HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeat Recovery Fact Sheet 04-01-2019-HEATENERGY TECHNOLOGIES: HEAT RECOVERY
37 REF heat
recovery
projects
35 Pre‐
feasibility
studies
statewide
80 Alaska
communities
use recovered
heat from
power plants
to heat
buildings
CURRENT STATUS
There are currently more than 80 communities in rural Alaska that use recovered heat from
their powerhouse’s diesel generators for space heating needs. The Heat Recovery Program
is working to identify new technology that could enable up to 60 additional communities to
install heat recovery or expand existing systems.
Since 2008, approximately 50 heat recovery systems have been updated or newly installed
in rural Alaska. Through the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant program and Rural Power
Systems Upgrade (RPSU) program, 22 systems have recently started‐up, 7 systems are in
design and construction phases, and approximately 35 feasibility studies have been
completed.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the concurrent production of electricity or mechanical
power and useful thermal energy from a single source of energy. CHP may be regarded as a
supply‐side energy efficiency measure. Typical applications for heat recovery are
environmental space heat for community buildings and augmented electric power
generation.
In diesel generating systems that are commonly used in rural Alaska, approximately 30
percent of the fuel is transformed into electrical energy and 60 percent of the fuel is
transformed into heat energy. This heat energy that is normally wasted into the
atmosphere can be recovered from the exhaust stack, jacket water, and charge air. The
most efficient use of recovered heat is to use it directly for space heating, domestic hot
water, or for tempering municipal water supplies to prevent freezing and facilitate
treatment. The heat recovery systems are an extremely attractive investment with
paybacks of three to five years in many communities.
AEA also provides technical assistance to communities that are interested in innovative
heat recovery technology and will assist in technology evaluation. Currently, Kotzebue is in
the construction phase for an innovative recovered diesel heat to electricity technology,
and Unalaska’s system is operational. This Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology has the
opportunity to use recovered diesel heat in application where building heat is not feasible.
Cordova and Tok have completed the installation of this ORC technology. Initial testing has
shown that the economics of these systems are challenging, even for rural Alaska.
ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS
A collaboration between the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), AEA, Alaska
Village Electrical Cooperative, and small, independent electrical cooperatives meet annually
to prioritize communities for heat recovery feasibility studies. Up to seven studies are
completed annually with funding from ANTHC and AEA. The studies provide all of the
required information for a community to apply for design and construction funding.
APRIL 2019
QUICK FACTS
FOR MORE INFO
CONTACT:
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907.771.3000
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REDUCING THE COST
OF ENERGY IN ALASKA