Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy - Program 179

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Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy - Program 179

Program Overview

Program Description

Renewable energy technologies use a variety of means to harvest energy from the natural world and transform it for human use. As the world moves to a more rapid expansion of renewable technologies for electricity production, the opportunity exists to build an understanding of the overall impact of these technologies and to use that understanding in planning, siting, and operation of renewable energy infrastructure. Many proposed renewable energy projects have not gone forward due to concerns over impacts on the environment,

ecosystems, species, or human health and safety. In some cases, there is a lack of scientific research to answer questions that are important to these decisions. With a comprehensive understanding of all the impacts, efforts to minimize the overall environmental footprint and optimize the environmental benefits of a renewable energy portfolio can be made.

There are many environmental aspects of renewable energy, such as land use, vegetation management, and species interactions. Some of these aspects are opportunities and some are challenges or limitations. The Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI's) Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy program conducts a body of work to maximize the opportunities and minimize the limitations of renewable energy deployment. EPRI will characterize the resources and develop an understanding of the limitations of harvesting those resources. Results will provide valuable input to siting and planning activities, operations, and maintenance of renewable generation. EPRI’s vision for its Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy program is to address public and environmental concerns associated with renewable energy development.

Research Value

Renewable technologies are a rapidly growing source of electricity generation and a key strategy for diversifying generation portfolios. While some renewables are mature and others are still developing, the environmental aspects of renewable energy development are not well understood. As companies plan new renewables projects, they must develop strategies for compliance with renewable portfolio standards (where applicable) or other potential renewable energy requirements. Companies must be assured that development plans can be implemented in a timely and environmentally responsible manner. Company plans must also address other issues affecting human health and the environment, which may limit the ability to permit or operate a facility. This program will

 assemble a knowledge base of existing research on environmental aspects of renewable energy, advance scientific learning, and identify research gaps;

 prioritize research needs and develop strategies to sustainably implement renewables; and  provide valuable input to siting and planning activities.

Approach

The expanded use of renewable energy is driven by its environmental benefits, yet concerns remain about potential impacts related to specific projects and wide-scale deployment. This program provides research, data, analyses, and expertise to help address environmental concerns about renewable energy development.

Program activities are based on prioritization and available funding, but are expected to include work such as  development and testing of mathematical models to manage impacts of renewables on endangered and

protected species,

 assessments to characterize and forecast renewable fuel resources,

 assessment of the impacts of large-scale deployment of renewables on climate variables,  development of tools for siting renewable energy assets,

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 development of a framework for assessing the long-term sustainability of biomass supply,  life-cycle impact analyses of renewable technologies, and

 assessments of renewable technology electric and magnetic fields exposures and potential effects on animals and marine life.

Accomplishments

EPRI’s Environmental Aspects of Renewable Energy Interest Group marked the beginning of this research area in 2010. The interest group identified and prioritized research needs, exchanged best practices, and examined successful approaches. Results from the interest group laid the foundation for a robust and relevant body of research, addressing issues of critical concern for this program to examine. The program came into existence in 2011 and worked on wind/noise issues, bat detection, and species modeling approaches.

Current Year Activities

Program R&D for 2012 will focus on the following:

 Clarifying various impacts of renewable energy technologies through literature reviews, case studies, and new research

 Exploring mitigation approaches to minimize the environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies  Evaluating the potential effects of large-scale deployment of renewables

 Quantifying life-cycle impacts and accelerating technologies with less impact

Estimated 2012 Program Funding

$2.0M

Program Manager

Tina Taylor, 650-855-2369, tmtaylor@epri.com

Summary of Projects

Project Number Project Title Description

P179.001 Species Impacts and Interactions

Renewable technologies have the potential to impact animal and plant populations either directly or indirectly. This project will explore the interactions between equipment and species, develop

approaches to minimizing impacts, and evaluate the effects those impacts might have on species populations. The project will also examine how renewable technologies impact land use and land use change.

P179.002 Resource Assessments, Forecasting and Land Use

A key element of renewable technologies is that they use energy sources already in the natural environment in place of traditional fuels. As the world increasingly depends on the environment as its energy source, characterizing and forecasting the availability and behavior of those resources becomes increasingly important. This project will develop methods to assess present resources and review how they might change in the future.

