise picture of stress distributions, Solidworks "Iso Clipping" was utilized to
select minimum stress value to display. Note that the only locations above 2000 psi are in the
inner deck plates and mounting channels, with a maximum stress of 5,341.4 psi. For 5086
aluminum, this indicates an acceptable factor of safety of 4.31.
Figure7: ISO clipping- stress <2000 psi
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To isolate and examine the stresses in the pontoons, a minimum display value of 102 psi was
determined. As anticipated, most stresses in the pontoons were lower than this value. For yield
strength of 3000 psi, this indicates a factor safety of 29.
Figure 8: ISO clipping- stress > 102 psi
Anchoring
Cables
An anchoring system was required to prevent craft motion during deployment. Several
significant environmental factors incurred design requirements on the anchoring system.
1. Permitting constraints required any system to have a small footprint. Any design
including disturbance of, or anchoring to, the river bottom, or involving any permanent
structure would require prohibitive permitting efforts (not to mention that river bottom
profile changes could involve undesirable anchor point motion). Consequently all system
components must be portable, environmentally friendly, and non-invasive of the river
bed. This implied a system anchored to the shore.
2. It was desirable to integrate debris diversion with anchoring systems since such systems
would necessarily bridge between the craft and shore. Although all craft components
were designed with debris collision survivability in mind, the intent of anchoring design
was to eliminate this hazard as much as was practically feasible.
3. An anchoring system was desired which would not substantially hamper flow to the
turbine, or harmfully accrue debris on any individual component.
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4. Water elevation changes substantially (up to ten feet over the course of a season). This
required any anchoring system to be either adjustable or otherwise configured to provide
support at a variety of water levels.
5. Any anchoring system would require some configuration to prevent the craft from
moving toward the shore. Although apparently self evident, this requirement necessitated
the inclusion of some rigid elements to hold the craft a fixed distance from the river bank.
To satisfy these general requirements, several designs were considered. The preliminary design
was a monopole which was installed perpendicular to the bank. Cables would be installed to
each pontoon. Height adjustment required that the pole have some articulation at its connection
points on the craft and on the shore.
The other potential design plan was to mount a cable from the shore to the opposite front corner
of the craft. This cable would provide an anchoring point and would be run just under the water
surface to provide debris diversion. It was anticipated that large trees, especially those with root
wads, would strike the taught cable and be diverted from craft. This method would imply a
sideways force tending to push the craft toward the bank. Preventing this would require a rigid
strut to maintain position.
Several variants of this design were considered. A preliminary proposal suggested providing
vertical adjustment by mounting all components on dollies such as those used for overhead shop
hoists. These dollies would then be actuated by a servo or crank controlled ball screw system.
The dollies themselves would track on vertically oriented I-beams which would be fastened to
the river bank. This would afford controllable height adjustment varying with river levels.
Another potential design to reduce cable size involved the use of pulleys running through
sheaves attached to the anchor points and craft. A single capstan on the craft would then reel the
cable in or out.
These designs were eventually abandoned in favor of a simpler design. A rigid strut member
would consist of modular suspension bridge segments. These could be individually installed as
suspension bridge segments above the water surface at low water. The connection between the
craft and this suspension strut would be a king-pin/fifth wheel connection such as is employed
for RV or trailer towing. The suspension strut would be fastened to the shore by a custom pintle-
style mount. This would allow it to bear axial loading, and also to tilt to accommodate varying
river levels from a single shore position. The debris diversion cable would be strung from the
shore to the opposite side of the craft. On the shore side, a series of rock anchor tie off points
would be provided. As water levels vary, the cable could be installed at different points to
ensure proper cable depth and functionality.
The actual installation height of the rigid strut relative to high/low water levels was a significant
design consideration. An initial suggestion of splitting the difference between minimum and
maximum water level height was made. However, at the desired installation site, water level
varies approximately ten feet seasonally. At maximum water height (and maximum force in the
strut) a five foot vertical difference over a thirty foot span makes a 9.5 degree angle between
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strut and water. The vertical force is equal to the axial force in the strut multiplied by the sin of
the angle- for a 10,000-pound strut force, this meant a 1,643-pound vertical force. This force
stresses fifth wheel mounting structure. Considering that the highest forces are at high water, the
bridge anchoring position was changed to 3/4 high water mark to make forces more equalized
over deployment time.
Having determined the general method of securing and anchoring the device, individual
component design was considered. Both the cables and suspension strut components were
designed to be anchored into the shear rock face of the bluffs at the river bank. To this end,
threaded rock anchors were specified for fastening components to the rock face. Manufactured
by Williams Form Engineering, these rock anchors are one inch in diameter and five feet long.
They are grouted into a pre-drilled holes and have a pullout strength of 60,000 lbs in the quartz-
biotite-gneiss rock which comprises the bulk of the bluffs.
The cables were specified with the following design criteria: The cables must be strong enough
to bear the operational loading of the current flow plus any forces set up by debris impacts or
accumulation. A flow of approximately 15 feet per second was calculated to exert a force of
approximately 14,000 lb in the direction of the current. An additional debris impact was
calculated to exert approximately 3000 lb. Thus the total load in direction of the current is
approximately 17,000 lb. If the angle θ between the cable and current direction is approximately
30 degrees, then the actual force in the cable is expressed
F = 1/cos(θ)
= 19,600 lbs
Using simple force equilibrium principles, the resulting force in the rigid strut is expressed:
F = (1/cos(θ))sin(θ)
= 9800 lbs
Several dynamic considerations were made in cable design. Some concern was discussed that at
certain river speeds, vortex shedding frequency from the diversion cable might approach the
cable's natural frequency, causing cable flutter. An equation was derived for the natural
frequency and dynamic behavior of a flexible cylinder under tension with pinned ends.
The natural frequency of a tensioned cable in water may be very closely approximated as
follows2:
cablelengthunitwaterlengthunit
n MassMass
Tension
Lengthf
__2
1
71.10000937.0000731.0
000,20
14402
1 nf Hz
2 Dauchin, Benoit. Flow Induced Vibrations on a Cable Caused by Waves Plus Current. Diss. Ecole Centrale de Lyon
France, 1996.
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The vortex shedding frequency is governed by the Strouhal number, a dimensionless parameter
which is itself dependent on the Reynolds number:
fluid
cable
ityVis
DiameterVelocity
cosRe
The Strouhal/Reynolds relation is graphically presented in the following figure:
Figure 9: Chart relating dimensionless parameters for a cylinder in cross-flow
For a velocity of 15 feet per second, the resulting Reynolds number is approximately 65,400.
The Strouhal number is approximately 0.21; this results in a shedding frequency of 42 hertz.
The vortex shedding frequency is described by the following equation:
cable
shed Diameter
VelocityStrouhalf
Since a 1.71 Hz shedding frequency only occurs at speeds of approximately 1.286 inches per
second, there was no anticipated risk of flutter at operational flow rates.
Rigid Strut
A rigid strut component was required to maintain craft position in current flow. Such a
component was subject to several design constraints. First, modularity was desirable for two
reasons.
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First, assembly and disassembly was facilitated by employing small, individual subcomponents
which could be installed and uninstalled sequentially rather than handling the entire cumbersome
strut.
Secondly, since variable positioning in the current was potentially critically important, it was
desirable to be able to add or subtract segments to optimize craft placement. The importance of
modularity led to a design specification that the strut be comprised of ten foot sections which
could be fastened together to create a strut of arbitrary length (as long as resulting strut is safe
from buckling).
Obviously buckling failure was a significant design consideration, especially since the strut
would be a long, slender design comprised of several sections. Several methods of analysis were
considered to ensure that material and installation costs were minimized without compromising
buckling resistance. An initial design specification was for six inch diameter 6061 T-6
Aluminum alloy structural tubes with quarter inch wall thickness to be used. Each section would
be comprised of two such tubes placed 30 inches apart on center and cross braced with 1" x
0.125" square tubing.
Since the primary axial loading would be through the kingpin on the bottom of the strut,
eccentric loading was anticipated. An analytical application of the secant method for calculating
critical loading was used first. This formula is expressed as follows3:
tioncross
effective
yieldecompressiv
tioncross
AreaE
Load
k
Length
k
ec
Strength
Area
Load
sec
_
sec
4sec1
where
tioncrossArea
xIk
sec
2
ec is the eccentricity (for this calculation it was assumed to be five inches)
E is the elastic modulus.
Since the closest approximation to realistic end constraints was a pinned-pinned condition, the
effective length was the same as real length, 30 feet.
This was iterated with varying loads until convergence to solution - the critical load was 12,550
lbs for a single 30 foot length. Since each strut section would include two such components,
linear superposition was used to determine total assembled strut buckling load- 25,100 lbs. Since
the anticipated maximum loading (operational forces + debris striking) is approximately 10,000
lbs at the bridge, this provides a factor safety of approximately 2.5. The limitations of this
calculation are that no transverse loading scenario is considered in the secant formula. Some
concerns were discussed that gravitational loading over the 30 foot span, as well as any other
3 Norton, Robert L. Machine Design, and Integrated Approach. Prentice Hall, Saddle River, New Jersey, 2006
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transverse loading, might significantly decrease buckling resistance. Additionally a higher
moment of inertia was desired to increase buckling factor of safety, thus an 8 inch pipe was
specified for analysis.
To this end, the Solidworks finite element analysis software was employed to create a buckling
study. At this time, the design suggestion had been made to fasten each strut section together
with pipes which would fit tightly on the inside of the eight inch pipes. These would have a
length of 48 inches and would be plug welded on one side to the outer pipe. The other side
would have a hole for a pin, which corresponds to a hole in the outer pipe. This way, each
section may be pinned onto the last, with transverse bending support provided by the inner pipe,
and axial bearing provided by the outer pipe. The FEA model included these inner pipes.
Additionally, the FEA model included the gravitational load, and a transverse load of 500 lb, as
well as an axial load of 5000 lb (with an eccentricity of one foot).
FEA limitations were as follows: the Solidworks package was not able to calculate differences in
buckling/bending resistance at the joints due to pipe clearances; therefore all touching surfaces
were assumed in bonded contact. Additionally the actual design included a kingpin which gave a
further pinned degree of freedom perpendicular to the bearing constraint. This was not included
in the model.
The Solidworks package utilized an eigenvalue calculation to predict buckling shape and
occurrence; this resulted in a loading safety factor of 8.4. This was determined to be acceptable;
thus a final design decision was made to create individual bridge sections from ten foot sections
of 8” x 0.25" structural tubing, and pin each section together with 48 inch connecting tubes.
Figure 10: FEA model of rigid struts
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Figure11: Results of FEA model
Turbine/ Transmission
Blade Design
A number of requirements were imposed upon turbine blade design. In terms of size, the ratio of
radial length to turbine diameter was fixed for optimum efficiency. Additionally, it was
desirable to design a blade that would prove survivable and robust under operational conditions
and debris strikes. It was also desirable to make any mechanisms highly robust to withstand
submersion in silty water, and reduce moving parts as much as possible to decrease
manufacturing and assembly costs, as well as maintenance.
Geometrically, a curved profile to trap water was desired to increase efficiency. Initial blade
designs were also tapered to save material costs and weight while maintaining constant stress in
the blade. This concept was eventually abandoned due to manufacturing constraints. A primary
design concern was the collision of a log or piece of debris with the blade; a number of potential
designs were considered.
Blade Design Calculations
The power developed by an undershot waterwheel in unconfined flow is expressed4:
g
uvvuSBFu )(
where F is the force in pounds developed by the water on the blades of the wheel, B is a constant
determined experimentally to be 0.8, S is the total surface area of the blades in the water in
square feet, v is the velocity of the water in feet per second, u is the tip velocity of the blades in
4 Bresse, Jacques Antoine Charles, Water Wheels or Hydraulic Motors, University Press of the Pacific, 2003
(reprinted from 1876 edition)
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feet per second, π is the weight of water equal to 64 pounds per cubic foot, and g is the
acceleration of gravity equal to 2sec/2.32 ft . For the case of wheels in unconfined flow, the
maximum efficiency is obtained when
4.0v
u .
The force developed against the wheel could be determined by dividing the above equation by
the tip speed of the blades u. In the case of this design, 9 blades were considered to be in the
water at one time, with each blade having a total area of 28ft perpendicular to the direction of
flow. The velocity of the wheel could be considered constant due to the high gear ratio between
the wheel and generator. The electronic controls would use the generator to hold the optimal
speed ratio between the wheel and the water of 4.0v
u at all times regardless of water velocity.
Experimental results indicated that the depth of the blades should be less than or equal to ¼ of
the wheel radius. In addition, experiment dictated that for a wheel 16 ft in diameter, the number
of blades should be 12.
The curvature of the blades was determined by the water flow regime and was optimized to
minimize shock as the blades entered and exited the fluid. In addition, the curvature allowed the
blades to absorb more energy than they would otherwise do by lifting the water as the wheel
turns. The theoretical efficiency of such a wheel in a confined flow is 100%, however the
maximum attainable efficiency given friction and fluid escape was somewhat less than 60%. The
curvature of the blades was determined by the approach of the blade into the water and the angle
of the root of the blade to the circumference of the wheel. Experimental results showed that the
approach angle of the blade to the water should be 30 degrees and that the root of the blade
should be perpendicular to the circumference of the wheel.
The total force developed on the wheel by the water at 8 ft/sec is 4,500 lb which computed to
approximately 31,500 ft-lb of torque. At 15 ft/sec the total force developed on the wheel by the
water is 15,500 lb which corresponded to a torque of 108,500 ft-lb. At these water speeds, the
wheel produced 17 kW and 107 kW respectively. This power output took into account the
inefficiencies of the drive train, generator, and inverter equipment.
Blade Design Process
The first embodiment of the above criteria was a curved plastic or aluminum plate with
aluminum support ribs. This assembly would be pinned at the top with a coil spring. A heavy
log strike would cause the assembly to rotate about the pin, with the spring absorbing energy
from the moving log and allowing it to pass under the turbine. This concept was abandoned due
to concerns that the aluminum ribs would permanently distort and that the coil spring would be
constantly in angular displacement under operational load. Additionally, the coil springs would
add prohibitive cost, weight, and installation difficulty.
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Figure 12: Early blade design with aluminum ribs
A second embodiment was to utilize a detente notch in the side of a metal disk and roller under
spring pressure to hold the blade in place during normal operation. In the event of a log strike,
the collision would cause the ball to pop out of the detente and the blade would rotate out of the
way. When the blade was raised out of the water, gravity would cause it to rotate back to detente
position. Potential designs were generated using Belleville washers, leaf springs, cantilever
springs, and helical springs to provide the force to secure the roller in the detente notch.
