Sorbent Traps and Mercury CEMS Options to be Debated on May 8, 2014
The McIlvaine “Hot Topic Hour” on May 8 at 10:00 a.m. CDT will probe for answers
to the questions relative to choices for monitoring mercury. A number of U.S.
utilities have opted for sorbent traps over mercury CEMS. So this raises the
questions:
Should you use sorbent traps or mercury CEMS?
·
Cost?
·
Reliability?
·
Process control?
·
Site specific variables such as mercury quantity?
Should you use both? One for compliance and one for process control.
Does the sorbent trap also measure particulate mercury?
What about compliance aspects? If one approach gives higher measurements
than another, why not choose the one with the lower emissions and play it safe?
We are going to have a number of experts functioning as panelists to try to
answer these questions.
Jim Staudt,
Owner, Andover Technology Partners
Daniel Chang,
P.E., AQC Business Development, B&V Energy, Black & Veatch Corporation
Dr. Heather Byrne,
R&D Director, Carbonxt, Inc.
Dan Kietzer,
Business Development Manager
Jeremy Whorton,
P.E., CEMS Product Manager-Americas, Air Quality Instruments, Thermo Fisher
Scientific
Michael (Mike) P. Martin, Senior
Project Manager, TRC Environmental Corporation
John Pavilish,
EERC
We also expect and encourage a number of others with valuable contributions to
join us as well.
The discussion will be based on presentations and case histories already
available in a dedicated website:
Mercury Removal - Continuous Analyses
This site already has the power point presentations by the CEMS and sorbent trap
people. One presentation which makes a strong case for sorbent traps is:
The webinar is free of charge to power plants and other operators of
mercury monitoring systems. The website is accessible free of charge to
everyone and is designed to provide the necessary background information for all
the decisions relative to mercury emission compliance.
To register for “Sorbent Traps and Mercury CEMS
Options” webinar, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=675
Renewable Energy Briefs
Google and MidAmerican Energy Company Announce Renewable Energy Agreement in
Iowa
Google and MidAmerican Energy announced an agreement for MidAmerican Energy to
supply Google's Council Bluffs, IA data center with up to 407 megawatts of
wind-sourced energy. The wind power will come from several wind projects that
are part of MidAmerican Energy's Wind VIII program, an initiative under which
MidAmerican Energy will bring 1,050 megawatts of new Iowa wind power online by
the end of 2015. This agreement fully supplies the first phase of Google's
facilities in Council Bluffs with 100 percent renewable wind energy, bundled
with and tracked by renewable energy certificates, and will allow additional
phases to be supplied with wind-sourced energy as the company grows in Iowa.
Google has been working with MidAmerican Energy to procure additional renewable
resources since the construction of Google's data center in Iowa in 2007, and
when MidAmerican Energy filed for approval for Wind VIII it had companies like
Google in mind as customers.
This agreement represents Google's seventh and largest renewable energy purchase
to date, bringing the total amount of renewable energy Google has contracted for
to over one gigawatt (1,000 megawatts).
U.S. Military Breaks New Ground with Largest Solar installation
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Army marked the
start of a major renewable energy project at Fort Huachuca, AZ that will be the
Department of Defense’s largest solar installation. The 155-acre project
leverages private financing and is expected to exceed 18-megawatts of clean
power and provide 25 percent of the military base’s power. Officials kicked off
the project with a groundbreaking ceremony at the base where construction is set
to begin in the next few days.
The project is a collaboration between GSA, the Army Energy Initiatives Task
Force, Fort Huachuca, TEP and its developer E.ON Climate & Renewables. The deal
was struck using a GSA areawide public utility contract, which allows federal
agencies to get the utility services they need to serve the American people.
Under the agreement, TEP will fund, own, maintain and operate the project, and
contract with E.ON for the design, engineering, procurement and construction.
The new solar panels will ease stress on the local power grid. Beyond
providing Fort Huachuca electricity options, the project promotes the U.S.
Army's energy security objectives. The base will now have the ability to
“island” and run electric power completely off the grid using its solar power
source when needed.
Governor Cuomo’s Successful NY-Sun Solar Program Will Shine Through 2023
Businesses, advocates, and environmental groups joined together to applaud Gov.
Andrew Cuomo for extending the successful NY-Sun Initiative to install ten times
more solar power in New York State by 2023. Announced in honor of Earth Week,
the Governor’s bold expansion of the state’s landmark solar program will support
thousands of jobs, lower solar costs and increase energy reliability for New
Yorkers.
“In just three years, New York has gone from a couple hundred rooftops with
solar panels statewide to cracking the top ten states in solar installations
nationwide,” said Kit Kennedy, Clean Energy Counsel at the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) in New York. “This announcement will help increase our
progress more than ten-fold—taking us to a level never before seen in the state,
and cementing New York as a national leader on solar power.”
