Archives

This section contains links to historic information and presentations of past news and events highlighted on this website.

News & Events Archives

Waste to Energy Workshop for Indiana Farm, Food Processing, and Wood Industries
December 11, 2006
Jasper, IN

The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) organized and implemented the event which was sponsored by the Indiana Office of Energy & Defense, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, along with the following co-sponsors:

• U.S. Department of Energy
  
• Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management
  
• Dubois County Area Development Corp.
  
• Jasper Municipal Utilities
  
• Dubois Rural Electric Coop & Hoosier Energy REC
  
• Indiana State Poultry Association
  
• Indiana Pork Producers Association
  
• Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association
  
• Indiana State Dairy Association
  
• Purdue Technical Assistance Program
  
• Indiana Corn Growers Association
  
• Indiana Soybean Board
  

This was second workshop the MAC organized in Indiana this year. This workshop attracted almost one hundred attendees. A similar workshop was held earlier this year in Peru, Indiana and attracted an equally large interested audience.

The workshop featured anaerobic digester, combustion, and gasification technologies as viable approaches to meeting the state's waste management planning requirements, and showed how these technologies can be combined with CHP systems to generate onsite electricity and recycle heat. These systems can reach 75% to 85% fuel use efficiencies, save energy, save money, reduce emissions, control odor, and meet waste management planning requirements.

The workshop was organized into three program sections, Basic Understanding of the Technologies and Concepts; Actual Applications and Example Installations; What to do Next to Evaluate the Use of these technologies and Concepts at your Facility. The key note luncheon speaker was Andy Miller, the Indiana Agriculture Director that provided the strategic direction being implemented by Governor Mitch Daniels to promote the use of agriculture to assist in the energy future of Indiana.

The workshop agenda, copies of presentations, and speakers' contact information are available.

Methane Production from Livestock Manure: Waste-to-Energy Workshops for the Illinois Livestock Industry
August 30, 2006
Bloomington, IL

August 31, 2006
Sterling, IL

The MAC planned, coordinated, and implemented the workshops held on Wednesday, August 30 at the Illinois Agricultural Association in Bloomington, Illinois and the next day at the Latin American Social Club in Sterling, Illinois.

The workshops were co-sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the US Department of Energy, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Milk Producers Association, the Illinois Pork Producers Association, the Illinois Beef Association, the University of Illinois Extension Service, and the Midwest CHP Application Center.

The purpose of the workshops was to inform and educate the Illinois dairy, swine, and other livestock industries, as well as anyone involved in the design, financing, operation, or regulatory oversight of these type facilities, on the use of anaerobic digesters to meet the environmental requirements within the state, the integration of CHP with the digester technology, and the availability of technical assistance to evaluate the use of these technologies at their farm and/or facility.

The workshops were very well attended with over half of the 150 attendees being farmers and livestock producers. The exchange of information and experiences between the speakers and audience were energizing. Of particular note were the presentations by Scheidairy Farms, Hunter Haven Farms, and New Horizon Dairies on their experiences with their digester / CHP systems. The keynote speaker was Mr. Doug Wilson, Illinois Director of Rural Development for the USDA, and the luncheon speaker was Mr. Chuck Hartke, Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture. The workshops agenda addressed five key areas:

1) Basics regarding Illinois manure management requirements and the role of Digester & CHP technologies

2) Insights into the technology applications from the largest US developers of digester/CHP systems

3) Illinois Case Studies – the experiences of three Illinois livestock producers

4) Carbon Credits & Trading Program for Illinois Agriculture

5) Next Steps: technical assistance available to attendees to evaluate the use of these technologies on their farm and/or facility.

Copies of the presentations made at the workshops are available.

Dark Mountain, Western States Regional Energy Assurance Exercise
June 14-15, 2006
Salt Lake City, UT

The Western States Energy Assurance Exercise, titled Dark Mountain, was co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability and Western Interstate Energy Board, and was hosted by the State of Utah. The event was conducted in collaboration with the National Association of State Energy Officials, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, National Conference of State Legislatures, and National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices.

The goals of the exercise were to:

• Facilitate communication within the region

• Increase participants’ understanding of key aspects of petroleum markets and infrastructure in the Western United States and Canada

• Explore petroleum, electricity and natural gas infrastructural and organizational interdependencies and identify potential vulnerabilities

• Educate participants about energy assurance planning

John Cuttica, Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center, was invited by the U.S. Department of Energy to participate in the exercise and present the concept and benefits of CHP illustrating why it should be considered a potential asset when energy emergency planning is being considered by cities, states, regions, or municipalities. John’s presentation, "CHP and Energy Assurance: Is there a match?," discussed the advantages of synchronous generators and their ability to maintain operation when the grid is unavailable and also provided examples of CHP success stories during recent national disasters (2003 Blackout, Hurricane Katrina, etc.). A copy of the Presentation is available.

Methane Recovery from Farm and Food Processing Waste Workshop
June 6, 2006
Peru, IN

The MAC planned, coordinated, and implemented a Waste-to-Energy workshop for Indiana farm and food processing industries. The workshop, titled “Methane Recovery fro Farm and Food Processing Waste”, was held on Tuesday, June 6th, 2006 at the Miami County Community Building in Peru, Indiana.

The workshop was co-sponsored by the Indiana State Energy Office, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the US Department of Energy, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Indiana Farm Bureau, the Indiana Rural Electric Co-operatives, and the Midwest CHP Application Center.

The purpose of the workshop was to inform and educate the Indiana dairy, swine, and food processing industries on the use of anaerobic digesters to meet the environmental requirements within the state, the integration of CHP with the digester technology, and the availability of technical assistance to evaluate the use of these technologies at their farm and/or facility.

Over 90 attendees participated in the workshop. The audience included over 30 dairy and swine farmers, a dozen representatives from electric co-operatives throughout the state, and several food processing companies. The workshop agenda addressed three areas of need:

1) Basics regarding Indiana manure management requirements and the role of Digester & CHP technologies

2) Insights into the technology applications from the largest US developers of digester/CHP systems (case studies)

3) Next Steps: technical assistance available to attendees to evaluate the use of these technologies on their farm and/or facility.

The luncheon speaker Mr. Andy Miller, Indiana Agriculture Director, confirmed the commitment of the Governor and Lt. Governor to make the State of Indiana the leader in Bio-energy Industries. Copies of the presentations made at the workshop are available.

The MAC presents at the 2006 Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) World Congress Event
April 4, 2006
Detroit, MI

Steve Spentzas, a graduate assistant with the Midwest CHP Application Center, presented a paper on the concepts and benefits of cogeneration to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress held in Detroit, Michigan. Steve’s presentation, “The Optimization of a Cogeneration System in the Automotive Industry” highlighted a case study of an automotive plant utilizing their existing cogeneration system in the most effective manner to compete in today’s competitive market place.

The SAE Technical Paper was co-authored by Steve Spentzas, Michael Chimack, and Dr. William Worek of the University of Illinois at Chicago and was presented at the Energy Efficient Manufacturing Technical Session. 2006 was the first time this session was held in the history of the SAE World Congress showing the issue of energy efficiency is a rising concern to the automotive manufacturing industry. Dr. William Worek served as a panelist for the technical session. A copy of Steve's presentation is available here in PDF format. The full technical paper on is available for purchase from SAE.

The SAE has more than 90,000 members - engineers, business executives, educators, and students from more than 97 countries - who share information and exchange ideas for advancing the engineering of mobility systems. SAE is a one-stop resource for standards development, events, and technical information and expertise used in designing, building, maintaining, and operating self-propelled vehicles for use on land or sea, in air or space.

The MAC presents at the Minnesota Municipal Utility Association's (MMUA) Winter Legislative Conference
March 30, 2006
Bloomington, MN

Dr. Steffen Mueller of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) presented at the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association’s (MMUA) Winter Legislative Conference. Dr. Mueller provided an overview of the benefits that Combined Heat and Power Systems can provide to municipal utility companies including: 1) Providing “Best Buy” Power; 2) Saving Distribution Costs and Ensuring Reliable Power; 3) Promoting Energy Efficiency; 4) Establishing Customer Partnerships (Contributing to Business Retention and Encouraging Economic Development & Business Expansion); and 5) Assisting in Emergency Preparedness.

The MMUA represents the interests of Minnesota's municipal electric, gas, and water utilities. There are 126 municipal electric and 31 municipal gas utilities in Minnesota. MMUA was formed in 1931. MMUA's mission is to unify and serve as a common voice for municipal utilities, and to provide them with the support they need to be able to improve service to their customers and community. A copy of the presentation Dr. Mueller made is available here in PDF format.

The MAC presents at EnergyUSA-TPC’s Annual Energy Conference
March 8, 2006
Notre Dame, IN

The Annual Energy Conference sponsored by EnergyUSA-TPC, a NiSource Company, was an informative, one-day conference, held at the University of Notre Dame detailing the changes underway in the energy business and how the changing environment will affect industrial and large commercial businesses in the near future. The conference addressed topics to help develop successful energy strategies and improve bottom lines for businesses. The conference motto was “Only the SMART Survive!”

John Cuttica presented the concepts and benefits of CHP focusing on the integration of CHP technologies in the public power industry and in Emergency/Energy Assurance Plans. The benefits CHP can provide to the public power industry (i.e. municipals) incorporate sources of self generation, potential for economic development and added revenues, and increased security during natural or terrorist disasters. Today, more emphasis is being placed on Critical Infrastructure Protection through the prevention of lost energy services for prolonged periods of time due to these disasters; whereas in the past, the focus dealt more on the response to such energy shortages and not the prevention. CHP can help provide the solution to these critical planning measures. Examples of successfully operating CHP systems during the August 2003 Blackout and Hurricane Katrina were highlighted in John’s presentation. A copy of John's presentation is available here in PDF format.

Industrial CHP Microturbine Applications Webcast
March 7, 2006
Chicago, IL

The U.S. Department of Energy, Midwest Regional Office and NiSource Energy Technologies (NET) hosted a webcast profiling innovative CHP applications that possess technology transfer potential to commercial and industrial customers. The two innovative CHP projects presented demonstrate technologies focusing on energy utilization in real world manufacturing environments.