P179.003 Worker / Public Health and

Safety As the proliferation of renewable energy equipment continues, many more workers will be performing new types of activities involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of new types of facilities. Additionally, the public has had questions and concerns related to the potential impacts of new types of generating technologies. This project will create a base of knowledge and seek to identify the most protective, best practices that can be widely applied.

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Project Number Project Title Description P179.004 Siting and Life-Cycle

Analysis

Siting of renewable energy needs to take into consideration the location of the resource, proximity to infrastructure, and stakeholder concerns. The life-cycle impacts of various technologies will be examined and an approach will be developed for incorporating technical and stakeholder considerations into siting decisions.

P179.001 Species Impacts and Interactions (070646)

Key Research Question

Renewable technologies have the potential to impact animal and plant populations either directly (for example, bird collisions with and bat barotrauma from wind turbines) or indirectly (for example, habitat disturbance by central station solar power plants). There are many unknowns about how these interactions will affect species populations, what adaptive measures can be employed, and how alternative approaches compare.

These concerns frequently result in requests for additional studies or information, and thus in delays during planning and siting activities or in reduced windows of operation for the equipment. This research will develop information and tools to eliminate or minimize species impacts.

Approach

The project objective is to manage population reduction risk for all animal species, particularly endangered and protected populations that may be affected by renewable technologies. Management options may include facility designs, new technology application, operational changes, and alternative siting configurations.

EPRI has a long history of risk modeling and individual-based population modeling. These models can be used to assess and manage population risk associated with both direct mortality and habitat modification.

Additional work will be done to gain a better understanding of the ways in which species interact with equipment and to seek improved approaches. One example is the development of a bat detection and shutdown system for wind turbines.

Impact

The tools developed and tested by this project will expedite the siting, construction, and licensing of renewable power installations and may allow for greater operating windows, hence reducing cost and accelerating revenue production. In particular, this research should have application to wind farms, central solar power plants, and large-scale photovoltaic systems.

How to Apply Results

Results from this project may be applied to help determine the best places to site new technology; to inform stakeholders during planning, siting, and permitting activities; and potentially to improve equipment design or operational controls.

2012 Products

Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type Bird and Bat Population Modeling With Wind Energy: This project will

develop and test mathematical models to assess and manage animal population risk to species of concern, particularly endangered and protected populations, from renewable technologies. Management options may include facility designs and siting. In 2011–2012, a study will be conducted to produce a risk assessment/management framework for bird and bat population

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Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type interactions with wind turbine facilities. The framework will use a RAMAS Monte

Carlo simulation model that will accept GIS-based information on installation placement and habitat structure. The framework will allow estimates of risk of decline of local and migratory populations under hypothetical and empirically parameterized scenarios. In subsequent years, the risk modeling approach will be applied to central station solar power plants.

Bat Detection and Shutdown System: If initial research is successful, the shutdown system will be field tested and operational protocols developed.

Demonstrations may be performed as supplemental projects. 10/31/12 Technical Report

Future Year Products

Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type Species Population Modeling With Central Station Solar: This project will

develop and test mathematical models to assess and manage population reduction and extinction risk to endangered and protected populations from renewable technologies. Management options may include facility designs and siting. In 2012–2013, this approach will be applied to solar facilities. The framework will use a RAMAS Monte Carlo simulation model that will accept GIS-based information on installation placement and habitat structure. The framework will allow estimates of risk of decline of local and migratory populations under hypothetical and empirically parameterized scenarios.

06/30/13 Technical Report

P179.002 Resource Assessments, Forecasting and Land Use (070647)

A key element of renewable technologies is that they use energy contained in the wind, sun, and water as energy sources in place of traditional fuels that rely on combustion to extract the energy. As the world increases its dependence on the environment as its energy source, characterizing and forecasting the availability and behavior of those resources becomes increasingly important.

Approach

This area of work will assess the existing resources and explore changes to the resources that might occur naturally or as a result of harvesting the energy at large scale. This project will produce a national assessment of changes in wind, solar insolation, and water availability that might be expected under future scenarios. Causes of change could include climate variability, population growth, and land use changes.

