With help from Portland General Electric and
Energy Trust of Oregon, Hillsboro is pioneering a new technology
for water utilities, the In-PRV from InPipe Energy, that converts
excess water pressure into carbon-free electricity
The City of Hillsboro, Oregon, Energy Trust of Oregon, Portland
General Electric (PGE) and InPipe Energy today jointly announced
the completion of the Hillsboro In-Pipe Hydroelectric Project – the
first renewable energy project featuring the In-PRVTM, a new smart
water and micro-hydro system that generates electricity by
harvesting excess pressure from a city water pipeline. The In-PRV
bypasses an existing pressure control valve, only instead of
dissipating the pressure, it converts it into electricity that is
fed to the grid. This new technology will generate from 185,000 up
to 200,000 kWh or more of electricity per year that will help power
the lighting, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and
concessions at Hillsboro’s Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, which
includes Ron Tonkin and Hillsboro Stadiums. It will provide
pressure management that helps save water and extend the life of
the pipeline while reducing more than 162,000 pounds of carbon
annually -- that equates to over 240,000 driven miles off the road
- every year.
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“As a growing city, we’re excited to pioneer this very practical
new form of renewable energy that will help us continue to meet our
climate action goals and build resilience,” said Hillsboro Mayor
Steve Callaway.
“The City of Hillsboro’s innovative new project is a great
example of how we can support on-demand, cost-effective renewable
energy generation right here in our community,” said Maria Pope,
president and CEO of Portland General Electric. “From the In-Pipe
Hydroelectric Project to sourcing their power from 100% clean wind,
Hillsboro is a leader in sustainability. Thanks to PGE’s Green
Future customers’ support for local renewable energy projects, we
were able to help fund this work, along with Energy Trust and
InPipe Energy. Only by working together will we build a clean
energy future.”
“The City of Hillsboro is tapping into a new, local source of
renewable energy that communities across the region can deploy, and
we support these projects through funding to offset costs,” said
Dave Moldal, senior program manager at Energy Trust of Oregon. “The
relationships that Hillsboro, PGE, Energy Trust and InPipe Energy
have developed provide a successful model for how we can come
together to implement new, innovative sources of clean energy for
Oregon.”
“Water and energy are the most critical resources on the
planet,” said Gregg Semler, President and CEO of InPipe Energy.
“Water agencies across the country are being challenged with rising
costs and aging infrastructure. Our In-PRV is a product that easily
integrates into existing water pipelines and helps water agencies
with both of these issues by enabling them to precisely manage
pressure, save water, extend the life of their infrastructure and
offset costs by producing renewable energy.”
How it Works
Throughout the world, water agencies use control valves to
manage pressure in their water pipelines – this helps protect the
pipeline from leaks and delivers water to customers at a safe
pressure. These control valves normally burn off excess pressure as
heat. InPipe Energy’s In-PRV pressure recovery system performs like
a highly precise control valve, but takes the process one step
further by turning the excess pressure -- that would be otherwise
wasted -- into a new source of carbon-free electricity.
This new form of renewable energy – in-pipe hydropower – has
previously been used in large-scale projects, however the In-PRV is
the first system that combines software, micro-hydro and control
technology as a turnkey product that can be installed quickly,
easily and cost-effectively throughout water systems with
smaller-diameter pipelines and wherever pressure must be
reduced.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve our water operations
and reduce costs for our ratepayers,” said Eric Hielema,
Engineering Manager for the City of Hillsboro Water Department.
“This technology provides us with a solution to help us precisely
manage pressure while also producing renewable energy.”
“Distributed energy resources are a critical component in
meeting the state’s carbon goals, and this is a great addition to
the renewable energy options available to cities, reducing both
carbon and energy costs.” added Moldal.
About the City of Hillsboro, Oregon
Now Oregon’s fifth-largest city, with over 100,000 people,
Hillsboro is helping to grow Oregon’s future – from microprocessors
to vital industries, centers of commerce and green spaces.
Hillsboro is a well-planned, affordable hometown with a strong
economic base and one of the state’s most diverse populations. It
is the high-tech corridor for the state and home to a broad range
of businesses, large and small, including Oregon’s largest
employer, Intel. It also has the second-busiest airport in the
state and the fifth-largest school district. See more information
at Hillsboro-Oregon.gov.
About InPipe Energy
InPipe Energy is a renewable energy and smart water technology
company that produces renewable energy from existing
infrastructure. InPipe Energy has developed a new product called
the In-PRV, it is a pressure recovery valve. It performs the
function of a typical pressure reducing valve (PRV), but it
converts excess pressure into a new source of renewable energy from
existing water pipelines. InPipe Energy’s novel, modular approach
integrates into water and energy infrastructure with software
controls to improve operational efficiencies, save water, reduce
carbon and make both water and energy more resilient. What could be
more sustainable? For more information visit inpipeenergy.com.
About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated
energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across
the state. The company serves 901,000 customers with a service area
population of 1.9 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE has 16
generation plants in five Oregon counties, and maintains and
operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years,
PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to
Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1
voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000
employees are working with customers to build a clean energy
future. In 2019, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation
donated $4.7 million and volunteered 32,900 hours with more than
700 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit
portlandgeneral.com/rdf.
About Energy Trust of Oregon
Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization
dedicated to helping utility customers benefit from saving energy
and generating renewable power. Our services, cash incentives and
energy solutions have helped participating customers of Portland
General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas
and Avista save $8.2 billion on energy bills over time. Our work
helps keep energy costs as low as possible, creates jobs and builds
a sustainable energy future. Learn more at energytrust.org or call
1-866-368-7878.
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Media Contact: Jennifer Allen Newton:
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