Microturbine Powers 3rd Isolated Compressor Station

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FEBRUARY 2019 – A large midstream and pipeline company ordered its third Capstone Microturbine for installation at a large unmanned compressor station in Wyoming ‒ a C800 Signature Series microturbine from Horizon Power Systems.

With Wyoming one of the top five states with natural-gas reserves, the company is increasing its presence as oil and gas producers rapidly expand their exploration efforts. A C1000S and C600S already are installed at two other remote sites. The 600-kilowatt C600S has run nonstop for more than a year. The 1-megawatt C1000S will begin operating in March.

With each compressor station located miles from a utility line, the power system must be reliable and low maintenance. The cost to dispatch a crew to fix a faulty power source at a secluded site, combined with lost production time, can be significant. The company chose Capstone microturbines for their low maintenance and ultra-low emissions that meet EPA requirements.

Like the other microturbines, the 800-kilowatt C800S will use fuel from the isolated station to continuously power such critical auxiliary equipment as air compressors, pumps and cathodic protection units. Horizon Power expects the C800S to be commissioned this summer.

Compressor stations play a critical part in the natural gas delivery process. As natural gas needs to get from the production well to the customer, the station compresses the gas to keep the supply moving against elements like distance, friction and elevation changes.

Producer Wants Capstone Microturbines’ Average 99% Power Availability

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JULY 11, 2018 – Needing round-the-clock power at a remote South Texas gas processing facility, a large oil and gas producer purchased a 1 megawatt Capstone microturbine from Horizon Power Systems. The C1000S microturbine will be commissioned later this year.

The natural gas-fueled Signature Series C1000 microturbine will provide prime power to critical equipment at the gas processing plant. The plant is located in a remote area of Texas far from utility power. Producers need round-the-clock power to keep gas flowing and avoid shutdowns that can impact their bottom line.

Like other major producers that have teamed with Horizon Power, the company turned to Capstone microturbines because of their reliability, efficiency, and low maintenance requirements.

Fortune 100 Manufacturer Can’t Pass Up 2nd Microturbine

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MAY 15, 2018 – A Fortune 100 manufacturer of computer parts ordered yet another Capstone Microturbine to help provide low-cost power, heat, and air conditioning to a recent plant expansion.

The global company ordered a second Capstone microturbine after experiencing high energy efficiencies with the first that led to lower energy bills, limited maintenance since Capstone microturbines operate with just one moving part, extremely low emissions that meet federal standards, and high reliability that averages 99 percent runtime.

Horizon Power Systems, the Capstone distributor that sold both microturbines, will set up the latest system like the first in a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) application.  As the microturbine generates electricity, it also produces waste heat that is captured to heat building space. With the CCHP system, additional waste heat will be cooled by chillers and used for air conditioning.

By using the waste heat, energy efficiencies can exceed 90 percent. This makes microturbine CCHP systems more cost effective than utility power. In addition, clean-and-green Capstone microturbines are significantly more environmentally friendly than such onsite power systems as reciprocating engines emitting much less smog-forming nitrous oxides and other greenhouse gases.

“The manufacturer contacted us after the success of the first installation,” said Sam Henry, President of Horizon Power Systems. “Companies want to cut production costs while maintaining a quality product. Energy bills are among the highest business expense. Capstone microturbines can reduce those energy bills, especially in a combined cooling, heating, and power application like this.”

About Horizon Power Systems

As one of the premier distributors of Capstone Turbine microturbines, Horizon Power Systems sells and services the clean-and-green power systems for prime, backup, and combined heat and power (CHP) applications. The company specializes in the oil and gas industry along with commercial-focused sectors such as manufacturers, data centers, hotels, and universities, among others.

Specializing in a fully integrated service approach, the company’s 17 years of expertise ensures support of all power project needs, including application, design, fabrication, and lifetime service. Horizon is the exclusive Capstone Turbine distributor for:

United States:  Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming

Canada:  Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and Northwest Territories

Horizon Power has regional offices in Farmington, NM; Denver; Houston; Salt Lake City; and Calgary, Alberta, Canada.   www.horizonpowersystems.com, 855-256-7697 (US) or 855-476-7697 (Canada).

