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Developing Utility Scale PV Solar Installations on Closed Landfills
WEST COAST1 Pointe Drive
Suite 320Brea, CA 92821
714.388.1800
EAST COAST5 Great Valley Parkway
Suite 350Malvern, PA 19355
610.251.6851
Presented by
Robert Potter
PV America East, Philadelphia, PAFeb 5th, 3:00p to 4:30p
www.pvnavigator.com | www.projectnavigator.com
Project Navigator, Ltd.’s, PVNavigator, LLC Has Grown aLandfill-Specific, Solar Power Development Group Since 2007
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What PVN develops MW-scale, PV installations
on landfills and Brownfields sites Typically fixed-tilt, rack-mounted, self-
ballasted installations Approximately 50 MW of site capacity
under Option More than 300 MW in overall PVN
pipeline
Who PVN is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Project Navigator, Ltd. (www.ProjectNavigator.com)
Internally financed (to date) Staffed by engineers, land development
and power experts 4 year growth and branding effort Relationships with Enel, Gestamp and
Chevron Energy Solutions
Where Projects primarily in CA and NJ Caribbean expansion goals
How Detailed sites/landfill locations knowledge Knowledge of Fortune 500 boneyard
acreage Excellent regulatory relationships Landfill post closure PV permitting expertise Leverage proven PV technologies and apply
to landfills (e.g. PVN’s California Energy Commission
Grant) Growing brand recognition
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1110 10. Buena Vista Landfill: 1MW
11. Delaware City: 4MW12. Ocean Township: 5.86MW13. Lumberton Landfill: 2.4 MW14. Owens Corning Landfill:
3.1 MW
East Coast
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3 45 68
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CA
NV
OR
AZ
ID1. Avon Refinery: 10 MW2. Purity Landfill: 1MW3. OII Landfill: 4MW4. BKK Landfill: 10MW5. WDI Landfill: 4MW6. Big Bear Landfill: 2MW7. Gemcor Site (Chevron Landfill): 10MW8. Milliken Landfill: 5MW9. Barstow Landfill: 10MW
West Coast
MA
VTNH
NYCT
RI
NJPA
DEMDOII Landfill: 4MW
BKK Landfill: 10MW
Avon Refinery: 10MW
Buena Vista Landfill: 1MW
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914
PV Solar Development Projects
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Key Partnerships Have Been Formed to Grow the Business.CES Providing EPC Capabilities and Interconnect Feasibility.
Blower & Flare Station
Power Generation via Gas Turbineor Steam Cycle Systems
Waste/ComplexOrganics
OrganicAcids
LandfillGas
Other Landfill Monitoring Systems (e.g. for groundwater)
Landfill GasCollection Wells in Waste
Breakdown Process of Landfill Waste
Typical Landfill
PerforatedGas Pipe
Methane andCarbon Dioxide
Methane andCarbon Dioxide
Landfill Gas-to-Power
Landfill gas (LFG) migrates to waste prism extraction wells and the associated collection systems. The LFG is conveyed via a network of pipes to feed a power generation plant.
While Large Scale (100 MW and up) Solar Facilities Are Planned for throughout the U.S., They Face Permitting, Financing, and Interconnect Challenges. Not so for Urban Located Landfill or Brownfield Sites.
PerforatedGas Pipe
Methane andCarbon Dioxide
Methane andCarbon Dioxide
Blower & Flare Station
Power Generation via Gas Turbineor Steam Cycle Systems
Waste/ComplexOrganics
OrganicAcids
LandfillGas
Landfill GasCollection Wells in Waste
Landfill Gas-to-Power
Landfill gas (LFG) migrates to waste prism extraction wells and the associated collection systems. The LFG is conveyed via a network of pipes to feed a power generation plant.
PV Solar PowerA photovoltaic (or PV) cell is a specially treated wafer of silicon, sandwiched between two thin contact plates. The top contact is positively charged and the back contact is negatively charged, making it a semiconductor.
• The n-type semiconductor has an abundance of electrons, giving it a negative charge, while the p-type semiconductor is positively charged.
• Electron movement at the p-n junction produces an electric field that allows only electrons to flow from the p-type layer to the n-type layer.
• When sunlight hits the solar cell, its energy knocks electrons loose from the atoms in the semiconductor.
• When the electrons hit the electrical field, they’re shuttled to the top contact plate and become a usable electric current.
• PV panels are mounted in racking systems specially designed to accommodate landfill-specific requirements such as “no cap damage” and “waste settlement.”
A typical racking module is 10ft. By 20ft. and generates 2.5kW. This translates to about 1MW from every 3-5 acres.
Photovoltaic CellDetailed cross-section
Solar PanelGlass covering
Transparent adhesive
Anti-reflection coating
Not to scale
ElectricCurrent
DC/AC InverterNecessary to convert electric current for consumer use
Utility Company
Solar Power to the GridExcess energy from the solar array is fed into the power grid. It helps provide extra electricity to the community, especially during peak daytime hours.
