Saugeen District Secondary School - Bluewater District School Board

What the students are most excited about…
� The fact that we can combine different energy sources and be off grid; renewable energy is a possibility.
Sarah Szabo
� I see the geothermal heating and cooling being feasible and realistic. This technology has built a name for its self, and has
proven to be reliable and worthwhile. Though, the technology that I am most excited about is hydrogen storage and
transportation (see below). However this technology is still very new, expensive and hasn’t made a reputation.
J. Kononiuk
� To see the changes that these different ideas will have on the school and energy costs – that small changes can have a big
effect overall. And these changes aren’t just on energy costs, but that they will raise awareness and other changes are
surely to follow with the outlook of the staff and students.
� Seeing how many ideas the board will actually like and what they reject, and for what reasons. It will be interesting to see
how sustainable the school is; seeing what works and what is not as good as anticipated in a few years after the initial
construction. And to see how much revenue can be produced after all the projects are paid off and the rest is revenue. I
would like to see that money used to continue to help with the environment.
K. MacGregor
iii. Future Considerations?
Hydrogen Surplus Storage/
Transportation
Landfill Gas Converting to
Energy
� Port Elgin and Southampton
Landfills
� Power Station on school
grounds
“1 million tons of municipal solid
waste in a landfill typically
generates 300 cubic foot per
minute (cfm) of landfill gas that
could then generate 7 000 000
kilowatt hours per year and 7 000
000 kWh is enough energy to
power 700 homes for a year”
Advantages Cost Savings
� Making hydrogen at night
when the cost of electricity
is low, and storing it for
later.
� In the day, when energy
needs are greater and cost
has increased, the
hydrogen can be converted
to energy.
� Less strain on the electricity
grid in peak times, and
saves money.
� The fuel cell also produces
heat that can be captured.
� Projects generate
renewable energy,
offsetting the use of nonrenewables.
� Reduces local air pollution
� Helps to eliminate methane
- a potent heat-trapping
gas. “Methane is a green
house gas that has 21 times
the heating effect as carbon
dioxide...”
� “About 70% of the
recovered gas is used as
energy”
� Involves citizens, the
government and other
organizations
� Projects create jobs,
revenues, and cost savings
� Potential to become leading
school board in renewable
energy; leader and example
for all
� A hydrogen fuel cell is
about $90 000
� An equivalent hydrogen
producer would also cost
about $80 000
� And, large holding tanks,
$16 000
� The cost of maintenance
and operation of this
system is about $4500 per
year
� It would take 3-4 years to
pay off the system with the
saving that it provides.
� Unknown
� Could enter into
partnership with the
municipality.
� We use and average of $132
110.60 of electricity
annually
� If we can store all the
energy we need at night
during low cost, we can save
$67 161.49 in power
annually.
� That is a 50% decrease in
cost.
� For the Port Elgin site, with
energy harvested based on
2007’s cubic metres of waste,
~500,000 kWh (equivalent to
49 homes)
� For the Southampton site,
with energy harvested based
on 2009’s cubic metres of
waste, ~600,000 kWh
(equivalent to 57 homes)
� Total savings of energy
needs, based on the
Southampton site = ~$61,000
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