 

Add a C1000S to our fleet? “Heck yeah,” says Pipeline Co

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May 14, 2018 – One of the nation’s biggest pipeline companies with multiple Capstone Turbine microturbines in its fleet has ordered its largest microturbine to date — a C1000 Signature Series microturbine that will power critical equipment at a remote natural gas compression station in the Midwest.

The 1 megawatt natural-gas fueled microturbine, sold by Capstone distributor Horizon Power Systems, will operate 24/7 and deliver prime power to critical equipment at the unmanned site, which has no access to utility power.

A longtime Horizon Power customer, the C1000S purchase follows on the heels of earlier orders, including a Capstone C600S for a Wyoming compression station and smaller microturbines to power cathodic protection along pipelines.

As with the other sites, natural gas from a nearby pipeline will fuel the microturbine.

Because Capstone microturbines have only one moving part and no oil or lubricants, they average 99 percent uptime, ensuring continuous production and no loss of power to the compression station’s critical equipment. In addition, microturbines’ low maintenance eliminates the need to house onsite service personnel, which reduces the company’s labor costs.

“We’re seeing more repeat oil-and-gas customers,” said Sam Henry, President of Horizon Power. “They like the reliability, low maintenance, and low emissions of Capstone microturbines, along with the service we provide to ensure round-the-clock power.”

Horizon Power serves oil and gas producers in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Barnett, Mancos, San Juan, and Wattenberg Shale plays.

 

Cody Powell Joins Horizon Power as Corporate Account Manager in Utah and Arizona

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Feb. 15, 2018 – Clean energy expert Cody Powell has joined Horizon Power Systems as Corporate Account Manager in Utah and Arizona.  Horizon Power, the largest distributor for Capstone Turbine Corp. in the Americas, sells and services ultra-low emission Capstone microturbines that are proven to reduce energy costs and average 99 percent power availability for companies.

Qualifying Utah and Arizona companies can receive a 10 percent federal tax credit for installing microturbines.

Powell will work with hospitals, universities, data centers and other organizations in Utah and Arizona to develop Capstone microturbine projects with energy efficiencies that can exceed 90 percent. Higher efficiency means lower energy costs. In comparison, when traditional utility power is combined with an onsite boiler, heater, or chiller, efficiencies average only 50 percent.

Before joining Horizon Power, Powell was owner of VITL in Provo, Utah, a solar-industry firm that quickly grew to gross an average of $5 million every six months. Prior to VITL, he served as Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Alliance Solar in California and Utah. He also has held sales positions in the real estate and medical industries, which are ideal markets for microturbines.

Award-Winning Utah Microturbines

In 2017, Horizon Power received an Energy Champion Award from the Utah chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers for Capstone microturbine projects at an international high-tech manufacturer and a multi-national non-profit.

Horizon expects the manufacturer’s project will pay for itself in 4.5 years; the non-profit’s in just 3.6 years.

In addition, the non-profit is reducing its ongoing energy costs through a combined heat and power system that simultaneously provides electricity for the building and thermal energy to produce hot water. Three C65 Capstone microturbines that each produces 65-kilowatts of power replaced two aging hot water boilers and eliminated the need for a diesel backup power generator.

Contact Powell at cpowell@horizonpowersystems.com or 801-960-0914. Learn more about Horizon Power and Capstone microturbines at www.horizonpowersystems.com

Distributed Energy Magazine: “Great Things Come in Small Packages”

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SEPT/OCT 2017 — “The famous saying ‘smaller is better’ is not necessarily true. A more accurate statement would be that “appropriate scale is better.” This brings us to the use of microturbines and their appropriate applications.”