Figure 13: Detail of paddle with detente notch mount
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Figure 14: Early all-plastic blade design
For a detente disk with radius r, and notch angle 2 x θ, the roller would only move in the notch if
force in the spring F was equal to upward force on roller. This may be expressed:
springFrTorque)(cos1
/
2
A third embodiment considered was the result of concerns that logs and other debris might not
only damage the blades in the event of a direct collision, but also might become pinned under the
turbine and exert a radial force against the outer tip of the blades. A turbine assembly that was
robust to tangential impact forces as well as radial forces required to push a log under water was
desired. To this end, a design employing a rod and coil spring which could move radially inside
a sleeve guide on the wheel spoke was created. This would soften the impact of pushing a log
under water. Ultimately this design was abandoned for three reasons. First, it involved
numerous small moving parts, prompting concerns about silting and corrosion, as well as high
maintenance and installation costs. Secondly, when the spring was compressed, the blade was
still subjected to full buoyant force of the log. Finally, an unrelated design constraint caused the
spoked wheel design to be eliminated, making the guide sleeve and spoke method unwieldy in
the design context.
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Essentially, all three mechanical methods of reducing log impacts were abandoned because they
required numerous moving components, implying high assembly and maintenance costs. This
prompted a change in design paradigm away from mechanically actuated blade protection
assemblies in favor of a simply fastened but robust blade design. This required a more careful
selection of available materials.
Initial design ideas had relied heavily on mechanical breakaway safety mechanisms to reduce
impact loading on the blades. Abandoning these mechanisms meant that the blade would need to
be able to undergo full impact loading in both tangential and radial directions. Early designs
included fully aluminum blades, and plastic blades with aluminum ribs. While these designs
were typically able to handle operational loads, it was anticipated that debris collisions would
permanently deform metal components.
Consequently, considerable research was conducted to determine a suitable material which
would be both reasonably light and inexpensive, strong enough to hold shape under operational
loading, and flexible enough to bend without permanent set in the event of a log strike.
Aluminum was considered for its machinability and corrosion resistance. However a design
strong enough to withstand a log strike would require a prohibitively high material weight and
cost.
A number of engineering plastics were available, ranging from acetals5 (yield strength: 10,200
psi, elastic modulus: 435,000 psi), polyethylene terephthalate, ultra high molecular weight
polyethylene6 (yield strength: 3100 psi, elastic modulus: 100,000 psi), polyimides, ABS plastics,
and high density polyethylene. Since the simplified blade design would need to be flexible
enough to recover after the potentially substantial distortion of a log strike, percent elongation
was evaluated along with yield strength and elastic modulus for candidate materials. Besides
mechanical properties, a suitable material would also need to be inexpensive in terms of material
and machining costs. These requirements eliminated polyimides and acetals and PET because of
the limited machining options and high manufacturing and material costs. Additionally these
materials had limited flexibility (45% elongation of acetal copolymer and 7% elongation of
polyimide). ABS plastics were more easily machined, but had unsuitable mechanical properties.
Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylenes had similar properties to HDPE, with a slightly
lower modulus of elasticity. This meant that it would provide a more flexible blade; this was
initially attractive, but UHMW cannot be welded, which severely limited its application. High
density polyethylene was eventually selected as the material for final blade design. The
requirement of a 20 degree bend in the blade profile required forming that was unavailable for
any other engineering plastic. Especially notable is its 500% elongation at rupture, and its high
degree of shape recovery after distortion. HDPE7 has an elastic modulus of approximately
175,000 psi and an ultimate tensile strength of approximately 3500 psi.
5 Dupont Delrin Acetal Resin- Product Property Guide- 2010
6 Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Harvey L. Stein, PE. Reprinted from Engineered
Materials Handbook Volume 2: Engineering Plastics, 1999
7 HDPE Data Sheet, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, 2009
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Below is a table with relevant mechanical properties of some of the candidate engineering
plastics.
Material Elastic Modulus
(psi)
Yield Strength
(psi)
% Elongation at
Rupture
Machinability
Acetals 435,000 10,300 35 Stamped, extruded,
small parts only
UHMW 100,000 3100 350 Small sheet
extrusion, no
bending
HDPE 175,000 3000 500 Sheets may be
drape formed,
bent, and welded
Analytical Predictions
The following analytical method was employed to determine the stresses due to standard
operation and potential debris strike:
A turbine blade-debris collision was modeled analytically as a case of horizontal striking impact
using the kinetic energy method. The system was simplified by considering the log or debris as a
moving mass with kinetic energy and the blade as an elastic member. In a collision, if we
assume dissipation to be negligible*, all kinetic energy from moving mass (log) is converted to
elastic energy stored in the struck member (turbine blade). This may be expressed:
22
2
loglog
2 Velocitymass
k
Force
paddle
where k is the stiffness of the paddle, and η is the internal dissipation of kinetic energy in the
blade (where a value of zero would imply total dissipation, and one no dissipation)*
which may be further reduced:
paddlekmassVelocityForceloglog
The stiffness of the paddle (force/displacement) was determined by modeling the paddle as a
cantilever beam with a cross-sectional profile similar to that of paddle. The displacement under
load for a cantilever beam is expressed:
EI
FL
3
3
where δ is the displacement, F the force, L the beam length, E modulus of elasticity of beam
material, and I the area moment of inertia. Rearranging for force/displacement, stiffness may be
expressed:
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3
3
L
EIk
The area moment of inertia of the paddle was estimated by considering a simplified cross section
consisting of a composite of three rectangles as shown in Figure 11.
According to the parallel axis theorem, linear superposition of these individual beams may be
used to express the moment of inertia as follows:
121212
3
33
3
22
3
11 hbhbhbI
Roark and Young provide a factor of correction value8
log
1
1
mass
massblade
A conservative (and fairly accurate for large logs) simplification is to assume η = 1. Employing
the equations above, the following assumptions were made:
- A log with weight of 1000 lbs, or a mass of 2.6 in
lbs 2sec and an absolute speed of 10 feet per
second (120 inches per second).
- A high density polyethylene ( elastic modulus = 100,000 psi, yield strength in tension = 3000
psi) paddle with cross sectional dimensions as shown in figure 10 velocity 40% that of flowing
water, or 4 feet per second.
The area moment of inertia was calculated to be:
4444
333
404181812
148
12
61
12
61 ininininxxxI
The stiffness was then expressed:
in
lb
in
inxin
lbx
L
EIk 78113824
40000,10033
3
4
2
3
These values may be substituted to determine the maximum force:
7816.21sec72loglog xxxinkmassVelocityForcepaddle= 3240 lb
To determine maximum stress in paddle, the following equation is employed:
I
Mc
8 R.J. Roark and W.C. Young, Formulas for Stress and Strain. 6th ed. McGraw-Hill: New York, 1989
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where σ is the bending stress, M is the moment, c is the distance from neutral axis to outer edge
of beam, and I is the moment of inertia. This implied that the maximum stress would be found in
those parts of the beam which were furthest from the neutral axis. In this case, 3 inches was the
furthest distance.
Substituting these values:
psiin
ininxlbx 583240
3243240
4max
This particular analytical method of ascertaining stress implied several limitations. First, as seen
in Figure 15, the model geometry differed from actual profile in two important ways. First the
analytical model was a straight beam, while the actual profile was a curved blade. Secondly, the
actual beam tapered, whereas the analytical model was of constant cross-section.
The first error caused the model to be less stiff than a more accurate representation would
suggest. The second error caused the model to be stiffer than a more accurate representation
would suggest.
Since the analytical model exhibited considerably smaller deflections with higher stresses than
either experimental or FEA results, it was concluded that the analytical model required
refinement to represent a less stiff blade with lower stresses.
Figure 15: Comparison closed form model to actual model
FEA Predictions
A solid model and finite element mesh equivalent of the blade prototype was generated using the
solid model/finite element software package Autodesk Inventor. The native finite element mesh
generator employed elements with an average size of 0.1 inches, with automatic detection and
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recalculation of element groups with poor aspect ratios. This allowed very close geometric
tolerances.
A static test was conducted with the following parameters:
1. Material- blade constructed of thermoplastic resin
2. Constraints- fixed constraints on mounting surfaces (see Figure 15)
3. Loads- Pressure load (operational water load) on turbine faces, 3000 lb
force at middle of blade tip (log strike impact force).
The maximum stresses were found in the support ribs at the sides of the blade, as predicted by
the analytical formula. However, the maximum stress was considerably lower and the
displacement higher than predicted by the analytical method. This was concluded to be the result
of limitations in the analytical method; specifically that it did not account for lowered stiffness
due to tapered profile.
Figure 16: FEA results of paddle loading
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Experimental Testing
Two manufacturers built prototype turbine blades based upon the design requirements and
drawings. A steel fixture was constructed with two primary design considerations. First its
fastening system resembled the actual fastening brackets as closely as possible; and secondly its
spring system made static force calculations feasible. The experimental testing regimen was
two-fold. First it was desired to validate the FEA predictions of load response and survivability
by observing behavior under known loads. Additionally, it was desired to validate analytical
predictions of forces generated by placing the turbine blade in moving water.
Figure 17: Testing jig with springs
The first test was conducted by securing the blade in the steel jig-shown above, which was itself
securely constrained. Then a spring with known stiffness (3000 lb/in) with a steel end was
pressed against the paddle at the tip, and the spring deflection measured. This test was applied to
both paddles to simulate a log strike.
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Figure 18: Log strike test- note cracking at weld seam.
Figure 19: Blade deformation recovery after log strike test
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One paddle failed under the load, and one survived. Both blades exhibited excellent recovery
from the distortion- see figure above.
The second test was performed on both blades; in this case the jig was fastened to a metal beam
with U-bolts (see figure below) and the blade secured in the jig; the blade was placed into
flowing water. The forces generated by the flowing water were calculated as follows:
spring
cp Rl
YForce
where Ycp is the center of pressure l is the distance from the pin to the spring, and R is the
reaction force at the spring.
Figure 20: Water flow test setup
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Figure 21: Blade under water flow test
Figure22: Deformed spring under water flow test
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Conclusions
After experimental testing was concluded, the final design was a turbine blade constructed of one
inch thick HDPE plate. This was bent and groove-welded to form a curve as specified, and one
inch thick ribs were groove-welded onto the sides. In experimental testing, these blades were
both able to sustain tip displacements of at least five inches, and tip loading of at least three
thousand pounds, although a crack did appear at a welded seam of one of the blades when
loaded.
Turbine Section Design
The turbine section itself underwent considerable design changes. Initially, a spoked wheel
design with a central axle was considered. The initial design incorporated spokes which
transferred torque from the blades to the central axle, which also supported the transverse load of
the total turbine weight.
Figure 23: Early turbine and blade assembly
An initial design specification of an 8 inch diameter axle with 0.75 inch wall thickness and raised
bosses for spoke attachment was suggested. An FEA calculation was made upon this model.
The FEA model included no gravitational loading and simplified the mounting as a fixed
restraint at the transmission end of the axle and a axial/radial bearing restraint at the other. A
cumulative 96,000 foot pound torque was applied in 19,200 lb increments to each of the
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mounting bosses. This model had limited accuracy since the axial/radial bearing artificially
forced alignment, and no gravitational force over the axle span was accounted for. Nonetheless,
the model showed stress of 22,300 psi.
Figure 24: FEA results of axle torque test
The axle was designed to operate in fully reversed bending. Aluminum 6061 T-6 alloys have
fully reversed bending yield strength of 14,000 psi at 500 million cycles. This gives an
unacceptable factor of safety (0.627).
Eventually, the axle method of wheel support and torque transfer was abandoned because the
96000 foot pound torque required an exceptionally heavy axle, which incurred high material and
logistic costs. Additionally, the need for a more flexible application implied the requirement of a
modular design which could be applied in varying conditions.
The following requirements were determined for a satisfactory turbine section design:
1. High moment of inertia in torsion and transverse bending
2. Low weight
3. Ease of assembly
4. Modularity
A turbine comprised entirely of plastic was designed. However, although low stresses could be
maintained, it was not able to hold geometric stability and could not be applied.
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Figure 25: All plastic turbine design
Eventually a novel design using tubes mounted in an offset pattern from the center of end plates
of a modular turbine section was presented. Using a plurality of tubes further from the central
axis of rotation reduces the amount of material required for a desired polar or area moment of
inertia. The basic dimensions were analytically derived to achieve acceptable multi-axial stress
levels in bending and torque:
2
2
max 2 xy
yx
yx
where σ is the principal normal stress, and τ is the principal shear.
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Figure 26: Final turbine design
The analytical results led to more specific parameters for an FEA analysis using 12 inch tubes at
a five foot offset from center, and a thickness of 0.25 inches (see Figure 22). The FEA model
was evaluated using the Autodesk Inventor static analysis package. The built-in mesh generator
used 0.1" tetrahedral elements to produce a very realistic geometric mesh. It was desired to
refine the design and validate analytical predictions by modeling the combined stress of
transverse loading due to turbine weight and moment loading from turbine torque (the
anticipated max torque being operational torque plus log strike). To this end, a fixed constraint
was applied to the transmission flange, and a bearing constraint applied to the mounting flange
on the other side. The bearing constraint prevented radial motion but not axial or tangential
(rotational) motion. A torque was applied to the mounting flange (a limiting case whereby
torques are not evenly distributed along turbine sections, but concentrated at one end - not
anticipated during operation). A second load, gravitational acceleration, was employed along the
transverse axis to simulate turbine weight.
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Figure 27: FEA results, turbine frame torque test
The limitations of this FEA analysis were primarily two fold; first the bearing constraints in
Autodesk Inventor static analysis package could not specify a self-aligning bearing, giving the
turbine a false degree of angular restraint. Additionally, the effects of fatigue loading in fully
reversed bending could not be immediately evaluated using this software package.
However, it was concluded that the stress plots provided useful data insomuch that stresses were
generally low in the structure (under 5000 psi, as predicted by analytical methods).
Materials selection for the turbine section structure centered around acquiring a material which
possessed sufficient mechanical properties in terms of strength to weight ratio, fatigue and
corrosion resistance, and which could be easily machined, welded, and manufactured to
specification. Steel alloys were initially considered, due to their high fatigue resistance,
reasonable weldability and machinability, and comparatively low cost. However, steel alloys
typically require additional corrosion protection in marine environments, and are fairly heavy.
