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TowerPower: Renewable Energy Lessons Learned

TowerPower: Renewable Energy Lessons Learned. Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar February 4, 2010 David Booz. Agenda. TowerPower Toronto Windward Co-op Project Lessons Learned. TowerPower Toronto.

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TowerPower: Renewable Energy Lessons Learned

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  1. TowerPower: Renewable Energy Lessons Learned Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar February 4, 2010 David Booz TowerPower Toronto

  2. Agenda • TowerPower Toronto • Windward Co-op Project • Lessons Learned TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  3. TowerPower Toronto • A roundtable of condo and Co-op residents who meet 5 times per year to discuss challenges and opportunities for renewable energy on multi-unit residential buildings. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  4. TowerPower Toronto • Our Mission: • To assemble all the relevant financial and other information needed by those in multi-unit buildings to persuade their building's decision-making bodies of the worthiness of adding solar water heating and/or solar electric panels to the rooftops of those buildings • To widely disseminate that information, once it has been compiled • To gain the support of the City of Toronto (and its Toronto Atmospheric Fund), Toronto Hydro and other public and private bodies for one or more pilot projects that demonstrate the cost effectiveness of solar water heating and solar electricity production. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  5. TowerPower Toronto • Formerly the Downtown West Multi-Unit Solar Energy Project • Multi-Unit Residential division of the DWSEP • DWSEP – community solar project, facilitated installation of 27 SDHW and 13 PV systems in 2007 and 2008. • Usually one or two speakers per meeting. • Reports from some of approx. 12 MURBs with green committees actively pursuing renewable energy projects. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  6. TowerPower Toronto • Next meeting: March 10, 2010 • Windward Co-op, Waterview Room, 34 Little Norway Crescent, (1 block west and 1 block south of Bathurst and Queens Quay). • Subject: Case Studies on Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Initiatives at MURBS TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  7. Windward Co-op • Located opposite Toronto City Centre Airport at 34 Little Norway Crescent. • Member-owned federally incorporated cooperative. • 25 Townhouse units & 76 apartment style units in eight-story tower • Constructed in 1987. • All electric heat in units, some gas heat in common areas. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  8. Windward Project • Windward wanted to do a renewable energy project • Got involved with TowerPower Toronto • Met some key people who could help. • Tim Grant & David Booz of TowerPower • Fidel Reijerse of RESCo TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  9. Initial Project Steps • Formed a small committee, led by Jim Mulheron. • Co-op is a commercial building that houses people • Looked at renewable technologies: rooftop wind, solar PV, and solar hot water • Economics of the solar hot water showed a roughly 9-year payback. • Left some room on the roof for future PV. • No shade risk due to waterfront site. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  10. Feasibility Study • Community Power Fund (www.cpfund.ca) provided an $ 8500 grant to conduct a feasibility study, a legal review, and engage the membership. • Windward engaged RESCo Energy to perform the feasibility study. • Energy audit had been done. Many granting agencies require proof of on-site energy reduction before supporting a renewable energy project. • Study showed Windward’s capital projects committee that homework had been done. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  11. Feasibility Study continued… • Feasibility study included: • Confirm structural adequacy of the roof. • Engaged seven vendors to ensure a competitive bidding process. • Pre-survey of building and development of detailed specification package. • Site meetings with all vendors. • Evaluation of bids and vendor recommendations. • Estimate of project costs; summary of incentives and rebates; analysis of savings and returns, and options for financing. • Identification of project risks. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  12. Financing • Had to get financing in place to proceed. • Community Power Fund paid for feasibility study. • Sustainable Energy Funds provided zero-interest loan for 20 years covering 49% of costs. • Community Power Fund grant covering soft costs – engineering, design, permitting. • Government rebates – EcoEnergy for Renewable Heat plus Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  13. Financing continued… • Total System Cost: $ 250,000 • CPF – Feasibility: 4% • CPF – Soft Project Costs: 17% • Government Grants: 30% • Sustainable Energy Funds: 49% • (All numbers approximate) TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  14. Notes on Financing • This model is not necessarily applicable to other projects • Condos and/or apartments may not qualify for this funding. • City of Toronto Energy Funds are for non-profit organizations. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  15. More Notes on Financing • The Community Power Fund provides support for community power projects, but their focus as circumstances change, so need to maintain contact with them. • Government rebates don’t pay until equipment is installed and commissioned. Need “bridge” financing to cover that gap. • Windward self financed with a loan from reserve funds. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  16. Solar Domestic Hot Water System • Provided by SolSmart Energy Solutions Inc. • Drainback style • No glycol freeze protection • Lower maintenance, higher efficiency • 76 flat plate collectors, total 225 m2 • Separate systems on townhouses and tower. • Expected to provide 37% of annual hot water TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  17. Solar Domestic Hot Water System Photos courtesy RESCo Energy Inc TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  18. Solar Domestic Hot Water System TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  19. Solar Domestic Hot Water System TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  20. Solar Domestic Hot Water System TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  21. Solar Domestic Hot Water System TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  22. Solar Domestic Hot Water System TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  23. Results • Windward puts up zero dollars for $ 250,000 system that will produce about 37% of the hot water required. • They will own and operate the system and see immediate savings. • Savings from reduce gas and electricity costs, • Carrying costs for financing are less than energy savings. • Anticipate 7 or 8-year payback; about a 10% annual return. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  24. Lessons Learned • Windward project not about making a profit; it is about reducing the carbon footprint of the building. It is about the future. • Note, however, that cost savings drove the project. • Economics still challenging – but wait until prices for conventional energy go up. And they will. • Still for early adopters, however, good to get in before the oil sands hit the fan. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  25. More Lessons Learned • Takes a long time – about 3 years for Windward project • Need a small, committed committee with the ear of the board • Requires persistence • Must get buy-in from owners • Legal issues with Condo and Co-op acts. • Projects are site specific – townhouse project quite different from tower project. • Strong system integrator; strong vendor TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  26. Even More Lessons Learned • Explore funding opportunities – differ by building ownership, change over time • TAF and Better Buildings Partnership are good sources of information • Work with granting agencies – they are there to help. TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

  27. Questions? Thank you David Booz TowerPower Toronto dbooz@boozengineering.com 416-806-2669 TowerPower Presentation to TowerWise FIT Seminar

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