Introductions, background, initiatives, and project focus were presented by Gary Nowakowski, Technology Team Leader, of the U.S. Department of Energy, Midwest Regional Office and Michael Zdyb, Vice President of Business Development, for NiSource Energy Technologies.

Jason Richards P.E. of NET presented information on two recent NET CHP project installations located at powder coating industrial facilities listed below. These projects were co-funded by DOE and the State of Indiana. A copy of Jason's presentation is available here in PDF format.

Site #1: Manchester Tank, Elkhart, Indiana
One 70 kW Ingersoll Rand microturbine supplies electric power for manufacturing Low-Pressure Vessels for Propane, Air, Refrigerant, etc. Heat in the microturbine exhaust is recovered for supplying supplemental heat to the curing ovens at 400°F.

Site #2: Vestil Manufacturing Corporation, Angola, Indiana
Two 70 kW Ingersoll Rand microturbines supply electric power for manufacturing materials handling equipment. Heat in the microturbine exhausts is recovered for supplying supplemental heat to the curing ovens (350°F), drying ovens (225°F), wash line (140°F) and plant space heating.

John Cuttica, Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center, followed Jason’s presentation with an overview of the Center’s available services on the promotion and implementation of CHP technologies in the Midwest. A copy of John's presentation is available here in PDF format.

CHP - Where Does It Make $ense In Iowa Today?
February 16, 2006
Des Moines, IA

John Cuttica and Cliff Haefke of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) presented at the 2006 Annual Analyst Workshop in Des Moines, Iowa. The workshop was held for Iowa licensed engineers and registered architects interested in being qualified to complete technical engineering analyses for Iowa DNR-sponsored energy management programs.

With the current natural gas and electric prices in Iowa showing less than favorable trends towards operating natural gas-fired combined heat and power systems, the MAC showed the Iowa licensed engineers and registered architects the niche CHP market opportunities that exist today in Iowa. Copies of the presentations made at the workshop are available:
- Introduction of the Midwest CHP Application Center
- Combined Heat & Power Overview
- Commercial / Light Industrial (electric reliability, homeland security, municipals
- Digesters (farm, food waste, WWTPs, community digesters)
- Landfill Gas
- Industrial Steam (PRVs vs. Backpressure Turbines)
- Ethanol / Biodiesel Production (Coal & Natural Gas-Fired CHP Systems)
- Summary and Available Evaluation Tools

Participants were each presented with a hard copy of the 2005 CHP Resource Guide as a reference tool to follow along during the afternoon session. A copy of the entire presentation John and Cliff made is available here in PDF format.

The MAC Announces the Release of its 2005 Edition of the “CHP Resource Guide”
November 8, 2005
Chicago, IL

In 2003, the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) identified a need in the market place for a document that could be used as a ready reference for a wide range of interested parties considering the application of CHP systems. The document was to contain easy to find technical facts/information; answers to the most frequently asked questions, and “rules of thumb” regarding the evaluation and implementation of CHP. The Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Resource Guide was completed and made available in September 2003. Over 25,000 copies of this Guide have been downloaded from the MAC Website.

The MAC is now releasing the 2005 Edition of the CHP Resource Guide. This updated version expands the sections on Steam Turbines, Generators and Inverters, and Grid Interconnection. The revised guide can now be downloaded.

The MAC Announces the Release of its “CHP Baseline Analysis” for the Markets in Indiana and Iowa
October 28, 2005
Chicago, IL

The purpose of the baseline analyses conducted by the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) is to assess the status and prevailing environment for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in a state from a regulatory, private-market and technology perspective. This information will be used to identify target markets for CHP systems as well as to develop educational and market transformation programs, which will foster CHP applications.

In order to assess the current status of CHP, a comprehensive survey of key players involved with this technology was conducted. Key engineering firms, manufacturers, distributors, architectural firms, energy suppliers and federal, state and local agencies were identified. Furthermore, surveys of existing and potential CHP installations were conducted.

A status assessment of policy-related issues pertaining to CHP was also conducted. The assessment was performed for several policy areas: grid interconnection, CHP stand-by rate provisions, exit fees, net metering, general status of electric deregulation/restructuring in the state, emerging legislation, and potential partners/advocates of CHP.

The market potential for CHP in the state was evaluated to identify the best target sectors for deployment. These reports conclude with recommendations to effectively promote the deployment of CHP in the state. Copies of these reports are now available for downloading: Indiana Report; Iowa Report.

The MAC Presents at the American Municipal Power – Ohio (AMP-Ohio) Annual Conference
October 20, 2005
Columbus, OH

John Cuttica from the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) participated in the annual conference of the American Municipal Power (AMP) Ohio. His presentation entitled “CHP and the Public Power Industry – One Step Beyond” highlighted how CHP systems could be utilized by municipal utilities in meeting their business plans. Municipal electric utilities are familiar with distributed generation systems as a means to supplement purchased generation capacity, providing them generation flexibility. The CHP option put forward by him was for to consider going one step beyond traditional distributed generation systems and consider investing in CHP systems.

The benefits of CHP systems for municipal electric utilities include:

• Source of self generation with the CHP system located at customer sites (versus DG systems located at substations)
  
  
• Opportunity for economic development (partnership with customers to retain or expand businesses within their municipalities
  
  
• Potential for added revenues (selling the recycled thermal energy)
  
  
• Enhancing security against natural or terrorist disasters (emergency shelters operating if grid is down).
  

As a follow up to the conference, the MAC will be working with AMP – Ohio to further pursue the use of CHP systems by their member companies. The MAC is pursuing similar opportunities to work with the public power industries in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota.

AMP-Ohio is the non-profit corporation organized in Ohio in 1971 for the purpose of owning and operating electric facilities or otherwise providing for the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power and energy to its members. As of June 2005, AMP-Ohio membership includes 81 public power communities in Ohio, 24 in Pennsylvania, two in West Virginia and one in Michigan. A copy of the presentation John made is available here in PDF format.

The MAC Presents at the FEMP Energy 2005 Conference
August 16-18, 2005
Long Beach, CA

Cliff Haefke, from the Midwest CHP Application Center, made a presentation at the Energy 2005 Conference organized by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The theme of the conference was "Secure Your Energy Future." The MAC presentation, "What Tools and Resources are Available," was made during the breakout session on “Distributed Generation/Combined Heat and Power Headwind Issues: How to Hurdle the Roadblocks?” This session attracted the largest attendance at the conference.

The focus of the session was to learn about the DG/CHP implementation roadblocks, how to mitigate them, and emerging packaged systems that present solutions. A copy of Cliff's presentation in PDF format is available. More information on the conference and other presentations is also available.

The MAC Organizes 3rd DG/CHP Regulatory Workshop: Effect of CHP Regulations on State Jobs and Consumer Benefits
June 8, 2005
Detroit, MI

The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) organized the workshop in cooperation with the Midwest CHP Initiative and the U.S. DOE Midwest Regional Office. The objective of the workshop was to provide a forum for representatives from the state regulatory commissions and state energy offices in the Midwest to discuss the effect of CHP regulations on jobs and consumer benefits. Representatives from 7 of the 8 Midwest states participated in the workshop.

Key speakers at the workshop were J. Peter Lark, Chair, Michigan Public Service Commission, and Skip Laitner, Senior Economist for Technology Policy, EPA. Both presentations provided the link between CHP regulations and the potential for additional jobs within a state or region. Mr. Laitner discussed an example of the impacts in four Midwest states, from adding 700MW of new CHP systems by the year 2020. The results show that CHP systems allow the productive use of smart capital for the efficient use of energy – to the benefit of the economy and the environment.

Representatives from several states made presentations outlining present CHP programs within the states and the positive impact they have on the state’s economy, including jobs. One of the issues discussed at the workshop was how CHP systems can or can’t fit into State Renewable Portfolio and/or Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards. The limits of Utility Commission jurisdiction versus legislative mandates were discussed along with the distinction of job retention versus job creation from CHP.

The workshop was held at the new facilities of NEXT Energy, whose objective is to advance the alternative energy technology industry in Michigan. Copies of the agenda and presentations can now be downloaded from the Library section of this Web site

The MAC Conducts One-Day Workshop, "Evaluating and Marketing CHP Options in a Volatile Energy Marketplace," for Engineers and Architects
May 18, 2005
Willowbrook, IL

The workshop was sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Energy and Recycling, DOE Midwest Regional Office and the Midwest Cogeneration Association. About forty persons attended the workshop, that also included a panel discussion. The handout material at the workshop included copies of the MAC-developed "Combined Heat & Power Resource Guide" and project profiles of 28 CHP installations in the Midwest. Copies of the agenda and presentations can now be downloaded from the Library section of this Web site.

The Ohio Office of Energy Efficiency Issues Request for Proposals (RFP) for Distributed Energy
December 15, 2004
Columbus, OH

The Ohio Office of Energy Efficiency, Energy Loan Fund (ELF) is offering grants to cover a portion of the costs for eligible distributed energy (DE) projects. The RFP closes on January 31, 2005.

Only entities that will be end users of distributed energy resources in Ohio are eligible. Eligible projects will focus on utilizing DE clean burning or renewable energy technologies. Applicants from the commercial, industrial or institutional sectors and local government are eligible for funding under this RFP.

Information and application forms are available online at:
http://www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/oee/ELFGrant.htm.
Scroll down on that page to "DER Request for Proposal (RFP) Links" to view specific links to RFP and associated documents and information.

If additional information is needed, the contact for this RFP is:
Preston Boone, Outreach Operator
Ohio Department of Development
Office of Energy Efficiency
77 S. High Street
26th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
1-866-728-6749

The Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) announces the release of National Performance Interim Protocols for Distributed Generation/Combined Heat and Power Systems and Equipment
December 10, 2004

The Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) announces the release of National Performance Interim Protocols for Distributed Generation/Combined Heat and Power Systems and Equipment. These protocols are available for use by all interested parties, including distributed generation (DG) and combined heat and power (CHP) system users, manufacturers, developers, engineers, and R&D organizations.