Read this fascinating article about microturbines, a technical explanation of how they work, and their integration into microgrids.   Microturbines-Distributed Energy Mag-Sept-Oct 2017

Irma & Sandy: No Stopping Microturbines

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October 2017 – Capstone microturbines have kept the power on during some of the most destructive hurricanes on record.  Read why…

Hurricanes and Capstone Microturbine Resiliency

Letter to Congress: Include Clean-Energy Tax Credit in Tax Reform

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Letter sent to all members of Congress across Horizon Power’s territory on October 27, 2017:

Horizon Power Systems is the exclusive distributor among 13 states – including Wyoming — of low-emission Capstone Microturbines, an advanced, energy-saving power technology that is eligible for a clean-energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) that inadvertently expired in 2016.

I am writing to urge you to support the inclusion of clean-energy tax credit language (S.B. 1409 & H.B. 1090) ) in tax reform proposals. The bill retroactively extends the Investment Tax Credit for microturbines, combined heat and power, fuel cells, small wind and thermal energy through 2021.

For over eight years, the ITC has helped hospitals, manufacturers, universities, data centers and other facilities secure clean-and-green microturbines as part of Combined Heat & Power (CHP) systems. Microturbines and CHP dramatically cut a business’s energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

American-made Capstone Microturbines create electricity and capture the microturbine’s waste heat to heat and cool buildings. Microturbines in CHP systems:

  • achieve 80%-90% energy efficiency (considerably better than grid power’s 33% efficiency)
  • cut greenhouse gas emissions 40%
  • boost energy savings
  • decrease power outages
  • eliminate transmission and distribution losses from central power plants.

Unfortunately, the tax credit expired last year. Since 2008, this tax code has included a modest 10% ITC for CHP projects that are less than 25 megawatts and include microturbines, among other technologies.

To encourage use of CHP, the Administration should defend and extend tax incentives for CHP through legislation that would amend the tax code in the following ways:

  1. Retroactively extend the Sec. 48 ITC for fuel cells, small wind, combined heat and power, microturbines, and thermal energy through 2021
  2. Gradually reduce credits for technologies that initially qualified at the 30% level on the same schedule as currently provided for solar power
  3. Increase the geothermal electric ITC from 10% to 30%, with a gradual reduction akin to solar
  4. Add Waste Heat to Power as a qualifying technology for the Sec. 48 ITC
  5. Extend the Sec. 25D residential credit for these technologies through 2021, with a gradual reduction akin to solar

“Must Pass” Legislation

CHP is well regarded because it complies with many federal and state air quality regulations.  However, the initial capital cost of a CHP project can be a barrier, whether power comes from a microturbine, fuel cell, geothermal, small wind or thermal system.  This legislation is “must pass”. Our country needs ITC to assist with financing.  Without it, we could see:

  • limited business and job growth (especially in engineering and construction)
  • decreased economic activity
  • reduced energy independence
  • continued deterioration of the U.S. power grid
  • weakened national security

Horizon Power Systems requests that you support inclusion of tax credit language (S.B. 1409 & H.B. 1090) ) in the tax reform package. Your support will make American manufacturing more competitive and create new business opportunities and jobs. Without it, key resources that support energy efficiency could be eliminated.

 

Horizon Power Meets With Utah Sen. Hatch Staff & Other Congressional Staff

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SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 30, 2017 — Horizon Power Systems, Utah Clean Energy, and the national Clean Energy Business Network met with district offices of Senators Hatch (R-UT) and Lee (R-UT), and Representatives Stewart (R-UT-2) and Love (R-UT-4). Seven Utah clean energy business leaders  — including Horizon Power’s Jeff Dixon, Corporate Account Manager — discussed their companies’ energy, tax, and appropriations policy priorities with district staff.

The group showcased a range of innovative technologies representing the future of Utah’s energy economy, which includes harnessing the state’s ample renewable resources, powering businesses and homes more efficiently, and maximizing the efficiency of fossil energy projects.

Dixon, based in Salt Lake City, shared details about Capstone Microturbine technology for Combined Heat and Power applications and installations for the oil and gas industry. One Horizon Power installation has helped oil and gas producer Pioneer Natural Resources/EFS Midstream increase efficiency and ensure round-the-clock operation with uninterrupted power. The turbines have commercial and industrial applications that bring significant energy cost savings, decrease emissions, and increase onsite power reliability.

