Powertech Labs Hydrogen Renewables and a Smartgrid The

Powertech Labs Hydrogen, Renewables and a Smartgrid The HARP Project in British Columbia Allan Grant Joe Wong 2008 NHA Conference April 1, 2008

DISCUSSION TOPICS > About BC Hydro and Powertech Labs > Background and Project Drivers > The HARP Concept > Project Objectives > Design concepts > Project details 1

About BC Hydro & Powertech > BC Hydro > “Crown Corporation”, located in British Columbia, on Canada’s Pacific coast > Third largest electric utility in Canada > 11, 000 MW - 90% hydroelectric > 1. 6 million customers (more than 94% B. C. ’s population) > Powertech > Wholly-owned subsidiary of BC Hydro > Provide technology services to the electrical and gas utilities > Provide testing & development of hydrogen storage systems and installations 2

Background and Project Drivers > Supply of reliable, competitive power is a challenge facing over 300 remote communities in Canada > BC Hydro serves isolated-grid communities > Adding up to 40 more remote communities to the BC Hydro service territory. > Power requirements – mostly between 100 – 250 KW > Overall cost of service is high > High in current non-integrated areas > Projected to be very high in the communities being added to the BC Hydro system > High price of diesel & diesel gen sets > Diesel fuel price doubled in remote communities in 2005/06 > Detriment to the environment 3

Background and Project Drivers > BC Hydro therefore has a strong interest in exploring renewable generation from sources such as wind, small hydro, photovoltaics or ocean energy in remote communities to provide clean and stable priced electricity. > Renewable Power is intermittent > The sun doesn’t always shine, the wind doesn’t always blow and streams don’t always flow – energy storage can help > Power usage is “peaky” > Storing off-peak energy to be used later during peak periods 4

The Hydrogen Assisted Renewable Power (HARP) Concept 5

HARP Project - Objectives > To demonstrate the viability of Hydrogen-Assisted Renewable Power projects for deployment in remote communities > To demonstrate the ability of the Smart. Grid technology to optimize the operation of generation and storage > To identify best available technologies and equipment for such applications > To demonstrate the reliability of energy storage equipment > Use findings from this pilot project for possible future installations of hybrid renewable systems 6

HARP Project Partners The Project has the following partners > BC Hydro - owner for the pilot project > Powertech – developer and operator > Sustainable Development Technology Canada (Government of Canada) – 30 % co-funding > General Electric Canada > GE Digital Energy – Control hardware > GE Global Research - Smart. Grid development 7

Bella Coola - 439 km north of Vancouver, isolated grid 8

Bella Coola - Generation > Clayton Falls Run-of-River Hydro > Ah-Sin-Heek Diesel Station > 2. 2 MW Capacity 9 > Multiple units total capacity of 5. 7 MW

HARP Project - Scope > Install a hydrogen energy storage and power system in Bella Coola > Uses excess electricity from hydro > Generate hydrogen through electrolysis during periods of excess energy and store as a compressed gas > Store energy in a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery > During peak times or in times of low production from Clayton Falls, hydrogen is used to generate electricity using a fuel cell > Optimize hydro utilization and decrease diesel using GE Smart. Grid > In order to get Bella Coola staff familiar with handling hydrogen, use stored hydrogen to also fuel an internal combustion engine truck (GMC Sierra) 10

Bella Coola – Daily Load Demand > Peak Load: January Daily Profile > 3. 8 MW (winter) > 2. 3 MW (summer) > Min load: 1 MW > During low demand periods, there is excess renewable energy available from Clayton Falls which can be stored and used during high demand periods July Daily Profile 11

Bella Coola – Excess Renewable Power 12

HARP in Bella Coola – System Architecture 13

HARP Project Components > Electrolyser – production rate of 5 kg/h > Fuel Cell > 120 to 200 k. W, integration of multiple fuel cell modules > Compressed Hydrogen Storage > 100 kg at medium pressure (~2700 psi) > Mobile Fueling Station > small electrolyser (0. 5 kg/h), on-board compressor, storage and fuel dispenser > 4 x 4 Hydrogen Truck > Vanadium Redox Flow Battery – 125 k. W > Smart. Grid – Microgrid Control System 14

Vanadium Redox Battery (VRB) > Vanadium Redox Battery, a type of ‘flow battery’, is an electrical energy storage system based on a vanadium redox regenerative fuel cell. > an electrolyte is pumped from separate plastic storage tanks into flow cells across a proton exchange membrane (PEM), which either generates or stores electricity. > The reaction is reversible allowing the battery to be charged, discharged and recharged. > VRB has excellent potential to level electrical output from intermittent renewable energy systems 15

Smart. Grid > A Microgrid Control System > The Microgrid control algorithm will be generic and scalable to allow for use in remote communities of various size > Optimize operation of the overall Bella Coola system to reduce diesel fuel consumption and increase utilization of run-of-river hydro > Wireless Communication with each of the system components such as the fuel cell, electrolyser, VRB, and diesel gensets Diesel units Load 16 Hydro - Clayton Falls (Optional)

Hydrogen fueling Station & Hydrogen ICE 4 x 4 > Solicit community support > Operation of hydrogen vehicle and fueling station 17

HARP Project Testing & Integration > Test HARP system in Powertech Labs > Deploy HARP system in Bella Coola > All components must be containerized > HARP system must integrate with existing Bella Coola grid > HARP system must interface with existing Bella Coola system 18

Contacts Presenter: Joe Wong Manager Infrastructure Programs (604) 590 -7426 joe. wong@powertechlabs. com 19 BC Hydro Powertech Labs Pun Chu Manager, Non-Integrated Areas (604) 528 -1416 pun. chu@bchydro. com Allan Grant HARP Project Manager (604) 590 -7472 allan. grant@powertechlabs. com