Located off of the Northern Coast of British Columbia, Haida Gwaii (HG) is a Pacific Ocean island chain that is home to approximately 6,000 people. Its geographic isolation from mainland B.C. and lack of hydropower development has led to a heavy dependence on imported diesel fuel to supply the majority of the electricity for the two power grids on the island. Currently, residents of Old Masset, Masset and Port Clements receive electricity through Graham Island’s North Grid, a non-integrated BC Hydro generation distribution system that depends primarily on diesel fossil fuels for electricity. The diesel generators represent a significant carbon footprint proportional to the population serviced. Alternative renewable sources have recently become a viable option, due to the very high electricity costs compared to the rest of B.C. and falling capital requirements for renewable energy source projects. Thus, BC Hydro wishes to explore the potential electricity supply opportunity for clean electricity.

Project Overview & Goals

Our project investigates viable locations for possible wind, wave and solar alternative energy sources for Graham Island’s North Grid electrical network, with the overall goal of determining if these renewable energy sources have the potential to replace the electrical generation provided by the North Grid’s diesel generators. Our project provides three separate multi-criteria evaluations (MCEs) for wave, wind and solar energy in order to determine the optimal location for a new power plant. Each analysis will include Protected Areas, areas where development is not ideal (Advised Against Areas), and a cost analysis to determine the most cost-efficient alternative to the current system. From the MCE results, specific high-scoring areas will be selected to undergo additional spatial analyses in order to estimate the electrical generation capacity of the renewable energy technology in each area. 

Solar Energy Background:

Solar power generation is so attractive in recent years due to increased efficiency of energy conversion of photovoltaic cells, its declining cost, and the rising cost of fossil fuels. Increased use of solar power builds energy security, reduces GHG emissions, compliments existing hydro dams, requires no fuel or moving parts, makes no noise or emissions, and requires minimal maintenance (Clean Energy BC, 2017). Direct sunlight is not needed; cloudy days with diffuse light conditions still produce electricity (2017). Anything above 1,500 kWh per kWp installed (the amount of energy produced per unit of power installed) is quite productive and on par with German standards, a world leader in solar power production (EcoSmart, 2014). Haida Gwaii is a special case: it has lower solar energy level, but the island relies on diesel generators that has higher costs of producing electricity -making solar potentially cost-competitive. Areas around Sandspit, for example, are at about 1,300 kWh per kWp (2014).

Solar models may present the lowest cost alternative to the diesel generators for the North Grid, however they will produce less electricity per module than other more suitable areas in BC. The Eco Experts (2013) outline the optimal conditions for solar panels:

• South facing surface
• Direct access to sunlight (no shade from trees, buildings, etc)
• Clear, bright days
• Longer daylength

 

Wind Energy Background:

Wind power has advanced exponentially in the last several decades. The expansion of use is due to increased efficiency and lowered cost. While wind farms represent a substantial initial investment, their relatively low operating cost and environmentally benign nature make them an attractive alternative, especially with the high average annual winds and abundant open space surrounding Graham Island.

Optimal conditions for wind farms depend primarily on wind speed, but there are other considerations. Proximity to transmission lines are important considerations to keep costs down, as well as the presence of mountainous terrain: turbines are difficult to construct on slopes, and mountain winds contribute to wind shear, which can damage rotor blades (Farris, 2017). Offshore wind turbines need shallow seafloors to remain cost-effective in construction: while deep water floating platforms have been designed, they remain a substantial challenge in modelling and require greater investment (European Wind Energy Association, 2013). Finally, bird migratory routes, shorebird colony areas, marine conservation zones, and other ecologically sensitive areas should be avoided. In short, our optimal wind farm will be placed where:

• Average annual wind speeds are highest
• Shallow slope, if on-shore
• Shallow depth, if off-shore
• Near electrical transmission lines
• Not contained in zones of ecological, commercial or cultural importance

We will be using two current turbine designs, the Vestas V90 and Siemens 2.3-93, as proxy indicators for optimal wind speed conditions and as part of our cost analysis.

Wave Energy Background:

Wave energy is generated from the gravitational forces that act to restore bodies of water to their equilibrium state in response to a disturbance. The amount of power in one wave depends on the velocity at which the energy of the wave moves forward, wave height and wave period. Wave energy converters (WECs) vary in design, orientations relative to the incoming wave and location relative to the shoreline. The device we are considering in our analysis is called Pelamis. As seen in the figure below, the Pelamis device has one dominant horizontal dimension and is aligned parallel to the direction of travel of incoming waves. The motion of the hinged joints linking the sections of the device together drives hydraulic rams that pump high pressure hydraulic fluid through a hydraulic motor that in turn drives an electrical generator (Boronowski, 2007). We will be using the Pelamis device as a proxy indicator for our optimal wave energy conditions and as part of our cost analysis.

Like other remote island communities, Haida Gwaii is located with coastlines that offer substantial amounts of wave energy. As seen in figure X below, average annual wave power around the North and West coasts of Haida Gwaii range from 14 kW/m to 44 kW/m. The close proximity and easy access to wave energy should draw interest from jurisdictions on the island. However at this point, Haida Gwaii has only committed to tidal power technology as a means of decreasing the island’s dependence on diesel.