Impact

Better understanding of the risks to and potential variability of the energy in the environment as a fuel source for renewable technologies will allow optimized planning for maximum energy harvesting at a sustainable level.

Results from this body of work will inform planning processes, help to define limitations on renewable energy deployment, and address stakeholder concerns.

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2012 Products

Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type Sustainability of Biomass Supply: This project will develop a framework for

assessing the long-term sustainability of the supply of biomass. The initial phase of the project will analyze biopower supplies in the context of regional and national policies such as renewable portfolio standards and greenhouse gas legislation. A national modeling platform with regional resolution will be used to evaluate biomass feedstock supplies under alternative conditions—for example, different policies (climate, energy, and other), markets, grid

integration, public lands management, and plant types. With the framework developed, it will be possible to perform power plant–level analyses as supplemental projects.

Resource Variability: This project will produce a national assessment of changes in wind, insolation, and water availability that might be expected under future scenarios, which could include climate variability, population growth, and land use changes.

P179.003 Worker / Public Health and Safety (070648)

As proliferation of renewable energy electric generation technologies continues, many more workers will be performing new types of activities involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of new types of facilities. There is a need to understand the most protective, best practices that can be widely applied to minimize workplace injuries and accidents. Additionally, the public has questions and concerns related to the potential impacts of new types of generating technologies.

Approach

EPRI has a long history of examining health and safety issues related to construction, operation, and

maintenance of traditional electric system infrastructure and will apply similar approaches to the questions and concerns related to new infrastructure. These approaches include ergonomic interventions, measurements and modeling, and human health studies.

Noise from wind turbines will be measured, including infrasound, along with surveys of people living nearby, to create a scientifically based information set on these impacts.

Impact

The goal of this work is to improve worker safety and address public concerns about implementation of renewable technologies.

The results of this research may result in new suggested work practices, which could be adopted in procedures. Other work may yield information to be shared with the public to help communicate about concerns that are raised.

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P179.004 Siting and Life-Cycle Analysis (070649)

Many proposed renewable energy projects have been delayed or not gone forward due to concerns over

impacts on the environment, ecosystems, species, or human health and safety. In some cases, there is a lack of scientific research to answer questions that are important to these decisions. In other cases, there is no

framework to constructively allow a large number of constituents to engage in decision making that include both technical and environmental concerns.

Approach

Life-cycle impacts of various technologies on water and land will be explored and documented. Published literature and actual project information will be used to characterize the use.

Building on results of a supplemental project that is developing a framework for siting, continued research will provide supporting data and document case studies.

Impact

A framework for decision making along with a good base of factual information will facilitate consideration of all potential impacts and options at the beginning of a planning cycle. Such a framework and information will result in plans that have stronger support and a better probability of moving to completion in a timely manner.

The information developed and gathered during this research will be available to program members to support decision making and communication with various stakeholders, including the public. The siting framework can be applied on a project-specific basis as a means of involving many stakeholders in the planning process.

2012 Products

Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type Life-Cycle Land Use From Power Generating Technologies: Reviewing

published information, this project will provide an overall view of land use from various energy generation technologies.

03/30/12 Technical Report Demonstration of Siting Framework for Concentrating Solar Station: In

conjunction with one or more members, the siting framework developed will be used to evaluate siting options for a central station solar facility. A technical report will summarize the results of that process.

08/30/12 Technical Report Life-Cycle Water Use From Power Generating Technologies: Reviewing

published information, this project will provide an overall view of water use from various renewable electric energy generation technologies.

Future Year Products

Product Title & Description _{Completion Date}Planned Product Type Demonstration of Siting Framework for Wind: In conjunction with one or

more members, the siting framework developed will be used to evaluate siting options for onshore or offshore wind technology. A technical report will summarize the results of that process.

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Product Title & Description Planned

Completion Date Product Type Demonstration of Siting Framework for Biomass: In conjunction with one or

more members, the siting framework developed will be used to evaluate siting options for a biomass facility. A technical report will summarize the results of that process.

