HomeMy WebLinkAboutTCSA - Tuntutuliak High Penetration Wind Diesel Smart Grid - Sept 2016 - REF Grant 2195457Tuntutuliak, Alaska
Wind-diesel project heats 30 residences and power plant
Quick Facts
Total Project Costs: $3,360,000
Funding: Renewable Energy Fund & State Appro-
priations
Capital Costs
Design: $179,723
Construction: $3,180,277
Equipment Specifications
Make/Model: (5) WindMatic 17-S
Rated Capacity: 95 kW
Net Capacity Factor: 20.8%
Rotor Diameter: 17 meters
Hub Height: 24.4 meters
Total Rated Capacity: 475 kW
Diesel Fuel Offset
Estimated Annual: 69,000 gallons
Actual Annual: 12,000 gallons
Jan. 2013-Dec. 2014: 27,000 gallons
Fuel Savings
Estimated Annual: $276,956
Actual Annual: $47,000
Jan. 2013-Dec. 2014: $115,000
Tuntutuliak Wind-Diesel Smart Grid
Project Overview
In partnership with the Alaska Energy Authority
(AEA), the Tuntutuliak Community Services Associ-
ation (TCSA) completed the design and construction
of a 475 kW wind farm. The project installed five
WindMatic 17-S turbines, upgraded the diesel pow-
er plant, installed 30 Electric Thermal Storage (ETS)
stoves for residential heat in elder housing, and incor-
porated an electric boiler into the power plant to store
and use excess wind energy for heat.
Objectives
The objectives of this project were to provide the com-
munity of Tuntutuliak with a renewable, reliable, and
cost effective energy source using excess wind energy.
The 30 ETS stoves have allowed residents to reduce
heating costs by as much as 50 percent per home.
Economic Feasibility
The system became operational in January of 2013.
Between January of 2013 and December of 2014, it
produced 351,000 megawatt-hours of electricity and
568,000 MMBtu of thermal energy. This allowed
TCSA to displace 27,000 gallons of diesel fuel, saving
the community a total of $115,000 in avoided fuel
costs. Over its projected 20-year lifespan, the project
has a calculated benefit/cost ratio of 1.56.
Project Specifications
The Smart Grid system is a unique and important
aspect of this project’s success. It consists of a network
of advanced meters that receive information about
the availability of excess wind energy. If available, the
system transfers energy from the turbines to the ETS
stoves at a reduced rate. The meters communicate
wirelessly, provide a user interface for customers, and
account for energy sold at different rates. The Smart
Grid enables 30 ETS stoves to capture and utilize
WindMatic 17-S turbines, photo courtesy of Americanpress.org.
excess energy for heating village elder residences. The
five WindMatic turbines were installed 250 feet apart
on on an abandoned runway and were designed to
withstand temperatures as low as -40 F.
Allocation of Funding
The Alaska Energy Authority’s Renewable Energy
Fund (REF) granted $1,760,000 for the project’s design
and construction. Direct legislative appropriations
contributed $1,600,000 for the same project phases.
Learning Experiences/Challenges
The Chaninik Wind Group (CWG) was formed in
2005 with a goal to serve the communities of Kon-
giganak, Kwigillingok, Tuntutuliak, and Kipnuk in
southwest Alaska. One of the first challenges the CWG
faced was choosing the right turbine to install that
would work in all four villages. The turbines had to
integrate with the diesel generators completely and be
able to operate in cold Alaskan winters. CWG chose
the re-manufactured WindMatic 17-S turbines to meet
these requirements.
A second challenge manifested when the turbine
parts were shipped to Tuntutuliak. The barge carrying
the rotor blades became iced-in about 40 miles from
Tuntutuliak in Bethel, Alaska. In response, members of
TCSA Electrical constructed a large sled and attached
it to a Sno-Cat to drag the rotor blades across the ice.
This represents one of the challenges that can occur in
rural Alaska but the community handled the situation
with skill and proficiency.
Community Benefits
Tuntutuliak is one of approximatly 56 communities
located on their own microgrid. Energy costs con-
sume about half of Tuntutuliak’s budget. This project
allowed TCSA Electrical to reduce fuel costs by over
25 percent. Diesel-generated electricity cost residents
of Tuntutuliak about $0.72/kWh before applying
AEA’s Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program. With
wind-generated electricity, the residential rate would
be $0.35/kWh. When wind and diesel is combined
with PCE, residents pay $0.24/kWh. TCSA Electrical
worked closely with Intelligent Energy Systems and
the Chaninik Wind Group to develop a system that
has worked not only in Tuntutuliak, but the villages of
Kwigillingok, Kongiganak, and Kipnuk as well.
In addition to the 30 ETS stoves, an electric boiler
was installed at the power plant. When there is excess
wind energy, it is transmitted to the boiler to help heat
the plant and further reduce fuel consumption. In
2013, the Native Village of Tuntutuliak applied for an
additional REF grant for a water treatment plant heat
recovery project that is still under consideration.
Project Contact Information
Parties Involved:
Carl Andrew, TCSA general manager
Email: tcsaelec@unicom-alaska.com
Phone: 907-256-2529
Case Study Author:
Zoe Tressel, AEA
Website: Akenergyauthority.org
Phone: 907-771-3000
Tuntutuliak Wind-Diesel Smart Grid
Tuntutuliak power facility, photo courtesy of Nativefederation.org.
WindMatic turbines and bulk fuel storage, photo courtesy of AEA.
Published August, 2015