Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Renewable Resources To Power A University - A Model For Regional Sustainable Development
EPA Grant Number: SU832490Title: Renewable Resources To Power A University - A Model For Regional Sustainable Development
Investigators: Steward, Brian , Ong, Say Kee , Malheiros Alves, Caio Marcos , Bennett, Albert , Vieira, Alberto , Delboni, Andre , Deal, Chris , Oliveira, Delly , Visser, Evan , Carneiro, Fernando , Haegele, Jason , Biruel, Juliana , Peterson, Karl , Martinez, Marisol , Vieira, Rowena , Ortiz, Sulianet , Hermsdorff, Wathney
Institution: Iowa State University , Federal University of Vicosa
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006
Project Amount: $9,960
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The main goal of this project was for an international, multidisciplinary team to (1) develop an overall system model for a university’s renewable energy systems and (2) investigate the effects of proposed developments of this renewable energy system on regional and global sustainability. The model was applied to the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), a university community consisting of about 15,000 people located in the city of Viçosa in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The team was composed of students and faculty advisors from UFV and Iowa State University (ISU) who worked together on the project.
The purpose of this project was to develop life cycle assessment (LCA) and economic models of UFV’s energy system as a first step to better understand how energy system planning could be done in a way that contributes both to global sustainability and regional economic development to improve the livelihood of the people in the region surrounding the university. The students (1) developed energy balance models of UFV energy systems, (2) analyzed energy conversion plants as components of the overall energy balance model, and (3) used biomass growth models to estimate carbon sequestration of a biomass production system.
This project addressed the issues concerning people, prosperity, and planet. Issues of people were addressed through analysis of infrastructure providing a market for local farmers to produce bio-renewable resources to meet energy needs. Prosperity for the region was addressed by recommending that UFV invest in renewable energy systems that would provide power at a lower cost to the university and create jobs in the region. And sustainability of the planet was addressed showing the environmental benefits of such renewable energy systems. The systems level understanding of this particular renewable energy system can be generalized to other institutions and regions. This project is expected to promote regional development through job creation and to become a model of technology integration and sustainable development. This project made an educational impact on the student team members through experiences in systems level thinking about sustainability and collaboration with international partners.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Through the completion of the Phase I project, the project team has established a better understanding of the feasibility and sustainability of several renewable energy systems at UFV. Models were developed to assess the energy balance of these systems, analyze specific bioenergy conversion processes in the overall system, and determine the impact of biomass production systems on the region. These models were used to make recommendations to UFV on which system components should garner investment and in what priority. Three renewable system components were considered and modeled: a distributed sugarcane ethanol production system, a eucalyptus bio-mass fired thermoelectric generation system, and an existing hydroelectric dam and power plant with proposed updates. This work for the phase I project formed the basis for our proposed phase II project.
The evaluation of ethanol as a motor fuel for ethanol powered vehicles in the UFV fleet demonstrated the feasibility of this system and its benefit to the university and surrounding region. Based on the current UFV motor fuel ethanol demand of approximately 48,000 liters per year, our model estimated that only about 25 hectares of sugarcane cultivation would be required to meet this demand. The economic model showed that the investment in a distillation column at UFV could be paid back in only 3 months based on current estimated costs and ethanol prices. This system would involve UFV purchasing low quality liquor-grade ethanol from small scale farmer producers.
The incorporation of the small farmer in the ethanol production system for motor fuel is a novel concept in Brazil, but sugarcane ethanol is already produced by farmers as a liquor called cachaça. Capacity of production could easily increase if a market for excess cachaça was developed. Another advantage to the small farmer is that the production of ethanol would typically be integrated into a livestock or dairy production system. In this case, the portions of the sugar cane plant, leaves and bagasse, not suitable for ethanol production could still be utilized by the farmer as animal feed. This system also had a positive energy balance with a net energy ratio of 7.
A 2 MW thermoelectric power plant fueled by eucalyptus biomass was proposed to meet a portion of the UFV energy demand. Reforestation with eucalyptus is feasible in the region surrounding Viçosa because the mountainous terrain does not allow for the production of crops. An economic analysis of the biomass-fired thermoelectric system showed a payback time of about four years assuming a load factor of 70%, but required a large investment. To meet the 2 MW demand, 151 hectares of eucalyptus were required to be harvested each year, creating a total land demand of 1060 hectares based on a seven year rotation for eucalyptus plantation. Because the university does not own the necessary land, cooperatives must be made with local farmers to aid in the production of eucalyptus, leading to the development of a large amount of undeveloped land in the region. In addition, based on our analysis, this system had a net energy ratio of 3, and had a net positive influx of carbon of 34 metric tons CO2e/ha due to carbon sequestration.
The final component of UFV’s energy system to be analyzed was a hydroelectric plant. The dam and plant already exists but it has been proposed to increase its production from 200 kW to 1000 kW. The planned upgrades include the addition of a third turbine, renovation of the two existing turbines, and replacement of water pipes by larger pipes to account for the greater required flow.
Today as the strength of the US Dollar has dropped compared to the Brazilian Real, the proposed updates are very feasible. By increasing the electrical capacity by a factor of 5, even a large investment can be easily justified; in this case a payback period of only 2.2 years was calculated. The improvements in the hydroelectric plant won’t cause any further impacts in the environment, except for the material and energy requirements for the update construction and new turbine-generator equipment. However, considering that the system is already installed and operating since the end of the 1950s, there should be no change in land use and no increase in emissions from decomposing vegetation as would be present at initial construction and commissioning.
Conclusions:
After evaluating these three UFV renewable energy system components, we recommended all three be implemented, contingent on the availability of capital, but that the distributed ethanol production system be implemented first. Not only is it very economically attractive for the university, but it would also benefit the surrounding community by creating a market for the rural poor for ethanol production as a part of an integrated, closed-loop agricultural production system. UFV’s demand for fuel-grade ethanol is expected to grow as flexible fuel automobiles are purchased which will lead to a larger system impact. The success of this system and the renewable energy system models developed through this project will serve as an example to other universities interested in renewable energy investment and regional development.
Supplemental Keywords:
renewable energy, engineering, sustainable development, LCA modeling, agriculture, integrated resource planning; energy independency; systems approach; biomass, ethanol; hydroelectricity; Brazil, Scientific Discipline, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Geographic Area, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Environmental Chemistry, Energy, Chemicals Management, International, Environmental Engineering, energy conservation, Brazil, alternative to petroleum diesel fuel, renewable fuel production, emission controls, energy efficiency, alternative energy source, environmentally benign alternative, biofuel, green chemistryThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.