University of North DakotaUniversity of North Dakota

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

• Who/what is the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)?• How do we succeed?• What is our focus in the renewable energy sector?

About the EERCAbout the EERC

• Cleaner, more efficient energy technologies.

• Air, water, and soil pollution prevention and cleanup.

• Water management.• Waste management/remediation.• Advanced power and energy

systems.• Renewable energy.• Advanced analytical methods.• Education and training.

The EERC is a research, development, demonstration, and commercialization (RDD&C) facility recognized internationally for its expertise in:

““The EERC is a firstThe EERC is a first--class organization, with highly motivated and class organization, with highly motivated and experienced professionals and technicians…One of the bestexperienced professionals and technicians…One of the best——or the or the bestbest——R&D facilities in the United States and the world….”R&D facilities in the United States and the world….”

——U.S. Department of Energy evaluation reportU.S. Department of Energy evaluation report

The EERC receives The EERC receives no stateno state--appropriated appropriated funding for RDD&C.funding for RDD&C.

EERC Keys to SuccessEERC Keys to Success“A Unique Culture”“A Unique Culture”

• A commitment to excellence.

• A practical problem-solving approach that consistently meets client needs.

• A willingness to assume risk.

• A commitment to commercialize innovative technologies.

• A working environment that provides the freedom to pursue promising opportunities.

• A dedication to building partnerships with the private sector, government, and the research community.

• A talented and diverse group of researchers whose work attracts business from around the world.

The market must The market must pullpull

technology.technology.

EERC ClientsEERC Clients

EERC Quick FactsEERC Quick Facts• Total value of current EERC contract portfolio is over $100 million.

• Since 1987, the EERC has had more than 840 clients in 47 countries and all 50 states.

• In FY04, 64% of clients were repeat customers, and more than 90% of contracts were with nonfederal clients.

• The multidisciplinary team has more than 270 highly skilled scientists, engineers, and support personnel.

• A $6 million expansion was completed in November 2003, adding 47,000 square feet of space to accommodate 90 additional staff and meeting rooms for up to 300 people. A $2 million renovation of current facilities was completed in the summer of 2004.

• Current facilities include more than 216,000 square feet of laboratory, demonstration, and office space.

• The EERC had 372 active contracts in FY04.

• The EERC sends out an average of one funding proposal a day.

• Total contract awards in FY04 were $26.5 million.

• Total expenditures for FY04 were more than $20 million, with an estimated regional economic impact of more than $70 million.

• Fourteen spin-off companies have evolved from EERC programs.

RDD&CRDD&C

IdeaIdea

Research and DevelopmentResearch and Development

Technology DemonstrationTechnology Demonstration

Technology CommercializationTechnology Commercialization

Centers of ExcellenceCenters of Excellence

• Coal Utilization Technologies Center• Emission Control Technologies Center• National Center for Hydrogen Technology (NCHT)• Center for Air Toxic Metals® (CATM®)• Center for Biomass Utilization® (CBU®)• Water Management Center• National Alternative Fuels Laboratory® (NAFL®)• Wind Energy Resources Center• Supercritical and Subcritical Extraction Technologies

Center• Coal Ash Research Center

The EERC’s Centers of Excellence are leading the world in providing expertise in scientifically advanced energy systems and the prevention and cleanup of air, water, and soil pollution.

National Center for Hydrogen National Center for Hydrogen Technology (NCHT)Technology (NCHT)• The EERC has more than 50 years of experience

with hydrogen production and fuel cell technologies and is leading the way in integrating technologies for the production and use of hydrogen as a practical fuel.

NCHT activities include the following:– Integrating technologies that will allow us to safely and efficiently refuel

our vehicles with hydrogen.– Addressing the challenges of putting hydrogen fuel cells to work in

everyday life.– Developing, demonstrating, or commercializing technologies that produce

hydrogen from fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, and petroleum:– Making hydrogen from many renewable sources such as crops, trees, wind

energy, and agricultural by-products.– Producing the cleanest hydrogen gas possible to

minimize impacts on fuel cells.

Center for Biomass UtilizationCenter for Biomass Utilization®®

(CBU(CBU®®))

• Established to develop technologies for, and promote the use of, biomass for production of biopower, transportation biofuels, and bioproducts, as well as mitigate the technical challenges associated with biomass utilization.

Burning sunflower hulls with coal to produce clean, economical energy is a project being conducted by the EERC’s CBU which taps a potentially significant source of renewable energy from agricultural waste and by-products, as well as municipal solid waste.

Water Management CenterWater Management Center

• Water is the petroleum of the 21st century: the key to economic development.

