Basin wind turbine near Minot, ND |
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The innovation of renewables …
Basin Electric prepares to launch pilot project
By Andrea Blowers
The concept: use the power generated by a renewable energy resource to create a different kind of renewable energy.
Sound idealistic? Maybe. Possible? Absolutely.
In fact, a pilot project to do just that is in its final phase of development near Minot, ND. The project is centered on the idea of creating hydrogen using the electricity produced by wind turbines – with virtually no emissions.
Blowing in the wind
Wind is proving to be a valuable renewable energy resource and North Dakota ranks highest in the nation in wind resource potential.
Employing that potential, Basin Electric Power Cooperative in Bismarck, ND, has added approximately 136 megawatts (MW) of wind energy to its portfolio over the past several years through joint projects and power purchase agreements.
Further wind development is being actively explored throughout the region. However, wind energy has its barriers. The congested and limited transmission infrastructure inhibits strong continued growth of energy development, and adding to the dilemma is the intermittent nature of wind. It can’t provide firm, continuous power like a base-load production facility and any additional power generated can’t be stored for future use.
“The objective then is to develop an alternative use for wind energy,” says Ron Rebenitsch, Basin Electric manager of member marketing. “This innovative project will convert wind power from its intermittent form to an energy resource we can store and use as needed.”
Wind-to-hydrogen
With grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) secured by U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and in-kind contributions from Basin Electric and a consortium of partners, a research wind-to-hydrogen production facility and accompanying hydrogen use demonstration project are currently under construction.
The production facility will be at the NDSU/NCREC research site south of Minot. Basin Electric wind resources planned for the project include two wind turbines located approximately 10 miles south of the research center and two larger wind farms located near Edgeley, ND, and Wilton, ND. These wind farms will provide the electricity required for the hydrogen production process.
As electricity is produced by the wind turbines, it will be dynamically scheduled over the local transmission system in “near real time” from the turbines to the hydrogen production site. The dynamic scheduling will be done using software currently being developed by Basin Electric and EERC. Meters at the production facility and each wind farm will use telecommunication paths to achieve the dynamic scheduling interconnection.
According to Rebenitsch, the wind energy will power an electrolyzer, which is a commercial hydrogen generator that uses electricity to separate the oxygen and hydrogen contained in water. “The hydrogen produced at the facility will be stored. It will then be used mainly as a transportation fuel, but also for the creation of firm schedulable power from a small generator or possibly, a fuel cell,” he says.
“The electrolyzer will be one of the nation’s first production sources of hydrogen from a renewable resource,” Rebenitsch says. “In this case, the hydrogen will be produced using electricity generated by wind resources either owned or contracted by Basin Electric.”
The electrolyzer-based hydrogen refueling station will be delivered to the site, placed on a concrete pad and connected through dynamic scheduling with the wind turbines. It will be producing hydrogen by late summer.
A future for hydrogen
The hydrogen produced at the production site will primarily be used to refuel hydrogen-powered vehicles. For example, General Motors 2006 Flexfuel pickups will be converted to run on hydrogen fuel to demonstrate the new link between wind power and vehicle transportation. “Even with the conversion to hydrogen, these vehicles will still be able to run on gasoline or E85 ethanol,” Rebenitsch says.
In addition to the grants he secured to proceed with the project, Sen. Dorgan has also called for a federal investment of $6.5 billion over the next 10 years for a public-private initiative to bring hydrogen-powered vehicles into mainstream use.
The development of hydrogen from wind, a fuel resource with virtually no emissions, will help the United States become more energy self-sufficient, while providing major environmental benefits.
Sen. Dorgan says this project has enormous implications for the future of wind energy, hydrogen power and economic growth in America’s Heartland. “ North Dakota is positioned to become a world leader in wind power, and North Dakota scientists are already doing some of the most important hydrogen technology work in the world.”
This article was revised and rewritten with permission from Basin Electric Power Cooperative.