The U.S. Department of Energy and ASERTTI have developed four interim test protocols through a collaborative program that included a 28-member stakeholder advisory committee and utilized existing standards as far as possible. These protocols will serve as a uniform basis for evaluating the performance of DG/CHP systems and enabling comparisons and evaluations based on applications, locations, and requirements. These interim test protocols are for laboratory testing, field (onsite) testing, long-term testing, and case studies. The interim protocols are intended for DG/CHP systems up to 3 MW in laboratory testing and up to 7 MW for field testing.

Comments on the protocols are welcomed. This feedback will be used to move the protocols from interim to final versions. The performance protocols can be viewed and downloaded from the following links at www.dgdata.org:

• Laboratory performance protocol
• Field performance protocol
• Long-term monitoring protocol
• Case study protocol

A national database for DG/CHP applications is now being completed where results from systems applying these test protocols will be archived for public use. When available in early 2005, the searchable database will allow interested parties to request results based upon a variety of parameters. Users can be confident that results in the database are comparable, as only data collected according to the protocols will be included in the database. Those who apply the test protocols in their testing and system evaluations will be invited to add their information to the database.

Additional information about the program is available at the ASERTTI website: www.asertti.org/aserttipartnerships. For questions or comments on the protocols, please contact: DG-CHPprotocols@asertti.org.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) Issues a Request for Pre-Proposals for the Energy Efficiency Portion of the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund
October 14, 2004
Ann Arbor, MI

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued a Request for Pre-Proposals for the energy efficiency portion of the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund, which was originally created by Public Act 141. The intent of this portion of the fund, totaling $6 million, is to promote energy efficiency for all customer classes in Michigan. It is anticipated that one or more grants will be awarded to non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and/or businesses located and operating in Michigan.

Pre-proposals will allow the Commission to evaluate project ideas to determine whether they meet the objectives of the grant prior to applicants submitting full proposals. Each pre-proposal will be classified as "more likely" or "less likely" to compare favorably to the selection criteria. A proposal that is determined "more likely" does not preclude an applicant from submitting a full proposal and being considered for funding. To be eligible to submit a full proposal, each applicant must submit a pre-proposal.

The Request for Pre-Proposal is available on the Commission's Web site at:
http://michigan.gov/mpsc
or by calling (517) 241-6118. Pre-proposals must be received at the Commission by 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 19, 2004 and reference Case No. U-13129.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Labor & Economic Growth.

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission held a Distributed-Generation Workshop to Discuss "Strawman" Interconnection Standards
October 4, 2004
Indianapolis, IN

The workshop discussed "Strawman" interconnection standards developed by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC). These "Strawman" standards call for Indiana's investor-owned utilities to create provisions for the interconnection of three types of customer-generator facilities:

Simplified - applies to the interconnection of inverter-based customer-generator facilities, which have a power rating of 10 kW or less, and which meet specified certification requirements.

Expedited - applies to the interconnection of customer-generated facilities with a power rating of 2 MW or less which meet specified certification requirements.

Standard - applies to the interconnection of customer-generated facilities to distribution systems, which do not qualify for either the simplified or expedited interconnection review procedures.

A PDF file of the standards is available in the Library section of this Web site. (News Source: October 2004 IREC Interconnection Newsletter)

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Issues an Order Establishing Interconnection Standards for Distributed Generation
September 28, 2004
St. Paul, MN

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issues an order establishing interconnection standards for distributed generation (DG). The order (provided here in PDF format) completes the marathon process initiated in August 2001 that has involved dozens of stakeholders. The 111-page order includes the following attached documents:

• An "Interconnection Process for DG Systems" (including five appendices)
• A statement of "DG Interconnection Requirements"
• A two-page form labeled "General Interconnection Application"
• A five-page form labeled "Engineering Data Submittal"
• An "Interconnection Agreement" (including five exhibits)

The new interconnection standards apply to systems of 10 MW and above.

With respect to standby charges, the PUC decided that a 60-kW exemption threshold is appropriate. Furthermore, the PUC determined: "DG customers do not have to buy standby power. However, if standby power is not purchased, it may not be available. DG customers do not have to can buy as much standby power as necessary to equal the full amount of their own DG capacity."

The PUC also determined that credits should be awarded to a DG customer if the installation of the DG unit reduces the utility's costs (such as generation, transmission and distribution) of providing the service.

Regarding renewable energy credits, the PUC ruled: "A DG customer who installs a renewable DG facility should be paid the avoided cost of 'green power' to the extent that installation of the DG facility allows the utility to avoid the need to purchase 'green power' elsewhere. Otherwise a renewable DG facility should be paid the utility's regular avoided costs."

Retail electric public utilities were directed to file tariffs consistent with the PUC's order within 90 days. (News Source: October 2004 IREC Interconnection Newsletter)

The 2004 Midwest CHP Roadmap Workshop Report is Now Available
August 5, 2004
Chicago, IL

The 2004 Midwest CHP Roadmap Workshop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Midwest Regional Office, was held on March 16-17. Nearly 60 CHP stakeholders from the eight-state Midwest Region had participated in the workshop that proved to be very productive and beneficial. It brought forth many very useful ideas that will serve to help shape the future of CHP in the Midwest.

The purpose of this Midwest focused workshop was to:

1. Define and prioritize issues and opportunities for CHP.
2. Identify key action items and activities to address the most important issues and opportunities.
3. Develop a Roadmap based on the key action items to:
   • Answer the questions:
     • What needs to be done?
     • Who needs to do it?
     • What resources are needed?
   • Define realistic time frames to accomplish the action items, and
   • Develop metrics to measure success.
4. How to more effectively utilize the Midwest CHP Application Center and the Midwest CHP Initiative.

The report includes the results of the workshop in the following four major areas: Financial, Regulatory & Utility, Equipment, and Education. The report also incorporates suggested "Next Steps". A full copy of the report is available here in PDF format.

The detailed information gathered in the breakout sessions was reviewed and summarized into key impact areas as follows:

Financial Results

Quantifying Ancillary Benefits - the non-energy cost benefits of CHP; such as outage avoidance, increased reliability, reduced emissions, increased energy efficiency, preservation of natural resources, energy security, transmission and distribution support, and increased jobs.

Financial Incentives — employ third party ownership, provide tax incentives, and financial initiatives (State, local and private - such as bonds and low interest loans) for CHP.

Opportunity Fuels - increased usage of "Opportunity Fuels" as a substitute for natural gas. "Opportunity Fuels" are considered to be those fuels that can be obtained from waste products such as gases from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, agricultural waste, as well as wood industry scrap. Also included in "Opportunity Fuels" would be the development of power from the installation of steam turbines in lieu of pressure reduction valves.

Regulatory and Utility Results

Interconnect Standards, Rates, Tariffs, and Recycled Energy Portfolio Standards — work with utility commissions to establish interconnect standards, rates, and tariffs that recognize the positive contributions of CHP. Also work with states to set Recycled Energy portfolio standards or goals (similar to RPS) to help drive change and planning activities at the state level.

Environmental Permitting on an Output Basis — to provide environmental credit due to the efficiency savings of CHP systems.

Engaging Utilities — work to create a "win-win" situation with CHP and electric utilities, by providing incentives for electric utilities to utilize and promote CHP, including using CHP as an alternative to T&D build-out.

Equipment Results

Packaged Systems — develop and promote packaged systems that lower the overall costs of a CHP system (installation, operation, design, etc.)

Codes and Standards — The development of model codes and standards, through code officials and industry organizations, towards equipment that could be "pre-certified" so it could be "plug-and-play," simplifying installation and enhancing utility acceptance.

Education Results

Utilize Recycled Energy Communications Campaign — To educate regulators, key decision makers, and media relations on the benefits of CHP, including job and economic impact.

Target Markets - The results indicated that education should be focused on areas where CHP can address specific key energy issues (such as urban areas and specific vertical markets such as, hospitals, schools, and energy intensive industrials). Also education should be directed to non-engineering entities such as; architects, financial institutions, and end-users.

The first suggested "Next Step" is to disseminate the workshop results via this report to those key Midwest CHP stakeholders identified on the invite list to the Roadmap Workshop, regardless of whether or not they were able to attend in order to allow them review and provide feedback on the results. The rest of the "Next Steps" describe how the Roadmap is expected to be the key guideline to focus the activities of the MW CHP Application Center, the MW CHP Initiative, and in many cases, State Energy Office CHP Programs. It will also be used as a way to provide input to State Utility Commission/ Board activities.

The MAC Conducts a CHP Workshop for Ethanol Facilities
April 1, 2004
West Des Moines, IA

The objectives of the workshop were to provide CHP information and to encourage ethanol facilities to consider deploying CHP systems. Feedback received from the nearly 60 attendees of the workshop was very positive. The spectrum of attendees included corn growers, engineering companies experienced in CHP and ethanol plants, regulators, and various non-profit organizations involved with Iowa's corn industry.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation hosted the event at its facility. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the Iowa Agriculture Innovation Center, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsored the workshop.

Leslie Farrar (MAC) presented the concept and the technical feasibility of CHP at ethanol plants (available here in PDF format). She pointed out that CHP provides a good fit for ethanol plants because of the simultaneous needs of large thermal and electric energy of these facilities.

Bruce Hedman (Energy & Environmental Analysis, Inc.) presented some specific CHP options (available here in PDF format), the financial benefits and the potential energy savings that might be realized from the application of CHP at a typical 50 MMGPY ethanol facility. He provided examples of CHP installations at ethanol facilities that indicated very attractive simple payback periods of 3.5 to 5.5 years.

David Eslinger (Energy Resource Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago) provided an overview (available here in PDF format) of the current natural gas price situation and the impact of natural gas price on savings achieved from CHP. He pointed out that careful hedging and long-term procurement strategies could mitigate the impact of the current volatile natural gas prices on ethanol facilities and provide cost savings with CHP.

Luis Troche (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CHP Partnership) pointed out the EPA support for CHP because of its increased efficiency that results in decreased emissions. He also presented information (available here in PDF format) on EPA assistance for CHP projects moving forward, and about the CHP Partnership program including what it means to be a CHP Partner.