Alaska Power & Telephone Files FERC Preliminary Permit Application for 25 MW
West Creek Hydropower Project on Alaska/Yukon Border
Alaska Power & Telephone announced that it has filed a Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) preliminary permit application for the West Creek Hydropower
project. The proposed 25 MW project would be located on West Creek, a tributary
of the Taiya River, near the City of Skagway in southeast Alaska.
The West Creek project would provide a new supply of clean, renewable energy to
the communities of Skagway and Haines, reducing dependency on diesel-fired
generation, and ensuring a supply of affordable renewable energy for future
community and economic growth. Energy surpluses not used by the community could
be used to power cruise ships berthing in Haines and Skagway, and help meet the
growing energy needs of Canada’s neighboring Yukon Territory.
New GEA Report Details Trends and Substantial Growth in the Global Geothermal
Market
A new report from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), released at the
organization’s International Geothermal Showcase in Washington, D.C., reveals
the international power market is booming, with a sustained growth rate of 4
percent to 5 percent The “2014 Annual U.S. & Global Geothermal Power Production
Report” finds almost 700 projects currently under development in 76 countries.
Threats caused by climate change and the need for a renewable energy source that
can satisfy both firm and flexible grid needs are among the key factors driving
the international community to invest in geothermal power.
International geothermal market growth was up, while stateside growth held
steady; 85 MW of the total global 530 MW of new geothermal capacity in 2013 was
in the U.S., according to the new GEA report. U.S. growth was flat because of
policy barriers, gridlock at the federal level, low natural gas prices and
inadequate transmission infrastructure.
U.S. additions in Utah, Nevada, California, and New Mexico kept the industry on
the map domestically in 2013, and future growth looks promising. “The geothermal
resource base is still largely untapped,” noted Ben Matek, GEA’s Industry
Analyst. “With new initiatives in Nevada, California and Oregon moving to
recognize the values of geothermal power, we are optimistic that state policies
could spark another period of growth in geothermal power over the next decade,”
he added.
For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update
please visit:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Brochure/renewable_energy_projects_brochure.htm
Headlines for April 25, 2014 – Utility E-Alert
UTILITY E-ALERT
#1172 – April 25, 2014
Table of Contents
COAL – US
§
Hayden Station (Colorado) Coal-fired Power Plant to get Emissions Reduction
Upgrades
§
Federal Judge in St. Paul strikes down Minnesota’s Anti-Coal Energy Law
§
We Energies selects URS for Valley Power Plant Coal to Gas Conversion in
Wisconsin
§
Governor Pat McCrory calls for New Regulation of Coal Ash Ponds in North
Carolina
§
Citizens ask Wyoming DEQ to revoke Two Elk Power Plant Permit
COAL – WORLD
GAS/OIL – US
BUSINESS
§
PMFG awarded Two New Material Orders with a Combined Value of Over $9 Million
§
Calpine sells Six Power Plants in $1.6B Deal
§
US FERC approves NRG Energy, Chevron Power Plant Swap in California
§
Mercury Reduction Market Expanding Outside the US
§
$21 Billion NOx Reduction Market In 2015
HOT TOPIC HOUR
For more information on the Utility Tracking System, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/89-42ei
McIlvaine Hot Topic Hour Registration
On Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Central time, McIlvaine
hosts a 90 minute web meeting on important energy and pollution control
subjects. Power webinars are free for subscribers to either
Power Plant Air Quality Decisions or Utility Tracking System. The
cost is $300.00
for non-subscribers.
See below for information on upcoming Hot Topic Hours. We welcome your input
relative to suggested additions.
|
DATE |
SUBJECT |
|
|
May 8, 2014 |
Sorbent Traps and Mercury CEMS
Options |
Sorbent traps are competitive |
|
May 15, 2014 |
Gas Intake Filters: HEPA or
Medium Efficiency |
|
|
May 29, 2014 |
Stellite Delamination in Power
Plant Steam Valves |
|
|
June 5, 2014 |
Dry vs. Wet Cooling |
Surprising number of ACC’S. Why? |
|
June 12, 2014 |
HRSG Issues (Fast Start, Tube
Failures) |
Lots of challenges to cycle 200
X/yr |
|
June 26, 2014 |
CCR |
$ billions Needed |
|
July/August 2014 |
Boiler Feedwater Treatment
Condensate Polishing for
Peaking Turbines
316 B Water Issues
Gas Turbine Permitting Issues
Give us your opinion about
topics we should consider
|
To register for the “Hot Topic Hour”, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=675
----------
You can register for our free McIlvaine Newsletters at:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_rsform&formId=5
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
191 Waukegan Road Suite 208 | Northfield | IL 60093
Ph: 847-784-0012 | Fax: 847-784-0061