U.S. DOE Natural Gas/Renewable Energy Hybrids Workshops

Table of Contents

• Disclaimer
• General Conference Information
• Papers and Presentations

Disclaimer
This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government or any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

General Conference Information

Technical advancements in natural gas end-use and renewable technologies have made these systems the choice for efficient and environmentally clean energy supply and electrical power generation. When used together in hybrid combinations, synergistic benefits can result in lower costs and reduced emissions through increased capacity factors and higher efficiencies. Some of the technology combinations could include fuel cells, turbines and microturbines, and reciprocating engines in hybrid configurations with solar, wind, biomass, or geothermal technologies. Additionally, the cost and environmental advantages of these advanced power generation technologies can be enhanced by the utilization of opportunity fuels, including biogenerated gases and renewable fuels along with natural gas.

The purpose of the workshops was to explore the potential of these natural gas/renewable energy power generation systems, determine the synergies among the technology and fuel combinations, discuss the R&D needed to take advantage of these synergies, and understand the issues related to regulation and implementation of these hybrids. The workshops were of interest to scientists, engineers, university professors and their students, as well as energy and environmental policy makers.

The workshops were a collaborative effort between the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The first workshop was conducted on August 7-8, 2001, at NETL in Morgantown, West Virginia, and the second on August 21-22, 2001, at NREL in Golden, Colorado. Although the agendas of the two workshops are similar, they will have a regional flavor emphasizing the technology and fuel combinations that are appropriate for either the eastern or western locations. Both workshops included panel sessions and facilitated breakout sessions to discuss issues and obtain input to achieve the workshops' objectives. Each workshop included a tour of the research facilities of the host laboratory. The results of the workshops have been combined into this joint proceedings document that is publicly available via the web. 

The two Workshops at NETL and NREL were differentiated by their focuses on different renewable resources. The Workshop at NETL focused on hybrid technologies that utilize natural gas or natural gas-fueled technologies with renewable resources, which include landfill gas, sewage treatment gas, wood and wood waste, fuel crops and crop residue, and animal waste. The Workshop at NREL focused on hybrid systems based on renewable energy technologies including solar, wind, biomass, or geothermal with natural gas or natural gas-fueled technologies.

Papers and Presentations

National Energy Technology Laboratory
Morgantown, WV - August 7-8, 2001

Plenary Session: — Opening Remarks

Remarks of Robert S. Kripowicz [PDF-27KB], Acting Assistant Secretary,
Fossil Energy, U.S. DOE

Renewable Energy, Natural Gas, and Other Hybrid Systems: Activities within EERE Office of Power Technologies [PDF-1658KB]
Robert Dixon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Power Technologies, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, U.S. DOE

Natural Gas and Renewables, Greener Sooner [PDF-970KB]
Rita A. Bajura, Director, U.S. DOE, NETL

Richard Truly, Director, NREL

Panel Session — Technology Needs for Natural Gas/Renewable Hybrids

Landfill Gas to Energy [PDF-857KB]
Mark Messics, Waste Management, Inc.

Fuel Cell Operation on Anaerobic Digester Gas [PDF-1335KB]
Ron Spiegel, U.S. EPA

Hybrid Systems Development by the Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. [PDF-418KB]
Joseph Pierre, Siemens-Westinghouse Power Corporation

1. Natural Gas + Renewable Reciprocating Engine Technology and 2. Hybrid Recip + Gas Turbine [PDF-116KB]
Thomas Ryan, Southwest Research Institute

Gary Burch, U.S. DOE, Office of Distributed
Energy Resources

Breakout Sessions — Natural Gas/Renewable Hybrid Systems: R&D needs, technical barriers, system economics, and crosscutting issues

Hybrid Landfill Gas Systems Breakout Session Summary Report[PDF-33KB]

Hybridization of Animal Waste & Sewage Treatment Plant with Natural Gas [PDF-10KB]

Hybrid Wood Energy Systems Breakout Session Summary Report [PDF-42KB]

Fuel Crops and Crop Residue Breakout Session[PDF-96KB]

Plenary Session — Industry & International Perspectives

Fueling the Future: Natural Gas & New Technologies a Cleaner 21^st Century [PDF-31KB]
Julie Kabous, American Gas Association

Developing Countries and Hybrid Energy Systems: A World Bank Perspective [PDF-1743KB]
Ajay Mathur, The World Bank

Panel Session — Regulatory and Implementation Issues for Natural Gas/Renewable Hybrids

Brent Alderfer, Community Energy, Inc.