Brian Tormey (Iowa DNR) provided an overview (available here in PDF format) of the DNR activities supporting the deployment of CHP. The examples of such activities include the development of an Iowa CHP Permitting Guide and an Interconnection Guide, as well as their support for the future development of a CHP Roadmap for Iowa. He acknowledged that DNR is a big supporter of the ethanol industry and would like to see more CHP deployed because it saves natural resources and costs. He also mentioned the possibility of DNR offering CHP incentives in the future.

John Cuttica (MAC) moderated a lively panel discussion that provided "real life experiences" from three CHP facility managers at ethanol plants located in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. All panelists agreed that CHP provided substantial advantages for the ethanol facilities in terms of added reliability and reduced energy costs. Another panelist, Dean Karafa (EME) provided insights regarding the design/engineering aspects of CHP facility at ethanol plants.

John Cuttica (MAC) provided the closing remarks with his presentation (available here in PDF format) on "Next Steps," and also thanked the host and the sponsors.

U.S. Department of Energy — Chicago Regional Office, the Midwest CHP Application Center and the Midwest CHP Initiative Conduct the Midwest CHP Roadmap Workshop
March 16-17, 2004
Chicago, IL

Nearly 60 CHP stakeholders from the eight-state Midwest Region participated in the development of the second Midwest CHP Roadmap.

According to John Cuttica (Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center), "The workshop proved to be very productive and beneficial, and brought forth many very useful ideas that will serve to help shape the future of CHP in the Midwest over the next several years."

Preliminary findings from the workshop indicate some of the key action items required to further implement CHP in the Midwest would be to:

1. Work to quantify the ancillary benefits of CHP, including those from blackout avoidance, emissions reductions, and grid enhancement.
2. Increase market focus on free fuel opportunities such as biofuels from various waste and agricultural processes, and pressure reduction valve (PRV) applications.
3. Target the education of the various industry sectors (Customers, regulators, manufacturers, and architects/engineers) on the technical and economic viability of CHP.
4. Leverage and support further development and implementation of the Recycled Energy Branding Campaign as a way to get the concept of CHP out to the public as a more recognizable energy assess and opportunity.
5. Pursue regulatory and legislative actions including standard interconnection and tariff structures, Recycled Energy Standards, low interest loans, and tax credits.

In preparation for the workshop, a survey (PDF format) was sent to all invitees in order to develop a foundation of information regarding what stakeholders perceive to be the key issues surrounding the implementation of CHP in the Midwest. The MAC compiled the data from over 30 completed survey forms it received. The compiled data (PDF format) served as the basis for the workshop discussions and breakout sessions.

The purpose of this Midwest-focused workshop was to:

1. Build upon the National CHP Roadmap activities, verifying the key issues and opportunities defined in the survey.
2. Identify realistic action items/activities that could be undertaken by the CHP stakeholders in the Midwest to address the key issues and opportunities.
3. Provide industry input of allow a roadmap or strategy document to be prepared that will outline how the action items/activities can be implemented.
4. Discuss how to better utilize the limited resources in the Midwest to serve our common goal of providing CHP as a viable energy option in the Midwest.

Peter Dreyfuss (Director, U.S. DOE Chicago Regional Office) welcomed the attendees to the workshop, congratulated the Midwest CHP stakeholders on being national leaders in the implementation of CHP, and challenged the attendees with the importance of the roadmap activities. Gary Nowakowski (Deputy Director, U.S. DOE Chicago Regional Office) discussed the purpose of the workshop and the importance of linking the results of the Midwest activities to the national and other regional CHP efforts.

John Cuttica and Ted Bronson (Chairman, Midwest CHP Initiative) presented the "Status of CHP in the Midwest," and Leslie Farrar (Assistant Director, The MAC) discussed the results of the pre-conference survey in a presentation entitled "Survey Results: Laying Out the Issues." Both are available in PDF format by following the provided links. Following these presentations, the workshop attendees were assigned to one of three working groups;

• Market Development,
• Regulatory,
• Project Implementations.

These groups met independently in separate two-hour breakout sessions to develop the basis for the 2004 Midwest CHP Regional Roadmap due to be published in June 2004. The workshop attendees represented a broad base of CHP industry interests. The attendees included representatives from the State Energy Offices, equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, researchers, and not-for-profit CHP industry associations.

The DOE Chicago Regional Office, the Midwest CHP Application Center, and the Midwest CHP Initiative, appreciate all of the effort and time put forth by the attendees, and offers thanks to all who participated for a job well done! It truly could not have been done without all of those attending.

The MAC Leads a Delegation to the Illinois Commerce Commission Workshop on Interconnections
March 12, 2004
Springfield, IL

Members of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) and the Midwest CHP Initiative (MWCHPI) led a delegation to the Interconnection Workshop hosted by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

The delegation provided industry comments and input to the ICC's Draft Rule on Distributed Generation (DG) Interconnections. John Kelly (GTI) organized the delegation that was led by John Cuttica (MAC). The delegation presented the DG industry's view points on a number of issues including, dispute resolution, interconnection schedules and fees, and network interconnections.

The members of the delegation included, Ted Bronson (Power Engineering Associates), David Martindale (Ballard Engineering), Steve Conrad (Enercon Engineering), Mike Revello (Peoples Energy), and Chuck Berry (GTI).  The delegation thanks Chris Cook (USCHPA/Solar Turbines) for providing valuable insight and the Massachusetts Delegation, led by Sean Casten (Turbosteam Corp.) for providing numerous documents of reference that received strong support at the workshop.

The MAC Participates in a Manufactures Energy Workshop
February 18, 2004
Springfield, IL

Leslie Farrar from the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) made a presentation on CHP and its applicability to small manufacturing facilities at one of a series of workshops held at TechSolve on energy management and efficiency.

The specific workshop was focused on CHP technologies and how to finance them. The Ohio Manufacturers Association, the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, the Energy Industries of Ohio, TechSolve, the Northeast-Midwest Institute, and DOE sponsored the workshop. A copy of the presentation Leslie made is available here in PDF format.

Wisconsin Interconnections Become Law
February 1, 2004
Madison, WI

Wisconsin's interconnection standards become law on February 1 when these standards were published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register. Under this law, there are four categories of distributed generation (DG) facilities, differentiated by the installation’s nameplate capacity:

• Category 1: 20 kW or less
• Category 2: Greater than 20 kW to 200 kW
• Category 3: Greater than 200 kW to 1 MW
• Category 4: Greater than 1 MW to 15 MW

The new law (WI PSC 119), available here in PDF format, defines the application procedures that utilities and customers must observe during the application process. Under the new procedures, utilities must respond to inquiries and conduct engineering reviews within a specified amount of time that varies according to installation size. All applicants are expected to furnish a site plan that shows the location of the disconnect switch and a one-line schematic diagram. The law also spells out the technical, legal and financial obligations that applicants must accept prior to interconnection. Generally speaking, these requirements become more stringent as installation size increases. The new rules will apply to all public utilities, and will govern new DG systems up to 15 MW that are operating in parallel with electric utilities.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) will finalize the required forms soon, according to Paul Helgeson. For more information on Wisconsin's finalized interconnection rules, contact Paul Helgeson at paul.helgeson@psc.state.wi.us or (608) 266-3905.

A Coalition led by GTI and the MAC Submits Industry Comments on the Draft Interconnection Standards Issued by the Illinois Commerce Commission
January 30, 2004
Springfield, IL

In response to the request by the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), Midwest CHP Initiative (MWCHPI) and others, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued a draft standard for the interconnection of distributed generation equipment to the electric utility distribution grid on December 19, 2003. John Kelly of GTI and the MAC led a coalition in developing industry comments. The coalition included members from the MAC, the MWCHPI and the Midwest Cogeneration Association (MCA). Copies of the comments, cover letter, and appendices A, B, and C submitted are available here in PDF format.

The ICC Staff plans to submit its report, including the results of public hearings on a proposed rule, to the Commission by July 2004."

The MAC Makes a Presentation to the Healthcare Environmental Awareness and Resource Recovery Team (HEARRT)
January 8, 2004
St. Paul, MN

The Minnesota Hospital Association hosted the meeting. The meeting attendees included representatives from hospital facilities, local utilities, Minnesota Department of Commerce, area counties, environmental and pollution control agencies, and various hospital and healthcare associations. Cliff Haefke, from the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), made the presentation. He discussed the concept of CHP, and the national, regional and local CHP activities in the healthcare market sector. A copy of his presentation is available here in PDF format.

After the meeting, Cliff met with the lead representatives of the HEARRT and the Minnesota Department of Commerce to discuss future involvement of the MAC for providing technical assistance, education and training workshops for the Minnesota healthcare market sector.

The MAC Discusses Partnership with the U.S. DOE Industrial Assessment Centers in the Midwest Region
December 16, 2003
Chicago, IL

The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) and the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) at the University of Illinois hosted a forum to discuss the formation of a partnership between the MAC and the DOE Midwest IACs.

The objectives of the meeting were to discuss and evaluate establishing a mutually beneficial partnership between the MAC and the Midwest IACs, and to identity the action items for establishing the partnership.

The meeting was attended by the representatives from all six IACs within the region: Iowa State University (Ames, IA), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI), University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL), Bradley University (Peoria, IL), University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI), and University of Dayton (Dayton, OH). The DOE IAC Program Manager, the Director of the Lead IAC (Rutgers University) and a representative from the DOE Chicago Regional Office also attended the meeting.

As a result of the meeting, a partnership between the Regional IACs and the MAC will be pursued because of the benefits and opportunities it will provide. The MAC will draft a partnership agreement confirming the partnership, outlining the mission statement, metrics for success, objectives, and other pertinent information. The next meeting was tentatively set for March 18th.

● Meeting Objectives (by William Worek)

● Industrial Assessment Centers (by Sandy Glatt)

● Regional CHP Application Centers (by John Cuttica)

The MAC Participates in the
2003 MicroGeneration To PowerParks Conference
November 17-18, 2003
Lansing, MI

The focus of the conference was to present the current and upcoming technologies for providing environmentally friendly electric power and provide an opportunity for exchange of ideas for working together to get clean energy technologies installed.

