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5. USE
OF COLD ENERGY UTILISATION
DE L’ÉNERGIE FROIDE |
Committee recommendation as
amended
That Council direct staff to,
in conjunction with Hyrdo Ottawa / Energy Ottawa, explore the concept of
thermal energy storage using “cold energy” from snow and/or ice to determine if
thermal energy storage in combination with, or instead of, traditional energy
could be used in some buildings, resulting in reduced operating costs for the
municipality.
Recommandation modifiÉe du Comité
Que le Conseil de demande au
personnel, de concert avec Hydro Ottawa / Energy Ottawa, d’étudier le concept
du stockage de l’énergie thermique à l’aide de l’énergie froide provenant de
neige ou de glace afin de déterminer si l’énergie thermique stockée, combinée
ou non à l’énergie conventionnelle, pourrait être utilisée pour alimenter
certaines installations, en vue de réduire les frais d’exploitation de la
municipalité.
Documentation
1.
Councillor
Deans’ report dated 20
October 2008 (ACS2008-CCS-PEC-0021).
2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 28 October
2008.
Report to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
20 October 2008 / le 20 octobre 2008
Submitted by/Soumis par: Councillor/Conseillère Diane Deans
Gloucester-Southgate
Contact Person/Personne ressource :
Councillor/Conseillère Diane Deans
613-580-2480, Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°:
ACS2008-CCS-PEC-0021 |
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SUBJECT: |
Use of Cold ENERGY
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OBJET : |
UTILISATION DE L’ÉNERGIE FROIDE |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That Planning and
Environment Committee recommend Council direct staff to:
1. In conjunction with Ottawa Hydro, explore the concept of using cold energy from snow to determine if cold energy instead of traditional energy could be used in some buildings resulting in reduced operating costs for the municipality.
2. Bring back a report to Planning and Environment Committee no later than February 2009, outlining the full range of issues associated with such a venture.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement recommande au Conseil de demander au personnel :
1. d’étudier, de concert avec Hydro
Ottawa, la possibilité d’utiliser l’énergie froide de la neige comme solution
de rechange aux formes d’énergie traditionnelles dans certains immeubles, afin
de réduire les coûts de fonctionnement de la municipalité.
2. de soumettre un rapport décrivant tous
les enjeux liés à un tel projet au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement,
au plus tard en février 2009.
BACKGROUND
On 14 October 2008, Councillor Bellemare submitted the following Notice of Motion on behalf of Councillor Deans:
WHEREAS
energy costs are high and continue to fluctuate;
AND
WHEREAS municipalities are searching for new energy sources using innovative
technologies;
AND
WHEREAS the City of Toronto is moving forward in its search for new energy
sources by participating with a private corporation using cold water energy
drawn from Lake Ontario to air condition high rise buildings in the downtown;
AND
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa, working with Ottawa Hydro, should consider
alternative means to generate energy;
AND
WHEREAS a town in Sweden has cold energy technology from snow, wherein the cold
energy from a strategically placed snow deposit site is used to air condition a
local hospital complex;
AND
WHEREAS snow deposit sites could be strategically designed to store the cold
energy through the summer to utilize it for air conditioning in nearby
buildings;
AND
WHEREAS a university professor at the Carleton University Institute of
Environmental Sciences believes that there is significant potential for the
municipality by exploring cold energy technology;
AND
WHEREAS this concept has been discussed with City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick;
AND
WHEREAS City staff have been directed to identify financial cost savings in
future budgets;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED THAT City staff, in conjunction with Ottawa Hydro, be directed
to explore the concept of using cold energy from snow to determine if cold
energy instead of traditional energy could be used in some buildings resulting
in reduced operating costs for the municipality;
AND BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a report to Planning and Environment Committee be brought
back no later than February 2009, outlining the full range of issues associated
with such a venture.
The Real Property Asset Management (RPAM)'s Design and Construction Division supports exploring the use of the cold energy concept following the format as presented and is interested in participating as the project evolves.
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability Department is also aware of this motion.