Customers
Solar Panels
The sun gives off about 400 trillion watts
of power
Other Landfill Monitoring Systems (e.g. for groundwater)
Landfill Sites are Excellent Platforms for PV Solar Facilities. Flat Acreage, Close to Load and Interconnect, Putting Otherwise Unusable Acreage Back to Use. Projects are Technically Straightforward but Administratively Complex.
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PV Navigator, L.L.C.’s solar development business is centered around the following drivers:
Costs and project risks associated with central-scale projects and associated
transmission are eliminatedPVNavigator’s business area
Conventional Generation
Present Day Large Desert PV Plants
Long Distance Transmission
Local Substations
Local distribution
Consumption
PVNaviga
tor Stra
tegy B
rightlin
e
• Brownfield site or Landfill• Urban location • Close to power consumption point• Local transmission
Project cost avoidance via use of Brownfield sites and the need for new transmission lines
Minimizing permitting requirements via development on State or Federal superfund sites
RPS regulatory drivers for green power purchase• e.g., in CA, 20% renewable power by 2010, and 33% by 2020
Speed to marketplace ahead of larger central-scale projects Availability of urban landfill or Brownfield sites which can
host the panels Availability of funding for small plants Location of sites by existing distribution or local load
1 – 10 MW, Small-Scale, Distributed, PV Solar Facilities Can Rapidly Deliver Power to Meet Utilities’ RPS Standards or Generate Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
• Over 400,000 identified Brownfield sites in the United States
• 16 million acres are available for development of renewable energy
• That’s enough land to generate approximately 3,175,000 MW
• (For reference, the Hoover Dam generates about 2,000 MW)
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According to U.S. EPA, There is No Shortage of Brownfield and Landfill Site Acreage Which Could be Suitable for Renewable Energy
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Reference: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/gifs/Fig23.gif
Reference: http://www.7gen.com/node/26000
High electricity prices, combined with…
…State-specific renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and …
…the gradual annual increases in power prices…
… will make PV generation competitive with fossil fuel generation.
The Economic Viability of PV Power is Increasing
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Environmentally Impacted Land
(Restricted Future Use)
Appropriate Geographic
Location
Land Control (Title or Long-Term Lease)
Nearby Interconnection
Point
Adjacent Load (PPA Approach)
State-Mandated Renewable
Portfolio Standards
Green Corporate Goals
Project Financing• External• Internal
A Landfill Site is a Good PV Development Candidate if Certain Screening Criteria are Met
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*Can be in form of an “option agreement” between landowner and solar project developer, or a longer term land lease. Option would convert to a land lease once the scope and economics of the proposed project are better defined, such as at the execution of a PPA.
Site Identification
Civil Engineer Selection
Financing
Site Control*
Technology Provider/EPC ContractorSelection
Tariff Rate Determinatio
n
Permit Acquisition
Contract Execution
Contract Execution
Power Purchase
Agreement Execution
Site Plan / Layout Design
Power Scheme Design
Inter-connection Agreement Execution
Site Upgrades
Procurement
Commissioning
Operations and
Maintenance
Early Planning, Negotiations and Project Marketing Phase
• Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Proposal and/or Negotiations
• Power Marketing• Interconnect Study• Environmental Permitting
Including Any EIR Work and Associated Environmental Document Revisions
• Facility Conceptual Design• Project Economic Calculations
The Stages in PV Solar Power Plant Development.The Challenges Lie in the Front-End Permitting
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Design considerations include eliminating cap penetration, continued functionality of the ET cap, storm water management, wind design and insuring protectiveness during an earthquake event.Design of PV Array will take into consideration:
1. Settlement• Total• Differential
2. Panel placement on cap• Spread footings• Anchors
3. Continued performance of evapotranspirative (ET) cap
• Infiltration minimization• Vegetative growth
4. Stormwater management• No standing water• Runoff management
5. Other
Settlement monument
Electrical lines in above-ground, lightweight, flexible steel conduit
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4ET monocoverDrainage swale
SunPods solar array with adjustable footing
Swale cross-section design
Landfill ET cap designs
Key Design Criteria are Minimal Settlement & The Continued Need for Cap Functionality.
Pre-cast concrete footingSunPods adjustable footing Ballasted racking
Types of footings for rigid glass solar panels
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Degr
ee o
f Ca
p Pe
netr
ation
Earth Anchors/Auger System
Shallow Piers Self Ballasting, Higher Load
Type of Racking System
L
M
H1
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1. http://www.mass.gov/dep/energy/solarlf.pdf2. http://aec.army.mil/usaec/newsroom/update/win08/win0812.html3. http://www.sunpods.com/sunpods-products-and-solutions.html
REFERENCE:
The Solar Panel Rack’s Design Must Not Damage the Landfill’s Cover and Must Accommodate Future Settlement.