Mike Bednarz from the DOE Chicago Regional Office was one of the keynote speakers. His presentation titled "National and Regional CHP Perspective" is available here in PDF format.

John Cuttica, Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) made a presentation on the subject of "Does CHP Make Sense at My Facility?" which is also available here in PDF format.

The conference also included a "Buyers Forum" that provided opportunity for the attendees to meet the relevant equipment and services providers on a one-on-one basis to discuss specific interests and issues.

The conference was organized by the state of Michigan and sponsored by many organizations, including: MI CIS Energy Office, Michigan Clean Technology Cluster, U.S. Department of Energy, DTE Energy Technologies, WE Energies, NextEnergy, Carrier-UT Power and United Technologies Companies, BTF, Ltd., Clayton Industries, and Ghafari Associates.

The MWCHPI Testified to the Illinois Special Task Force on the Condition and Future of the Illinois Energy Infrastructure of the Lt. Governor Pat Quinn
October 23, 2003
Chicago, IL

Ted Bronson, Chairman of the Midwest CHP Initiative (MWCHPI) testified to the special task force. The focus of his testimony was on the implications of the blackout in the Northeast on Illinois. John Cuttica (Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center), Tom Smith (Vice President, Equity Office Properties), and David Martindale (Vice President, Ballard Engineering) provided support during the testimony and in answering questions after the testimony. The discussion with the task force members was very informative and indicated a favorable interest towards CHP. This testimony is considered key to establishing CHP as a part of the new governor’s legislative campaign. A copy of the transcript is available here in PDF format.

Now Available - The CHP Resource Guide
October 13, 2003
Chicago, IL

The Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Resource Guide was developed and is published by the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC). The primary objective of the Guide is to provide a ready reference for the basic principles CHP and the "Rules-of-Thumb" that apply when considering a CHP application. It is intended to complement the knowledge of those who have some idea of what CHP is by providing "packets" of information to serve as a refresher or provide reference to specific information to assist in performing a first-level screening or assessment of the suitability of CHP to a particular facility. This Guide should be useful to energy engineers, energy auditors, facility operations directors/managers, or others (such as architects, owners or managers of commercial buildings or industrial plants, school district managers, city/town managers) who have some understanding of physical systems in buildings and who have possibly gone through some introductory training or workshop on CHP applications.

The information in the Guide represents the best efforts by the MAC at of the time of publication. This Guide should be utilized ONLY as a reference document for screening and estimating purposes. It is NOT intended as a tool for developing detailed CHP designs or cost estimates. An electronic version of the Guide is now available here in PDF format.

The MAC Participates in the 17th Annual Non-Utility Meeting of the Midwest Cogeneration Association
September 25 , 2003
Chicago, IL

Lt. Governor Pat Quinn provided the keynote opening address at the meeting. He has been recently appointed by Governor Blagojevich to chair the Special Task Force on the Condition and Future of the Illinois Energy Infrastructure. During the Q&A session that followed the Lt. Governor's address, John Cuttica (Director, The Midwest CHP Application Center), Ted Bronson (Chairman, Midwest CHP Initiative) and John Kelly (Director, Distributed Energy Resource Center, Gas Technology Institute) provided comments on issues pertaining to the role of CHP and Distributed Generation in Illinois energy future, such as its ability to support grid infrastructure and provide reliable, high efficiency, and clean power. They also discussed recent efforts and actions to put CHP on a level playing field with central generation units, by accelerating the development of uniform interconnection standards and fair tariff structures within Illinois. The Lt. Governor took note, requesting his aide to follow-up with the MCA, MAC, and the MWCHPI, and agreeing to consider allowing us as a group to provide comments at an upcoming hearing on the recent blackout in the Northeast in August.

The MAC also sponsored a booth for disseminating information about CHP and the services provided by the MAC. John Cuttica and Ted Bronson participated in the panel discussion on "Government Initiatives and What's Driving Today's Market." John Kelly was the luncheon speaker who made a presentation on "Regional Energy Planning."

The MAC Presents at the 4th Annual CHP Roadmap Workshop
September 23-24, 2003, Chicago, IL.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association (USCHPA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored the 2-day workshop. John Cuttica (Director, Midwest CHP Application Center), Ted Bronson (Director, Midwest CHP Initiative), and Gary Nowakowski (DOE - Chicago Regional Office) made a presentation on "Regional CHP Success - The Midwest CHP Initiative and Application Center: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going -CHP Development Successes in the Midwest." The presentation "walked" attendees down the path of the achievements and successes associated with activities for promoting CHP in the Midwest; beginning with the first "Regional Roadmap," to the formation of the first CHP Initiative and the pilot Regional Application Center, onto recognizing the support and of contributions of the eight states in the region to make CHP happen, and closing with the "Next Steps." John Kelly (Managing Director, Gas Technology Institute - MAC Partner) joined the three presenters in a question and answer session following the presentation. Copies of their presentations are available here in PDF format.
John Kelly, along with Mike Stefaniak and Mary Schibel (Schiebel and Halaska) launched the National CHP Branding Campaign. The Midwest CHP Initiative, had started this campaign with support from the MAC, back in 2002, primarily focusing on Illinois. The concept was also recently piloted as part of the National CHP Hospital program, with support from the MAC. A copy of the Branding Campaign presentation, along with all other presentations made at the workshop will soon be available at: http://www.energetics.com/4thchpworkshop/ The MAC also co-sponsored and provided tours of the East and the West CHP facilities of the University of Illinois at Chicago on September 24. Ted Bronson, from Power Equipment Associates, coordinated the meeting on behalf of the U.S. DOE. John Cuttica, Director of the MAC, gave an overview of the MAC accomplishments and lessons-learned during their first 2 years of operation as a pilot RAC. A copy of his presentation is available. Leslie Farrar, Assistant Director of the MAC, discussed "Application Center Tools and Protocols." Copies of her presentation and the information provided in a CD-ROM distributed at the meeting are available by clicking on the appropriate links. Ron Fiskum, Program manager, U.S. DOE made the closing remarks at the meeting and offered words of encouragement to the RAC as they set forth in their journey to the DOE goal of "Doubling CHP by 2010."

The MAC Presents at the Regional CHP Application Centers Kick-Off Meeting
September 22, 2003, Chicago, IL.

Merrill Smith, CHP Program Manager, Office of Distributed Energy Resources, U.S. Department of Energy, made the welcome remarks and explained the three-fold purpose of the kick-off meeting for the new Regional CHP Application Centers (RAC): 1) introduce RAC representatives to one another, and 2) to discuss the expectations from the RAC, and 3) relate the achievements and experiences of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), which served as the pilot center for the Regional Application Center Program. A copy of the meeting agenda is available.

Michigan PSC Adopts Interconnection Rules
July 8, 2003, Lansing, MI.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) issued an order (Case No. U-13745) adopting interconnection standards. These rules could take effect before the original target date of March 1, 2004. In the order, the PSC noted that the target date for implementation is not legally binding. The PSC will continue to process the rules in accordance with statute, and the rules will become effective seven days after their filing with the secretary of state.

The rules cover definitions, utility interconnection procedures, technical criteria, project applications, filing fees, interconnection deadlines, additional services provided by electric utilities, pre-certified equipment, and waivers. For further information see the IREC News letter.

MAC Midwest CHP Electric Tariff Workshop
May 14, 2003, St. Paul, MN

The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), the Midwest CHP Initiative, and the U.S. DOE Chicago Regional Office sponsored the workshop for utility regulators and policy makers. The workshop was co- hosted by the Minnesota State Energy Office. The purpose of the workshop was to share information and engage regulators and policy makers in discussions regarding distributed generation rate/tariff development. Representatives from seven of the eight Midwestern states attended the workshop. Experts in the area of national grid reliability and tariff design made presentations, with an open forum for the attending states to ask question of the experts and amongst themselves. The feedback from conference participants was very positive, indicating that they felt it was beneficial. The workshop agenda is available here in PDF format. Workshop presentations, in PDF format, can be linked to from the agenda or from the Library section of the MAC Website.

MAC Presents at the Minnesota Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Road Show
May 13, 2003, Bloomington, MN

CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco co-hosted the one-day DER Road Show with the U.S. DOE Chicago Regional Office. The DER Road Show has been making it's way around the United States to help streamline siting and permitting processes for new distributed energy technologies by attracting building code officials and other interested parties to learn more about various distributed energy technologies and how they can locally fit in. Participants learned - from the technology experts, equipment manufacturers and distributors, fuel experts, and state and local offices for energy and the environment - about how these new types of systems work and how they interconnect into the existing infrastructure. Discussions focused on local siting, code, and permitting issues. John Cuttica (Director, Midwest CHP Application Center) made a presentation on the utilization of heat available from distributed energy units for facility heating and cooling needs (combined heat and power). A microturbine and a small emergency generator set were on display and representatives from their manufacturers were present to answer questions of the participants. More details about this Road Show are available here.

MAC Provides a CHP Training Workshop for the Wisconsin Energy Center
April 10, 2003, Madison, WI

Dr. William Ryan, a Senior Research Engineer at the Midwest CHP Application Center, conducted the one-day workshop for the Wisconsin Focus on Energy consulting staff. The Wisconsin Focus on Energy is part of the State’s Energy Efficiency program. The workshop was organized and hosted on by Mr. Preston Schutt, from the Wisconsin Department of Administration. The workshop was comprehensive and included presentation and discussion of the following topics:
· Concept
· Opportunities
· Benefits
· Operating Dynamics
· Economic Analysis
A copy of Dr. Ryan’s presentation made at the workshop is available.

MAC Organized a Program on
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for Hospitals”
March 18, 2003, Chicago, IL

The purpose of the program was to encourage hospital executives to evaluate the CHP as an investment in their hospital facilities. The program was conducted in four modules:
Module #1 - The Concept (PDF)
Module #2 - The Business Case (PDF)
Module #3 - Case Studies (A Panel Discussion)
Module #4 - Next Steps and Incentive to Conduct Evaluation (PDF)

The program also included a Financial Fair to provide information on financial community interest in CHP. A PDF version of the Program Agenda is available here and links to the presentations made by the MAC staff ( Leslie Farrar, Bill Ryan and John Cuttica) are shown above for Modules 1, 2 and 4.