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Supplemental Projects

Managing Species Issues For Renewables (072110)

Background, Objectives, and New Learnings

Renewable energy now accounts for a significant portion of recently installed generation capacity, of which wind energy represents the majority. As wind development increases, there is a direct increase in the associated impacts on resident avian species of a given resource area. Any identified potential impact may suggest a long-term risk to the survival of a local avian population. To aid development, developers must take new approaches to manage any potential species impacts before building a wind energy development. Absence of these

assessments could result in extended project timelines due to additional pre- and post-construction studies, higher project costs due to mandatory mitigation efforts, lower return on investment due to operational curtailment, and potentially the cancellation of projects which can lead to potential difficulty in reaching state mandated renewable portfolio standards.

Utility-scale renewable energy projects must satisfy intense concerns regarding a number of risks, including impacts on wildlife. Based on ongoing EPRI research, the current primary wildlife impact focus for wind energy development is the prediction of annual bird fatalities from blade strikes. These predictions are used in the formulation of take permits and mitigation measures according to guidelines set by state and federal agencies. This information may also assist potential lenders who want to assess the long-term risk of investment. Despite this primary focus, all documents offering considered guidance on the assessment of wind energy impacts on wildlife (for example, documents from the National Wind Coordinating Council and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]) suggest that population-level impacts should also be modeled. There is also a strong shift toward the use of adaptive management, which the FWS defines as a proactive cycle of population modeling, monitoring, and mitigation.

Current legislation mandates that projects must have an "incidental take permit" to address the potential "take" of bald or golden eagles. Take is defined by the USFWS as to "pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb."

This permitting requirement requires wind developers to take an active part in the resource development of a given area of build out. A more comprehensive population modeling approach is strongly recommended to establish an improved understanding of wind energy's impacts on eagle species, with the intent to provide guidance on the most difficult siting issues related to species management. Species-level impacts provide a more accurate assessment of the ecological impacts of wind energy than the current practice of monitoring single mortality events.

Eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Therefore, it is against current policy (as defined by the USFWS) to offer an incidental take permit for either of these species of eagles. This permitting conundrum has led to significant frustration on the part of regulators, wind developers, and power purchasers, creating a risk for projects moving forward toward operation. Because these projects may be in violation if a mortality event occurs, such an event can create a federal liability for the owner/operator of the wind facility. This inherent confusion facilitates the need to understand the population level impact associated with wind deployment on eagle species. Such an understanding would provide a basis for the development of

complimentary regulation, facilitating both the protection of eagle species and the deployment of wind energy. This understanding would also be beneficial in developing effective "adaptive mitigation" strategies, strategies employed based on site specific population impacts, that could be used in the future. This approach will help inform utilities, developers, and regulators and the public in general on how to minimize species impact risks attributable to wind energy project development prior to roll out of the infrastructure in a particular region.

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Project Approach and Summary

The RAMAS software is designed to link GIS-generated landscape data to a "metapopulation" (a group of spatially separated populations of the same species which interact at some level) model for extinction risk assessment, viability analysis, reserve design and wildlife management. The software includes facilities for modeling life-stage-specific impacts and spatially explicit population dynamics linked to GIS inputs such as habitat suitability and development footprints. This model can then be run to simulate future changes in the abundance of the species and its distribution in the landscape, to estimate the risk of extinction or decline, time to extinction and other measures of threat and viability. The major advantages to RAMAS software are its transparency, automatic error checking, and international acceptance by regulatory agencies and conservation groups. RAMAS software embraces uncertainty using stochastic simulations and sensitivity analysis. Model outputs are delivered in terms of risk.

This study will develop baseline and impacted population models. The work will address issues specific to the wind resource area, as determined by the needs of the collaborator. We suggest studying operating wind farms and sited areas to make comparisons in population impact at a larger (e.g. 10,000 km2) spatial scale and accounting for the effect on migratory eagles. The former can be accomplished using a map-based habitat suitability model to delineate the spatial structure and dispersal pathways of subpopulations in the vicinity of the wind farm. The latter can be addressed using information on land features and migratory behavior to identify the geographic origin of migrants (such as eastern Canada), a habitat suitability model to estimate the carrying capacity of that region, and stage-specific turbine-related fatality data.

