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Can Cheshire County Reach 100% Energy Generation from renewable resources

Explore the potential of Cheshire County to meet its energy demands through renewable resources like wind, solar, and hydropower. Assess the economic, environmental, and health benefits of transitioning to 100% renewable energy.

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Can Cheshire County Reach 100% Energy Generation from renewable resources

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  1. Can Cheshire County Reach 100% Energy Generation from renewable resources Logan Felix Senior Environmental Studies Occupational Health and Safety

  2. Cheshire County •Population of Cheshire County 75,960 (2017) •Very Low Population density •Keene is the largest city and the commercial center •Large institutions include: •Cheshire Medical center •Keene State College •Wholesale grocery stores and other businesses

  3. Research Question • “Can Cheshire county meet its energy demands with the use of renewable energy sources? Is it feasible to use sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower, to heat and cool its homes, run manufacturing facilities, and business, and provide the area with electricity, as well as power an all-electric car system?” • Assume: upgrades to heat pumps for water heating and space heating/cooling

  4. Justifications for the transition  • Climate Change • NH has already seen 1.4 degree Celsius warming, extreme weather, ecosystem disruption, • Threats on public health (air pollution) • Latest IPCC Report says we need to be a zero carbon emissions before 2050  • We must decrease reliance on fossil fuels • Economic Benefits • There will be job losses – fossil-fuel dependent jobs • There will be job gains – solar installations, grid upgrades, electric car service • Public Health Benefits • Decrease in natural gas hazards • Fewer pollution-related premature deaths

  5. 100% Renewable energy (RE) Background Across the United States • California is committed to 100% clean energy (includes nuclear and CCS) • Hawaii is committed to 100% RE • Cities and towns around the country are committing to 100% RE • Burlington Vermont has already reached this goal • Hanover, Plainfield, Cornish, Concord have all set the goal • Mark Jacobson (Stanford) Solutions Project • Wind Water Sun - WWS • Roadmap for every state to achieve 100% RE • But exactly what this means for specific places remains unclear – purpose of this project

  6. Methodology • Calculated Current Energy Production in Cheshire County  • Wind, water, sun • Estimated Energy Demand of Cheshire County • Zero fossil fuels  • Electric Heat Pumps • Electric transportation • Data sources: US Census, EIA, NH State Government, ISO-NE • Extrapolated county data from state data when necessary

  7. Results: Current RE energy production • Wind = 0 • Water (assume 0.5 cf) • Three small hydro plants • Lower Robertson=0.84 MW • Ashuelot River= 0.87 MW • Minnewawa= 1 MW • Total Hydro Energy = 11870 MWh • Solar (assume 0.2 cf) • Mostly rooftop on private homes and commercial establishments • Residential 0.82 MW = 1436 MWh • Municipal 0.65 MW = 1139 MWh • Commercial 2 MW = 3504 MWh • Total Solar Energy = 6114 MWh • Total RE production= 20,989 MWh

  8. Results - Demand • Residential sector • Currently consuming 250 GWh electricity • But this includes some electric resistance (ER) space heating (6% of homes) and ER water heating (60% of homes). We need to subtract these, since those are wasteful technologies that will need to be replaced with heat pumps • Estimated demand for ER hot water = 102 GWh (60% homes) • Estimated demand for ER space heat = 82 GWh (6% homes) • Current demand (without ER hot water or space heating) = 65 GWh • New demand for all heat pump hot water = 48 GWh (100% homes) • New demand for all  heat pump heating = 374 GWh (100% homes) • Total future demand = 487 GWh  (an increase of +96%)

  9. Results - Demand (work in Progress) • Commercial sector • Currently consuming 250 GWh electricity • Assume this include no space heating or resistance water heating – all space heating is gas or oil • Est. demand for heat pump space heat/cool = 136 GWh • Total demand = 386 GWh  (an increase of 55%)

  10. Results - Demand (work in progress) • Industrial sector • Currently consuming 112 GWh electricity • Assume this include no space heating or resistance water heating – all space heating is gas or oil • Estimated demand for heat pump space  heat/cool = 227 GWh • Total demand = 338 GWh  (an increase of 103%)

  11. Results - Demand • Transportation sector – Personal vehicles • Currently consuming 86.3 tBtu gasoline = 25,400 GWh • Assume eVs are 5x more efficient • eV demand = 5,080 GWh (for entire state) • Cheshire County = 5.6% of state • Future Cheshire eV demand = 284 GWh

  12. Results - Demand • Transportation sector – Commercial vehicles (Diesel) • Current: 40 million gallons diesel in 2016 (Cheshire county) • Assume 6.5 mpg • 261 million miles (Cheshire county) • Future eTruck 2 kWh/mile • Future Cheshire County demand for eTruck = 521 GWh

  13. Summary Demand of 100% electric Cheshire County • Residential = 487 GWh • Transport = 806 GWh • Commercial = 386 GWh • Industrial = 227 GWh Total = 1906 GWh Production • Existing Renewable energy production is only • 21 GWh (1% of demand) • Assume 325 MWh per acre • Number acres needed = 5864 acres • Area of Cheshire County = 466,500 acres • This is 1.26 % of Cheshire County

  14. This does not include industrial and commercial heating Technology is continuously advancing…...

  15. Purpose of this project Advocate for New Hampshire to become more sustainable Educate the Public On what would be necessary, and how this project would be possible Curiosity. Can I live in a future filled with no more greenhouse gas emitting power plants

  16. Acknowledgements Thank you for all those who helped: • Pat Martin, Rindge Energy Committee • Briana Brand (NHSEA) • Adrian Pinney plumbing and heating • Karen Cramton, Director of the sustainability division of the Public Utilities Commission • Prof. Tim Allen (Keene State College) • Prof. Thomas Webler (Keene State College)

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