Steve Walter (Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Environment, City of Chicago) welcomed everyone, and outlined the purpose of the meeting and the importance of CHP to the City of Chicago Energy Plan.

The following diverse group of executives, with experience in various aspects of CHP systems, from two hospitals, one engineering firm and a finance company were the panelists in the panel discussion:
  1. Roger Wojtowicz, Director of Facilities, Lake Forest Hospital
  2. David Patricoski, President, LaSalle Associates
  3. Thomas White, Vice President, Marathon Capital
  4. Charlie Stevenson, Director of Facilities, NW Community Hospital
The panelists answered questions related to their experience in engineering, financing, owning and operating CHP systems.

The City of Chicago Department of Environment and the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced an incentive program for hospitals for evaluating the potential of CHP for their facilities. The incentive program offers to fund 50% of the cost of a CHP evaluation, with a maximum pay-out of $5,000 to a single hospital. The University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center (UIC/ERC) will administer the program in association with the MAC. More details on this program and CHP Evaluation Guidelines are available here in PDF format.

A diverse group of over 60 attendees participated in the program held at the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council facility in downtown Chicago. The attendees included executives of hospital facilities, engineering and consulting companies, investment companies, and gas and electric utilities.

NICOR and GTI Hosted CHP Information Symposium and Tour of GTI’s CHP Installation and Testing Facility
February 21, 2003, Des Plaines, IL

NICOR and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) hosted a CHP symposium held at the GTI facilities in Des Plaines, IL. The meeting agenda included presentations by Clyde Schafer (NICOR), Ted Bronson (GTI) and Leslie Farrar (MAC). A tour of GTI’s new CHP Installation and Testing facility was also included.

Copies of the following presentations are available in PDF format:
“Local Electric Market Perspective” by Clyde Schafer (NICOR)
"Combined CHP Technologies: An Overview" by Ted Bronson (GTI)
"Supporting CHP Applications in Illinois" by Leslie Farrar (MAC)

A diverse group of 60 attendees participated in the workshop. The attendees represented manufacturing companies, schools, colleges, universities, housing authorities, architect and engineering companies, and federal, state and county government agencies.

Michigan Holds Two Workshops to Discuss Opportunities for Expanding CHP Markets in the State
January 14 and February 19, 2003, Lansing, MI

First Workshop – January 14, 2003
The purpose of the initial workshop was to ascertain whether there was sufficient reason and interest among stakeholders to organize a collective effort to advance CHP market development in Michigan. It was structured around the following three questions:
• What CHP market segments should a Michigan CHP roadmap focus on?
• What are Michigan’s key market barriers to CHP?
• What are the market stimulants a Michigan CHP roadmap should focus on over the next 18 months?

The agenda for the meeting and the presentations made at the meeting will be available here soon. Currently Leslie Farrar's (MAC) presentation, is available here in PDF format.

During the initial part of the meeting, presentations were given by several people to discuss the potential market and opportunities for CHP in Michigan. Later, the more than 50 attendees were classified into five Stakeholder Groups; End Users/Buyers, CHP Suppliers/Developers; Utilities, Government, Engineers/Architects/Planners, and Others.

The meeting was structured as a facilitated session with participants divided into eight working groups to further refine responses to the three questions listed above and then allowed to vote on the responses that best reflected their priorities for a Michigan CHP Roadmap.

Detailed reports for the meetings in January and February, available here in PDF format, and tabulated voting results, available here in Excel Spreadsheet format, were developed. The figures below show the overall results of the voting for the responses to each of the questions.

The final portion of the first workshop was devoted to soliciting ideas from participants about potential CHP Roadmap/Action Plan activities that could be taken over the next 18 months. The list, while not prioritized, served as the continuation point for the second Michigan CHP Stakeholder.

Second Workshop – February 19, 2003
The purpose of this meeting was to determine:
• Should we develop a Michigan CHP Roadmap/Action Plan?
• If so, what should this roadmap/action plan consist of?
• Who is willing to help organize and implement this roadmap?

This workshop was focused on the following three categories, recommended by the first workshop:
1. Regulatory and Policy Initiatives (Regulations)
2. Financial Incentives and Funding (Funding)
3. Marketing, Education, and Outreach (Marketing)

The objective of this meeting was to walk away with action items for each of the 30 attendees to take on a task to help move CHP forward in Michigan with each action item having a “Champion.” MCTC will follow-up with the “Champions” within the next two weeks. A follow-up meeting has been tentatively scheduled for April 2, 2003.

MAC Develops the
Illinois CHP/BCHP Environmental Permitting Guidebook
January 23, 2003, Chicago, IL

The Illinois CHP/BCHP Environmental Permitting Guidebook consists of three documents.

Volume A, "Roadmapping the Permitting Process," details the current permitting process for CHP systems and provides tools in the form of an Emissions Calculator and a Step by Step Questionnaire to efficiently navigate the permitting process. A PDF file of Volume A is available here.

Volume A also includes description of another document, the "Illinois CHP/BCHP Permitting Guidebook Emissions Calculator Spreadsheet." This calculator spreadsheet is available here in Microsoft Excel format.

Volume B, "Permitting Issues (A Survey and Dialogue)," identifies permitting issues as well as potential opportunities to streamline the permitting process based on a survey with 20 current CHP installations and feedback from CHP developers and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. A PDF file of Volume B is available here.

UMAC Participated in an Open House Hosted by Madison Gas and Electric to Discuss a 150 MW Cogeneration Facility Proposed by MG&E and UW-Madison
January 7, 2003, Madison, WI

Leslie Farrar represented the MAC at the meeting and provided handouts explaining CHP, their benefits for reducing emissions and information on several case studies for similar CHP systems operating at other locations. The proposed 150-MW cogeneration facility is planned to support the growing electric demands within the City of Madison and a planned Biostar Facility to be built nearby by the UW-Madison. Go to www.MGE.com/community/cogen/index.htm for further information on the proposed cogeneration facility. A copy of the handouts is provided here in PDF format.

UIC/ERC and GTI Provide Testimonies to the Transition Committee of the Illinois Governor-Elect Rod Blagojevich
December 9, 2002
Chicago, IL

John Cuttica from the University of Illinois at Chicago's Energy Resource Center (UIC/ERC), and Ted Bronson from the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) provided testimony to the Transition Committee of the Illinois Governor-Elect, Rod Blagojevich, for Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. The testimonies were given during an open session held at the Thompson Center in Chicago. Both testimonies supported the deployment of CHP in Illinois and urged the Committee to continue efforts to remove barriers to CHP.

John Cuttica "strongly recommended" that the State's Energy Policy addresses the removal of key barriers, such as grid interconnect standards and increased dialogue on Standby and Backup Tariff issues. Ted Bronson expounded this point in his testimony by saying that CHP applications have been "limited at best" because of the "many legal, regulatory, information, and perceptual barriers." And that "because of these barriers, consumers are not receiving access to or the benefit of these technologies and the country is missing out on an available solution to our energy and environmental goals."

Mr. Cuttica also pointed out that "the Midwest Region and specifically Illinois, is considered the model regarding our ongoing efforts in the area of D/G and CHP by both the USDOE and the USEPA for other States and Regions of the country. This is the result of the active participation and cooperation of the Midwest CHP Application Center, the Midwest CHP Initiative, the Midwest Cogeneration Association (all located in Illinois) and the active participation of the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago."

The full testimonies of John Cuttica and Ted Bronson are provided here in PDF format.

• Testimony Submitted by John Cuttica - (PDF 23kb)
• Testimony Submitted by Ted Bronson - (PDF 15kb)

Joint Task Force Meeting of MAC and MCA
December 5, 2002
Chicago, IL

A Task Force established by the Midwest Cogeneration Association (MCA) meets on a quarterly basis with the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) to:

• Promote coordination of activities between the two CHP organizations
• Provide industry input / guidance to the Application Center
• Identify specific efforts that will promote the growth of CHP in the Midwest

The latest Joint Task Force meeting took place on December 5th, 2002 at the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The Task Force reviewed the status of several ongoing MAC activities and then focused on two specific topics of importance within the Illinois CHP market place:

1. Illinois CHP / BCHP Environmental Permitting Guidebook
2. Inability to Interconnect to the ComEd "Network"

John Cuttica (MAC) provided an overview presentation, available here in PDF format, of the activities that the MAC has been involved in since the last joint meeting. The activities highlighted were:

• The presentation made to the Illinois Commerce Commission on October 1, 2002.
• The CHP (Rules of Thumb) course developed and presented in Minnesota.
• The upcoming CHP workshop targeted specifically at hospital administrators located in the City of Chicago and Northern Illinois (scheduled for early March, 2003).
• Work in progress between the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), Underwriters Laboratory (UL), and ASERTTI to develop equipment certification and testing standards for CHP equipment.

First Focus Issue: Illinois CHP / BCHP Environmental Permitting Guidebook

The Task Force heard presentations from the Illinois EPA (Shashi Shah) and the University of Illinois Energy Resources Center (Steffen Mueller) regarding a US DOE and Illinois DCCA sponsored project to develop an Illinois CHP / BCHP Environmental Permitting Guidebook. The draft of the guidebook, developed by the UIC/ERC is in final review and scheduled for release by the first of the year.

Shashi Shah (Illinois EPA) provided an open forum discussion on Illinois EPA's viewpoint on the air permitting process that would apply to CHP. He discussed website sources for information and forms that might be helpful for permitting a CHP site in Illinois.

