FY2003 OSWER Innovation Pilot Results Fact Sheet Groundwater Remediation Powered by a Renewable Energy Source FY 2010 Update


FY2003 OSWER Innovation Pilot Results Fact Sheet
oEPA
Groundwater Remediation Powered
by a Renewable Energy Source
The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response initiated a series of innovative pilot projects to test ideas and
strategies for improved environmental and public health results. This series of
fact sheets highlights the innovative approaches, results, and environmental
and economic benefits from the pilot projects that may be replicated across
various sectors, industries, communities, and regions.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION/INNOVATION
EPA awarded an Innovation grant to the Missouri University
of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) to demonstrate
the feasibility of using wind energy to power a groundwater
circulation well (GCW) remediation system, Not only is this
method of groundwater remediation innovative in itself, this
pilot project represented the first attempt to power this type of
remediation system using renewable energy.
Specific objectives of this project included determining the
reduction in traditional, grid-utility power to run the GCW system
through the use of renewable energy and associated pollution
reductions, as well as determining the amount of trichloroethylene
(TCE), a commonly used industrial solvent, removed from the
groundwater.
BACKGROUND
Remediation technologies to power mechanical equipment or
otherwise treat contaminated media typically consume high
quantities of electricity and fossil fuels. Heavy equipment used
during site remediation is usually powered by diesel engines,
which emit a complex mixture of air pollutants—including both
solid and gaseous materials—that have serious human and
environmental impacts. Many treatment technologies, such as
groundwater pump and treat systems, have been utilizing fossil
fuel powered utilities for many years and in some cases decades.
A proven and innovative groundwater remediation technology
known as groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) was selected to
test the feasibility of using renewable energy to power cleanup,
as they are typically stand-alone systems with relatively small
power requirements, GCWs also conserve the groundwater
because the contaminated water is extracted through one
interval of a well, treated, and then recharged through a separate
interval in the same well. This results in no net loss of water to
the aquifer. Therefore, using a wind turbine could help reduce
energy use and air pollutants, while restoring and conserving
the groundwater resource, Prior to this project, there were few, if
any, instances of using renewable energy to power groundwater
remediation systems.
The wind turbine generated 13,335 kWh of electricity,
preventing approximately 18,000 pounds of CO2 from
being released to the atmosphere during the pilot
period.
Approximately 60 percent (or 15,800 kWh per year) of
GCWs power demands were met by wind energy, an
annual cost savings of $1,096.
Estimated 30-year environmental benefits include
air pollution reductions of approximately 250 tons
of carbon dioxide (CO2), 1.2 tons of sulfur dioxide
(SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), as well as $39,000 in
energy savings.
One journal article, three conference presentations, two
invited lectures, and twelve general interest or trade
articles were published or presented on the project.
PROJECT SUMMARY
U.S. EPA Region 7, in partnership with Missouri S&T, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District, and
Bergey Wind Systems, Inc., demonstrated the use of wind energy
to power a GCW system. This project was initiated in 2003 when
Missouri S&T completed the installation design for the wind
turbine, with consultation from Bergey, A10 kilowatt (kW) wind
turbine was installed at an existing GCW located at the Former
Nebraska Ordnance Plant (FNOP) Superfund site and went into
operation in January 2004. Because the system had previously
been configured to operate using power purchased from the
Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), the updated wind turbine
system was designed to operate in "grid inter-tie" mode—drawing
power from the wind turbine whenever possible and from the
utility grid when winds were insufficient. This system was also
designed so that excess power was transferred to the utility grid
and made available for other OPPD users when the wind turbine
generated more power than required by the GCW.

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USACE operated the GCW system from June 2003 to May
2004 and collected data to characterize the environmental and
economic value of the renewable energy system including cost,
energy generation and consumption, amount of TCE removed
from the groundwater, groundwater usage, and air emission
reductions.
RESULTS
The wind-powered GCW removed 52 kilograms of TCE from
more than 24 million gallons of groundwater during the study
without any net loss of water to the aquifer. The wind turbine
generated 13,335 kWh of electricity, during the demonstration
period, enough to pay back the costs of constructing the wind
turbine system within 10 to 13 years (sooner if utility costs
increase). The renewable energy application demonstrated
by this project was determined to be transferable across
approximately 14 percent of the U.S. based on wind resource
availability, and to several relatively small scale active
remediation technologies including pump and treat, soil vapor
extraction, and air sparging systems.
Following the pilot in June of 2005, the University of Missouri
Research Board funded the procurement of the equipment
necessary to convert the wind turbine system from grid inter-tie
to off-grid operation using wet cell batteries for energy storage.
USACE also provided additional funding to Missouri S&T to
demonstrate the feasibility of using an off-grid wind turbine
system to sustain active groundwater remediation at the Former
Nebraska Ordnance Plant.
This follow-on project demonstrated that the GCW could be
operated using an off-grid wind turbine system. The off-grid
wind turbine generated approximately 3,420 kWh of electricity
mitigating 4,600 tons of CO2 between December 2005 and June
2006. Although the GCW operated for more years than intended,
it continued to remove a significant amount of TCE from the
groundwater without any net loss of water to the aquifer.
2010 UPDATE
The grid inter-tie and off-grid wind turbines generated more
than 17,935 kWh of electricity combined while mitigating
approximately 22,600 lbs of CO2. The wind turbine powered the
remediation system until a system component failed in March
2008. While still operational, the site's GCWs have been powered
through the area's utility grid since that time. Cleanup at the
Former Nebraska Ordnance Plant remains ongoing.
Lead: Missouri University of Science and Technology
Sponsor: U.S. EPA Region 7
Other Partners:
•	Bergey Wind Systems, Inc.
•	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District
OSWER Innovation Projects:
www.epa.gov/oswer/iwg/pilots
EPA's Clu-in Green Remediation Focus:
www.clu-in.org/greenremediation/
USACE Project Specific Page:
www.nwk.usace.army.mil/projects/mead/index.cfm
Missouri University of Science and Technology -
Project Article:
http://news.mst.edu/2003/09/researchers_students_help,
clea.html
This project was fundamental in developing EPA's green
remediation strategy and initiatives. The pilot proved that
cleanups can be "greener" by using far less energy and using
renewable energy when available. This innovative idea was
a groundbreaking concept that, in combination with Agency
champions, eventually led to the broader green remediation
program.
A	United States
Environmental Protection
* m Agency
OSWER Innovation Pilot Results Fact Sheet
Groundwater Remediation Powered by
a Renewable Energy Source
— August 2010

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