KFG
KAPSTONE FRONTIER GROUP
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable energy provides considerable benefits for our climate, our health, and our economy:
- Minimal global warming and emissions
- Increased environmental quality and improved public health
- An inexhaustible energy supply
The economics of renewable energy also make sense. For every $1 invested upfront in thoughtful design, improving efficiency, and reducing electrical load, an average of $2 to $4 or more will be saved on system cost over time.
At Kapstone Frontier Group (KFG), we have the capacity to complete high quality small, medium, and large-scale renewable energy developments in:
COMPANY
OVERVIEW
Kapstone, along with its team and industry partners, have extensive hands-on experience and knowledge in all facets of the renewable energy development industry. At Kapstone we attribute our success as a developer to the strengths of our leadership team, knowledge of the renewable energy industry, and accessibility.
Our team brings decades of combined experience to the market place. We understand the importance of quality, safety, scheduling, responsible budgeting/ forecasting and, most of all, the need for a clear line of communication. We're recognized for our commitment to the quality of every project and the subsequent value it provides to each and every customer. We know that you will soon come to appreciate the Kapstone advantage.
KAPSTONE’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Keeping developments profitable
Always protecting the environment
Passing on a legacy to future generations
Sustainability now and into the future
Total dedication to quality
Open to innovation
Never losing sight of our objectives
Efficient use of energy, resources & personnel
Understanding the Essentials for a Successful Renewable Energy Development
- Project feasibility, analytics & economics
- Site selection and assessment
- System electrical and mechanical design and layout
- Component selection and specification requirements
- Electrical and mechanical configuration
- Safe, healthy, and environmentally conscious construction procedures
- Permitting and interconnection requirements and regulatory procedures
- Project commissioning and final inspection
- Performance analysis, maintenance & troubleshooting procedures
- Worksite management
Turnkey Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management Services
Kapstone has partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and has aligned itself with highly certified renewable energy professionals and equipment installers including a team of regulatory experts and engineers to meet every requirement for a turnkey development.
Build Own Operate &
Transfer Project Financing
Kapstone offers innovative project financing where it will finance, build, own, operate and transfer its renewable energy development upon receiving its capital recovery and return on investment.
Working Hard to Achieve Energy Efficiency
& Sustainability
Kapstone is committed to helping its clients reduce their environmental footprint through increasing their energy efficiency and sustainability by utilizing the latest and most technologically advanced equipment, engineering and construction methods.
SOLAR ENERGY
The surface of the sun is about 10,000°F (5,500ºC), which provides us tremendous amounts of heat and light. The sun is an environmentally friendly power source that’s available nearly everywhere, with an abundant supply, providing clean energy.
Solar panels consist of photovoltaic (PV) cells that make electricity with sunlight as the only fuel source.
Since they generate electricity directly from sunlight, power generation is silent; no noise pollution, requires minimal maintenance, and the panels can be set up on a roof or a nearby open space.
Localized power generation is more resilient against large-scale blackouts due to natural causes or acts of terror.
There is clearly a technical advantage, since efficiency losses associated with long-range transmission are eliminated, as well as the need for long power lines.
PV modules require only sunlight to operate. Most modules are guaranteed by the manufacturer to generate power for 25 years, and many modules in the field have been reliably producing for far longer than that.
Encased in strong tempered glass, PV modules are tested to withstand wind, rain, snow, ice and hailstones. After installation, PV systems generate electricity for decades at no additional cost, with no moving parts required, and no combustion or greenhouse gas emissions.
Challenges
- Solar energy is from an intermittent source that is not available at night or under cloudy conditions.
- There is a relatively high initial cost for the solar panels; they require storage or grid connection for continuous round-the-clock use, along with an inverter to produce AC current.
- Without a storage system, solar energy may be less available for heating demand (depending on time of day and season, especially in extreme Northern and Southern latitudes).
- Panel installation requires a relatively large amount of open space which may present possible aesthetic issues.
