water issues for energy development - law seminars … gish thomas 6-5... · 2012-06-16 · water...

Speakers 25 & 26: Elizabeth Thomas and Kenneth J. Gish, Jr. of K&L Gates a-

Law Seminars International | Washington Water Law | 6/4/07 in Seattle, WA

1

Water Issues for Energy Development

Presented by:Elizabeth Thomas [email protected] 206.370.7631Kenneth J. Gish [email protected] 206.370.6585

Washington Water Law ConferenceJune 4-5, 2007Seattle, Washington

Introduction

When do we need water for power? Traditional hydropower Traditional thermal generation (gas, coal, nuclear)

Water-cooled Dry-cooled

Alternative energy resources Alterative hydro Other alternative resources (wind, solar, landfill gas,

biomass, etc.)



2

Traditional hydropower

PNW is uniquelydependent:

Hydro

52%

Natural Gas

21%

Petroleum

0%

Nuclear

3%

Wind

1%

Biomass

3%

Coal

20%

Source: Northwest Power and Conservation Council

But the picture is changing …

1960 1980 2003

Other

Wind

Uranium

Natural Gas

Hydro

Coal

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0

Aver

age

Meg

awat

ts

Source: Northwest Power and Conservation Council



3

Hydropower regulation

FERC: Project license/relicense NEPA ESA §7 consultation Mandatory and recommended agency conditions Shoreline permitting

State: Water right 401 certification Shoreline Management Act

Source Northwest Power and Conservation Council

Large-Scale Hydro

Few if any new projects Relicense existing projects

License 30-50 years ECPA impact (Cushman)

Expand/upgrade existing projects Key issues:

Fish Water quality



4

FERC’s Integrated Licensing Process

Goals: Streamlining Predictability

Means: Substantial pre-filing process Ongoing narrowing of issues Procedure to challenge study design Procedure to challenge proposed mandatory

conditions (EPAct)

Source: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

* Section 241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 in pink.



5

Mandatory conditioning agencies

FPA Section 4(e) “Reservations” USFS (Cushman) Interior

FPA Section 18 “Fishways” NOAA Fisheries US Fish & Wildlife Service

CWA Section 401 – conditions on WQC

Traditional Thermal: Chehalis Power Case Study

CCCT - ~ industrial facility – including: Land use approval Fuel supply (natural gas, distillate) Water supply for cooling (~ 90% evaporation), steam

production, inlet fogging & other purposes Transmission service Wastewater discharge Air emissions

Size (460 MW) → EFSEC jurisdiction



6

Source: Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council

Progressive Water Supply Planning

#1: Aquifer storage Store surplus winter water for summer withdrawal Technically feasible Wholly unacceptable to community

#2: Reclaimed water Use City effluent whenever available Build new WWTP, treat all effluent regardless of need Supplement under City permit in summer EFSEC: ok. Governor: no raw water from City.



7

Final Water Supply Plan

Use air instead of water to cool equipment Saves ~ 90% of water Costs ~ 3% in efficiency, air emissions; bulkier, noisier facility

Water supplied by City, subject to conditions City Permit - 50 cfs instream flow; WAC - 165 cfs

Retire 102 acre-feet of local water rights Construct storage Limited rate of purchase of water in summer No purchase at ≤ 165 cfs except from city conservation Limited authority to fire with distillate in summer Pay Ecology $16,000

Image © Suez Energy Resources NA



8

Better?

Less total consumption of water Indirect increase of City’s instream flow requirement 3-year construction delay No wastewater reclamation; no $$ for City WWTP Lower electrical output per unit of fuel Higher air emissions per unit of fuel

New Hydropower Technologies:Which Bandwagon to Jump On?

Images © Finavera Renewables



9

Small or Add-On Hydro

Anywhere water flows down hill is a hydro site Swalley Irrigation District (Bend, OR)

Piping 5.1 miles of Swalley Canal Conserving 27 cfs Preventing “attractive nuisance”

Pressure issues at end of pipe 1 MW hydropower plant

Estimated $250,000/year

Ocean Wave and Tidal Current Generation

Potential for 350-terawatthours per year

Technical challenges FERC issued NOPR to

address preliminary permitsfor wave/tidal power

Prototype Projects world-wide

Images © Washington State Department of Ecology & Finavera Renewables



10

Ocean Power Delivery LTD.Pelamis Wave Energy Converter

Wave Farm(Artist’s Impression)

Full scale prototype in the North Sea

Images © Ocean Power Delivery Ltd.

Enersis Wave Farm – Portugal

Phase I in progress Three Pelamis WECs

Phase II Expand to approx 22.5 MW 15,000 homes 60,000 tonnes of CO2

Images © Ocean Power Delivery Ltd.



11

Finavera AquaBuOY System

AquaBuOY Array


AquaBuOY

FinaveraAquaBuOY System

Point Absorber Approximate .25 MW per

buoy Power transmitted via

submerged cable to shore




12

Makah Bay Pilot Project

Four AquaBuOY conversionbuoys (1 MW total)

Applied for minor licensewith FERC Alternative Licensing

Process Completed Environmental

Assessment in Oct. 2006

Images © Washington State Department of Ecology

Tidal Power Generation Similar conceptually to

Wind Turbines Siting Concerns

Multi-directional Prototypes and Site

Evaluation

Turbine Field underwater (artisitic impression)

Nose Cone underconstruction

Images © Verdant Power, LLC



13

Verdant PowerRoosevelt Island Tidal Energy Site (RITE) Free-flowing, bi-directional

turbines Rated capacity of 21kW per

turbine Goal is 10 MW NEPA Scoping Process

underway Field test successful

Image © Verdant Power, LLC

Aerial view of Roosevelt Island from Manhattan

Verdant PowerRoosevelt Island Tidal Energy Site (RITE)

Test area cross-section

Turbine onmonopile

Images © Verdant Power, LLC



14

Verdant PowerRoosevelt Island Tidal Energy Site (RITE)

Image © Verdant Power, LLC

Puget Sound Tidal Current Development

Snohomish PUD Seven Preliminary Permits

issued early 2007 Tacoma Power

Tacoma NarrowsPreliminary Permit

Eight total sites underinvestigation

Images © Washington State Department of Ecology

Tacoma Narrows

Deception Pass



15

Which Bandwagon?

Image © Washington State Department of Ecology

In-line and End of Pipe Hydro Known technology – lower risk Lower potential yield – lower reward

Wave and Ocean Current Generation New technology – higher risk Enormous power potential – higher reward

Financial Incentives Tax credits Sales of Renewable Energy Credits

Questions?

water issues for energy development - law seminars … gish thomas 6-5... · 2012-06-16 · water...

Documents