Various aluminum alloys were considered. 7075-T-651 aluminum features unimpressive
corrosion resistance, but has a 74,000 to 78,000 psi yield strength, and 23,000 psi fatigue
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strength in fully reversed bending at 500 million cycles9. Nevertheless it cannot be welded, and
is a high cost alloy. 6061-T6 aluminum has a 14,000 psi fatigue strength at 500 million cycles in
fully reversed bending10. 5086-H116 aluminum is a marine grade type aluminum with excellent
yield (30,000 psi) and fatigue strength (21,800 psi at 500,000,000 cycles fully reversed bending
stress)11 and light weight. Welding causes a local reduction in strength to O temper (yield
strength at 17,000 psi), but it can be welded, and a FEA analysis of stress locations predicted
acceptably low stress at welds. The excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance of 5086 series
aluminum alloys made it a preferred material for turbine and craft components.
Bearings and Adjustments
The turbine was specified with several inter-related design considerations in terms of mounting
and adjustment. First it was desirable for the transmission input shaft to act as the mounting
component for one side of the wheel. Second, the turbine should be vertically adjustable. That
is, it could be lowered into water for operation (and raised out for maintenance) without moving
craft. Finally, the structural potential for misalignment due to deck twisting moments and
vertical adjustment necessitated a robust self-aligning bearing system.
The design considerations concerning the transmission in particular will be discussed in more
detail in a later section; however it was specified with a low speed input flange rated for the
shear load of the turbine as well as the twisting moment. On the other side, a pillow block with
an integral self-aligning housing and precision plane bearing was specified. Both the pillow
block support and transmission assembly were designed to be fastened to vertically sliding
mounts actuated by linear actuation system. Initially, servo controlled linear actuators such as
those employed for machine tool positioning were discussed. These were abandoned in favor of
a more robust system, hand crank actuated screw jacks. Some concern about screw jacks
potentially failing under buckling was discussed; however the rating of the screw jacks specified
was considerably greater than the specified load required, and no risk of buckling was
anticipated.
9 Aerospace Specification metals Inc. Aluminum 7075 T-6, T-
651http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA7075T6 Accessed Online, August 18, 2011
10 Aerospace Specification metals Inc. Aluminum 6061 T-6, T-651
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6061t6 Accessed Online, August 18, 2011
11 Aerospace Specification metals Inc. Aluminum
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA5086H116 Accessed Online, August 18, 2011
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Figure 28: Assembly view- transmission and power generation components
Transmission
The general paradigm of the Poncelet turbine system is to provide low speed, high torque power
output. Optimum efficiency is obtained by running the wheel such that blade tip speed is 40% of
current speed, so a 15 foot diameter turbine constrained to run at optimum speed* in a 15 foot
per second current will rotate at approximately 8 revolutions per minute. Efficient electrical
power generation typically requires generator input with higher speeds and lower torques; to this
end, a transmission system was specified.
Several design requirements were formulated to narrow the field of potential transmissions. The
generator chosen was a low speed 36 pole AC permanent magnet generator with optimum
efficiency in the 150-200 RPM range (More discussion on this design paradigm will be
conducted in a later section). Thus the transmission must have a speed ratio of 30:1 with a 5-8
RPM input. The transmission must be weight and cost effective, and be readily mounted and
coupled to turbine and generator. It must be sufficiently compact to fit on the slider mechanism
and be sealed and protected from wind, silt and water. If lubricated, the lubricant must be
sufficiently sealed so as to present no environmental hazard.
Several transmission variants were considered for potential application. A caged belt drive was
initially considered. However, belt drives are most efficient at high speeds, and a 30:1 reduction
would require multiple sets of prohibitively large sheave/belt combinations. A chain drive would
be more efficient at low speeds, but would be large and require lubrication; additionally concerns
about noise pollution were discussed.
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It was concluded that most custom transmission solutions were excessively large and expensive;
therefore a commercial off the shelf option was explored. A Brevini epicyclic two-stage
transmission was selected. This transmission used planetary gear sets in series to provide
compact, light, zero maintenance transmission solution. This planetary gearset package offered
custom couplings and mounts on both high and low speed ends.
It was concluded that the transmission itself would be specified with tapped holes by which it
would be fastened to the sliding mount, which would bear the torque load of the generator
resistance. A love-joy gear coupling would provide misalignment tolerance on the turbine side,
and the generator would be rigidly mounted to the output side of the transmission.
Braking and Turbine Control
It was desired to maintain control over turbine speeds for three reasons: First in the event of
emergency, it would be desirable to stop the turbine. Secondly, concerns were discussed about
the risk of turbine "runaway" if inductive motor power output was exceeded. Finally, concerns
regarding inductive motor cut-in speeds, and the need to potentially slow and control wheel
rotation were discussed. More discussion regarding generators and generator controls is
available in a later section.
Initially, the general design paradigm regarding turbine design was as follows: the turbine would
provide motive power to the inductive generator, and any modification of rotational speed would
be executed mechanically. A hydraulic brake was specified to slow or stop the wheel if
necessary. This brake would require servo-actuation interfacing with the electrical generator
controls, or an operator to set cut-in speed and slow turbine if need be.
Due to design paradigm changes (discussed in more detail in a later section) regarding the
generator and control setup, a partnership with Energetic Drives led to the specification of a new
control system. This novel power generation/conditioning and controls system utilized a
permanent magnet generator, and automatically controlled generator resistance to provide
optimum torque and could cut in and out either automatically (by preset setpoints), manually (by
on-craft actuation) or remotely (by SCADA control).
The system designed by Energetic Drives allowed for considerable simplification of the
mechanical system, and elimination of numerous components, including the mechanical braking
system. In the current embodiment, the generator could be signaled by the control system to
provide back emf, or regenerative braking, and could cut in or out at any velocity that was
anticipated. This eliminated the hydraulic reservoir, lines, brakes, and actuation components.
Power Generation/ Conditioning
Specific application and design specifications were developed for pairing a generator with the
turbine prime mover. It was desired to employ a generator compatible with three modes of
application. The generator must function as a stand-alone power source (such as a backup power
source in the event of grid power failure); it must be capable of pairing with diesels to provide
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power, and it must function as a source connected to infinite grid power. Functionally, a
generator must be compact, inexpensive, robust, and tolerant of variance in rotor speed. To this
end, both permanent magnet and induction generator solutions were considered.
Induction generators function by forcing the prime mover to drive the rotor above a synchronous
speed, which is defined by following relation:
pairsNumberRPSHertz
That is, the frequency of power generated depends on the rotational speed and number of pairs of
poles on the stator. Induction generators are typically larger, but lighter, for a given rated power
output than permanent magnet generators because they require no brushes or commutator. This
also makes them more rugged. Induction generators also tend to be less expensive than their
permanent magnet counterparts. The drawback of the induction generator is that they require a
source of excitation current for magnetizing flux; thus an induction generator is not a suitable
solution for stand-alone power. Additional concerns were that an error in controls could allow
an induction generator connected to an infinite grid to run at lower speeds (ie: the rotor turning
slower than rotating flux) whereby the machine would function like an induction motor and use
grid power to bring wheel up to speed.
A permanent magnet solution was selected, because although such generators are more
expensive, and contain more moving parts, they are more readily suitable for stand-alone power
production. An off the shelf solution was provided, which had 36 poles (enabling low speed
operation), and a wide operating band. Paired with an effective power signal conditioning
system (A more detailed discussion of the particulars of this system will be discussed later), this
solution offers a very acceptable range of operational productivity and flexibility.
Figure 29: Circuit diagram of Energetic Drives Active Front End system
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Electrics/ Controls/ Monitoring
Generator Control Algorithm and SCADA Controls
The operational imperatives driving craft design require a robust and complex feedback control
and monitoring system with integral remote access and supervision capacity. To this end, a
SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system was specified. This system was
subject to several design requirements. First, it must modulate generator resistance to maintain
optimum ratio of blade tip speed to water speed, maintain cooperative master/slave power
sharing in the event of diesel pairing power production, and provide real-time data for water
velocity, wheel speed, voltage and reactive power production. Additionally, the SCADA system
must be capable of producing alarm outputs to an integral personnel alarm system in the event of
specific operating conditions.
Figure 30: Energetic Drives control cabinet
Generator Efficiency Optimization
The theoretical Poncelet efficiency was optimized by adhering to specific geometric and relative
velocity constraints. It was considered important for the control system to be designed such that
it would increase or decrease generator torque to maintain proper velocity for maximum power
output.
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Figure 31: Control cabinet components
Diesel Generator Pairing
As mentioned previously, it was desired to design the hydrokinetic turbine for three modes of
application. It had to be able to provide stand-alone power to a small grid; it had to be able to
pair with other small power sources (such as existing diesel generators) to power a grid, or it had
to be able to feed the infinite grid.
The standalone and infinite grid modes are fairly simple for a permanent magnet generator and
controls. However diesel pairing introduces a potentially problematic feedback loop since the
craft and most generators would have individual load sensing governor controls. Some concern
was discussed that this might result in an unstable response, which would not only affect power
output, but would cause oscillations which would cause diesel prime movers to run at inefficient
speeds.
To attenuate this concern, a PLC driven control system with Schweitzer relay sensors was
designed. If the relay sensed the activation/deactivation of another power source on a finite grid,
it signaled a master/slave set point control which set an optimal speed for the diesel prime
mover, and assigned the remaining load to the hydro-kinetic turbine.
Real-Time Monitoring and Control
Since the hydrokinetic turbine is designed for remote locations, it was considered desirable to
enable remote monitoring. Thus voltage output, river current speed, and wheel rotational speed
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would be available at a power plant computer remotely. Additionally, manual control and
programming changes to PLC set points could be executed remotely from a computer using the
SCADA interface.
Alarm Systems
Since the hydrokinetic turbine was designed for potential swift water deployment in remote
locations, some concerns were discussed concerning potential mooring component failure. A
positional monitoring system employing a Dynamic Global Positioning System coupled with an
excursion monitoring/reporting software package was specified for integration into the SCADA
control system. If the system sensed the craft moving outside of the defined excursion envelope,
an alarm would sound to indicate mooring cable failure; this system queries onboard GPS
sensors for craft position every five seconds, updates a five-year data-logged history of craft
positions and headings at a one-minute sampling rate, and additionally records alarms and events
in a data log.
The proposed positional monitoring system is tolerant of power outages and currently supports
the following industry standard communication protocols:
1. MODBUS RTU Over TCP
2. MODBUS ASCII/RTU/TCP
3. NMEA 0183
Means of Alerting Technicians
The proposed SCADA system interfaces with a Protalk CV3 alarm dialing system with cellular
amplification, integrated cellular module with voice and SMS text capabilities. This alarm
system is tolerant of power outages, and may be programmed for four different shifts, is highly
modular, and has low footprint. It will continue to dial numbers in its database until technicians
give confirmation of alarm notification.
The proposed system also has built-in radio port and public address systems which may be
programmed with redundant alert capability in after-hours situations.
An additional consideration for the SCADA monitoring/alarm system was alarm cascade. Since
the Protalk interface was capable of supporting a wide array of specific alarm messages from
digital and analog inputs, it was important that the acquisition and broadcast of craft data be
configured to give technicians optimum awareness of the mode of failure and extent in the event
of emergency involving several alarms from multiple component failures. The integrated PLC
interface would then organize the alarm cascade such that technicians would be able to
differentiate a transmission rotation stoppage caused by a debris jam from one caused by
mooring cable failure or transmission component failure. This allows emergency personnel and
technicians to best prepare themselves to address emergency situations.
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Partnerships and Collaboration
Energy Stability Solutions and Energetic Drives, LLC
During a survey of available power generation and control solutions, Hasz Consulting
collaborated with Energetic Drives, a company which provides power generation solutions
specifically for small (10 kW to 1.5 MW) projects. The "active front end" power generation
platform designed by Energetic Drives provides an exceptionally efficient production of clean
power, and significantly simplifies mechanical requirements in terms of turbine control.
Most engineered solutions for a variable speed prime mover involve a diode bridge rectifier to
convert "dirty" AC power to DC, and can only provide between 1-3% reactive power (volt-amp-
reactive) to compensate for reactive loads. The design utilized by Energetic Drives employs an
active bridge and LCL filter to eliminate harmonics while also providing the necessary reactive
power to maintain a stable power factor regardless of the phase of the load.
Potential Power Generation for Alaska and the Nation
A large portion of the project was completed by CE2 Engineers, Inc. of Anchorage, AK. As a
company with a successful history of completing highly technical projects in remote
communities, it was decided they would be an excellent partner to help determine the viability of
the chosen design. To this end, Hasz Consulting contacted them and they agreed to complete the
portions of the project which would analyze extractable energy estimates as well as the obstacles
to successful integration of the engineered system into the open market place.
Their full report is attached to this document. Their study was focused primarily on Alaskan
communities. These communities specifically, being remote, operating in harsh environmental
conditions and experiencing the highest cost of energy in the nation, are not only in the greatest
need, they are also the best test beds of this technology. The full study includes an estimate of the
extractable energy nationwide as well as the significant obstacles to full integration in the
market.
Conclusion
The project was considered successful in three ways. First, site specific engineering solutions
were developed for applying RISEC technology effectively in Alaskan river environment.
Secondly, the wide integration of stock components reduced design, construction and component
replacement costs. Finally, the modular construction design and flexible control system designed
by Energetic Drives, contributed toward methodology with broad potential application to remote
village power needs.
The effective deployment of RISEC technology in Alaskan rivers is tremendously significant in
light of the extremely high costs of energy in remote communities. Providing an energy source
which is both sustainable and economically feasible is crucial in preventing the extinction of
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remote Alaskan villages, many of which cannot remain financially solvent in the face of
increasing fossil fuel costs.
A significant aspect of this project was a study conducted by CE2 Engineers which compiled a
list of sites for potential commercial application of the project device. The study, which took
into account topography, river speed, and local community power needs, concluded that this
device would potentially be applicable at 46 village sites in Alaska alone, and 150 sites in the
continental United States.
RISEC implementation offers the benefit of flexible, comparatively inexpensive power solutions
for remote communities as well as providing a substantial step forward in the technical and
commercial viability of alternative technology.
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Riverine Resource Assessment
Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 Hydrokinetic Device
Prepared by:
CE2 Engineers, Inc.
DRAFT
Report Date:
February 2011
Communities located on rivers in Alaska may potentially benefit by integrating an RHK100 hydrokinetic
device into their existing power system. Potential benefit will depend on the community’s proximity to
water, the estimated stream velocity, the distance between the river and the community, the amount of
summer power supplanted, and the future changes in community population and fuel costs. Benefits
result from displacing some or all of a community’s summer power load. Benefits to larger communities
like Mountain Village, Tok, and Galena, will differ from those to smaller communities like Red Devil,
Sleetmute, and McGrath.