Benefits

A full range of risk estimates for migrant eagles can be obtained by varying assumptions about population density and the geographic scope of impact. An understanding of the population-level impacts of wind energy development on eagles will provide greater insight into required mitigation efforts. Such an understanding could provide additional justification for projects with minimal impact and may facilitate reevaluation of high-risk projects before development costs become too significant to re-site. This type of knowledge will also add certainty to long-term operations and provide "adaptive mitigation" strategies.

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Wind Noise and Health Impacts (071149)

Renewables are the fastest-growing clean energy resource, and wind power is expanding more rapidly than other technologies. Some environmental and health risks—such as ultra-low frequency sound (infrasound) causing annoyance and possible adverse health effects—are perceived by the public to be associated with wind development. Some proposed wind energy projects have not gone forward due to these concerns.

This project represents an umbrella of research activities to inform policymakers and other stakeholders on the impacts of wind turbine–related noise.

This project consists of a comprehensive evaluation of wind turbine–related noise and potential community impacts, involving preparation of a state-of-the-science critical review, laboratory research on the potential biological effects of infrasound and other low-frequency sound, and field-based research to measure sound from operating turbines. The field research also includes an evaluation of public perceptions of turbines and potential health issue. The research is unique in that residential sound exposures will be measured and therefore

correlations with complaints can be evaluated.

EPRI is starting one major field project in the Northeast and intends to carry out similar studies in the Midwestern U.S./Canadian region and the Texas/Southeast region. This work will create technology transfer opportunities for project participants, who may benefit from others’ experiences. EPRI is seeking project participants from all regions.

Benefits

More data are needed to evaluate whether audible or subaudible sounds emitted by wind turbines have any direct adverse physiological effects on people living or working near wind farms. Studies of existing wind projects can help decision making for future operations in other regions. In some cases, wind projects may be influenced by unique terrain and weather patterns, which will be factored into this study. Gaining an

understanding of public perception near wind projects is the first step in developing strategies to mitigate risk for utilities and the public. This study will provide data that will allow officials to better understand the nature and origin of noise complaints. Laboratory-based research will serve a critical role in examining in a scientifically rigorous manner the potential biological impacts of infrasound and low-frequency sound.

The research findings from this project are expected to generate data critical to informing regional, state, and local officials about how wind development may affect existing communities. This work also should help wind operators communicate more effectively any potential risks, as well as develop siting criteria to minimize risks.

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Evaluation of Algae Bioenergy Technologies (071823)

Microalgae (microscopic algae) are unicellular plant species that transform water, sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2), and a variety of nutrients into biomass. This biomass is composed of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, each of which can be converted into salable products or fuels. The lipid fraction is of great interest as a

feedstock for the production of biologically derived (biogenic) diesel, gasoline, and jet fuels. Algal bio-mass solids or derived fuels may be pro-cessed and used—alone or in combination with other fuels—in power plants and combined heat and power systems. However, there is considerable uncertainty as to whether algal

bioenergy technologies are affordable, scalable, and operationally robust approaches for displacing significant amounts of conventional fossil fuels.

Growing algae at industrial scale requires high biomass productivity rates, beyond what is achievable by algal cells extracting CO2directly from the atmosphere. Thus, concentrated streams of CO2 such as power plant flue gas represent promising sources for promoting the growth of algae at high-volume production scale. Colocated algae production has been proposed as an attractive source of CO2 for algae producers and touted as a means for mitigating atmospheric release of carbon from the host power plant. However, the carbon converted into biomass and then into fuel would eventu-ally be released to the atmosphere. Thus the net impact on CO2emissions depends on how much petroleum-based fuel is displaced by its biogenic alternative. Another factor is calculating the difference in CO2emissions between the extrac-tion, refining, transportation, and use of the conventional fuel and the growth, harvesting, refining, and use of the algal fuel. This calcula-tion requires detailed process modeling, energy and carbon balance calculations, and life-cycle analyses. At present, algae technologies are unlikely to be a large-scale solution for CO2 recycling. However, technological advances could improve the necessary algal characteristics and growth systems for increased amounts of biomass production and carbon uptake. Additionally, integrating algae growth systems with wastewater treatment or creating other products may provide additional benefits or revenue to power plants.