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PV Navigator, LLC Entered into an Agreement to Develop a 3.4 MW PV Solar Installation on the Owens Corning Landfill in Gloucester, New Jersey
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Project Financing Systems Engineering, Design/Build Services Technology Supplier:
Skid-Mounted PV Solar Systems
Project Owner, Manager and Systems Integrator
EIR and NEPA Services
Energy Solutions
PV Navigator, LLC Leads a Multi-talented Solar Development Team
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CONCEPTUAL PLAN
1,034 SunPods solar units (each unit 10’x20’)
Total system would be capable of 3.4 MW
30 year operating lifetime (planned)
Solar PV Power Layout
Conceptual Layout of 6 MW PV System at the Southern
Ocean Landfill
Conceptual Layout of Solar Modules for the Owens Corning Landfill PV Power Development
The PV solar systems will not penetrate or damage the existing cap.
Develop a 3.4 MW photovoltaic solar array from approximately 1,034 SunPods, fixed tilt, rack mounted arrays.
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Features of SunPods Landfill PV Solar Unit
3.3 kW per array (as shown)• i.e. 300 arrays per MW
Arrives prefabricated • Minimal onsite assembly
20 ft X 10 ft arrays Weighs 2,500 lbs, supported on a leveling
support system• Eliminates landfill cap penetration• Self ballasting
10 Gauge steel frame Rated to 100 mph + wind speed Ready to connect Minimal maintenance
Prefabricated, Racked PV Systems Specifically Designed for Landfill Caps Will Be Used
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Very Dense and Very HardDense and Hard
Medium Dense and Very Stiff
Loose and Firm
Very Loose and Soft
First data point is at 5 ft bgs
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*Ref: Rogers, J.D, 2006, Surface Exploration Using the Standard Penetration Test and the Cone Penetrometer Test, Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, Vol. XII, No.2 pp162
Legend*
PV Rack Support Geotechnical Calculations are Ongoing
Community Outreach and Media Sierra Club has “unofficially” supported PVN’s Big Bear solar project Multiple press releases and articles have been published Fact sheets have been created for public hand outs
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Path Ahead: Opportunities Vs Risks
Solar on Landfills Business Model is Working
Solar Permitting Can Be Expedited When There is a Track Record of Rigorous Closure Documents
Very Little to No Community Resistance
Only a Few Companies Exist With the Requisite Expertise
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Project Financing SREC Program Uncertainty Permitting Delays Uncertainty in Panel Pricing
OPPORTUNITIES RISKS
The challenges are in (1) permitting, and (2) finding a power off taker who’ll pay enough (cents/kW-hr) to make the economics work
– Technology and construction challenges are secondary
Have a good (probabilistic?) economic model
Define and negotiate with the potential offtaker(s) early
– Perform power interconnect / feasibility study early in the process
Bid the forecasted power from the development into utility RPS RFOs
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Regarding landfill post closure use:– If considering a closed landfill,
evaluate the quality/quantity of existing site characterization data, esp. “geotech.” Keep costs down by leveraging past info.
– Develop solar layout and grading plans early in the process
– Cross check solar layout Vs final grades of remedy
– Add “solar final use vision” text to appropriate docs to environmental agencies
Develop a project fact sheet, early, and discuss with all possible stakeholders
Conclusions: Lessons Learned After 5 Years of PV Navigator’s Solar Project Development Efforts
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1. WiFi/telemetric system data collection/transmission
2. Reference settlement monument
3. Landfill lateral gas collection system (which may or may not exist for the selected landfill)
4. Landfill waste
5. Engineered landfill cap/cover. This can be an ET monofill or a multilayer RCRA equivalent cap
6. Weather station
7. Wireless strain gauge monitoring system, or associated system to measure strain changes in the solar panel racking system
8. Tilt gauge
9. System orientation monitoring
10. Power generation capacity over entire annual cycle
11. Storm water run off management
12. Monitor growth of cap’s vegetative layer under array
13. Panel washing and associated water use; methods and frequency
Figure shows a small scale, PV solar rack pilot system, located on a landfill cap. The purpose of the pilot unit is to measure and monitor the systems power generation operating performance on a landfill site where prior desk-top calculations have shown the installation of a 1 to 10 MW PV solar facility may be technically and economically viable.
The pilot facility would typically be operated from 1 to 2 years, thereby permitting any effects of the solar system on the cap (e.g. in the form of increased load and altered storm water management) to be evaluated.
Software Generated Data Display
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Goal: The collection of power generation performance data as well as information on any impacts the solar racking system may have on the landfill cap’s functions regarding gas collection and infiltration minimization.
PNL Was Awarded a Grant from the CEC for a PV Solar Pilot Test Program at a Closed Landfill Site
Contact
Robert [email protected] 714.388.1809
One Pointe DriveSuite 320Brea, CA 92821Tel 714.388.1800Fax 714.388.1839www.pvnavigator.com