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. i Report Date: February 2011
Contents
I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
II. Method .................................................................................................................................... 2
A. Community List ................................................................................................................................. 2
B. River Velocity Data ............................................................................................................................ 3
C. Community Distance to River ........................................................................................................... 3
D. Suitable River Hydrokinetic Power Capacity ..................................................................................... 3
E. Potential Monetary Benefits of the RHK100..................................................................................... 4
III. Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................. 6
A. Community List ................................................................................................................................. 6
B. River Velocity Data ............................................................................................................................ 6
C. Community Distance to River ........................................................................................................... 7
D. Suitable River Hydrokinetic Power Capacity ..................................................................................... 7
E. Potential Monetary Benefits of the RHK100..................................................................................... 8
List of Appendices
Appendix A—Alaska Community List
Appendix B—Analysis of Alaska Community Power Consumption and Potential Energy Offset
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
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I. Introduction
Whitestone Power and Communications (WPC) is in the process of developing and trademarking an
electrical generation device called “the Poncelet Kinetics RHK100”. This River In-Stream Energy
Conversion (RISEC) device, can be used in communities located in proximity to a sufficient water
resource to generate electrical power from the hydrokinetic water flow. The RHK100 is a pontoon-
mounted Poncelet undershot water wheel (estimated at 12-foot-wide with a 16-foot diameter) with a
nominal electrical power output capacity of 100 kW. The float footprint is estimated at 34 feet by 19
feet, with a weight of approximately 15,000 pounds. The installation will be moored to the shore and
protected with Coast Guard-approved safety equipment.
WPC contracted CE2 Engineers, Inc. (CE2) to perform a preliminary assessment of Alaska communities
located near flowing rivers that might benefit from integrating a hydrokinetic device into its present
power generation system. The assessment includes:
1. a list of communities situated near Alaska rivers where the RHK100 would be suitable,
2. an inventory and summary of existing river velocity data for rivers near these communities,
3. a description of the approximate distance between the river and the community’s power
plant,
4. an estimation of the potential amount of hydrokinetic-derived power needed for each
community, and
5. an estimation of the potential monetary benefit to each community from the maximum
suitably-sized RHK100 hydrokinetic device.
This assessment assumes that the production capacity of the RHK100 can be adjusted to work in rivers
with velocity/flow rates as low as 1 foot/second, and depths of three feet or greater.
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II. Method
The five pieces of the assessment were done mainly independent of one another. The methods
employed in each piece of the assessment are described here.
A. Community List
A community list was developed by consulting the data published on the website of the Alaska
Community Database maintained by the State of Alaska, Department of Commerce, Community,
and Economic Development (DCCED). From a list of all currently identified Alaska communities
(presented in Appendix A), the following communities were initially eliminated:
Communities listed with zero or very small population,
Communities with no electrical power distribution system,
North Slope communities (due to the extremely short ice-free season for
the Arctic rivers)
Communities whose geography includes the absence of viable rivers, including no rivers,
extremely slow-moving rivers, steep rivers, and rivers subject to the influence of tides were not
evaluated, nor were those communities in the Railbelt. The list was further reduced to those
located on major river systems, away from the lower, slower reaches of the rivers (such as
Yukon River communities like Alakanuk and Kotlik, or Kuskokwim River communities like
Tuluksak).
The result was a list of 45 communities primarily situated on major Alaska Rivers. From north to
south, generally, those rivers include: Noatak, Kobuk, Koyukuk, Yukon, Tanana, Kuskokwim,
Kvichak, Nabesna, and Copper. The following matrix is a summary list of the communities
initially selected for the RHK100 device assessment.
River Community
Copper Chitina, Slana
Kobuk Ambler, Kiana, Shungnak
Koyukuk Allakaket/Alatna, Bettles, Hughes, Huslia
Kuskokwim Aniak, Chuathbaluk, Crooked Creek, Kalskag (Upper and Lower), McGrath,
Nikolai, Red Devil, Sleetmute, Stony River
Kvichak Igiugig
Noatak Noatak
Nabesna Northway
Tanana Tok/Dot Lake/Tanacross, Tanana, Manley Hot Springs
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River Community
Yukon Anvik, Circle, Fort Yukon, Galena, Grayling, Holy Cross, Kaltag, Koyukuk,
Marshall, Mountain Village, Nulato, Pilot Station, Ruby, Russian Mission, St.
Mary’s, Pitka’s Point, Steven’s Village
B. River Velocity Data
Data that describes flow rates for Alaska rivers and streams exists in several places on the web:
the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System at
http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/nwisgmap/; the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources
(DNR), Alaska Hydrologic Survey Streams Database at
http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/water/hydro/streams.cfm; and a presentation entitled “Assessment
of Hydrokinetic Energy Resources in Alaska Rivers” written by faculty and staff at the University
of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Engineering, and published on the Alaska Energy Authority
website at http://www.akenergyauthority.org/OceanRiver/TomRavens_REC4-2010.pdf.
Research staff at CE2 were surprised by the apparent scarcity of stream velocity data. However,
several knowledgeable hydrologists with the USGS, National Park Service, and the Bureau of
Land Management confirmed that stream velocity data are very rare in Alaska, mainly due to
cost of recording and collecting those data.
C. Community Distance to River
Google Earth mapping tools were used to approximate the distance between the river channel
and the vicinity of the power plant. Distances were rounded up to the nearest 100 feet.
D. Suitable River Hydrokinetic Power Capacity
The amount of river hydrokinetic power suitable for use in a community’s existing power system
will depend on the average load (measured in kilowatts) carried by that community during the
months the RHK100 device would be working. The State of Alaska, Alaska Energy Authority’s
Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program published data on the power production, fuel and non-
fuel costs, and population for many communities in rural Alaska.
For those communities initially deemed viable (see II.A), PCE data were collected, when
available. Not all viable communities were included on the PCE roster, and some were on the
roster but contained limited power production data. Some communities share power via an
intertie, such as Tok, Tanacross, and Dot Lake, and similar groupings were treated as one entity.
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Because the RHK100 device will only operate during summer months (estimated here to be the
four-month period from May 15 to September 15), an estimate of the average summer load was
necessary to estimate how many kilowatts would be available to offset. Although a few
communities have facilities such as fish processing plants that create a higher load on their
community power system during the summer, most of these examples are balanced out by the
power demands of the school building during the non-summer months.
Brent Petrie, Manager of Community Development at the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative
(AVEC), which owns and operates power production and distribution systems in some 50 rural
communities, estimated that the average community will require ten percent less power during
the summer months than they will during the non-summer months. That is the measure used to
determine the average monthly summer load for each community with published PCE data.
The Analysis of Alaska Community Power Consumption and Potential Energy Offset, presented
in Appendix B, contains most of the data discussed in this assessment. As shown in this table,
some communities have a summer load as low as 13 kilowatts (Stony River) or 15 (Red Devil),
while others have loads of 300 kilowatts (St. Mary’s/Pitka’s Point, and Fort Yukon) and 400
kilowatts per month (Galena). The Tok/Tanacross/Dot Lake intertie pulls a load of approximately
1,200 kilowatts during an average summer month.
It is important to note that the published PCE data covers community power information for the
years 2002-2009. A statistical method of projecting future numbers based on a known trend,
“least square”, was used to project power production, cost, and population data through the
year 2020. An “average year”, here and elsewhere in this report, represents the average
PROJECTED figure for the twelve years from 2009-2020.
E. Potential Monetary Benefits of the RHK100
The monetary benefit of using an RHK100 hydrokinetic device will vary between communities
insofar as each community has a unique set of energy production and cost characteristics. While
the amount of diesel-generated electricity may be similar between communities (and,
correspondingly, the amount of diesel displaced) the cost of generating that electricity will vary
between any two communities. For the community where diesel-produced energy costs more,
supplemental power from the RHK100 will realize greater cost savings than for a community
where energy is more affordable. The customer base and distribution of costs will also affect the
potential benefit of supplementing a community’s electrical production, where small
communities pay more per capita than their more populous neighbors.
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“Least square” trend lines were produced for power production, fuel costs, and population for
each community. These projections varied greatly from one community to the next, being based
on the fluctuations over the years 2002-2009, the years for which PCE data exist.
These data were used to make a general determination of: 1) the cost of producing power using
diesel for each community; and 2) the amount of cost savings resulting from the RISEC-derived
supplementary power initially identified as suitable for each community. Monetary benefit was
calculated to reflect both the average annual per-capita cost savings, as well as the average
annual overall cost savings to the community.
The amounts presented in this study for cost savings do not account for any of the costs for
RHK100 construction (capital costs) or maintenance. And while the community’s average non-
fuel related expenses are shown in Appendix B, they do not affect any of the cost savings
figures; cost savings only reflect displacement of diesel.
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III. Results and Discussion
A. Community List
The matrix introduced on page 2 of this report contains the list of Alaska communities initially
judged viable for introduction of the RHK100 hydrokinetic device. These communities are, using
the best available information: situated close to a river, where the flow rate is sufficiently rapid,
where the river and the channel is not too steep or too shallow, and where the influence of
coastal tides, waves, and shifts in flow direction will not interfere with the RHK100’s operation.
Other communities are listed as non-viable due to one of the following reasons: insufficient
population base, coastal influence, insufficient water flow, intertie-connected. Several locations
were rejected because they are government facilities, such as Eielson AFB, and two were
rejected as corporate or private utilities. Certain communities are marked non-viable for
“environmental” considerations; where the presence of a popular sport fishery or an urban
setting was seen as a significant impediment to the RHK100 hydrokinetic device
implementation.
Twenty seven additional communities are considered potential sites for implementation of a
hydrokinetic device, but additional data must be gathered for a full assessment. These
communities are marked in Appendix A with the selection code “P”.
B. River Velocity Data
Appendix B presents the summary data discussed in this report, including river velocity
measurements from the three sources mentioned above.
River velocity data McGrath, Aniak, and Sleetmute were extracted from the DNR Hydrologic
Survey database, found at http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/water/hydro/streams.cfm.
Stream data for Kalskag, Aniak, Chuathbaluk, Mountain Village, Saint Mary’s, Pilot Station,
Marshall, Holy Cross, Anvik, Grayling, Nulato, Koyukuk, and Galena were drawn from UAA
Professor Tom Ravens’ presentation prepared for AEA and titled “Assessment of Hydrokinetic
Energy Resources in Alaska Rivers, which is found at
http://www.akenergyauthority.org/OceanRiver/TomRavens_REC4-2010.pdf.
Stream data for Chitina, Kiana, Noatak, Tanana, Steven’s Village, and Stony River were extracted
from the USGS database, found at http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/nwisgmap/.
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For most an average flow rate, in feet per second, as well as a maximum flow rate are shown in
the Analysis of Community Power Consumption and Potential Energy Offset presented in
Appendix B. The measurements of river velocity vary widely, even for the same community. For
example, flow rates recorded for the Noatak River near the village of Noatak average 0.9
feet/second, but a maximum rate was reported on the same day as 4.49 feet/second. Because
the RHK100 will produce power at an even, fixed level of output, the average velocity figure
should be considered the baseline for devising the mechanical transfer of water flow to
electricity production.
Both the USGS and the DNR websites have large amounts of stream data, but most of that is for
streams that are near villages but are nonetheless very small, and slow-moving. These were not
included in this analysis.
C. Community Distance to River
Appendix B identifies the approximate distances between each community and the river where
the RHK100 would be placed. Many communities are located very close to their rivers, and 500
feet was the standard estimated distance incremental value. Some communities are farther
away, between 1,000 feet and 4,000 feet. For Manley Hot Springs, a distance of approximately
two (2) miles separates the community from the Tanana River channel.
A shorter distance would certainly result in a less-expensive, more efficient connection of the
RHK100 to the community power grid, and a greater distance would be correspondingly more
expensive and less efficient. The resulting expense and efficiency, however, are not included in
this analysis.
D. Suitable River Hydrokinetic Power Capacity
The Analysis of Alaska Community Power Consumption and Potential Energy Offset (Appendix B)
includes a column (“Water Turbine kW”) that assigns a number of kilowatts to each community.
This number represents a river hydrokinetic energy output level, in kilowatts, suggested for each
community as a supplement to its summer energy load. In some cases, this amount will supplant
a good portion of the community’s summer energy load. In others, it will provide for the entire
load amount.
Because Red Devil and Stony River have such a low summer load level, an RHK100 hydrokinetic
device that produces 25 kilowatts will result in maximum savings for those communities. For the
St. Mary’s/Pitka’s Point as well as for the Tok/Tanacross/Dot Lake intertie, an RHK100 producing
400 kilowatts appears optimal. Because WPC’s initial RHK100 hydrokinetic device proposal
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
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indicated a per-device output of 25 kilowatts, the figures identified in this column are in
increments of 25kW.
The relationship between summer load levels, stream velocity, and the RHK100 capacity was
only cursorily addressed in discussions between CE2 and WPC. WPC indicated that the RHK100
could be adjusted down for a low load situation, as well as ramped up at will to supplant larger
loads. Therefore, nearly all communities show the RHK100 supplanting 100% of the power
production requirements for the four-month-long summer period. Mathematically, that would
eliminate the need to produce diesel power for one-third of the year (resulting in a 30% annual
reduction, which accounts for the slightly higher power usage during the non-summer months).
E. Potential Monetary Benefits of the RHK100
Appendix B shows the “Yearly Production Cost Savings” for the RHK100 device configuration
recommended for each community. Based on the projections tracking the cost of fuel (an
increase, in nearly all cases) and the amount of power required (increase in some cases,
decrease in others), supplementing summer power requirements with RHK100 devices will
produce annual overall community cost savings in the $20,000 range for communities like
Koyukuk; the $30,000 range for communities like Ruby, Chitina, and Hughes); upwards to annual
savings of $300,000 and $400,000 in places like McGrath, Galena, St. Mary’s/Pitka’s Point, and
Fort Yukon.
The annual per-capita cost savings measure shows how the members of a smaller community
may benefit, since fewer people will pay a greater percentage of the community’s total power
costs and will benefit more from an overall reduction in community power production costs.
Red Devil, for example, may only save $27,177 yearly with a 25kW RHK100 device, but based on
the high per-capita cost of energy in that community, each individual may save an estimated
$1,182 annually.
Figure 1, on the next page, illustrates both the annual per capita savings and the annual overall
community savings for all of the communities evaluated.
Because the analysis presented here does not account for any of the costs for RHK100 device
construction or maintenance, these cost savings figures must only be viewed as a baseline from
which to develop a more extensive, precise economic assessment.