Steffen Mueller (MAC) provided an overview, available here in PDF format, of the Permitting Guidebook for Illinois. A few of the salient issues he mentioned during his presentation were:

• As a rule of thumb a facility is generally exempt, if its capacity is less than 1 MW.
• The permit requirements differ significantly whether a project's emissions are above the "Major Source" threshold or below.
• If the emissions of a facility are above the "Major Source" threshold, a facility may need to consider outside help with the permit application.
• However, a project may be able to reduce its emissions below the "Major Source" thresholds and be permitted as "Minor Source" by: a) "netting" the proposed CHP projects emissions with reductions from existing emission units, b) by taking operating limits, or c) by installing more effective pollution control equipment.
• When "netting" is used, it is key to work with IEPA since they can suggest which emissions reductions may apply. Emission offsets that can be claimed from “netting” also vary depending whether the project is located in an attainment area or a non-attainment area.

The Task Force recommended that the MAC and Illinois EPA investigate the possibility of credits being issued as part of the permitting process for the efficiency gains from a CHP system and for the avoided emissions from electric power plants by installing a CHP system.

Second Focus Issue: Inability to Interconnect to the ComEd “Network”

Tom Riemer (President of the MCA) led an open discussion on the issue of ComEd’s reluctance to allow any CHP interconnection to their “Network” system. Since many of the buildings located in the City of Chicago Loop area are on the Network system, this is a huge barrier to the implementation of CHP in the City of Chicago. Many of the Task Force members had recently attended a MCA meeting where the ComEd representative had stated their “official” position on CHP as being neutral, but also stated that ComEd would “never” allow any CHP interconnect to their Network system.

Several MCA Task Force members expressed their frustration with ComEd over this issue. It was pointed out that this type network exists in other states / cities (New York City, San Francisco, and others) and that with the proper precautions, CHP installations have been successfully interconnected to those Network systems.

The Task Force requested that the MAC continue to look into this issue and try to work with ComEd in trying to loosen their stance on interconnecting to their Network system. The following partial list of potential activities resulted from the discussion and brainstorming session. The MAC agreed to review and prioritize the list and attempt to carry out those high priority activities:

• Document case studies of successful interconnects to other network systems.
• Do an engineering evaluation of how a real building in Chicago might be interconnected to the network safely.
• How can FERC small system interconnect guidelines help?
• Who can we work with ComEd on this issue?
• Should we appeal to the Illinois ICC?
• How can we engage ComEd to change their position on CHP from “neutral” to “supportive”?
• How to address the loss of distribution revenues?
• Can we determine what buildings are on the Network?
• How to get uniform interconnect standards for Illinois and can they address this issue?

MAC Hosted a Seminar Organized by the MW CHP Initiative to Discuss the Financial and Energy Benefits of Using Steam Turbines Instead of PRVs
November 26, 2002
Chicago, IL

Sean Casten (TurboSteam Systems) made an impressive presentation and answered questions from the attendees at the two-hour seminar. The attendees at the seminar included representatives from the City of Chicago, Peoples Energy, ComEd, GTI, UIC/ERC, and consulting companies.

The seminar addressed the use of steam turbines instead of commonly used pressure reducing valves (PRVs) in applications where steam pressure needs to be reduced. Per Sean, "Steam turbines can often pay for themselves in less than 3 years by generating electricity as they reduce the steam pressure for the end use application." Sean's presentation was very comprehensive and covered the full spectrum from the basic thermodynamics of how a steam turbine uses only a small amount more energy and generates electricity through the type of applications that provide the quickest payback. He also discussed some rules-of-thumb for assessing installations for favorable paybacks. A copy of his presentation is available here in PDF format.

CHP Training Course Conducted for Minnesota State and Local Energy Offices
November 7, 2002
St. Paul, MN

The Midwest Application Center (MAC) conducted a one-day CHP training course for the Minnesota State and local energy offices. The Minnesota Department of Commerce and the DOE Chicago Regional Office sponsored the course.

Twenty-seven state and local energy office professionals attended the training. Jeff Hasse (Minnesota Department of Commerce) welcomed the attendees and Gary Nowakowski (U.S. DOE, Chicago Regional Office) presented the course introduction. Other speakers at the course included Mr. John Cuttica (Director, MAC), Ms. Leslie Farrar (Assistant Director, MAC), Anders Rydaker (President, St Paul District Heating and Cooling Plant) and Dr. William Ryan (a nationally renowned expert for CHP and absorption chiller applications for buildings) of UIC/ERC.

The course was very comprehensive and included preliminary economic analysis for screening economically attractive projects. A spreadsheet for evaluating preliminary economics of CHP systems is provided here in Microsoft Excel format. An Excel spreadsheet of a walkthrough checklist developed to facilitate gathering of information needed for performing preliminary economic analysis is also available here. The course agenda is available here, in PDF format, with links to available presentations denoted by a blue highlighted (TAB #) in parenthesis. A listing of available Presentations, provided in PDF format, follows:

3rd Annual National CHP Roadmap Workshop
CHP and DER for Federal Facilities
EPA CHP Partnership Meeting
October 23-25, 2002
Boston, MA

About 200 representatives from industry, universities, national labs, and various federal, state and local energy agencies attended the workshop.

The purpose of the National CHP Roadmap Workshop was to track the progress of CHP implementation in the U.S. toward the CHP Challenge Goal, set in 1998. Each year CHP advocates gather to discuss progress toward the goal and determine what actions need to be undertaken in the next year on the "road to 92 GW." The workshop was co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Combined Heat and Power Association (USCHPA), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the International District Energy Association (IDEA) and attended by leading CHP practitioners, equipment manufacturers, energy services companies, and non-governmental associations.

Mr. Ted Bronson (Associate Director, Distributed Generation at the Gas Technology Institute), John Cuttica (Director, MAC), and Leslie Farrar (Assistant Director, MAC) presented the achievements of the Midwest CHP Initiative and the MAC. A copy of their presentation is available here in PDF format.

Ted Bronson and John Cuttica also discussed the CHP component of the City of Chicago Energy Plan through 2010. A copy of their presentation will soon be available here in PDF format.

The final agenda for the meeting is available here. Copies of all presentations made at the meeting are available at the following web site:

http://www.energetics.com/femp-chpworkshop.html

MAC and the Midwest CHP Initiative Met with the Illinois Commerce Commission
October 1, 2002
Springfield, IL

The Midwest Application Center (MAC) and the Midwest CHP Initiative discussed the “Role of CHP in Illinois’ Energy Future.” John Moore (Environmental Law and Policy Center), supported by John Cuttica (Midwest CHP Application Center) and Ted Bronson (Midwest CHP Initiative), made a very comprehensive presentation that covered the following subjects:

• Benefits of CHP, including those for meeting diverse consumer electricity requirements, energy conservation, and grid enhancement
• Review of policies that support CHP and distributed resources (DR)
• Barriers to the full promise of CHP and DR in Illinois
• Recommendations for changes to Illinois law and policy

A copy of the presentation is available here in PDF format.

MicroGeneration to PowerParks 2002
September 23, 2002
Detroit, MI

Mr. Ted Bronson (Associate Director, Distributed Generation at the Gas Technology Institute) made a presentation at the conference on the subject of “Combined Heat and Power.” His presentation included discussion on the CHP benefits, opportunities, government commitment, market potential, technology, market challenges, and regional initiatives and activities. A copy of the presentation is available here in PDF format.

Energizing America's Cities Conference
Co-sponsored by U.S. DOE and the Gas Technology Institute
September 19-20, 2002
Chicago, IL

The City of Chicago, IL won a U.S. competition for Metropolitan Energy and Environmental Planning (MEEP). Energizing America’s Cities (EAC) was the first national sustainable urban energy design competition and conference featuring metropolitan energy and environmental plans from metropolitan regions across the United States.

Chicago’s 2001 Energy Plan won the competition in the electric power generation category. The plan includes application of integrated energy systems for cooling, heating and power. Specifically, the plan commits the city to the goal of meeting its projected 2010 energy demand (a 20% increase over the 2000 demand) with a combination of energy management, CHP, and renewable resources. This strategy is expected to reduce air pollutants and reduce losses due to inefficiency.

The Gas Technology Institute, in cooperation with the United States Department of Energy, the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Japan Gas Association, Cities for Climate Protection Campaign, the Urban Energy Task Force, the energy industry and the planning community, conducted the U.S. competition on metropolitan energy and environmental planning (MEEP).

“Energizing America’s Cities” is the first-ever U.S. competition focusing on showcasing creative and effective programs that demonstrate comprehensive metropolitan energy and environmental planning across the United States. Areas of emphasis in the competition are electric power generation, alternative transportation fuels, future technologies, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

A panel of energy experts currently or previously with organizations or companies including Austin Energy, American Planning Association, Northeast Midwest Institute, California Energy Commission, International Center for Local Environmental Initiatives, Inform, and the U.S. Commerce Department evaluated programs and plans with special attention given to increased efficiency, fuel diversity, and emissions reductions.

More information on EAC organization and the presentations made at above conference, are available at the following URL: http://www.gastechnology.org/pub/aboutgri/2000ar/eac/eacindx8.htm.

Joint Energy Association Meeting
Co-hosted by the Midwest CHP Application Center
September 11, 2002
Chicago, IL

The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) and the Power Generation Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) co-hosted a joint meeting between the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Iliana and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Chicago Section. The meeting participants were given a tour of the 22 MWe CHP Facility on the University’s East Campus. The tour was followed by a presentation by Leslie Farrar (MAC) on the subject of CHP and the activities being undertaken by the MAC. After her presentation, she also gave a demonstration of the MAC and the national CHPB Websites. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

Joint Advisory Task Force Meeting
Midwest Cogeneration Association and Midwest CHP Application Center
August 22, 2002
Chicago, IL
The Midwest Cogeneration Association (MAC) was established in 1984 and represents the interests of the cogeneration industry in the eight-state Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin). It’s membership includes leaders from a variety of organizations in both the public and private sectors along with engineers, end users, equipment vendors, equipment contractors, project financiers, project developers, government officials, educational and utility representatives. The Board of Directors of the MCA recently approved the formation of an Advisory Task Force to meet on a quarterly basis with the Midwest CHP Application Center (Center) to both:
· Provide input and guidance to the Center
· Ensure that both the MCA and the Center programs are well coordinated

The first joint meeting of the MCA Advisory Task Force and the Center was held at the University of Illinois at Chicago campus on Thursday, August 22nd. Also participating in the meeting were representatives from the Midwest CHP Initiative and the US Department of Energy Chicago Regional Office.

