INNOVATION July-August 2015

2014 ¢

2015 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

SunMine Solar Power Plant SunMine is a 1 MWp grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant built in Kimberley on the former industrial site of Teck Resources’ Sullivan Mine. It is the largest solar power plant west of Ontario, the first BC Hydro execution of an Energy Purchase agreement (EPA) with a solar farm, the first and only solar plant owned and operated by a municipality in Canada, and the first Canadian solar project actively supported by a mining company. The project showcases numerous innovations such as brightfield redevelopment, solar trackers, distributed inverters, 1000 VDC strings. The plant takes advantage of the exceptional solar irradiation in the Kootenay. Annual average production will be about 2 GWh. Owner: City of Kimberley. Sponsor: Teck (Terry Brace. P.Eng.; Bruce Donald, P.Eng.; Susan Stocker, P.Eng.). Incubator: EcoSmart (Michel de Spot, P.Eng.). Installation: Victor Jmaeff, P.Eng.; Doug Clapp, P.Eng.; Elroy Switlishoff, P.Eng., FEC.

MV Columbia The MV Columbia is a double-ended vehicle ferry constructed for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure by WaterBridge Steel. The vessel was designed by Polar Design Sales, working with Capilano Maritime Design as Owner’s Representatives on behalf of the Ministry. The vessel carries passengers and vehicles travelling on Highway 23 between Galena Bay and Shelter Bay on Upper Arrow Lake. The vessel was constructed on the shores of Upper Arrow Lake in Nakusp. It has capacity for 80 cars and 250 passengers. Propulsion is developed by two 980 HP Wartsila IMO tier II compliant diesel engines acting through Voith cycloidal propeller drives providing omnidirectional thrust. The hull was designed with a slender form to reduce resistance and associated fuel consumption. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: Manager Maryse Langevin, P.Eng. and Callum Campbell, P.Eng. Polaris Design Sales: Robert Armour, P. Eng., FEC. Capilano Maritime Design: Chris Mulder, P.Eng.

Power Vault Project A 75 kWh Battery Energy Storage System was installed in BCIT’s Burnaby campus under the umbrella of BCIT/BC Hydro’s Smart Microgrid Initiative. The Power Vault System includes a battery unit with racks that house lithium ion battery cells and a parallel unit

containing Battery Management System (BMS) electronics; a bi-directional Power Conversion System (PCS); and a control box that controls the BMS and PCS, and communicates externally via Ethernet or a serial port. The Power Vault includes a high energy density battery storage system. It’s a cost effective, battery agnostic, modular design with a broad functionality and high levels of operational flexibility and control. This project is a demonstration facility for future electric vehicle station integration, and modular, portable MW-scale systems for distribution stations. APEGBC members involved: Ali Palizban, P.Eng.; Minoo Shariat-zadeh, P.Eng.; Hassan Farhangi, P.Eng. (BCIT) and Giuseppe Stanciulescu, P.Eng.; Kip Morison, P.Eng.; Helen Whittaker, P.Eng. (BC Hydro).

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