• EERC water-related efforts focus on critical societal needs in the areas of water quality and quantity:– Soil and groundwater remediation– Red River Water Management Consortium

(RRWMC®)– The Waffle® – basinwide flood protection– Red River Valley Storm Water Work Group– Freeze–thaw/evaporation (FTE®) for water

purification– Groundwater resource management and aquifer

storage and recovery– F–M River – water quality monitoring and

outreach for Fargo–Moorhead (North Dakota, Minnesota)

“Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.”

– Mark Twain

EERC-led volunteer water quality-monitoring field training on the Red River for the F–M River Project.

National Alternative Fuels LaboratoryNational Alternative Fuels Laboratory®®

(NAFL(NAFL®®))

• Through NAFL, the EERC finds scientifically based answers to critical technical questions related to alternative fuels in order to assist in bringing new products to market, including the following:– Ethanol-blended gasoline and

diesel fuels– Biodiesel– Ethanol-based aviation fuel– Opportunity fuels and

chemicals from engineeredagricultural systems andprocessing facilities

The EERC worked in partnership with the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences to demonstrate an unleaded, ethanol-based fuel for piston-engine aircraft.

Wind Energy Resources CenterWind Energy Resources Center

• The EERC’s Plains Organization for Wind Energy ResourcesSM (POWER®) conducts field demonstrations of wind energy technologies, assesses wind energy resources, and provides technical and logistical support for wind development in the upper Midwest.

• The POWER wind resource database is an online tool for use in aiding in the development of wind energy projects.

Renewable Energy in the Renewable Energy in the Transportation SectorTransportation Sector

• Biofuels• Hydrogen• Other renewable energy topics

– Biopower– Wind energy

Biofuels Biofuels U.S. ActivityU.S. Activity

• Tax credit for clean-fuel vehicles (natural gas or ≥ 85% ethanol) through 2006.

• The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) under the American Jobs Creation Act– 1) Tax incentive for ethanol-blended gas– 2) Small ethanol producer credit– 3) Farmer-owned cooperatives eligible

for tax credit– 4) Millions of dollars per year in tax relief

to farm owners.• A biodiesel provision gives a $1/gal tax

credit for agri-biodiesel and 50 cents/gal for biodiesel from waste oils or grease.

Ethanol Makes a Strong Case for Ethanol Makes a Strong Case for AgriAgri--Based FuelsBased Fuels

Corn-based• 4 B gal/yr this year• 8 B gal/yr possible by 2010Cellulosic-based• Could reach 8 B gal/yr by 2015

EERC Project:EERC Project: Ethanol from Ethanol from BiomassBiomass

• Partners: Ensyn, South Dakota State University (SDSU), Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development, University of Minnesota, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• Thermochemical catalytic conversion of bio-oils to refined bioproducts including ethanol, higher alcohols, and esters

• Utilizing prairie grasses of the northern Great Plains

• Tremendous Canadian potential and government interest

EERC Project:EERC Project: Thermochemical Thermochemical Biorefinery StudiesBiorefinery Studies

• Partners: Ensyn Corporation and DOE• Fast pyrolysis of biomass yields wide variety

of sugars and anhydrosugars.• Processes being developed for extracting

high-value products from bio-oil and converting them to chemicals with high potential to replace petroleum-derived materials.

• Products include dispersants, surfactants, gas-processing chemicals, textiles, and polymers.

EERC Project:EERC Project: BiojetBiojet Fuel ColdFuel Cold--Flow ImprovementFlow Improvement

• Partners: Wright–Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), University of North Dakota (UND) Chemical Engineering, Chippewa Valley Ethanol, DOE, and three North Dakota state agencies.

• Develop a vegetable oil-based biojet fuel with cold-flow and other critical properties that comply with JP-8.

• Thermally/catalytically cracking soybean oil and biodiesel.

• Evaluate blends for performance and emissions utilizing the WPAFB T63-A-700 turboshaft engine test facility. Wright-Patterson T63 Helicopter

Turbine Engine Test Stand

Hydrogen Hydrogen U.S. ActivityU.S. Activity

• United States has a goal of 1500 kg/day of hydrogen production, at 90% availability, for 3000 cars by 2010.

• Currently, about 100 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States.

• $5/kg in 2003, $3/kg in 2004, $1.5/kg in 2010 (1 kg = 1 gal).

• GM has set a goal (and $1B) of having a commercial vehicle by 2010.

• Off-road vehicles also show potential markets.