- With current technology, solar panels have a relatively low efficiency rating (around 17-40%).
- The panels consist of possibly fragile materials, and require an engineering solution to track the sun’s position (solar tracking, ideally dual-axis), which requires initial installation and ongoing maintenance.
BIOMASS ENERGY
Biomass (plant material and animal waste) is the oldest source of renewable energy.
Plants harvest energy from sunlight. When a plant dies, a lot of that collected energy remains in the plant matter and can be used for fuel.
Bioenergy is energy produced from renewable, biological sources such as dead plants, trees, grass, leaves, crops, garbage, and animal waste, including manure. For example, burning wood in a fire for heat or cooking is renewable bioenergy.
Biomass is considered a renewable energy source because the carbon in biomass is regarded as part of the natural carbon cycle: trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into biomass and when they die, it is released back into the atmosphere.
Bioenergy can be implemented in many scales and applications. Different processes have different levels of efficiency.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
Running cars and trucks on biodiesel made from veggie oil, some of which may be used oil from restaurant deep fryers.
Burning field waste on farms.
Collecting biogas (methane) from landfills, and from decomposing food waste and livestock manure.
CHALLENGE
- Biomass is relatively expensive to use, due to high transport and resource gathering expenses, and burning waste adds to pollution.
WIND ENERGY
We have used the power of kinetic energy in moving air throughout history.
Some common uses include sails moving ships, windmills grinding grain and pumping water, and kites entertaining children.
Wind is an indirect form of solar energy. The sun heat primarily reaches the area near the equator, leaving the polar regions much colder. In the quest to find temperature equilibrium, air moves back and forth, creating wind.
Wind energy increases dramatically with wind speed. When wind speed doubles, the power in the wind actually increases eight times. For example, if the wind speed increases from 10 km/h to 20 km/h, it will generate 8x the energy. Also, the theoretical maximum for harvesting wind energy is about 60%, which is known as the Betz limit.
Wind Power: The production of wind energy is “clean” since there is no fuel to drill, frack, mine, transport or burn.
It’s renewable, since wind is free, and relatively cost effective.
There is initial investment required in infrastructure, such as land, and wind turbines, along with ongoing maintenance costs. Also, unlike some other sources of energy like nuclear, or oil/gas, there is no concern about a long-term toxic effect.
MYTHS:
Wind turbines are ugly
Many people think of turbines as majestic, mobile sculptures on the horizon, as compared to a giant power plant with its open pit mining or trains full of coal and steam, CO2, and mercury rising from the smokestacks.
Wind turbines kill birds
Studies have shown that each massive, utility-scale wind turbine kills less than two birds per year. The glass windows in houses and office building kill more - as do vehicles, habitat destruction, pollution, pesticides and electrocution by power lines. In perspective, less than one bird death is caused by a wind turbine for every 10,000 birds killed by human activities.
Wind turbines are loud
A few early wind turbine designs were quite loud in high winds. Modern wind turbines are relatively quiet.
CHALLENGE
- Amount of land used (footprint), noise concerns, and visual obstruction (may be considered to be an eyesore). Since wind blows inconsistently, we can’t depend on a steady amount of energy generation.
- Wind turbines require extra attention and maintenance as they have moving parts. High up in the air, they are subject to sideways gusts, windborne debris, and the heat of the sun.
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (ESS)
Energy storage capability is useful for times when power load exceeds the production of the energy source, or for renewable energy sources that are intermittent by nature, such as wind, and solar energy. An efficient energy storage system can provide energy even when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining… providing energy according to demand.
It is important to integrate energy storage as a way to manage intermittent resources (if clouds occasionally block the sun, or the wind doesn’t blow consistently), and to enhance the reliability of the grid, by managing spikes in voltage and frequency that can lead to brownouts or power outages.
CHALLENGE
- Challenge: This requires a substantial investment (and ongoing maintenance) of the equipment, along with space requirements.