Joint Demonstration and Verification of the Performance of Microturbine Power Generation Systems Utilizing Renewable Fuels with the U.S. EPA's Environmental Technology Verification Program

EW-200823

Objective

The objective of this project is to demonstrate and verify the economic and environmental utility of an advanced waste-to-energy technology at Department of Defense (DoD) landfills. DoD currently manages hundreds of landfills in various states of activity or closure. Landfills produce waste gas streams containing methane, a greenhouse gas, that are typically vented, flared, or otherwise destroyed. The capture and utilization of the methane to generate on-site electric power will result in decreases in energy demands and reductions in environmental impacts from methane or flare emissions. A unique microturbine technology provided by Flex Energy is capable of utilizing ultralow-BTU landfill or other waste gases as fuel to provide efficient on-site power production. In addition to landfills, this system has potential application for a variety of DoD sites, including wastewater treatment and volatile organic compound (VOC) remediation systems. The demonstration will provide a site-specific technology design and installation; a credible, independent, third party evaluation of the performance and economics of the technology in conjunction with verification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Technology Verification program; and an outreach effort to support technology dissemination and transfer. Sufficient data will be generated to allow end users, potential purchasers, and others to determine the feasibility and potential impacts of the technology. A database of DoD landfill sites and specifications developed under this project also will be utilized to determine the applicability and impacts of technology implementation DoD-wide. Technology evaluation will include verification of the system performance throughout the equipment operating range as well as a 1-year monitoring period under normal operating conditions. Both will be based on nationally accepted verification protocols.

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Technology Description

FlexEnergy has developed the Flex-Microturbine® (Flex), a unique power plant that generates electricity from extremely low energy gas. The Flex uses a proprietary flameless catalytic combustion system to oxidize and destroy hydrocarbons in the waste fuel stream before entering the turbine. Utilizing the catalytic process allows the Flex to run on gas that is below the typical requirements for combustion at only 1.5% the heat content of natural gas (15 BTU per cubic foot). The catalytic system also results in extremely low NOx emissions. According to FlexEnergy, the electrical efficiency of the Flex is 26-28%. With the Flex, older landfills that are past their peak methane generation period will be able to continue producing power as a result of the low BTU fuel specification of the unit.

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Benefits

Primary benefits to DoD from use of this technology include expanded use of both renewable and domestic energy resources for sustainable and secure energy production; cost savings associated with the reduction in electrical purchases from the grid; applicability to many DoD landfill installations--both active and inactive; elimination of vented or flared waste gas and associated fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; potential NOx, carbon dioxide, and other emission reductions associated with offset of utility power production; extended power generation life-cycle for landfills by 40 plus years due to ultralow BTU requirements; and an estimated payback of approximately 3-6 years, depending on site. Benefits will vary based on site-specific power demand, power costs, landfill gas management costs (venting and flaring), local environmental requirements, and other technical and economic factors. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2013)

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Project Documents

Points of Contact

Principal Investigator

Mr. Tim Hansen

Southern Research Institute

Phone: 919-282-1052

Fax: 919-282-1060

Program Manager

Energy and Water

SERDP and ESTCP

Project Documents

Document Types

  • Fact Sheet - Brief project summary with links to related documents and points of contact.
  • Final Report - Comprehensive report for every completed SERDP and ESTCP project that contains all technical results.
  • Cost & Performance Report - Overview of ESTCP demonstration activities, results, and conclusions, standardized to facilitate implementation decisions.
  • Technical Report - Additional interim reports, laboratory reports, demonstration reports, and technology survey reports.
  • Guidance - Instructional information on technical topics such as protocols and user’s guides.
  • Workshop Report - Summary of workshop discussion and findings.
  • Multimedia - On demand videos, animations, and webcasts highlighting featured initiatives or technologies.
  • Model/Software - Computer programs and applications available for download.
  • Database - Digitally organized collection of data available to search and access.