Hydrogen R&D at the EERCHydrogen R&D at the EERC• Hydrogen production from

biomass and coal– Gasification– Separation/purification– On-demand reforming – Wind and electrolysis – Ethanol reforming

• Hydrogen storage• Hydrogen distribution• Fuel cell development

– Integrated biomass gasifier–solid-oxide fuel

• Policy, markets, and training

EERC Project:EERC Project: Hydrogen from Hydrogen from Wind Wind

• Wind-to-hydrogen demonstration in Minot, North Dakota

• Determining the dynamics of intermittent wind power electrolysis

• Twin 1.2-MW wind turbines• Stuart Energy electrolysis unit and filling

station• Currently developing vehicle profiles• Organizing an international consortium to

advance the findings from this activity

HH22 Production at Ethanol PlantsProduction at Ethanol Plants• EERC reforming process:

– Reform ethanol to hydrogen at the plant

– Second H2 line at distillation step– Use wet undistilled alcohol– Infrastructure advantage

• Northern plains—excellent network of ethanol plants

• Partners:– EERC National Alternative Fuels

Laboratory (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

– North Dakota Corn Council– Minnesota Corn Growers Assoc.– Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company

Barnitt, Rob - TIAX LLC

EERC Project:EERC Project: Hydrogen Production from Hydrogen Production from JPJP--8 and Military Fuel Cell Vehicles8 and Military Fuel Cell Vehicles

• Funded by Department of Defense through Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL)

• On-demand hydrogen production system for refining any liquid fuel

• John Deere–Hydrogenics fuel cell aircraft support vehicle

• Technology demonstration at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and Hickam Air Force Base

Construction EngineeringResearch Laboratory (CERL)

Hydrogen RefuelingHydrogen Refueling

Traditional Concept

On-Demand High-Pressure Reforming Concept

Biopower Biopower U.S. ActivityU.S. Activity

• A tax incentive bill and the American Jobs Creation Act became law in 2004 with renewable energy implications:– Production Tax Credit (PTC) for a 1.8 cent-per-

kilowatt-hour tax credit through 2005 for wind, geothermal, solar, biomass (energy crops), and municipal solid waste energy.

• Large-scale utilities remain reluctant to utilize biomass.– Difficult to guarantee supply– Perceived financial risk– Inconsistent fuel form and composition– Transportation costs

• Industrial-scale opportunities abound

EERC Project:EERC Project: IndustrialIndustrial--Scale Scale (150(150--kWkWee) Biomass Power Plant) Biomass Power Plant

• Green credits on electricity production• Other products: charcoal or syngas for

conversion to hydrogen or chemicals• Attractive return on investment (<$1500/kW)• Addresses hidden costs of disposal• Portable technology can address fuel

transportation cost issues• Successful demonstration on wood residues

– 72 hours of continuous testing of 10 tons of hardwood and hemlock

– 50% replacement of diesel fuel in 5.9-L John Deere engine

– Future demonstration on straw, cornstover, grass, and pellets

• Commercial demo planned for Las Vegas, Nevada

EERC Project:EERC Project: Thermally Integrated Thermally Integrated BiomassBiomass--DerivedDerived--Hydrogen SOFCHydrogen SOFC

• Integrated 10-kW biomass–gasifier and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)

• High-efficiency conversion without costly gas cleanup

• Lower costs than separate systems• Effective use of SOFC-generated

oxygen for gasifier and heat for hydrogen production

• Partners: DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory, Xcel Energy, Hydrovolt, HT Ceramix, DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory

5-lb/hr Fixed-Bed Gasifier

Wind Energy Wind Energy U.S. ActivityU.S. Activity

• A tax incentive bill and the American Jobs Creation Act became law in 2004 with renewable energy implications:– PTC for a 1.8 cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax

credit through 2005 for wind energy.• Wind energy only 0.2% of U.S. energy; with

aggressive growth, could reach 5% by 2020.• EERC’s Plains Organization Organization

for Wind Energy ResourcesSM (POWER®)focusing on products from wind (H2, fertilizer), storage, transmission, and hybridization.

EERC Project:EERC Project: POWERPOWER

• Plains Organization for Wind Energy Resources (POWER)– Regionally focus and partnerships

• Funding sources– DOE– ND State Energy Office– Commercial contracts

• Focus areas– Web site/database– Resource assessment– Education/outreach– Products from wind (H2, fertilizer),

storage, transmission, and hybridization.

EERC Project:EERC Project: Wind to FertilizerWind to Fertilizer

• Urea production from wind electricity and ethanol coproduct carbon dioxide

• In the heartland of agricultural production where fertilizer needed most

• Partners: ND Corn Utilization Council; Minnesota Corn Research Council; CANSOLV, Inc.; Great River Energy

Wind turbines near Edgeley, ND

Contact InformationContact Information

Energy & Environmental Research CenterUniversity of North Dakota15 North 23rd Street PO Box 9018Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202-9018

World Wide Web: www.undeerc.orgTelephone No. (701) 777-5153Fax No. (701) 777-5181

Thomas Erickson