This project will provide quantitative and qualitative analyses of large-scale algal bioenergy technologies that are connected to power plants. These technologies could include, but are not limited to, production of algal biomass for use in creating liquid transportation fuels, high-value chemical feedstock, animal feeds and fertilizers, and biogas. EPRI will provide information on integration, sustain-ability, and life-cycle issues while identifying concepts that merit further R&D and real-world demonstra-tion.

A model originally developed through the EPRI Technology Innovation program (Utility-Connected Algae Systems Model) will be used to determine net energy and carbon requirements and to provide financial estimates of the technologies evaluated. This project will also develop additional model functionality for

estimating potential benefits to the power plant, such as gasification of algal biomass, or for transportation of the products.

Benefits

This project will develop a flexible framework to perform comparative analyses of algae systems. Specific benefits are expected to include a transparent engineering process–based evaluation of a number of algal bioenergy technologies that are connected to power plants based on reliable and realistic parameters. The results may be used to estimate the impact of algae systems on power plants, determining performance criteria for use in energy production at power plants and beyond. The public may benefit through reduced emissions of greenhouse gases through the use of biologically-based fuels as a substitute for fossil fuels.

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Energy Sustainability Interest Group 2012 (066626)

Growing attention on corporate transparency, disclosure, and opportunities to improve sustainability

performance are driving increasing investment and interest in related research. Financial and credit markets are increasingly using environmental and social measures alongside economic metrics as a factor in valuing and determining investment risk for a company. For over 10 years, international reporting efforts like the Global Reporting Initiative, Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, and Carbon Disclosure Project have been encouraging transparency on sustainability-based issues. Most recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began formally investigating an operational framework for sustainability that applies across all of the Agency’s programs, policies, and actions.

Electric power companies face unique challenges and tradeoffs. They are expected to manage financial, environmental, and social performance while providing safe, clean, reliable, and affordable power. However, power companies are not fully realizing the opportunity to optimize company decisions, inform public and stakeholder priorities, and shape future regulatory initiatives. Electric power companies will achieve enduring growth and superior long-term financial performance by thoughtfully addressing the social, economic, and environmental needs of present and future generations

Interest group members will guide discussion topics and research projects. EPRI will organize meetings, conference calls, webcasts, and other means of communication. The following areas of interest have been identified, and additional topics to be addressed will be identified by members of the interest group: Collaboratively Advance Industry Sustainability

 Maintain an industry forum including facilitated discussions, presentations, and engagement with industry experts to exchange best practices, identify emerging issues, and discuss common sustainability

challenges

Understand Sustainability Priorities and Indicators

 Facilitate evaluation of industry economic, social, and environmental sustainability priorities and indicators  Inform and support communication with third-party reporting and rating organizations, agencies, and

stakeholders

 Investigate best practices to improve performance on key indicators Explore Tradeoffs and Interdependencies

 Explore decision tradeoffs and opportunities to optimize industry decisions

Benefits

The Energy Sustainability Interest Group was launched in 2008 and is made up of nearly 30 companies. This collaborative group represents a well-rounded cross-section of the electric power industry and continues to draw increasing interest. The group meets regularly throughout the year by webcast and conference call, as well as for two workshops. These interactions allow the exchange of information that can improve company

performance, inform external reporting mechanisms, and strengthen public communication.

The Energy Sustainability Interest Group’s continuing purpose is to create business value while driving

innovation and collaboration. In 2012, the interest group will highlight understanding of the complex tradeoffs in corporate decision making. The 2012 interest group will also convene to discuss scoping future actionable projects or a future program to research industry issues and provide mutual benefits to society.

Achieving a robust energy economy requires managing the global sustainability challenge: enabling universal access to affordable electricity combined with environmentally sound power generation, transmission, and

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as a factor in valuing a company. Market research has shown that sustainable companies have competitive advantages with customers and employees. Acting sustainably improves relationships with all stakeholders and can create new business opportunities. Since 2008, the industry has benefited by engaging in discussions and sharing information about what it can do to improve sustainability and develop common strategies to shape such a future.