The center point of the meeting was a roundtable discussion focused on what activities the Center could and should undertake that would most effectively support the deployment of CHP in the Midwest. Several areas of support were suggested:
· Conduct Forums
· Develop Information Targeted to Specific Market Segments
· Address Interconnection Issues
· Support Feasibility Studies
· Help Identify and Reach Financial Decision Makers
· Address State Utility Commissions on CHP benefits and barriers
· Conduct Case Studies
· Provide information and training to financial decision makers
· Support the Development of Acceptance Standards for CHP Equipment
· Provide Training to …
  - Financial Decision Makers on Financing Options and Assistance
  - Young Engineers on CHP
  - Specific Businesses/Industries on the Implications of CHP

The Midwest CHP Application Center would like to thank the MCA and in particular the Advisory Task Force for their spirited and lively participation in the meeting. The Center looks forward to strengthening its relationships with the MCA and to continued interactions with the MCA Advisory Task Force.

State of Michigan Approves $12.2 Million Grants for Energy Efficiency Projects, Including CHP Systems
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved on July 23, 2002 a second round of grants, totaling nearly $12.2 million for Energy Efficiency projects. The grants will be used to develop and improve the quality of energy efficient technologies, and to create and expand the market for such technologies. Following are the highlights of some of the projects funded by these grants:

• Michigan Economic Development Corporation received $4.2 million to assist the NextEnergy Center and the NextEnergy Zone in the design, construction, and installation of a microgrid system to power through the use of distributed generation and other means.
• Grand Valley State University received $3 million to establish the Energy Center of Excellence, which will help develop, improve, and demonstrate various applications for energy efficiency technologies.
• Ford Motor Company received $1.3 million for the development of a process, and testing of that process via construction of a full-size prototype, designed to capture and destroy volatile organic compounds (emitted as exhaust from industrial painting processes) by using those compounds as a source of energy for fuel cell.
• DTE Energy Technologies, Inc. received $395,000 to fund the installation and operation of three to four combined heat and power fuel cell systems at a high profile location in Michigan, for the purpose of demonstrating the usefulness of combined heat and power fuel cells.
• STM Power, Inc. received $53,200 to serve as the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund's 50% match in covering the cost of installing, operating, maintaining, and Beta testing a 25 kilowatt combined heat and power-based distributed generation unit to be located at the landfill in Belleville.

More details about the grants are available here.

Industrial Assessment Center Directors’ Meeting
July 23, 2002, Breckenridge, CO
Leslie Farrar made a presentation entitled “CHP Opportunities”. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format. For information on the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) visits its Website at http://www.oit.doe.gov/iac/

Clean Michigan Technologies Cluster Meeting
July 11, 2002, Grand Rapids, MI
Leslie Farrar made a presentation entitled “Midwest CHP Application Center”. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

Combined Heat and Power Workshop
Holiday Inn, 350 North Orleans Street, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, July 9, 2002 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The workshop agenda is available here in PDF format with links to available presentations highlighted in blue or look below for a listing of these presentations (provided in PDF format), sorted alphabetically by the presenters' last name.

The objectives of the workshop for Illinois businesses was to discuss

• how CHP can help businesses operate more efficiently
• how CHP can be a capital investment
• how CHP has worked for other Illinois businesses
• how to get a CHP project started
• example case studies in Illinois for large and small commercial, institutional, and industrial applications

A diverse group of 180 participants attended the workshop. The focus of the workshop was on "CHP, the Business Case" and provided information of interest to energy plant managers, building owners energy directors, school district managers, and city/town managers. It was also of interest to architect engineers, real estate brokers, land developers, and financial investors to help them understand the risks and rewards of CHP.

Highlights of the workshop included the following:

• presentations on why CHP is a priority for the city of Chicago, state of Illinois, and the federal government's energy plans for the future;
• case studies highlighting nine CHP installations in Illinois and the Midwest and why they make good business sense; and
• panel discussions on how to get your CHP project started as well as presentations on available financing techniques and technical assistance.

The workshop was sponsored by

• Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs
• City of Chicago Department of Environment
• U.S. EPA Combined Heat and Power Partnership
• U.S. Department of Energy Chicago Regional Office

Some of the presentations (not previously highlighted at this Website) included the following:

Dr. William Worek (Director and Professor, UIC Energy Resources Center) made a presentation entitled “CHP as an Option in Illinois and Chicago.” His presentation included discussion on CHP equipment, when to consider CHP, utility rates and costs, CHP policy issues in Illinois, and status and potential of CHP. A copy of his presentation is available here in PDF format.

John Cuttica (Director, Midwest CHP Application Center, UIC Energy Resources Center) moderated a panel discussion on “How to get your CHP Project Started?” Three panelists discussed three important areas: Is CHP Right for Your Facility? (by Walt Smith, Principal, ETSI Consulting); How to Address Grid Interconnect/Stand-by Rates? (by Joe Sinclair, President, Ballard Engineering); How to Get Your Project Permitted? (by John Moore, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law and Policy Center). A listing of these presentations, sorted alphabetically by the presenters' last name is available below.

Leslie Farrar (Assistant Director, Midwest CHP Application Center, UIC Energy Resources Center) made a presentation in the session on Available Assistance moderated by Gary Nowakowski (U.S. DOE, Chicago Office). She discussed the kinds of assistance that can be provided by the Midwest CHP Application Center. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

A listing of Presentations (provided in PDF format), sorted alphabetically by the presenters' last name, follows:

Center for Business Initiatives
June 27, 2002, Chicago, IL
Leslie Farrar made a presentation entitled “Integrate a Cogeneration Plant in a University Setting-The Economic Benefits”. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

FEMP DER Workshop
June 25-26, 2002, Chicago, IL
Leslie Farrar made a presentation entitled “Engineering Analysis/Feasibility Studies”. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

Association of Energy Engineers Iliana Meetings
May 8, 2002, Oak Lawn, IL
Leslie Farrar made a presentation entitled “Midwest Regional Application Center for Cooling, Heating, and Power (CHP) for Buildings.” A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

DOE Integrated Energy Systems Peer Review Meeting
April 30 - May 2, 2002, Nashville, TN
Participants at the meeting represented federal and state agencies, DOE laboratories, private industry, nonprofit organizations, and academia. They came to the conference to exchange ideas and learn about the latest results and plans of the Office of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) relating to advances in integrated energy systems and thermally-activated technologies.

Ms. Leslie Farrar, Lead Engineer of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), presented the achievements, plans and lessons learned by the MAC. She also presented the results of the Baseline Characterization studies conducted by MAC for Illinois and Michigan. These studies include installed and potential capacities for CHP, energy prices, policies and regulations, financial incentives, partners, and utility contacts. A copy of her presentation is available here in PDF format.

Mr. Ted Bronson, Associate Director, Distributed Generation at the Gas Technology Institute presented the achievements and status of a DOE-funded project for the development of a "Reciprocating Engine-Driven Modular IES." The GTI project team includes, The Trane Company, Ballard Engineering, Charles Equipment Company, and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). A copy of his presentation is available here in PDF format.

DOE Reciprocating Engines Peer Review Meeting,
April 23-24, 2002, Chicago, IL
Participants at the meeting represented federal and state agencies, DOE laboratories, private industry, nonprofit organizations, and academia. They came to the conference to exchange ideas and learn about the latest results and plans of the Office of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) relating to advanced reciprocating engine technologies.

Mr. John Cuttica, Director of the Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC), discussed the potential of CHP applications in the Midwest. His presentation included discussions of critical policy issues, market challenges and misconceptions. He also presented achievements and plans of the MAC and its coordinated activities with the Midwest CHP Initiative. A copy of his presentation is available here in pdf format.

Mr. Ted Bronson, Associate Director, Distributed Generation at the Gas Technology Institute made a presentation on "The Role of Natural Gas-Fired Reciprocating Engines in the Distributed Energy Market-Market Forces and Opportunities". A copy of his presentation is available here in pdf format.

Demonstrations of the MAC Website, launched in late March, were given to many of the attendees at the MAC booth at the conference.

Copies of all presentations made at the meeting are available on-line at:
http://erendev.nrel.gov/der/recip_engines_conf_02.html

CHP Economic Assessment Training
April 15-17, 2002, Chicago, IL

A 3-day seminar was held (April 15 through 17) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The Midwest CHP Application Center (MAC) and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) sponsored the training. Walt Smith of ETSI Consulting, Incorporated (shown in picture) conducted the training. The purpose of the training was to train additional personnel on how to assess a site for CHP and to increase awareness of the characteristics that make a site a good candidate for a CHP system. Attendees at the training included personnel from the MAC, Illinois Department of commerce and Community Affairs, GTI, Chicago Department of the Environment and ERC Energy Auditors.

The course material covered many topics for assessing the economics of CHP systems for a site, including the following:

• Site information required
• Quick evaluation methodology
• Equipment & technology options
• Spreadsheet model for financial analysis
  (annual savings, payback period, and internal rate of return)

The participants felt that the course was beneficial and that it provided them with practical information they would use.

March 27-28, 2002
GLOBALCON Energy/Facilities Management Conference & Expo
Philadelphia, PA
www.aeecenter.org/seminars

March 25-26, 2002
Fundamentals of Cogeneration & On-site Generation
Philadelphia, PA
www.aeecenter.org/seminars

March 22, 2002
Indiana/Caterpillar CHP Workshop
Indianapolis, IN
Ethan Rogers, (317) 232-8961

March 20-23, 2002
Building Energy Conference
Medford, MA
www.nesea.org; 877-44SOLAR, ext. 20

March 12-14, 2002
DOE Gas Turbine and Microturbine Programs Peer Review
Fairfax, VA
Debbie Haught, (202) 586-2211

Feb 12, 2002
Distributed Generation Interconnection Workshop
Chicago, IL
Invite Only; Stefan Mueller (312) 355-3982 muellers@uic.edu

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Last Revised: Thursday, 12-Nov-2009 13:32:33 EST