McKenna FEC USC 2015 Presentation FINAL
Farmers Electric Cooperative (FEC) – Kalona IA •
2nd oldest Coop in the nation – 100 years in 2016
•
NREL Top 10 Utility - Green Power Project participation >10%
•
2000 watts per member of installed solar (national leader)
•
20% of membership owns solar
•
4 out of 5 BOD and the Manager own solar
•
$3.6 million in solar investments
•
10% of kWhrs from local sited Solar + 5% big wind RECs
•
Cooperative owns none of the solar directly
•
Wholesale power is 50% fixed coal, 50% market with a lot of
•
wind No all requirements contract!
Started with a big Vision Very conservative Energy plan to cut outside energy purchases by 25% by 2025
High Performance Model • • •
High load factor => 80% Low line loss < 3% High Reliability (best)
3 Areas of Value • • •
Energy Measurement Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy
Many Goals
Renewable Energy - Solar Value
FEC started moving to a distributed model in 2000 with the addition of 6 MW of local peaking generation and started incenting solar in 2007
Demand Value -- Solar vs Wind
Primary drivers behind FEC win-win solar programs • • •
Separate meter(s) – One for load and one for generation Existing Federal and State tax credits that equal 48% Fixed rate guaranteed for 10 years (system payback term)
1. All under a hybrid feed-in-tariff / buy all – sell all structure. 2. No net-metering. No kWhr bucket. We monitor and track all load and generation data under a separate meter and it is all shown on the power bill and it is settled monthly. 3. FEC resells environmental attributes through its Green Power Project and $ are used to support FIT program A Feed-In Tariff provides three key provisions to renewable electricity generators: • a guaranteed grid connection, • a long term contract, and • a fixed price sufficient for a reasonable return on investment.
The Successful Programs • Solar Schools • Solar Garden – Community • Site based Solar • Solar Farm
• Point of use Solar – off grid
Solar Schools -- Solar arrays and curriculum • Started with 2 small 1800 watt tracking arrays at Washington Township Elementary and Iowa Mennonite High School (IMS). Arrays funded by grants from the State of Iowa and Washington County Riverboat foundation
• IMS – students and parents went on to build a 50kW ground mount. Funded by low interest loan from Iowa Energy Center AERLP funding and a 10 year PPA with the Cooperative and increased funding through the FEC Green Power Project
• Curriculum development support from University of Northern Iowa – Center for Energy & Environmental Eduction (CEEE)
Community Solar Garden Very popular program! • • • • • •
Production shown on bill Credits average $3.50/mod/mnth 10 module max ownership Separate input rate Certificate of ownership with mod serial # Over 80 different owners
Solar Garden Survey
Site Solar -- Farm and Residential • Own your own and FEC offers •
Incentive Rate • Separately metered – buy all / sell all to net usage • Current Rate of .08 cents • Capped at usage – .04 cents for monthly overproduction • Term – 10 year rate guarantee
• Easy Interconnect • One page form • $ 350 service connection fee • $ -3.00 Green Power Project participation required
Solar Farm – Eagle Point 2 – 800 kW – Iowa’s largest • 4.5 Acres (9 acres owned by Coop.) • 2900+ 275 watt Solar World modules • 1 million kWhrs / year
• 10 year PPA with Eagle Point Solar • 100% of power to 2 organic food processors
Point of Use – off grid – The real competition •
Several years ago we started to venture into battery based power for very small loads in rural areas.
•
We currently have around 30 sites that feed fiber nodes and lighting sites.
•
Typical installation is one 140 watt solar module and one 155 Ah battery.
•
These site locations are not all within our service territory. In fact one is located at the substation of a neighboring Cooperative.
My Path… •
General Manager FEC for 20+ years + (37 Coop yrs)
•
Resale Power Group of Iowa – Executive Board (25 members)
•
Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association (ISETA) Founding Board Member - $ 4.5 mil Iowa Solar Tax Credit
•
25x25.org – Serve on EEG Committee Tour of German RE Sites, visited with politicians and associations More… Indiana, Nebraska, New York
•
Solar Electric Power Association – CEO of Year Please join this powerhouse of knowledge
•
Maharishi University Sustainable Living Program 4th ranked Environmental Science University - Presented at ASES.org with Lonnie Gamble
•
Traveled and toured the U.S. and Canada Coal mines, oil fields, hydro dams, solar and wind farms, digesters, nuclear plants, and more…
2nd oldest Coop in the nation – 100 years in 2016
•
NREL Top 10 Utility - Green Power Project participation >10%
•
2000 watts per member of installed solar (national leader)
•
20% of membership owns solar
•
4 out of 5 BOD and the Manager own solar
•
$3.6 million in solar investments
•
10% of kWhrs from local sited Solar + 5% big wind RECs
•
Cooperative owns none of the solar directly
•
Wholesale power is 50% fixed coal, 50% market with a lot of
•
wind No all requirements contract!
