Alaska Energy Authority Emerging Energy Technology Fund
Project Summary
A robust data management program for Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) Emerging Energy Technology Fund (EETF) projects is critical to defining success both for individual projects and the program as a whole. The Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) will provide data oversight services and ensure that accurate and appropriate performance data is being collected by the grant recipient so that a project’s performance can be accurately determined.
Project Details
The EETF, administered by the AEA and financed by appropriations from the state legislature and contributions from other sources (e.g., the Denali Commission), seeks to demonstrate Alaskan alternative and renewable energy technology in the pre-commercial stage. The goals of the EETF are to:
- Test emerging energy technologies or methods of conserving energy
- Improve existing energy technology
- Deploy an existing technology that has not been previously demonstrated in Alaska
ACEP is providing data collection efforts for the EETF through the Data Collection & Management Program. ACEP works with selected projects, with oversight from AEA, to identify critical performance data for collection, management, and dissemination. Data, analysis, and lessons learned will be compiled and made public upon project completion. This information will provide the public, energy technology industry, and government with the insight and lessons learned needed to accelerate the development of energy solutions for Alaska.
ACEP project activities include the following:
- Technical assistance to grant recipient with instrumentation specification, installation, integration, and configuration to collect the data points specified by the Data Collection Plan.
- Together with the grant recipient, develop methodology for data transmission and storage protocols. Where possible, automated data collection will be prioritized.
- Produce automated standard (non-interpretive) monthly reports for AEA and the grant recipient that will include aggregated plots and text of specific data collected and appropriate statistical measures.
- Provide open access to the data not subject to a confidentiality agreement via the Alaska Energy Data Gateway that will allow data to be ordered and/or processed into a graphical and easy to understand format for AEA and other public users.
- Perform site visits to review and support data collection activities.
- Perform independent analysis of data at project completion to verify project results.
Round One
Sixteen projects were selected for funding under Round 1 of the EETF program; these projects commenced in 2013. ACEP oversees data collection activities for the projects, providing a range of support functions including technical assistance, instrumentation specification and installation, data collection system programming and commissioning. A summary of projects funded under Round One of the EETF program is as follows:
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Project Title |
Round One Grantee |
Project Summary |
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Solid State Ammonia Synthesis Pilot Plant |
Alaska Applied Sciences |
This project seeks to develop and demonstrate a complete, self-contained, containerized, transportable plug-and-play system capable of round-trip NH3 synthesis, storage, and regeneration of electric energy for feedback into remote energy grids. |
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Biomass Reforestation for Boreal Forests |
Alaska Division of Forestry |
This project is designed to improve biomass energy available by promoting forest sustainability. By planting more trees that have a fast growing rate, a more sustainable forest can be obtained.
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Arctic Thermal Shutters and Doors |
Arctic Sun, LLC. |
Arctic Sun is seeking to increase the efficiency of doors and windows though three different technologies: a new design of door that helps create a better barrier between the inside and outside, automatic shutters that close when the sun goes down, and shutters that use insulation beads instead of a solid piece of material.
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Ultra-Efficient Generators and Diesel-Electric Propulsion |
Genesis Machining and Fabrication |
In order to create a more efficient fishing vessel, a Power-Dense Motor is a conceptual design that can act either as a propulsion motor or generator head. Power-dense motors mean that the motors are smaller, use less materials, and cost less; however these motors lose efficiency as the power-density rises.
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Cold Climate Heat Pump Demonstration |
Cold Climate Housing Research Center |
This project will determine if ground source heat pumps are a stable source of energy that could produce heat efficiently through multiple heating seasons along with comparing the price for these systems against traditional heating methods.
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Enhanced Condensation for Organic Rankine Cycle |
Institute of Northern Engineering, UAF |
Thimbles are a necessary piece of exhaust equipment because they provide some insulation between the exhaust pipe and the building structure. Current exhaust thimbles are extremely inefficient and are a main cause of heat loss with indoor engines. This project aims to find a solution to this situation. |
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High Capacity Airborne Wind Turbine |
Altaeros Energies, Inc. |
Altaeros Energies will demonstrate the operation and energy production of the Altaeros Airborne Wind Turbine(AWT). This turbine uses a helium filled shell to life a 30kW turbine up to 1,000 feet above the ground.
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Oceana In-Stream Hydrokinetic Device Evaluation |
Oceana Energy Company
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Oceana Energy Company aims to produce a hydrokinetic device that utilizes river water's moving energy and turns it into useful electrical energy. The Oceana turbine utilizes hydrofoils that are both external and internal to the rotating ring. A permanent magnet bearing is embedded in the structural ring along with the generator that produces energy.
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RivGen™ Power System Commercialization Project |
ORPC Alaska, LLC. |
ORPC will be field testing their RivGen™ power system in the Kvichak River at the community of Igiugug. The RivGen™ turbine generator unit was previously developed under the Denali Commission Emerging Energy Technology Grant.
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Small Community Self-Regulation Grid |
Intelligent Energy Systems |
Intelligent Energy Systems will demonstrate a distributed intelligent load control as a low cost method of increasing renewable energy on isolated grids. The project will create a frequency controlled system using residential electric thermal devices and one 3-phase balancing unit as a load regulation device for the wind-diesel system in the village of Tuntutuliak.
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Wind-Diesel Battery Hybrid for Kwigillingok |
Intelligent Energy Systems |
Intelligent Energy Systems will demonstrate the use of smart inverters and high performance vehicle-format lithium ion batteries to provide short term energy storage in the Kwigillingok High Penetration Wind System.
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BRI Cyclo-Turbine Energy Production |
Boscham Research, Inc. |
Boscham Research, Inc. will deploy a Cycle-Turbine (a design that constantly changes the angle of the blades with respect to the flow of water) River In-Stream Energy Conversion (RISEC) device in the Kvichak River at the community of Igiugug.
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High Efficiency Diesel Electric Generator Set |
Marsh Creek, LLC. |
Marsh Creek will demonstrate a method of improving fuel efficiency of a diesel-electric generator set by allowing the diesel engine to operate at significantly lower rotational speed when power demand decreases.
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Arctic Field Testing and Power Curve Verification of the Renewegy VP-20 Wind Turbine |
Northwest Arctic Borough
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The Northwest Arctic Borough seeks to arctic test and verify the power curve of the Renewagy VP-20 turbine in Kotzebue.
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Composite Flywheels for Wind-Diesel-Hybrid Systems |
Hatch Engineering |
Hatch will be applying a composite flywheel and developing a controls platform for integrating wind-diesel hybrid systems.
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Photo 1: Ultra-Efficient Generators and Diesel-Electric Propulsion, Genesis Machining and Fabrication. Courtesy Tom Johnson, ACEP.
Photo 2: ORPC Rivgen™ TGU (blue) and Chassis (yellow). Courtesy Jason Meyer, ACEP.