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 9 Report Date: February 2011
Figure 1
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$300,000
$350,000
$400,000
$450,000
$500,000
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
Annual Projected Community Cost Savings: Per Capita and Total
Page 179
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Adak 165 NE Tidal Influence
Afognak 0 R Insufficient Population
Akhiok 80 NE Water flows require further evaluation
Akiachak 645 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Akiak 346 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Akutan 846 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Alakanuk 686 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Alatna 22 E
Alcan Border 26 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Aleknagik 229 P
Aleneva 67 R No Power Distrib System
Allakaket 100 E
Alpine 0 R Insufficient Population
Ambler 261 E
Anaktuvuk Pass 287 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Anchor Point 1772 NE Railbelt
Anchorage 290588 NE URBAN
Anderson 275 NE Railbelt
Andreafsky 140 P
Angoon 442 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Aniak 485 E
Anvik 75 E
Arctic Village 139 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Atka 71 NE Hydro in use
Atmautluak 296 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Atqasuk 201 R Short Season
Attu Station 15 R Govt Facility
Barrow 4119 R Short Season
Bear Creek 2009 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Beaver 58 P
Belkofski 0 R Insufficient Population
Beluga 24 NE Railbelt
Bethel 5803 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Bettles 19 E
Big Delta 840 NE Railbelt
Big Lake 3331 NE Railbelt
Bill Moore's Slough 0 R Insufficient Population
Birch Creek 31 P
Brevig Mission 358 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 1 of 10
Page 180
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Buckland 432 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Buffalo Soapstone 738 NE Railbelt
Butte 3255 NE Railbelt
Cantwell 200 NE Railbelt
Central 96 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Central 96 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chalkyitsik 60 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chase 35 R No Power Distrib System
Chefornak 475 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chenega Bay 71 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chevak 945 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chickaloon 277 NE Railbelt
Chicken 23 R No Power Distrib System
Chignik Lagoon 73 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chignik Lake 105 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chignik 62 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chiniak 48 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Chisana 9 R No Power Distrib System
Chistochina 95 P
Chitina 117 E
Chuathbaluk 111 E
Chuloonawick 0 R Insufficient Population
Circle 99 E
Clam Gulch 166 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Clark's Point 61 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Coffman Cove 192 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Cohoe 1332 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Cold Bay 84 P
Coldfoot 13 R No Power Distrib System
College 12552 NE Railbelt
Cooper Landing 344 NE Railbelt
Copper Center 297 P
Copperville 131 P
Cordova 2126 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Council 8 R No Power Distrib System
Covenant Life 89 P
Craig 1101 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Crooked Creek 131 E
Crown Point 77 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 2 of 10
Page 181
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Cube Cove 0 R Insufficient Population
Deering 118 P
Delta Junction 1128 NE Railbelt
Deltana 2355 NE Railbelt
Diamond Ridge 860 P
Dillingham 2264 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Diomede 117 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Dot Lake Village 37 E (see Tok/Dot Lake/Tanacross)
Dot Lake 16 E (see Tok/Dot Lake/Tanacross)
Douglas 4890 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Dry Creek 87 R No Power Distrib System
Eagle River-Chugiak
30,000
(2000 pop.)NE Railbelt
Eagle Village 54 P
Eagle 146 P
Edna Bay 49 R No Power Distrib System
Eek 282 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Egegik 73 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Eielson AFB 2896 R Govt Facility
Eklutna 384 NE Railbelt
Ekuk 0 R No Power Distrib System
Ekwok 109 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Elfin Cove 25 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Elim 337 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Emmonak 774 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ester 2034 NE Railbelt
Evansville 13 P
Excursion Inlet 11 R No Power Distrib System
Eyak 107 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Fairbanks 32506 NE Railbelt
False Pass 41 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Farm Loop 1313 NE Railbelt
Ferry 36 R No Power Distrib System
Fishhook 3337 NE Railbelt
Flat 0 R No Power Distrib System
Fort Greely 413 R Govt Facility
Fort Yukon 585 E
Four Mile Road 39 NE Railbelt
Fox River 604 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 3 of 10
Page 182
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Fox 390 NE Railbelt
Fritz Creek 1818 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Funny River 796 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Gakona 202 P
Galena 564 E
Gambell 666 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Game Creek 16 R No Power Distrib System
Gateway 4068 NE Railbelt
Georgetown 3 R No Power Distrib System
Girdwood 2000 NE Railbelt
Glacier View 246 NE Railbelt
Glennallen 473 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Golovin 154 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Goodnews Bay 237 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Grayling 168 E
Gulkana 131 P
Gustavus 451 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Haines Borough 2286 P
Halibut Cove 27 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Hamilton 0 R No Power Distrib System
Happy Valley 561 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Harding-Birch Lakes 287 NE Railbelt
Healy Lake 10 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Healy 1002 NE Railbelt
Hobart Bay 1 R No Power Distrib System
Hollis 193 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Holy Cross 187 E
Homer 5551 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Hoonah 764 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Hooper Bay 1158 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Hope 151 NE Railbelt
Houston 1664 NE Railbelt
Hughes 83 E
Huslia 265 E
Hydaburg 340 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Hyder 87 R Terrain
Igiugig 64 E
Iliamna 91 P
Ivanof Bay 0 R Insufficient Population
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 4 of 10
Page 183
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Jakolof Bay 0 R Insufficient Population
Juneau 30661 NE Hydro in use
Kachemak 430 R Environmental sensitivity
Kaguyak 0 R Insufficient Population
Kake 497 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kaktovik 286 R Short Season
Kalifornsky 7495 R Environmental sensitivity
Kaltag 172 E
Kanatak 0 R No Power Distrib System
Karluk 38 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kasaan 56 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kasigluk 567 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kasilof 536 R Environmental sensitivity
Kenai 7115 R Environmental sensitivity
Kenny Lake 412 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ketchikan 7503 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kiana 374 E
King Cove 744 P
King Island 0 R No Power Distrib System
King Salmon 383 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kipnuk 671 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kivalina 410 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Klawock 782 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Klukwan 72 P
Knik River 631 NE Railbelt
Knik-Fairview 13824 NE Railbelt
Kobuk 122 P
Kodiak Station 1321 R Govt Facility
Kodiak 6626 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kokhanok 184 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Koliganek 182 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kongiganak 465 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kotlik 618 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kotzebue 3154 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Koyuk 358 E
Koyukuk 105 E
Kupreanof 24 R No Power Distrib System
Kwethluk 764 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Kwigillingok 365 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 5 of 10
Page 184
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Lake Louise 100 NE Railbelt
Lake Minchumina 17 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Larsen Bay 79 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Lazy Mountain 1446 NE Railbelt
Levelock 88 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Lime Village 19 P
Livengood 24 R No Power Distrib System
Lowell Point 76 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Lower Kalskag 251 E
Lutak 38 R No Power Distrib System
Manley Hot Springs 81 E
Manokotak 438 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Marshall 414 E
Mary's Igloo 0 R No Power Distrib System
McCarthy 51 R No Power Distrib System
McGrath 322 E
McKinley Park 168 NE Railbelt
Meadow Lakes 7319 NE Railbelt
Mekoryuk 174 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Mendeltna 57 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Mentasta Lake 120 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Metlakatla 1499 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Meyers Chuck 16 R No Power Distrib System
Miller Landing 0 R Insufficient Population
Minto 191 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Moose Creek 729 NE Railbelt
Moose Pass 189 NE Railbelt
Mosquito Lake 235 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Mountain Village 782 E
Mud Bay 178 R No Power Distrib System
Naknek 516 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nanwalek 226 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Napaimute 0 R No Power Distrib System
Napakiak 337 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Napaskiak 428 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Naukati Bay 118 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nelchina 51 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nelson Lagoon 60 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nenana 479 NE Railbelt
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 6 of 10
Page 185
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
New Allakaket 37 P
New Stuyahok 519 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Newhalen 162 P
Newtok 355 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nightmute 264 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nikiski 4465 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nikolaevsk 315 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nikolai 87 E
Nikolski 33 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ninilchik 824 R Environmental sensitivity
Noatak 486 E
Nome 3468 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nondalton 186 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Noorvik 628 R Tidal Influence
North Pole 2200 NE Railbelt
Northway Junction 60 P
Northway Village 76 P
Northway 88 E
Nuiqsut 424 R Short Season
Nulato 240 E
Nunam Iqua 193 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nunam Iqua 193 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Nunapitchuk 539 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ohogamiut 0 R No Power Distrib System
Old Harbor 193 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Oscarville 109 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ouzinkie 170 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Paimiut 2 R No Power Distrib System
Palmer 5532 NE Railbelt
Pauloff Harbor 0 R No Power Distrib System
Paxson 16 NE Private utility
Pedro Bay 48 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Pelican 122 R Terrain
Perryville 122 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Petersburg 2973 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Petersville 6 R No Power Distrib System
Pilot Point 66 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Pilot Station 577 E
Pitkas Point 113 E
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 7 of 10
Page 186
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Platinum 57 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Pleasant Valley 765 NE Railbelt
Point Baker 11 R No Power Distrib System
Point Hope 713 R Short Season
Point Lay 234 R Short Season
Point MacKenzie 273 NE Railbelt
Pope-Vannoy Landing 5 R No Power Distrib System
Port Alexander 61 R No Power Distrib System
Port Alsworth 118 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Port Clarence 23 R Govt Facility
Port Graham 137 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Port Heiden 83 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Port Lions 200 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Port Protection 72 R No Power Distrib System
Port William 0 R No Power Distrib System
Portage Creek 7 R No Power Distrib System
Primrose 65 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Prudhoe Bay 3 R Short Season
Prudhoe Bay 3 R Short Season
Quinhagak 680 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Rampart 12 R Insufficient Population
Red Devil 44 E
Red Dog Mine 35 NE Corporate generators
Ridgeway 2050 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Ruby 149 E
Russian Mission 363 E
Saint George 111 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Saint Mary's 553 E
Saint Michael 446 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Saint Paul 459 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Salamatof 855 R Environmental sensitivity
Salcha 985 NE Railbelt
Sand Point 1001 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Savoonga 721 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Saxman 434 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Scammon Bay 528 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Selawik 849 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Seldovia Village 166 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Seldovia 265 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 8 of 10
Page 187
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Seward 2609 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Shageluk 97 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Shaktoolik 231 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Shemya Station 27 R Govt Facility
Shishmaref 606 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Shungnak 270 E
Silver Springs 198 P
Sitka 8627 R Terrain
Skagway 865 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Skwentna 73 R No Power Distrib System
Slana 102 E
Sleetmute 71 E
Soldotna 4021 R Environmental sensitivity
Solomon 0 R Insufficient Population
South Naknek 68 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Stebbins 605 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Sterling 5348 R Environmental sensitivity
Stevens Village 64 E
Stony River 48 E
Sunrise 19 NE Railbelt
Susitna 16 R No Power Distrib System
Sutton-Alpine 1407 NE Railbelt
Takotna 53 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Talkeetna 894 NE Railbelt
Tanacross 203 E (see Tok/Dot Lake/Tanacross)
Tanaina 7407 NE Railbelt
Tanana 251 E
Tatitlek 83 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tazlina 207 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Telida 3 R Insufficient Population
Teller 261 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tenakee Springs 104 R Terrain
Tetlin 169 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Thom's Place 6 R Insufficient Population
Thorne Bay 424 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Togiak 820 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tok 1429 E
Toksook Bay 596 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tolsona 26 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 9 of 10
Page 188
Alaska Community List
from State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Community Database
Appendix A
COMMUNITY
DCCED
POPULATION
Evaluation
Code Notes
Tonsina 78 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Trapper Creek 444 NE Railbelt
Tuluksak 471 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tuntutuliak 384 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Tununak 330 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Twin Hills 74 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Two Rivers 663 NE Railbelt
Tyonek 166 NE Railbelt
Uganik 0 R Insufficient Population
Ugashik 15 R No Power Distrib System
Umkumiute 0 R No Power Distrib System
Unalakleet 725 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Unalaska 3662 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Unga 0 R No Power Distrib System
Upper Kalskag 223 E
Valdez 4498 R Terrain
Venetie 185 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Wainwright 551 R Short Season
Wales 148 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Wasilla 7245 NE Railbelt
Whale Pass 60 NE Water flows need further evaluation
White Mountain 202 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Whitestone 173 NE Railbelt
Whittier 159 NE Railbelt
Willow Creek 157 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Willow 2218 NE Railbelt
Wiseman 16 R No Power Distrib System
Womens Bay 740 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Woody Island 0 R No Power Distrib System
Wrangell 2058 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Y 1057 NE Railbelt
Yakutat 628 NE Water flows need further evaluation
Total 636500 382
Evaluation code:
E = Evaluated
NE or P = Potential sites, require additional data for evaluation
R = Rejected Page 10 of 10
Page 189
CE2 Engineers, Inc.
