Energy efficiency program for Agriculture

May 27, 2016

Olivier Jerphagnon, PowWow Energy

Justin Muncaster, PowWow Energy
Xavier Brucker, PowWow Energy

Introduction to PowWow analytics

platform for agriculture

Problem: dichotomy between grid and user

to address water-energy nexus in California

Underlying issue: water management

Water is the common link between 2 processes:

Energy to move water via pumps and pipes

Water to grow food via evaporation and transpiration

How efficiently is
water moved?
Pump efficiency
Design pressure
Leaks
VFD controller
Etc.

Energy Use Efficiency

4

How is water turned

into bio-mass?
Crop needs
Fertility practices
Drip irrigation
Irrigation schedule
Etc.
Water Use Efficiency

Solution: data analytics platform for Ag

One common platform allows us to close the loop using energy
data (water input) and aerial imagery (yield output).
Behavioral engine to align interest of grower (protect the farm)
and the utility (save energy and water)
feedback loop

Utility grid

Variety of crops,
irrigation systems, and
on-farm sensors

Increase energy efficiency

Pump Monitor
5

Increase water use efficiency

Irrigation Advisor

Pump Monitor: energy efficiency tool

Deployment of Pump Monitor

Examples from farms in SCE territory

Added value to growers (user engagement)

Alerts: smart meter becomes a
value to the farm

Protect the farms from downside

of losing pump or wasting water
Run 24/7 pump efficiency test
Detect issues before impacts

SGMA: automated water records

No hardware
Past and present data
Create a SGMA compliant report
Increase grower engagement

Continuous energy improvement for utility

Pump Monitor is a good way to
improve energy efficiency:

Assess with pump benchmark

Implement plan with goals and
text alerts in the field
Measure energy and water
savings without new hardware
Annual review with new
benchmark and targets

Pump Monitor can also be used

for Measurement & Verification:

Repairs after pump tests

Low pressure nozzles
VFD installation
Etc.

Software-as-a Service (SaaS):

Annual subscription per pump

Step 1: benchmark
Benchmarking is critical to set a baseline energy savings,
and it is opportunity to start a conversation among
farming staff to make changes

10

Step 2: alerts and water measurements

11

Step 3: annual reports

12

Ranch energy efficiency by 4%

(normalized to water used as it
varies year-to-year), and water use
went down by 20%
Grower saved $30,000 in energy

Water measurement of pumps with

Variable Frequency Drivers (VFD)
Work done under CEC funded project
EPC-14-081

13

VFD pump at UC Davis farm (J3 pump)

The sensors are connected to a Supervisory Control And Data

Acquisition (SCADA) managed by UC Davis. We are able to extract
water flow, pressure, well depth, power in 1-minute intervals.
We used pump tests and sensor data to build a model for measuring
water from smart meter capturing energy data in 15-minute interval
14

Model for pump controlled by VFD

Variable speed pump uses a control-loop implemented with a
Variable Frequency Drive
We developed an algorithm to take into account change of
motor speed, which affects power and water flow

Green Button energy data (smart meter)

15

Water estimate vs. sensor data (SCADA)

Insights on model developed for VFD

Source: https://www1.eere.energy.gov

Source: https://www1.eere.energy.gov

A VFD varies the rotation per minute (RPM) of the motor

Operating point walks along system curve to achieve desired pressure
In an idealized model the OPE does not vary dramatically
Flow can be predicted using affinity equations

16

For well pumps, efficiency drops when operating below the designed
power. Model needs to capture the loss in efficiency.

Accuracy of daily water measurement

J3

95 daily water
measurements:
5/2/2015
through
8/2/2015

95% accuracy better

than mechanical
flow meters
17

Side-by-side demo sites for adoption

?
Variable speed pumps

18

Single speed pumps

Thanks!

Answers to farmers, not more data

19