Other participants:

Utah Clean Energy
Salt Lake City, UT
Josh Craft, Government and Corporate Relations Manager
Since 2001, Utah Clean Energy has lead the transition to a new clean energy economy in Utah and the West with vision and expertise. Through advocacy, policy, and public outreach, the organization tackles today’s serious energy challenges with a toolbox of innovative solutions and workable strategies in energy efficiency, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and planning for the transition to a clean energy economy. Utah Clean Energy also manages a Business Coalition composed of providers and end users leading the clean energy transformation, with 26 Sustainers Circle members and 27 Affiliate Members.

Enel Green Power
Andover, MA (with operations in Millard County, UT)
Terry Page, Regulatory Affairs and Innovation
Enel Green Power North America, Inc. (EGP-NA), part of the Renewable Energies division of the Enel Group, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 23 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. EGP-NA operates over 100 plants with a managed capacity exceeding 2.8 GW powered by renewable hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar energy. The company’s Cove Fort power plant in Utah is the first project in the world to successfully integrate hydropower technology at a binary geothermal plant. This innovative technology reduces operational and maintenance expenses and increases energy efficiency and availability with the potential to be replicated at other sites around the world.

Lux Energy
Farmington, UT
Ray Wilcox, Lux Energy Group
Lux Energy Group is an energy management services consulting firm working with a range of clean and efficient energy solutions, including renewable energy, natural gas, and combined heat and power. The company particularly serves clients in the building sector, working to develop customized solutions to help customers reduce their energy use and costs. One of Lux’s projects includes renovations of the central plant at The Gateway, an outdoor shopping mall in Salt Lake City.

Ormat Technologies
Reno, NV (working in Veyo, UT)
Paul Thomsen, Executive Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs
Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (REG)/waste heat to power generation. The company’s current generating portfolio of 626 MW is spread globally in the U.S., Guatemala and Kenya, and its REG technology has secured over 77 U.S. patents. In Utah, Ormat has a 5 MW waste heat to power facility located in Veyo, under a PPA with UAMPS with power solutions that have been refined and perfected under the most grueling environmental conditions. The company has also provided services and equipment for several geothermal projects operated by Enel Green Power in Cove Fort, Milford, and Minersville, Utah.

Pure Energy Group
Park City, UT
Brandon Julian, CEO and Colton Julian, Director of Digital Marketing & Strategy
Pure Energy Group’s (PEG) turn-key, automated systems offer customers the ability to convert organic waste byproducts into on-site renewable energy while significantly reducing post-process waste residual handling and disposal. Originally developed at Utah State University, the company’s Induced Bed Reactor (IBR) is a high-rate anaerobic digestion technology with eight combined U.S. and global patents. This novel reactor can be utilized by a variety of commercial and industrial industries that produce organic waste streams as a byproduct of their daily operations. Pure Energy Group worked with Devil’s Canyon Brewery in California to convert brewery waste into biogas energy.

QuasarWave (Q Hydrogen Solutions Corporation)
Park City, UT
Whitaker B. Irvin, Jr., CEO
QuasarWave is the innovator of a cutting-edge technology to generate hydrogen fuel from water in a cost-effective, highly-efficient manner. The company has secured 13 global patents, with an additional 28 pending. QuasarWave is currently expanding and exploring a broad range of applications, including utility-scale power production.

Sound Geothermal
Sandy, UT
Cary Smith, President
Sound Geothermal provides ground source heat pump solutions that improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs in heating, ventilation and air conditioning for homes and businesses. Some projects utilize solar panels to power the ground source heat pumps, such as this project in an urban fill development near downtown Salt Lake City. The company’s largest projects are cityscapes: multiple buildings connected together that share energy and utilize the ground to store energy long-term and short-term.

Summa Energy Posts Horizon Power’s Superstorm Sandy Whitepaper

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July 2017 – Horizon Power Systems’ whitepaper on Superstorm Sandy continues its trek across the Internet. Most recently, Summa Energy Solutions CEO and Co-Founder Clayton Erekson shares the news.

http://www.vitalityenergy.com/blog/why-superstorm-sandy-couldnt-stop-microturbine-power