California Ag Network

Tag: Energy

  • Helping Water Utilities Reduce California’s Energy Use and Emissions

    From left, Frank Loge, director of UC Davis’ Center for Water and Energy Efficiency, and CWEE project engineer Gabe Paras. (Andrea Martinez/UC Davis)

    Davis, Calif., (October 25, 2017) – Over the next three and a half years, researchers at the University of California, Davis, will work with the Moulton Niguel Water District and Helio Energy Solutionsto better understand how water utilities can reduce California’s energy use as the state works to meet its ambitious greenhouse-gas reduction goals.

    The California Energy Commission awarded the Center for Water and Energy Efficiency at UC Davis $3.1 million to pilot-test a system to help water utilities optimize their energy use and reduce operational costs while continuing to meet customers’ water needs.

    If successful, the pilot program could help balance the electrical grid’s intermittent distribution of renewable energy, while providing substantial savings to ratepayers.

    Reducing strain on grid

    Moulton Niguel Water District spends approximately $2 million per year to power its water services for 170,000 customers in southern Orange County. CWEE researchers will combine water system hydraulic modeling with Helio Energy Solution’s PredictEnergy software platform to create a demand management system designed to reduce Moulton Niguel’s energy consumption.

    “If adopted widely by urban water systems in California, the strain on the grid during peak hours could be reduced significantly, leading to more reliable electricity at lower costs to consumers,” said Frank Loge, faculty director of CWEE, professor of civil and environmental engineering and principal investigator on the grant.

    Simple plan: Pump when rates are lower

    The project will use real-time energy analytics to develop an energy-management system that adapts to changing energy demands and different energy-rate structures for Moulton Niguel’s potable and recycled water systems. While the system is complex, the plan is simple: When energy rates are lower, Moulton Niguel will pump more water, and as rates rise, the district plans to cut back its power consumption.

    “We want to develop a strategy that meets the needs of the grid and pays off for water utilities at the same time,” said Mike Murray, president of Helio Energy Solutions. “By partnering with UC Davis and the Moulton Niguel Water District, we will be able to provide our state with a solution that reliably and safely delivers results while incentivizing water districts to participate. We look forward to working together on this exciting new project.”

    Lowering emissions

    In September, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Water utilities, which require large amounts of power at every step of the water cycle, could be instrumental in reaching those emissions reduction goals. Roughly 20 percent of California’s electricity and more than 30 percent of its natural gas go to the water system, from pumping it for delivery to disposing of wastewater.

    “At Moulton Niguel, we’re constantly identifying new ways to save our ratepayers money and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Joone Lopez, general manager at Moulton Niguel Water District. “The energy experts at CWEE are brilliant at finding new ways to be more efficient. With their help, we hope to be the model for the entire state.”

  • 11 Water, Ag, And Energy Start-Ups Selected To Receive Valley Ventures Support

    Fresno, Calif., (September 20, 2017) – The Valley Ventures Accelerator at Fresno State announced its fall cohort of start-up companies that will receive venture capital direction and support in the water, agriculture and energy technology industries.

    The three-month program will provide professional guidance on growing sales, company value and profitability for 11 emerging companies from primarily California, as well as Brazil, Chile and Malaysia.

    “The fall cohort will represent a diverse range of technology and entrepreneurial talent in the water, energy and agriculture industry and represents a collective revenue of $2 million annually and $3.5 million in equity funding,” said program coordinator Benjamin Francis. “We believe each company that has been selected exemplifies extraordinary potential to scale and accomplish great things in the Central Valley.”

    The companies are:

    • AQUAOSO— water rights management buyer and seller trading platform
    • Avsonic — automated cattle soaker system
    • BovControl— analytics platform for cattle operations
    • Deep Root Irrigation— irrigation products for landscape and agricultural usage
    • Drought Diet Products — sub-irrigation zone pipe for greywater and rainwater catch and release
    • DSPii— soil moisture sensing through aerial application
    • ECO2Mix— carbon dioxide-based water pH control system for irrigation units
    • Fluid Pulse— wireless irrigation valve controls for use on existing water pipelines
    • GroGuru— precision soil moisture, salinity and temperature monitoring system
    • Nanomass — unit converting biomass into powdered fuel to be used in coal plants
    • REDtrac— online agricultural well, water and soil efficiency monitoring system

    Companies accepted into the program demonstrated the potential to have an economic impact in the region and the ability to improve the efficient use of scarce resources. Other evaluation criteria included company scalability, potential return, environmental impact, fundability, commercial value, personnel skills and leadership.

    Participants will take part in exercises and learning modules led by Central Valley professionals, investors, industry and technical experts, successful entrepreneurs and target consumers.

    The program also offers companies access to Fresno State research staff and facilities, as well as product testing through the Water, Energy and Technology (WET) Center, Center for Irrigation Technology and 1,000-acre University Agricultural Laboratory.

    The three-year accelerator program is coordinated by the International Center for Water Technology at Fresno State. Program funding was made possible by a $500,000 federal grant through the Regional Innovation Strategies i6 Challenge and Seed Fund Support Grants competition and the BlueTechValley innovation cluster funded by the California Energy Commission.