This item will be advertised as part of the Public Meeting Advertisement in the daily newspapers on the Friday preceding the Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Financial implications of a study and its scope are being reviewed by staff, who can comment at the meeting.
DISPOSITION
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability Department will consult with Hydro Ottawa and RPAM and prepare a report by February 2009 for discussion at Planning and Environment Committee.
USE OF COLD ENERGY
UTILISATION DE L’ÉNERGIE FROIDE
ACS2008-CCS-PEC-0021 CITY WIDE/À
L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE
The proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Thermal
Energy Storage, Volume 1, are held on file with the City Clerk.
Councillor Deans introduced the motion, noting thermal energy could be used to cool City buildings. She presented a revised motion that requests staff to examine the possibility of this technology being used locally, promoting energy conservation, electricity load shifting and green house gas reduction, thereby mitigating the need for expensive peak generation plants. She also recommended that the review not only study the business case, but also propose five or six potential sites, cooling loads, and snow deposit site size requirements. She noted this type of initiative could showcase both the City and this kind of work. Other jurisdictions across the world have implemented similar technology, namely Sweden and Japan (cooling 30 per cent of an airport). She added that the City of Toronto is looking at taking cold energy out of Lake Ontario to cool waterfront buildings.
Frederick A. Michel, Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, provided an explanation of the technology:
· Snow or ice, preserved through the summer, is used as a cooling mass as opposed to standard chillers and other cooling equipment, which are otherwise used during the daytime when the electrical costs are the highest.
· In Sweden, the technology is used to cool a hospital complex.
· The snow is collected at a facility designed to collect the water during the summer. Without any insulating cover, the snow would otherwise melt by early June; with insulation (most often wood chips), the snow remains up to September.
·
With Ottawa’s climate conditions,
snow could easily be preserved right through the summer for cooling use,
offloading peak electrical demands.
· Thermal energy is highly adaptable to different sites, including snow dumps. In Japan, large water tanks are utilized.
In response to questions from members, Dr. Michel explained that water run off from snow dumps would be treated for salt and other pollutants. The salt dissolves into the water as the snow melts. System design will be an important factor with respect to the extent of capital costs.
Councillor Monette congratulated Councillor Deans for bringing this initiative forward, suggesting the technology is a pure form of recycling.
Councillor Bellemare agreed on the technology’s merits, recommending the logistics be examined to ascertain potential costs. With regard to snow dumps, he noted they are expensive, contentious to build, and are often near capacity.
Dr. Michel responded that the snow must be converted and used up by the following September or October.
John Manconi, Director of Surface Operations, City Operations, stated that staff did look at similar technology in the mid-1990s, and although it is a complicated issue to analyze, staff believe it would be wise to re-examine. Real Property Asset Management will be leading staff on the review.
Glenn Mooney, Manager of Commercial Accounts, Energy Ottawa, commented that the firm finds the technology interesting. Energy Ottawa is more than happy to work with the City to explore the technology, noting the firm has a good track record on various projects, such as the Trail Road Landfill gas facility. He noted that this technology has not been looked at in the past but the direction would involve a preliminary study to determine whether the technology has potential for this City. A feasibility study could follow with the technical details of implementation.
Councillor Harder spoke to a need for a business plan, should the technology be pursued. She asked if predictable weather and snow fall is a factor.
Mr. Mooney replied that the issue would need to be looked at as part of a technical and feasibility review, including the use of artificial snow.
Councillor Harder also questioned the proposed timeframe in the original notice of motion (February 2008).
Mr. Manconi indicated that staff could report back on the timeline with an Information Previously Distributed Memorandum. Councillor Deans agreed to remove the second recommendation of the original notice of motion.
Moved by M. Bellemare:
That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council direct
staff to, in conjunction with Hydro Ottawa/Energy Ottawa, explore the concept
of thermal energy storage using “cold energy” from snow and/or ice to determine
if thermal energy storage in combination with, or instead of, traditional
energy could be used in some buildings, resulting in reduced operating costs
for the municipality.
CARRIED as amended