Analysis of Alaska Community Power Consumption and Potential Energy Offset
Whitestone Power & Communications
Community River
Avg
Velocity
(Ft/Sec)
Max
Velocity
(Ft/Sec)
Est intertie
distance
(ft)
Avg Fuel Cost
Per kWh
Avg Non-Fuel
Cost
(2009-2020)
Average Annual
kWh (2009-
2020)
Avg Ratio Non-
Fuel to Fuel
Average
Summer Load
(2009-2020)
Summer Load
Range
(2009-2020)
Load
Range
Trend
Water
turbine kW
Summer
Production
Offset
Yearly
Production/
Cost Savings
(Pct)
Yearly
Production/
Cost Savings
($)
Avg
Population
(2009-2020)
Per Capita Cost
Savings
Allakaket/Alatna Koyukuk 500 $0.46 $121,985 703,077 0.38 72 68-76 Up 100 100%30%$96,646 132 $732
Ambler*Kobuk 700 $0.62 $350,750 1,385,110 0.41 142 127-148 Up 150 100%30%$255,872 249 $1,028
Aniak Kuskokwim 3.70 9.00 500 $0.50 $1,042,858 2,541,020 0.83 261 266-262 Even 300 100%30%$378,902 465 $815
Anvik*Yukon 3.70 9.00 1,750 $0.49 $123,050 445,992 0.56 46 41-45 Up 75 100%30%$65,420 86 $761
Bettles Koyukuk 500 $0.45 $117,802 464,822 0.56 48 67-33 Down 100 100%30%$63,373 58 $1,093
Chitina Copper 5.57 7.25 4,000 $0.32 $60,320 392,778 0.48 40 44-37 Down 50 100%30%$38,042 111 $343
Chuathbaluk Kuskokwim 4.00 8.00 500 $0.55 $118,867 350,666 0.61 36 28-43 Up 50 100%30%$58,049 78 $744
Circle Yukon 500 $0.45 $85,445 347,571 0.54 36 34-35 Even 50 100%30%$47,057 115 $409
Crooked Creek Kuskokwim 500 $0.51 $114,630 306,349 0.74 31 29-34 Up 50 100%30%$46,693 131 $356
Fort Yukon Yukon 3,000 $0.35 $125,768 3,384,401 0.11 348 318-380 Up 400 100%30%$352,032 608 $579
Galena*Yukon 3.60 13.00 1,000 $0.39 $1,368,500 3,918,056 0.90 403 669-100 Down 500 100%30%$458,442 486 $943
Grayling*Yukon 3.60 9.00 500 $0.50 $143,750 637,308 0.45 65 60-70 Up 100 100%30%$95,376 142 $672
Holy Cross*Yukon 3.10 10.00 3,500 $0.52 $170,430 516,535 0.64 53 66-60 Down 100 100%30%$80,372 169 $476
Hughes**Koyukuk 500 $0.28 $75,446 432,056 0.63 44 40-54 Up 75 100%30%$35,654 71 $503
Huslia*Koyukuk 500 $0.39 $255,300 1,007,445 0.65 104 95-108 Up 150 100%30%$117,386 224 $524
Igiugig Kvichak 1,000 $0.70 $28,605 252,108 0.16 26 24-27 Up 50 100%30%$53,242 63 $850
Kalskag*Kuskokwim 3.70 8.00 750 $0.15 $308,200 1,223,304 1.64 126 123-126 Even 150 100%30%$56,461 255 $221
Kaltag*Yukon 3.50 11.00 500 $0.31 $540,500 799,384 2.16 82 76-87 Up 100 100%30%$75,009 167 $449
Kiana*Kobuk 1.00 3.92 500 $0.46 $437,000 1,710,873 0.56 176 171-183 Up 200 100%30%$234,637 391 $600
Koyukuk*Yukon 3.00 9.00 750 $0.30 $12,650 255,000 0.17 27 25-27 Even 50 100%31%$23,345 80 $292
Manley Hot Springs Tanana 2 mi $0.48 $82,643 272,515 0.64 28 29-27 Down 50 100%30%$38,948 68 $571
Marshall*Yukon 3.80 8.00 500 $0.37 $331,200 1,436,418 0.62 148 130-165 Up 200 100%30%$160,476 409 $392
McGrath Kuskokwim 2.80 4.47 500 $0.45 $206,391 2,467,219 0.19 253 285-225 Down 300 100%30%$333,912 237 $1,409
Mountain Village*Yukon 2.10 7.00 500 $0.31 $709,550 2,774,392 0.83 285 281-291 Up 300 100%30%$256,870 823 $312
Nikolai Kuskokwim 500 $0.26 $54,787 454,863 0.47 47 45-48 Up 75 100%30%$35,242 82 $430
Noatak Noatak 0.90 4.49 4,000 $0.67 $508,300 2,109,448 0.36 217 200-247 Up 300 100%30%$422,645 519 $814
Northway Nabesna 1,000 $0.18 $59,755 1,195,788 0.27 123 143-105 Down 150 100%30%$66,265 141 $469
Nulato*Yukon 2.80 10.00 500 $0.43 $273,700 997,004 0.64 102 107-95 Down 150 100%30%$128,925 230 $561
Pilot Station*Yukon 2.50 7.00 1,000 $0.41 $46,000 1,773,393 0.06 182 181-187 Up 200 100%30%$216,596 612 $354
Red Devil Kuskokwim 500 $0.62 $129,170 145,085 1.43 15 15-15 Even 25 100%30%$27,177 23 $1,182
Ruby*Yukon 2,000 $0.15 $73,600 669,601 0.72 69 68-68 Even 100 100%30%$30,758 161 $191
Russian Mission*Yukon 750 $0.38 $224,250 924,302 0.65 95 92-101 Up 150 100%30%$104,294 354 $295
Shungnak*Kobuk 500 $0.60 $394,450 1,501,060 0.44 154 151-154 Up 200 100%30%$268,663 272 $988
Slana**Copper 750 $0.32 $97,430 931,425 0.33 96 53-135 Up 150 100%30%$44,439 94 $473
Sleetmute Kuskokwim 2.90 4.00 500 $0.63 $118,116 329,862 0.57 34 26-40 Up 50 100%30%$62,131 67 $927
St. Mary's/Pitka's*Yukon 2.70 9.00 3,500 $0.44 $717,600 3,239,575 0.51 333 319-347 Up 400 100%30%$423,426 842 $503
Stevens Village*/**Yukon 4.00 6.04 1,000 $0.50 $28,825 280,000 0.21 29 29-29 Even 50 100%30%$41,796 71 $589
Stony River Kuskokwim 2.90 3.24 500 $0.71 $134,565 133,293 1.43 14 13-13 Down 25 100%30%$28,238 36 $784
Tanana Tanana 1.60 500 $0.43 $592,766 1,233,407 1.13 127 140-121 Down 150 100%30%$157,404 238 $662
Tok/Dot Lake/Tanacross Tanana 500 $0.33 $1,187,229 11,852,560 0.30 1,218 1245-1204 Down 400 33%10%$385,638 1742 $221
* Non-Fuel Costs based on highest value of 2008 and 2009 data, plus 15%
**Community PCE data too wide-ranging for realistic projection. These figures are estimates.
NOTES
1. Summer Load Range is the expected change (using PCE data trend to 2020) for monthly load between May 15 to September 15.
2. Percent Summer Percent Offset: Calculated using average of each year's (actual and projected) summer load minus turbine supplement.
3. Per Capita Savings: Calculated using an average of each year's estimated fuel offset, fuel cost, and population.
Summary Table Rivers Village 5 Tables.xlsx Page 1 of 1 Report Date: February 2011Page 190
Nationwide River Resource
Assessment
Poncelet Kinetics RHK100 Hydrokinetic Device
Prepared by:
CE2 Engineers, Inc.
Report Date:
March 2011
Communities located throughout the Lower 48 states and Hawaii may potentially benefit by integrating
an RHK100 hydrokinetic device into their existing power system. Potential benefit will depend on the
community’s proximity to water, the estimated stream velocity, the estimated amount of power derived
from the stream, and the value of electricity offset. In each of these states there are several hundred
streams and rivers that may prove adequate for hydrokinetic power generation using the RHK100.
Stream velocity data collected by the United States Geological Survey demonstrate this potential by
state providing an approximation of the value of power offset. Although there appears to be
considerable river energy in each state, the potential benefit of adding an RHK100 to a community’s
existing system remains unclear and will require a community-by-community and a river-by-river
analysis.
Page 191
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. i Report Date: March 2011
Contents
I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
II. Method .................................................................................................................................... 2
A. List of River Gauge Site Data by State ............................................................................................... 2
B. Residential Rates by State ................................................................................................................. 3
III. Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................. 4
A. River Gauge Site Data by State ......................................................................................................... 4
B. Residential Rates by State ................................................................................................................. 5
C. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 6
List of Appendices
Appendix A—Stream Gauging Sites
Appendix B—Potential Energy (kW) Production
Appendix C—Energy Production and Residential Cost Savings Projections
Appendix D—Residential Rate Projections
Page 192
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 1 Report Date: March 2011
I. Introduction
Whitestone Power and Communications (WPC) is in the process of developing and trademarking an
electrical generation device called “the Poncelet Kinetics RHK100”. This River In-Stream Energy
Conversion (RISEC) device can be used in communities located in proximity to a sufficient water
resource to generate electrical power from the hydrokinetic water flow. The RHK100 is a pontoon-
mounted undershot water wheel with a nominal electrical power output capacity of 100 kW. The
preliminary float footprint is estimated at 34 feet long by 19 feet wide, with a weight of approximately
15,000 pounds. The installation will be moored to the shore and protected with Coast Guard-approved
safety equipment.
WPC contracted CE2 Engineers, Inc. (CE2) to perform a preliminary assessment of river energy in the
Lower 48 states. The aim of the preliminary assessment was to identify the potential to extract energy
from rivers using the RHK100. The assessment includes:
1. a summary count of USGS surface water gauging data sites, per state, where average stream
velocity measurements fall between 3 feet/second and 16 feet/second,
2. a summary estimate of potential kilowatts, by velocity range, by state,
3. a summary table of projected residential cost per kilowatt hour, by state,
4. a summary table of potential energy cost savings, by state.
Page 193
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 2 Report Date: March 2011
II. Method
The four components of the assessment were performed independently. The methods employed are
described here.
A. List of River Gauge Site Data by State
Data describing surface water flow for rivers and streams in the Lower 48 states and Hawaii exist
in several formats on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information
System at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/measurements. The “Field Measurements” database
provided the most comprehensive data set used in this assessment.
USGS NWIS has stream gauge velocity data available for thousands of locations in all 50 states.
Many recordings are taken at sites along minor and major rivers throughout the country.
Multiple measurements are taken at each site, and any number of sites may be situated along a
particular river or stream. Therefore, a “site” refers only to a gauging station along a river. The
site data are downloadable from the NWIS website on a state-by-state basis. The data obtained
for this assessment contained many tens of thousands of data entries per state.
The site velocity data were analyzed through a three-step process. First, all sites measurements
of less than 3 feet/second were filtered out due to an insufficient quantity of economically-
recoverable energy. Then, an average velocity was calculated for each site. The sites were then
categorized and counted based on average velocity measurement.
Identifying the location of the sites was not attempted in this assessment. Each river gauge site
is identified in the database by a “Site Code” that refers to a separate list of site location
descriptions. These data exist in a text format (e.g. “# USGS 03410045 PINE CREEK ABOVE
MOUTH NEAR ONEIDA, TN”) and do not lend themselves easily to either a database or a
geographic analysis.
The site code description was included in the downloadable data records for each state. The
NWIS database does contain county information for each gauging site, but these data are not
available for download. County information, as well as latitude and longitude information for
each site, are only available as “display” when viewing the data for an individual site. For the
purposes of summarizing large amounts of site data for this assessment, the geographical data
for each particular site were not included.
Page 194
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 3 Report Date: March 2011
At this preliminary stage no geographical examination of river velocity data was performed.
River names, latitude/longitude coordinates, and county information are available for further
analysis as needed.
B. Residential Rates by State
The U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (EIA) maintains a website
with data on various measurements of energy production, consumption, and cost throughout
the nation. A simple cross-tabulation of the data tables downloaded from the EIA website
(http://www.eia.doe.gov/electricity/) provided an overview of the prices residential customers
are paying for electricity.
Page 195
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 4 Report Date: March 2011
III. Results and Discussion
A. River Gauge Site Data by State
The table in Appendix A shows a count of the gauging station sites within rivers and streams in
each of the Lower 48 states and Hawaii. Each site has multiple velocity measurements, and the
average velocity was computed.
Each site enumerated in the assembly of this table should not be confused with a single river or
stream. Any single river may have a number of river gauging sites along its length. While every
site listed in this table will not prove to be acceptable for deployment of the RHK100 device, it is
assumed for the purposes of assessing the magnitude of the potential resource, that each site
represents a potential RHK100 device location.
The USGS NWIS database does not describe a particular method of sampling. The standard, if
any, for the placement of river gauging sites is unknown. The site measurements are treated
simply as individual spots on a river where velocity measures were taken.
The number of sites varies by state for obvious reasons of size, geography, and topography.
Some states covering small geographic areas have fewer rivers and streams, and thus fewer data
sites: Delaware has 23, Rhode Island has 40, and Vermont has 49. Louisiana only has 58 sites
with data, possibly because a large percentage of the water in that state moves slowly. The
states with the most sites are California (774), Idaho (629), and New York (564). Generally, the
more sites per state, the more potential energy for the RHK100 to capture.
Site data revealed that the majority of the gauging sites in most states are on streams with an
average velocity ranging between 3 to 4 feet/second. In California, for example, 378 of the 774
sites are in the 3-4 ft/sec range.
In each state, the number of stream sites where the velocity averaged greater than 6
feet/second represents a small portion of the total sites, including California (43 out of 774 =
5.6%), Kansas (4.5%), Massachusetts (4.3%). In Florida, 14.4% of sites had an average velocity of
6 or greater, which points to a sampling pattern where slower rivers had fewer gauging sites
compared to other states.
The table in Appendix B shows the potential amount of energy generated if a 100kW RHK100
device were installed at every data site in every state. Although this is certainly an unrealistic
expectation, the estimate is useful in this energy assessment in showing how the riverine
resources are distributed BY STATE, as well as the distribution of potential energy between
rivers of different velocities.
Page 196
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 5 Report Date: March 2011
The amount of energy potentially derived from a river depends on the river’s velocity. In this
assessment, the lowest range stream velocity of 3.0 to 4.0 feet/second was considered the
baseline, where one RHK100 installed at one of these sites would generate 100kW of power.
As the velocity increases by 1 feet/second, the amount of potential extracted energy increases
by a power of 3. With 3.5 feet/second as the baseline where 100kW are generated, each
incremental increase of 1 foot/second was calculated. So, for every site in the 4-5 ft/sec range,
approximately 200% more energy is generated than at the 3-4 ft/sec range. In the 5-6 ft/sec
range, 400% more energy would be generated. At the 9-10 ft/sec range, the increase would be
2000%. And at the top of this table, the 15-16 ft/sec range, 8600% more energy would be
generated than if the same device were installed at the 3-4 ft/sec velocity site.
Some states have enough high-velocity sites to potentially generate a large amount of
electricity. North Carolina has two (2) sites in the 15-16 ft/sec range, as does Florida, Illinois, and
Texas.
Using this formula to estimate potential energy generation at stream sites in each of the velocity
ranges from 3 to 16 feet/second, an estimate for the total potential energy was created BY
STATE. The states with the lowest kilowatt generation potential are Rhode Island (5,200),
Vermont (8,400), and New Hampshire (17,300). Other low-potential states are New Hampshire
(17,300), Maine (19,700), and Delaware (23,200).
The states with the highest kilowatt generation potential are California (198,000), New York
(176,600), Colorado (116,800), and Pennsylvania (108,900).
B. Residential Rates by State
The Energy Information Administration publishes residential electricity rate data for each of the
United States from 1999 to 2009. These figures were used to compute a “least squares” trend
line, a statistical instrument useful for observing mathematical trends in the real world and
using those to predict future trends. Residential electric costs, per state, were projected through
the year 2030.
Appendix C shows energy production and residential cost saving projections for each state.
Currently, customers in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island pay the most
among the contiguous 48 states. Hawaii is highest overall. The 2010 costs (in cents) and
projected costs for 2020 and 2030 are shown in the matrix on the next page.
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State
2010 Rate
(Projected)
2020 Rate
(Projected)
2030 Rate
(Projected)
Hawaii 25.8 34.4 43.0
New York 17.3 20.1 22.9
Connecticut 17.3 21.4 25.5
Massachusetts 15.9 19.3 22.7
Rhode Island 14.8 17.3 19.8
The cost of electricity is not expected to rise above 10 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in a
number of states, including: Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico,
and South Dakota. Costs will remain below 9 cents in Illinois, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah and
West Virginia.