Landfill Gas & Air Permitting at the Fresh Kills Landfill, LFGas Collection and Odor Control System [PDF-709KB]
Michael Barboza, Keyspan Business Solutions

Richard McClelland, Energy Signature Associates, Inc.

Gary Nakarado, NREL

Role of Natural Gas in Promoting Bioenergy as a Component of the Sustainable Energy Scenario [PDF-944KB]
Suresh Babu, Gas Technology Institute

Distributed Power Interconnection [PDF-1624KB]
Richard DeBlasio, NREL

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Golden, CO - August 21 & 22, 2001

Plenary Session — Opening Remarks

William Parks, U.S. DOE, Associate Deputy
Assistant Secretary, Office of Power Technologies,
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Marvin Singer, U.S. DOE, Sr. Advisor and Director of
the Office of Advanced Research, Office of Fossil Energy

U. S. DOE Natural Gas/Renewable Energy Hybrids Workshop [PDF-5376KB]
Richard Truly, Director, National Renewable
Energy Laboratory

Rita Bajura, Director, U.S. DOE National Energy
Technology Laboratory

Panel Session — Market Opportunities & Technology Status of Gas/Renewable Hybrids

Reliable Power -- Worldwide [PDF-1389KB]
Jito Coleman, Northern Power Systems, Renewable
Hybrid Power Systems

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems [PDF-252KB
Frank Gibbard, H Power, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems

Concentrating Solar/Gas Hybrids [PDF-367KB]
Randy Gee, Duke Solar, Solar Hybrid Systems

Greg Jaunich, Navitas Energy,Wind Hybrid Systems

Bio-based/Natural Gas Hybrids: New Power Systems Options for the Distributed Generation Marker [PDF-142KB]
Art Lilley, CPC, Bioenergy Hybrid Systems

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems [PDF-384KB]
Gary Burch, U.S. DOE, Office of Distributed Energy Resources (EERE)

Market Sector Opportunities for Hybrid Systems

Joe Iannucci, Distributed Utility Associates, Distributed Energy Systems

Breakout Session (By Market Sector)

Group 1: Commercial & Industrial [PDF-104KB]
(commercial power parks, industrial power quality, integrated building systems)

Group 2: Breakout Session Results Group II – Village Power [PDF-51KB]
(village power, remote off-grid power, water resource management)

Group 3: Utility or Societal Value Summary Results [PDF-122KB]
(distribution grid support, power price stabilization, green power)

Plenary Session

Future Oil and Gas Resources of the World—Unresolved Issues [PDF-3894KB]
Thomas Ahlbrandt, U.S. Geological Service, Future
Gas Resources of the World

Natural Gas as a Bridge to a Renewable Energy Future [PDF-960KB]
Robert Stokes, Gas Technology Institute, Natural Gas:
A Bridge to a Renewable Energy Future

Panel Session — Market & Institutional Barriers

Distributed Power Hybrids: Technical & Regulatory Barriers - Domestic [PDF-901KB]
Dick Friedman, Resource Dynamics Corporation,
Technical and Regulatory Barriers-Domestic

Renewable Hybrid System Applications around the World [PDF-3184KB]
Roger Taylor, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 
Technical & Regulatory Barriers-International

Dick Bradshaw, Columbus Newport, Financial 
Issues in Distributed Energy Systems

NETL Conference Services Information

NETL Event Management
National Energy Technology Laboratory
Phone: (412) 386-6044
FAX: (412) 386-6486
E-mail: kimberly.yavorsky@netl.doe.gov