Started with a big Vision Very conservative Energy plan to cut outside energy purchases by 25% by 2025
High Performance Model • • •
High load factor => 80% Low line loss < 3% High Reliability (best)
3 Areas of Value • • •
Energy Measurement Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy
Many Goals
Renewable Energy - Solar Value
FEC started moving to a distributed model in 2000 with the addition of 6 MW of local peaking generation and started incenting solar in 2007
Demand Value -- Solar vs Wind
Primary drivers behind FEC win-win solar programs • • •
Separate meter(s) – One for load and one for generation Existing Federal and State tax credits that equal 48% Fixed rate guaranteed for 10 years (system payback term)
1. All under a hybrid feed-in-tariff / buy all – sell all structure. 2. No net-metering. No kWhr bucket. We monitor and track all load and generation data under a separate meter and it is all shown on the power bill and it is settled monthly. 3. FEC resells environmental attributes through its Green Power Project and $ are used to support FIT program A Feed-In Tariff provides three key provisions to renewable electricity generators: • a guaranteed grid connection, • a long term contract, and • a fixed price sufficient for a reasonable return on investment.
The Successful Programs • Solar Schools • Solar Garden – Community • Site based Solar • Solar Farm
• Point of use Solar – off grid
Solar Schools -- Solar arrays and curriculum • Started with 2 small 1800 watt tracking arrays at Washington Township Elementary and Iowa Mennonite High School (IMS). Arrays funded by grants from the State of Iowa and Washington County Riverboat foundation
• IMS – students and parents went on to build a 50kW ground mount. Funded by low interest loan from Iowa Energy Center AERLP funding and a 10 year PPA with the Cooperative and increased funding through the FEC Green Power Project
• Curriculum development support from University of Northern Iowa – Center for Energy & Environmental Eduction (CEEE)
Community Solar Garden Very popular program! • • • • • •
Production shown on bill Credits average $3.50/mod/mnth 10 module max ownership Separate input rate Certificate of ownership with mod serial # Over 80 different owners
Solar Garden Survey
Site Solar -- Farm and Residential • Own your own and FEC offers •
Incentive Rate • Separately metered – buy all / sell all to net usage • Current Rate of .08 cents • Capped at usage – .04 cents for monthly overproduction • Term – 10 year rate guarantee
• Easy Interconnect • One page form • $ 350 service connection fee • $ -3.00 Green Power Project participation required
Solar Farm – Eagle Point 2 – 800 kW – Iowa’s largest • 4.5 Acres (9 acres owned by Coop.) • 2900+ 275 watt Solar World modules • 1 million kWhrs / year
• 10 year PPA with Eagle Point Solar • 100% of power to 2 organic food processors
Point of Use – off grid – The real competition •
Several years ago we started to venture into battery based power for very small loads in rural areas.
•
We currently have around 30 sites that feed fiber nodes and lighting sites.
•
Typical installation is one 140 watt solar module and one 155 Ah battery.
•
These site locations are not all within our service territory. In fact one is located at the substation of a neighboring Cooperative.
My Path… •
General Manager FEC for 20+ years + (37 Coop yrs)
•
Resale Power Group of Iowa – Executive Board (25 members)
•
Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association (ISETA) Founding Board Member - $ 4.5 mil Iowa Solar Tax Credit
•
25x25.org – Serve on EEG Committee Tour of German RE Sites, visited with politicians and associations More… Indiana, Nebraska, New York
•
Solar Electric Power Association – CEO of Year Please join this powerhouse of knowledge
•
Maharishi University Sustainable Living Program 4th ranked Environmental Science University - Presented at ASES.org with Lonnie Gamble
•
Traveled and toured the U.S. and Canada Coal mines, oil fields, hydro dams, solar and wind farms, digesters, nuclear plants, and more…