Appendix D shows the projected costs for residential electricity per kWh, per state. These
figures are used to calculate the potential benefit of using an RHK100 to capture hydrokinetic
power, as reflected in cost savings to residential customers.
C. Analysis
The data published by the USGS and the EIA provide a basis for estimating both the potential
river and stream energy in each of the Lower 48 states and Hawaii, and the potential cost
savings of capturing stream energy using an RHK100 hydrokinetic device. To recap, the analysis
represents a situation where an RHK100 is deployed at each and every gauging site reported in
the USGS database, after eliminating sites where velocity measurements were under 3
feet/second. Nothing was done to determine a site’s viability, and it is certain that many sites
included in this assessment may be either difficult or impossible to equip with an RHK100.
Reasons include terrain (steepness, narrowness), volume, depth, seasonal ice, proximity to a
community, environmental impact, shipping, or recreational use, among others. None of these
variables are considered in this assessment.
The cost savings figures, likewise, do not take into consideration the cost of building, deploying,
or operating/maintaining an RHK100. They reflect only the high-end potential deferred cost of
deploying the maximum number of RHK100s in any given state.
The table in Appendix C shows the estimated projected potential cost savings by state.
California, with its middle-high residential energy rates and its large number of potential
RHK100 locations (with a higher percentage of those in fast-moving waters), could potentially
benefit the most from installation of the RHK100 hydrokinetic device. Any one site in California
could save the equivalent of $31.6 million in 2010 residential rate dollars. With 774 RHK100s
deployed throughout the entire state, California could save $24.5 billion (in 2010 residential rate
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. 7 Report Date: March 2011
dollars). With the projected increase in residential rates, these potential savings rise to $40.5
million per site, and $31.4 billion statewide, in 2030 (Appendix D).
The following matrix, data taken from Appendix D, shows the five states with the highest and
lowest potential savings, by site and by state.
State 2010 2020 2030
Highest Savings Per Site (in millions
Delaware $106.3 $125.8 $145.3
Hawaii $55.2 $73.7 $92.1
Florida $45.1 $53.8 $62.5
New York $47.4 $55.1 $62.8
Texas $38.5 $47.7 $57.0
Lowest Savings Per Site (in millions)
Michigan $12.2 $13.8 $15.3
South Dakota $12.5 $13.6 $14.7
Missouri $13.2 $13.7 $14.1
North Dakota $13.2 $14.4 $15.6
Kansas $14.8 $15.5 $16.3
Highest Savings Per State (in billions)
California $24.5 $27.9 $31.4
New York $26.8 $31.1 $35.4
Texas $17.2 $21.3 $25.4
Idaho $10.8 $12.7 $14.6
Colorado $9.7 $11.2 $12.7
Lowest By State (In billions)
Rhode Island $0.7 $0.8 $0.9
Vermont $1.1 $1.3 $1.5
Louisiana $1.6 $1.7 $1.9
North Dakota $2.0 $2.2 $2.4
West Virginia $2.3 $2.4 $2.6
While the analysis of the EIA data showed the cost of residential power rising in all states, some
states will rise faster than others. That difference in rate of increase affects the annual fixed
RHK100 cost savings, and causes some states’ cost savings to increase more rapidly than others.
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In sum, rivers and streams in the Lower 48 states and Hawaii may potentially contain vast
amounts of moving water where an RHK100 hydrokinetic device would successfully generate
electricity. The estimates used in this report represent a possible maximum amount of energy
generated by the RHK100 in these rivers and streams (with a velocity over 3 feet/second), and a
broad comparison of potential cost savings between states.
The estimates should only serve as a general guideline to each state’s potential. Data were not
screened or corrected for issues relating to sampling bias, river dimensions, seasonal ice,
proximity to a community power plant, boat traffic conditions, recreation, or environmental
sensitivity, and any particular proposal to develop a hydrokinetic device would have to take all
these into close consideration.
The cost savings estimates do not include any accounting for the cost of engineering, building,
deploying, operating, or maintaining the RHK100 device. Those capital and operational costs
would reduce the cost savings reported here.
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Appendix A—Stream Gauging Sites
Page 201
STREAM GAUGING SITES
GROUPED BY AVERAGE VELOCITY
Appendix A
Average
Feet/Second AL AR AZ CA CO CT DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI
3-4 128 106 97 378 278 43 5 115 324 37 223 318 146 129 128 175 37 89 75 33 127
4-5 50 64 72 256 187 49 7 44 117 18 125 218 49 51 53 92 17 38 53 40 51
5-6 12 20 34 97 63 7 3 14 36 10 31 55 6 7 9 22 8 18 21 7
6-7 5 8 8 20 10 4 2 7 11 8 15 12 2 4 4 6 2 6
7-8 3 4 3 6 6 4 2 5 9 6 11 4 3 2 11 1 3 5
8-9 2 6 1 1 3 4 4 4 1 1 1 3 1 1
9-10 2 1 3 2 4 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 1
10-11 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 3
11-12 2 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1
12-13 1 2 3 1 1 3 2 1
13-14 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
14-15 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 3
15-16 1 1 1 2 1 1 2
State Total 204 211 215 774 546 112 23 202 507 74 412 629 216 201 199 313 58 141 164 94 185
Appendix A Page 1 of 3
Page 202
STREAM GAUGING SITES
GROUPED BY AVERAGE VELOCITY
Appendix A
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
State Total
MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX
177 203 111 203 139 94 125 29 147 106 159 240 112 109 137 303 30 87 135 133 239
89 112 54 112 76 40 47 32 71 72 62 199 60 71 141 132 9 18 65 81 126
20 46 12 46 29 8 5 14 18 10 16 73 13 15 48 27 1 7 3 24 38
11 4 4 4 12 4 1 4 11 5 7 22 3 7 10 9 2 6 9 12
3 2 4 2 4 5 1 4 2 3 9 2 3 3 2 5 6 13
3 3 1 3 8 1 1 1
3 2 3 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 5
3 1 1 1 2 4 1 3 1 1 4
2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 4 1 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 3
2 1 1 1 2
309 369 192 369 271 152 182 79 258 201 252 564 196 206 337 481 40 119 215 257 446
Appendix A Page 2 of 3
Page 203
STREAM GAUGING SITES
GROUPED BY AVERAGE VELOCITY
Appendix A
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
State Total
UT VA VT WA WI WV WY State Total
147 165 24 144 180 52 150 6871
88 78 20 157 64 48 98 3873
33 27 5 64 18 28 15 1143
21 6 15 6 4 5 338
1 1 4 4 2 173
3 1 3 1 62
1 1 50
1 1 39
29
1 1 23
25
1 1 23
16
294 278 49 388 276 136 269 12665
Appendix A Page 3 of 3
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
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Appendix B—Potential Energy (kW) Production
Page 205
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second AL AR AZ CA CO CT DE
3-4 12,800 10,600 9,700 37,800 27,800 4,300 500
4-5 10,000 12,800 14,400 51,200 37,400 9,800 1,400
5-6 4,800 8,000 13,600 38,800 25,200 2,800 1,200
6-7 3,000 4,800 4,800 12,000 6,000 2,400 1,200
7-8 3,000 4,000 3,000 6,000 6,000 4,000 2,000
8-9 2,800 - - 8,400 - 1,400 1,400
9-10 - 4,000 2,000 6,000 - 4,000 -
10-11 - 2,700 - 2,700 - - 2,700
11-12 - 7,000 - 10,500 - - -
12-13 - 4,500 - 9,000 - - -
13-14 11,400 11,400 - - - 5,700 5,700
14-15 7,100 - - 7,100 14,200 7,100 7,100
15-16 8,600 8,600 - 8,600 - - -
Total Potential kW 63,500 78,400 47,500 198,100 116,600 41,500 23,200
Total Number of State Sites 204 211 215 774 546 112 23
kW Per Site (B33/B34)311 372 221 256 214 371 1,009
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)2,726,765 3,254,900 1,935,349 2,242,062 1,870,725 3,245,893 8,836,174
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)556,260,000 686,784,000 416,100,000 1,735,356,000 1,021,416,000 363,540,000 203,232,000
Appendix B Page 1 of 8
Page 206
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
FL GA HI IA ID IL IN
11,500 32,400 3,700 22,300 31,800 14,600 12,900
8,800 23,400 3,600 25,000 43,600 9,800 10,200
5,600 14,400 4,000 12,400 22,000 2,400 2,800
4,200 6,600 4,800 9,000 7,200 1,200 2,400
5,000 9,000 - 6,000 11,000 4,000 3,000
4,200 5,600 - 5,600 5,600 1,400 1,400
8,000 2,000 2,000 4,000 4,000 2,000 6,000
5,400 2,700 - 2,700 - 5,400 -
10,500 3,500 - 7,000 7,000 - -
13,500 4,500 - 4,500 13,500 9,000 -
- 11,400 - - 5,700 5,700 -
- - - 7,100 14,200 - 21,300
17,200 - - 8,600 8,600 17,200 -
93,900 115,500 18,100 114,200 174,200 72,700 60,000
202 507 74 412 629 216 201
465 228 245 277 277 337 299
4,072,099 1,995,621 2,142,649 2,428,136 2,426,060 2,948,389 2,614,925
822,564,000 1,011,780,000 158,556,000 1,000,392,000 1,525,992,000 636,852,000 525,600,000
Appendix B Page 2 of 8
Page 207
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
KS KY LA MA MD ME MI
12,800 17,500 3,700 8,900 7,500 3,300 12,700
10,600 18,400 3,400 7,600 10,600 8,000 10,200
3,600 8,800 - 3,200 7,200 8,400 2,800
2,400 3,600 - 1,200 3,600 - -
2,000 11,000 1,000 3,000 5,000 - -
1,400 4,200 - 1,400 1,400 - -
- 2,000 - - 2,000 - -
2,700 2,700 2,700 - 8,100 - -
- 3,500 3,500 - 3,500 - -
4,500 - - - - - -
- 5,700 5,700 - 5,700 - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
40,000 77,400 20,000 25,300 54,600 19,700 25,700
199 313 58 141 164 94 185
201 247 345 179 333 210 139
1,760,804 2,166,211 3,020,690 1,571,830 2,916,439 1,835,872 1,216,930
350,400,000 678,024,000 175,200,000 221,628,000 478,296,000 172,572,000 225,132,000
Appendix B Page 3 of 8
Page 208
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
MN MO MS MT NC ND NE
17,700 20,300 11,100 20,300 13,900 9,400 12,500
17,800 22,400 10,800 22,400 15,200 8,000 9,400
8,000 18,400 4,800 18,400 11,600 3,200 2,000
6,600 2,400 2,400 2,400 7,200 2,400 600
3,000 2,000 4,000 2,000 4,000 5,000 1,000
4,200 - - - 4,200 - 1,400
- - 6,000 - 4,000 - -
8,100 2,700 - 2,700 - - 2,700
7,000 - 3,500 - 7,000 3,500 -
- - 9,000 - 9,000 - -
5,700 5,700 - 5,700 - - -
- - 7,100 - - - 7,100
- - - - 17,200 - -
78,100 73,900 58,700 73,900 93,300 31,500 36,700
309 369 192 369 271 152 182
253 200 306 200 344 207 202
2,214,097 1,754,374 2,678,188 1,754,374 3,015,897 1,815,395 1,766,440
684,156,000 647,364,000 514,212,000 647,364,000 817,308,000 275,940,000 321,492,000
Appendix B Page 4 of 8
Page 209
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK
2,900 14,700 10,600 15,900 24,000 11,200 10,900
6,400 14,200 14,400 12,400 39,800 12,000 14,200
5,600 7,200 4,000 6,400 29,200 5,200 6,000
2,400 6,600 3,000 4,200 13,200 1,800 4,200
- 4,000 2,000 3,000 9,000 2,000 3,000
- 4,200 - - 11,200 1,400 -
- 6,000 4,000 2,000 6,000 4,000 -
- - - 5,400 10,800 2,700 -
- - 7,000 3,500 3,500 3,500 -
- - 4,500 - - - -
- 5,700 - - 22,800 - 5,700
- - - 7,100 7,100 - -
- - 8,600 - - 8,600 -
17,300 62,600 58,100 59,900 176,600 52,400 44,000
79 258 201 252 564 196 206
219 243 289 238 313 267 214
1,918,329 2,125,488 2,532,119 2,082,238 2,742,936 2,341,959 1,871,068
151,548,000 548,376,000 508,956,000 524,724,000 1,547,016,000 459,024,000 385,440,000
Appendix B Page 5 of 8
Page 210
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
OR PA RI SC SD TN TX
13,700 30,300 3,000 8,700 13,500 13,300 23,900
28,200 26,400 1,800 3,600 13,000 16,200 25,200
19,200 10,800 400 2,800 1,200 9,600 15,200
6,000 5,400 - 1,200 3,600 5,400 7,200
- 3,000 - 2,000 5,000 6,000 13,000
- - - - 1,400 - 1,400
2,000 - - 2,000 - 2,000 10,000
- 8,100 - 2,700 - 2,700 10,800
- 3,500 - - - 3,500 -
- - - - - 4,500 4,500
- 5,700 - - - - 11,400
- 7,100 - 7,100 - - 21,300
- 8,600 - - - - 17,200
69,100 108,900 5,200 30,100 37,700 63,200 161,100
337 481 40 119 215 257 446
205 226 130 253 175 246 361
1,796,190 1,983,293 1,138,800 2,215,765 1,536,056 2,154,210 3,164,206
605,316,000 953,964,000 45,552,000 263,676,000 330,252,000 553,632,000 1,411,236,000
Appendix B Page 6 of 8
Page 211
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
UT VA VT WA WI WV WY
14,700 16,500 2,400 14,400 18,000 5,200 15,000
