Distributed Generation From Biogas in California

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Distributed Generation From Biogas in California

• Interconnecting Distributed Generation Conference
• George Simons and Dr. Jessica Zhang
• California Energy Commission
• March 21, 2001

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What is Biogas
Biogas is the mixture of methane, carbon dioxide
and other minor gases formed from the
decomposition of organic materials
From landfills
From livestock operations
From wastewater treatment plants
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Why Care About Biogas?

• Health and Safety Issues
• Explosion and fire hazards
• Increased exposure to vectors (fungal
  bacterial)
• Odors
• Environmental Impacts
• Global climate change (CH4, CO2)
• Emissions from disposal practices (NOx, SOx, etc)
• Loss of Energy Resources
• Electricity and heat
• Possible vehicle fuels

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Existing Biogas Electricity in CA

• Total 300 MW of biogas facilities
• Landfill gas to electricity (LFGTE)
• 58 facilities 260 MW
• 220 kW - 40 MW in capacity most less than 5 MW
• Wastewater treatment plant to electricity (WTPE)
• 23 facilities 40 MW
• 50 kW - 15 MW in capacity most less than 1 MW
• Livestock digester gas to electricity (LDGTE)
• 5 facilities lt 400 kW
• all less than 200 kW

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New Biogas Facilities in CA

• In Construction or Planning 52 MW
• Landfill Gas Projects 50 MW
• Digester Gas Projects 2 MW
• Landfill Gas Projects
• 21 Most located in Southern California
• Sizes 250 kW - 5 MW
• Digester Gas Projects
• 1 San Francisco _at_ 2 MW

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Potential Future CA Biogas Electricity

• Landfill (LFGTE) potential
• Based on waste in place plus waste going to
  landfills
• Total potential is 230 MW
• Wastewater (WTPE) potential
• Based on amount of treated wastewater
• Total potential is 40 MW
• Livestock digester gas potential
• Based on amount of livestock waste
• Total potential is 100 MW
• Overall 370 MW of CA biogas electricity

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Existing LFGTE in CA
Existing LFGTE systems in California 58 sites
257 MW 15 sites gt 5 MW 13 sites from 2 -
5 MW 30 sites lt 2 MW
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Planned LFGTE Projects in CA
Planned LFGTE systems in California 21 sites 48
MW 7 sites from 3 - 5 MW 7 sites from 1 -
3 MW 7 sites lt 1 MW
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Nearer Term LFGTE Projects
Landfills Currently Flaring LFG 74 sites 50
MW possible 10 sites gt 1 MW 10 sites
from 500 kW - 1 MW 54 sites lt 500 kW
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Longer Term LFGTE Projects
Landfills Currently Venting LFG 161 sites 25
MW possible 9 sites from 500 kW - 1.5 MW
43 sites from 125 - 500 kW 109 sites below
125 kW
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Observations About LFGTE Opportunities

• Most of the opportunities for big systems are
  gone
• Nearer term opportunities
• Expansions at existing LFGTE sites
• New sites that currently flare LFG
• Vast majority involve systems less than 2 MW
  (maybe 500 kW avg)
• Longer term opportunities
• Flaring or venting sites
• Small Vast majority below 500 kW

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Existing WTPE in CA
Existing WTPE systems in California 23 sites 38
MW 18 sites lt 2 MW 5 sites gt 2 MW
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Future WTPE in CA
WTPs currently w/o energy recovery operations 222
plants 37 MW possible 2 plants gt 1 MW 50
plants from 200 kW - 1 MW 170 plants lt 200 kW
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Observations About WTPE Opportunities

• Not concentrated by region
• Scattered across state (rural urban)
• Opportunity dependent on specific municipality
• Future likely geared towards small energy
  recovery systems
• Only 10 of future facilities gt 400 kW
• Over 75 of future facilities lt 200 kW
• (most lt 100 kW)
• Unknown value of electricity to municipality

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Livestock DGTE Potential in CA
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Digester Gas From Livestock

• Overall potential at 230 MW
• Difficult to collect manure from unconfined stock
• Realistic potential is less than 200 MW
• Dairy and swine operations
• Nearer term potential
• Mostly dairies
• Larger operations and/or
• Self generation opportunities

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Possible Dairy LDGTE Sites
Color of Cows k W Red lt10,000
lt 520 Blue 10-50,000
520-2600 Yellow 50-100,000 2600-5200 Green
gt100,000 gt5200
2000 dairies Most lt 200 kw per dairy
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Benefits to LDGTE

• Energy
• Renewable electricity capacity up to 200 MW
• Generation of up to 900,000 MWhrs/yr
• Diaries protected from price volatility
• Environmental
• Safe disposal of over 2 million tons/yr of
  livestock waste
• Improved water quality
• Eliminates release of 37 million ft3 of methane
  per year

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Observations About LDGTE Opportunities

• Toughest Biogas to Energy Market
• Methane typically not captured
• Collection system at site or
• Collection of wastes for central plant
• Emphasis Likely on Small Prime Movers
• Few large (multi-MW) systems
• Expected Growth Areas
• Chino Basin
• Central Valley

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Overall DG Potential for Biogas

• Potential is up to 185 MW
• LFGTE 50 MW (flaring sites) 25 MW (venting)
• WTPE up to 40 MW
• Livestock DGTE (dairy) up to 70 MW
• Near term (5 yr)potential more limited 50 to
  70 MW
• 60 of flaring LFGTE
• 50 of WTPE
• 10 of Dairy DGTE
• Mostly small prime movers (less than 200 kW)

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Fuel Characteristics of Biogas
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The Family of Biogas Prime Movers
IC Engines
Microturbines
Fuel Cells
Gas Turbines
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Characteristics of BioGas Combustion Systems
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States Interests in BioGas Developments

• Electricity Benefits
• Up to 185 MW in new capacity
• Up to 1.3 billion kwhr/yr of delivered
  electricity
• May be in electricity constrained areas
• Environmental Benefits
• Reduced groundwater pollution (LDGTE)
• Reduced methane emissions over 150,000 tons per
  year
• Reduced NOx emissions up to 170 tons per year
• Dependent on prime mover type

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BioGas Energy Assistance
Water/Wastewater Program Efficiency
AgStar Help with Livestock Biogas
PIER RDD on Biogas Energy Systems
Renewable Energy Program Incentives
LMOPHelp with LFGTE