CHP/Microgrids

CHP-Microgrids Button PictureL&S has extensive combined heat and power and distributed generation technology experience in commercial, institutional and industrial applications. Part of this experience includes the technical review and assessment of CHP projects completed on behalf of NYSERDA. In addition, we have supported NYSERDA in the development of the existing CHP program and we have managed a CHP R&D demonstration project. L&S Energy Services has been providing support to NYSERDA and review of combined heat and power feasibility studies since it was purely an R&D offering. This has included report reviews and program development.

L&S Energy Services provides microgrid, combined heat and power, power generation, and renewable power technology consulting and evaluation services. Our relevant microgrid project experience spans well over a two decades – in New York State, nationally and internationally. L&S’ consulting practice is focused on providing clients cost effective energy analysis, energy efficiency and energy conservation strategies and consulting. L&S staff have over 100 years combined experience, in thousands of facilities, in the evaluation of power generation systems, renewable technologies, energy efficiency technologies, feasibility assessments, building and system modeling, and monitoring and verification projects.

Review of Combined Heat and Power Technical Feasibility Studies

L&S has reviewed a total of 78 Combined Heat and Power Technical Feasibility Studies in the past six years. These were comprehensive reviews that included data analysis and energy savings calculations, and overall evaluation of the completeness of the applicant’s report and project workscope. Sites for the CHP projects were located throughout New York State. Projects included hospitals, schools, farms, major universities, high rise office buildings and industrial buildings.

Microgrids

The objective of a Microgrid or Community-Microgrid assessment is to determine if a viable solution can meet the overall technical, economic, reliability, and environmental goals required for a specific application. Given the increasing competitive business climate and strengthening ties to the local community, business owners are pushing for more energy efficient operations, introduction of renewables to reduce their emissions footprint, and better control over energy costs and reliability.

Renewable energy resources such as solar arrays and wind turbines are variable resources that introduce instability on the electric distribution system. While renewables reduce the emissions footprint of the site, the added instability can reduce electric system reliability which can interrupt high power quality system and mission critical processes.

To better control energy costs and reliability while introducing energy efficiency and renewable technology solutions, microgrids have emerged as one of the key solutions for industry. Microgrids are clusters of energy sources, storage, loads, local networks, and controls organized to deliver a common set of community or campus-based economic, reliability, and environmental objectives while connected to the main grid, or operated as an electrical island, as the community objectives determine.

The first step in a feasibility study is to complete a Phase 1 Microgrid assessment. This assessment will focus on an identified development that leverages any planned or existing energy efficiency and distributed energy resources, proposes additional distributed energy resources as needed, and meets the goals of high reliability throughout the year and especially during natural disasters. Financial pro forma models will be developed that provide near term and long term lifecycle models.

The primary goal of a Microgrid Assessment is to quantify and scope the Microgrid. The evaluation should be used as a basis for selecting the required distributed energy resources, scope, and project economics. The result of the assessment is typically a conceptual design and estimated economics that provide sufficient information for a project owner to decide whether or not to move forward with the project and commission a design consultant to proceed with a detailed design. We address the evaluation of facilities, identification of potential Microgrid resources, evaluation of Microgrid resource integration, provide a recommended Microgrid solution and an associated economic analysis.