17,600 15,600 4,000 31,400 12,800 9,600 19,600
13,200 10,800 2,000 25,600 7,200 11,200 6,000
12,600 3,600 - 9,000 3,600 2,400 3,000
1,000 1,000 - 4,000 4,000 2,000 -
4,200 1,400 - 4,200 1,400 - -
- - - 2,000 2,000 - -
- - - - - 2,700 2,700
- - - - - - -
- - - - 4,500 4,500 -
- - - - - - -
7,100 - - - 7,100 - -
- - - - - - -
70,400 48,900 8,400 90,600 60,600 37,600 46,300
294 278 49 388 276 136 269
239 176 171 234 220 276 172
2,097,633 1,540,878 1,501,714 2,045,505 1,923,391 2,421,882 1,507,762
616,704,000 428,364,000 73,584,000 793,656,000 530,856,000 329,376,000 405,588,000
Appendix B Page 7 of 8
Page 212
POTENTIAL ENERGY (kW) PRODUCTION
GROUPED BY VELOCITY
(BASED ON 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix B
Average
Feet/Second
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
13-14
14-15
15-16
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
All States
687,100
774,600
457,200
202,800
173,000
86,800
100,000
105,300
101,500
103,500
142,500
163,300
137,600
3,235,200
12,665
255
2,237,691
28,340,352,000
Appendix B Page 8 of 8
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PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. Report Date: March 2011
Appendix C—Energy Production and Residential Cost Savings Projections
Page 214
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description AL AR AZ CA CO CT DE
Total Potential kW 63,500 78,400 47,500 198,100 116,600 41,500 23,200
Total Number of State Sites 204 211 215 774 546 112 23
kW Per Site (B33/B34)311 372 221 256 214 371 1,009
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)2,726,765 3,254,900 1,935,349 2,242,062 1,870,725 3,245,893 8,836,174
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)556,260,000 686,784,000 416,100,000 1,735,356,000 1,021,416,000 363,540,000 203,232,000
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010 9.40 8.35 9.32 14.10 9.50 17.28 12.04
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020 11.16 8.67 9.55 16.10 10.96 21.40 14.24
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030 12.93 8.99 9.78 18.09 12.42 25.52 16.45
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010 $25,625,274 $27,174,650 $18,032,460 $31,613,546 $17,765,687 $56,091,591 $106,364,281
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020 $30,443,036 $28,211,079 $18,477,445 $36,086,376 $20,501,728 $69,457,836 $125,861,664
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030 $35,260,799 $29,247,508 $18,922,429 $40,559,205 $23,237,770 $82,824,081 $145,359,047
Potential Savings Per State, 2010 $5.2 billion $5.7 billion $3.9 billion $24.5 billion $9.7 billion $6.3 billion $2.4 billion
Potential Savings Per State, 2020 $6.2 billion $6.0 billion $4.0 billion $27.9 billion $11.2 billion $7.8 billion $2.9 billion
Potential Savings Per State, 2030 $7.2 billion $6.2 billion $4.1 billion $31.4 billion $12.7 billion $9.3 billion $3.3 billion
Appendix C Page 1 of 8Page 215
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
FL GA HI IA ID IL IN
93,900 115,500 18,100 114,200 174,200 72,700 60,000
202 507 74 412 629 216 201
465 228 245 277 277 337 299
4,072,099 1,995,621 2,142,649 2,428,136 2,426,060 2,948,389 2,614,925
822,564,000 1,011,780,000 158,556,000 1,000,392,000 1,525,992,000 636,852,000 525,600,000
11.09 9.18 25.79 9.65 7.06 9.26 8.41
13.23 10.21 34.40 10.68 8.30 8.92 9.47
15.36 11.24 43.01 11.70 9.54 8.59 10.54
$45,166,008 $18,317,388 $55,256,653 $23,438,668 $17,119,176 $27,287,805 $21,980,512
$53,863,154 $20,377,229 $73,706,791 $25,927,964 $20,132,963 $26,311,068 $24,769,242
$62,560,300 $22,437,070 $92,156,929 $28,417,260 $23,146,751 $25,334,331 $27,557,971
$9.1 billion $9.3 billion $4.1 billion $9.7 billion $10.8 billion $5.9 billion $4.4 billion
$10.9 billion $10.3 billion $5.5 billion $10.7 billion $12.7 billion $5.7 billion $5.0 billion
$12.6 billion $11.4 billion $6.8 billion $11.7 billion $14.6 billion $5.5 billion $5.5 billion
Appendix C Page 2 of 8Page 216
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
KS KY LA MA MD ME MI
40,000 77,400 20,000 25,300 54,600 19,700 25,700
199 313 58 141 164 94 185
201 247 345 179 333 210 139
1,760,804 2,166,211 3,020,690 1,571,830 2,916,439 1,835,872 1,216,930
350,400,000 678,024,000 175,200,000 221,628,000 478,296,000 172,572,000 225,132,000
8.41 7.27 8.97 15.86 11.43 15.47 10.11
8.84 8.37 9.97 19.27 13.78 17.96 11.36
9.27 9.47 10.96 22.68 16.13 20.46 12.62
$14,812,439 $15,752,343 $27,087,955 $24,930,130 $33,340,424 $28,404,617 $12,297,331
$15,565,084 $18,134,850 $30,101,377 $30,285,697 $40,190,986 $32,981,184 $13,828,009
$16,317,728 $20,517,356 $33,114,799 $35,641,264 $47,041,547 $37,557,752 $15,358,687
$2.9 billion $4.9 billion $1.6 billion $3.5 billion $5.5 billion $2.7 billion $2.3 billion
$3.1 billion $5.7 billion $1.7 billion $4.3 billion $6.6 billion $3.1 billion $2.6 billion
$3.2 billion $6.4 billion $1.9 billion $5.0 billion $7.7 billion $3.5 billion $2.8 billion
Appendix C Page 3 of 8Page 217
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
MN MO MS MT NC ND NE
78,100 73,900 58,700 73,900 93,300 31,500 36,700
309 369 192 369 271 152 182
253 200 306 200 344 207 202
2,214,097 1,754,374 2,678,188 1,754,374 3,015,897 1,815,395 1,766,440
684,156,000 647,364,000 514,212,000 647,364,000 817,308,000 275,940,000 321,492,000
9.25 7.57 9.57 9.00 9.28 7.30 7.78
10.67 7.81 11.27 10.91 10.11 7.95 8.75
12.08 8.06 12.98 12.82 10.94 8.61 9.72
$20,486,458 $13,272,670 $25,620,105 $15,796,383 $27,988,315 $13,251,522 $13,748,478
$23,615,160 $13,704,536 $30,186,314 $19,144,731 $30,490,829 $14,438,490 $15,462,190
$26,743,862 $14,136,403 $34,752,523 $22,493,079 $32,993,343 $15,625,457 $17,175,902
$6.3 billion $4.9 billion $4.9 billion $5.8 billion $7.6 billion $2.0 billion $2.5 billion
$7.3 billion $5.1 billion $5.8 billion $7.1 billion $8.3 billion $2.2 billion $2.8 billion
$8.3 billion $5.2 billion $6.7 billion $8.3 billion $8.9 billion $2.4 billion $3.1 billion
Appendix C Page 4 of 8Page 218
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK
17,300 62,600 58,100 59,900 176,600 52,400 44,000
79 258 201 252 564 196 206
219 243 289 238 313 267 214
1,918,329 2,125,488 2,532,119 2,082,238 2,742,936 2,341,959 1,871,068
151,548,000 548,376,000 508,956,000 524,724,000 1,547,016,000 459,024,000 385,440,000
15.18 13.73 9.23 12.18 17.31 9.58 8.44
17.13 15.50 9.44 15.74 20.10 10.39 9.48
19.08 17.28 9.66 19.30 22.90 11.20 10.51
$29,110,745 $29,179,935 $23,359,468 $25,357,057 $47,469,398 $22,439,544 $15,796,344
$32,857,978 $32,954,355 $23,908,728 $32,774,365 $55,135,389 $24,332,128 $17,728,749
$36,605,210 $36,728,775 $24,457,989 $40,191,673 $62,801,380 $26,224,713 $19,661,154
$2.3 billion $7.5 billion $4.7 billion $6.4 billion $26.8 billion $4.4 billion $3.3 billion
$2.6 billion $8.5 billion $4.8 billion $8.3 billion $31.1 billion $4.8 billion $3.7 billion
$2.9 billion $9.5 billion $4.9 billion $10.1 billion $35.4 billion $5.1 billion $4.1 billion
Appendix C Page 5 of 8Page 219
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
OR PA RI SC SD TN TX
69,100 108,900 5,200 30,100 37,700 63,200 161,100
337 481 40 119 215 257 446
205 226 130 253 175 246 361
1,796,190 1,983,293 1,138,800 2,215,765 1,536,056 2,154,210 3,164,206
605,316,000 953,964,000 45,552,000 263,676,000 330,252,000 553,632,000 1,411,236,000
8.50 10.74 14.80 9.46 8.19 8.28 12.18
10.56 11.54 17.29 10.84 8.91 9.86 15.10
12.62 12.33 19.78 12.22 9.62 11.44 18.02
$15,265,251 $21,295,662 $16,854,060 $20,970,580 $12,578,438 $17,839,014 $38,551,024
$18,962,296 $22,878,569 $19,687,874 $24,027,836 $13,681,164 $21,239,589 $47,782,893
$22,659,341 $24,461,475 $22,521,688 $27,085,091 $14,783,890 $24,640,163 $57,014,762
$5.1 billion $10.2 billion $0.7 billion $2.5 billion $2.7 billion $4.6 billion $17.2 billion
$6.4 billion $11.0 billion $0.8 billion $2.9 billion $2.9 billion $5.5 billion $21.3 billion
$7.6 billion $11.8 billion $0.9 billion $3.2 billion $3.2 billion $6.3 billion $25.4 billion
Appendix C Page 6 of 8Page 220
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
UT VA VT WA WI WV WY
70,400 48,900 8,400 90,600 60,600 37,600 46,300
294 278 49 388 276 136 269
239 176 171 234 220 276 172
2,097,633 1,540,878 1,501,714 2,045,505 1,923,391 2,421,882 1,507,762
616,704,000 428,364,000 73,584,000 793,656,000 530,856,000 329,376,000 405,588,000
7.77 9.11 14.94 7.53 11.08 6.87 8.14
8.38 10.16 17.83 9.30 13.75 7.34 9.44
8.98 11.20 20.71 11.06 16.42 7.80 10.74
$16,304,678 $14,035,855 $22,440,828 $15,403,192 $21,307,633 $16,650,314 $12,266,359
$17,570,039 $15,649,374 $26,772,878 $19,017,431 $26,448,872 $17,766,565 $14,229,284
$18,835,401 $17,262,893 $31,104,929 $22,631,669 $31,590,111 $18,882,816 $16,192,208
$4.8 billion $3.9 billion $1.1 billion $6.0 billion $5.9 billion $2.3 billion $3.3 billion
$5.2 billion $4.4 billion $1.3 billion $7.4 billion $7.3 billion $2.4 billion $3.8 billion
$5.5 billion $4.8 billion $1.5 billion $8.8 billion $8.7 billion $2.6 billion $4.4 billion
Appendix C Page 7 of 8Page 221
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL COST SAVINGS PROJECTIONS
(BASED ON PRODUCTION RATE OF 100kW PER 3.5 FEET/SECOND)
Appendix C
Description
Total Potential kW
Total Number of State Sites
kW Per Site (B33/B34)
Total kWh Year Site (B52*8760)
Total kWh Year State (B33*8760)
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2010
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2020
Est. Price per kWh (cents) 2030
Potential Savings Per Site, 2010
Potential Savings Per Site, 2020
Potential Savings Per Site, 2030
Potential Savings Per State, 2010
Potential Savings Per State, 2020
Potential Savings Per State, 2030
All States
3,235,200
12,665
255
2,237,691
28,340,352,000
$1,232,498,247
$1,427,663,367
$1,622,828,486
$294.0 billion
$338.3 billion
$382.6 billion
Appendix C Page 8 of 8Page 222
PONCELET KINETICS RHK100 RIVERINE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
CE2 Engineers, Inc. Report Date: March 2011
Appendix D—Residential Rate Projections
Page 223
Residential Rate Projections
based on EIA data from 1990-2009
Appendix D
Rates are expressed in cents per kWh
Residential Rates Year
State 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
AL 6.59 7.05 9.40 11.16 12.93
AR 8.07 7.45 8.35 8.67 8.99
AZ 9.04 8.44 9.32 9.55 9.78
CA 9.98 10.89 14.10 16.10 18.09
CO 7.02 7.31 9.50 10.96 12.42
CT 10.01 10.86 17.28 21.40 25.52
DE 8.39 8.54 12.04 14.24 16.45
FL 7.77 7.77 11.09 13.23 15.36
GA 7.46 7.60 9.18 10.21 11.24
HI 10.26 16.41 25.79 34.40 43.01
IA 7.81 8.37 9.65 10.68 11.70
ID 4.87 5.39 7.06 8.30 9.54
IL 9.92 8.83 9.26 8.92 8.59
IN 6.87 6.87 8.41 9.47 10.54
KS 7.83 7.65 8.41 8.84 9.27
KY 5.69 5.47 7.27 8.37 9.47
LA 7.41 7.67 8.97 9.97 10.96
MA 9.66 10.53 15.86 19.27 22.68
MD 7.22 7.95 11.43 13.78 16.13
ME 9.30 12.49 15.47 17.96 20.46
MI 7.83 8.52 10.11 11.36 12.62
MN 6.80 7.52 9.25 10.67 12.08
MO 7.36 7.04 7.57 7.81 8.06
MS 6.89 6.93 9.57 11.27 12.98
MT 5.45 6.49 9.00 10.91 12.82
NC 7.84 7.97 9.28 10.11 10.94
ND 6.26 6.44 7.30 7.95 8.61
NE 6.23 6.53 7.78 8.75 9.72
NH 10.34 13.15 15.18 17.13 19.08
NJ 10.36 10.27 13.73 15.50 17.28
NM 8.94 8.36 9.23 9.44 9.66
NV 5.70 7.28 12.18 15.74 19.30
NY 11.44 13.97 17.31 20.10 22.90
OH 8.05 8.61 9.58 10.39 11.20
OK 6.58 7.03 8.44 9.48 10.51
OR 4.73 5.88 8.50 10.56 12.62
PA 9.22 9.53 10.74 11.54 12.33
RI 9.84 11.28 14.80 17.29 19.78
SC 7.15 7.58 9.46 10.84 12.22
Appendix D Page 1 of 2
Page 224
Residential Rate Projections
based on EIA data from 1990-2009
Appendix D
Rates are expressed in cents per kWh
Residential Rates Year
State 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
SD 6.95 7.42 8.19 8.91 9.62
TN 5.69 6.33 8.28 9.86 11.44
TX 7.20 7.96 12.18 15.10 18.02
UT 7.13 6.29 7.77 8.38 8.98
VA 7.25 7.52 9.11 10.16 11.20
VT 9.27 12.30 14.94 17.83 20.71
WA 4.39 5.13 7.53 9.30 11.06
WI 6.63 7.53 11.08 13.75 16.42
WV 5.90 6.27 6.87 7.34 7.80
WY 5.97 6.50 8.14 9.44 10.74
Maximum Rate 11.44 16.41 25.79 34.40 43.01
Note: 1990 and 2000 data are unprojected costs reported by EIA.
The 2010, 2020, and 2030 rates are projected.
Appendix D Page 2 of 2
Page 225