YOURBROOK ENERGY SYSTEMS LTD Yourbrook Tidal …

!YOURBROOK ENERGY SYSTEMS LTD.

Yourbrook Tidal Technology for Inshore Waters

Updated January 2020

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! !Yourbrook Tidal Technology prototype at Port Clements prior to being towed to test location. !!!

Yourbrook Energy Systems, Ltd. has designed a proprietary system which will harness the constant, predictable and powerful force of the tides. This environmentally benign system produces

clean, economical energy. Our unique design can utilize previously

untapped tidal potential.

Updated January 2020

Yourbrook Tidal Technology for Shallow Water

www.yourbrookenergy.com Page !2

!!Summary !Yourbrook’s patented technology is designed to harness the abundant energy occurring over a large area of a cyclic tidal stream. The power is concentrated by means of pumps and paddles, and delivered to an adja-cent upland in the form of highly pressurized water. This pressurized water can then be used to generate power in conventional hydro tur-bines with direct pumped storage to stabilize output if required, without the typical efficiency losses associated with energy conversion. !!Who We Are !Yourbrook Energy Systems Ltd. is a privately owned and operated Canadian firm based in Haida Gwaii, BC. The Yourbrook team is de-veloping a new and innovative tidal power design as a solution to the dependence on diesel generation of electricity on Haida Gwaii, and in other remote or off-grid communities. This tidal technology has poten-tial to be marketed throughout the world. !Yourbrook is continuing the process of testing a prototype that will demonstrate the feasibility of its tidal power design, presently the pro-totype to date has 3000 operational hours in the field without a major mishap. The medium-term goal to build a full scale 500 KW grid-con-nected demonstration project near Kamdis in the main Masset channel on Haida Gwaii, Yourbrook is presently working through the permit-ting and regulations at this site. This site has the advantage of being in close proximity to existing BC Hydro transmission lines. Investigative Licences and Department of Fisheries and Oceans approval for the Juskatla Narrows site is ongoing for prototype testing. !!The Challenge on Haida Gwaii (and other remote locations) !Presently the entire north half of the Haida Gwaii power grid relies on electricity generated by diesel generators, which use 7,300,000 litres of diesel annually to provide power to approxi-mately 2,500 people. With the rising cost of fossil fuels and the Greenhouse Gas Emissions that they cause, the BC government is searching for green alternatives to diesel power generation in remote communities. BC Hydro, local government, First Nations and community groups have been exploring alternative energy solutions for the Haida Gwaii power grid, ranging from wind power options to biomass, with no one definitive winning solution.

One of the challenges posed by the Haida Gwaii electrical grid is that it is not connected to the main power grid on the mainland. That means a continuous ‘firm’ power source is required to provide constant power to Haida Gwaii’s independent grid. Unlike the mainland power grid, which can maintain power between energy fluctuations from intermittent power sources such as wind and solar, the Haida Gwaii system requires a continuous source.

!The worldwide potential for tidal power is estimated to be 700 TWh a year. !Currently tidal power design is in the early stages of de-velopment. Innovative prob-lem solving is needed to cre-ate practical applications in order to utilize this green resource. !Tidal Power Advantages !

• Renewable – emission free

• Completely predictable • Reliable – A plant can

last 100 years

http://www.yourbrookenergy.com/




Tidal power is considered an intermittent power source as tide activity slows to a halt at high and low tide cycles as the tides reverse direction. In looking at the complete predictability of tidal flows, Yourbrook began to develop a concept that would create firm (continuous) power from an intermittent tidal power source by designing a unique pump storage system that would meet the islands’ needs. The long term aim is not to augment the diesel generators, but to turn them off entirely. !!Technology and Pump Description !The technology is designed to harness the energy of tidal currents, for instance in a narrows, by using several large horizontal axis surface piercing rotors, allowing a large area for maximum energy capture. The equipment can be mounted on a permanent structure of pylons with access to the nearby shore. These rotors will rotate in either direction with the incoming and outgoing tidal flow. The rotors will be relatively unaffected by floating driftwood, ice, and minimally af-fected by marine growth. The horizontal axis allows all sensitive components, bearings and equipment to be located above the water, allowing ease of maintenance and long service life.

!Schematic of Tidal Technology system. !!!!!!





!The energy will be transferred to large displacement piston pumps directly connected to the rotors. These pumps can operate in either direction without the need for a constant rpm and operate to a speed as low as one revolution per minute, thus extracting the maximum energy from rotor area in flow without the necessity for a speed increase gearbox.

The pumps will be able to maintain a constant output pressure regardless of the input torque from the rotor by adjusting the stroke and output volume relative to tidal flow speeds throughout the entire tide cycle. During the periods of high tidal flows the pump stroke can be reduced, allowing the rotor to freewheel in order to maintain the volumes required to be pumped or to shut down the system.

The upland portion of the system will consist of an upper reservoir (the accumulator), penstock, hydro turbine, and a lower reservoir (the sump). The pressurized water from the pumps will be piped to the penstock. During times of high current velocity in a given tide cycle the volume of water pumped will exceed the required volume of the hydro turbine. This excess volume will ac-cumulate in the upper reservoir and flow back down the penstock to the hydro turbine during periods of slack tide. The water from the turbine’s tailrace will accumulate in the lower reservoir and be returned back to the pumps. For sites with very limited reservoir capacity, the system’s firm power output will be the 24 hour average of the volumes pumped throughout the daily tide cycles and based on the days of the least tidal movement. For sites with larger reservoir potential the firm capacity will be the average of the annual volumes pumped. !!!

Pump under Construction.

!!This unique concept and innovative pump design is an effective, cost-efficient way to harness intermittent tidal energy and balance it into continuous firm power, which has never yet been





demonstrated anywhere in the world.

To our knowledge, this technology represents the first time variable displacement axial piston pumps have been adapted for use as described, and under the conditions proposed. !!!

Prototype being installed on site in Juskatla narrows during slack tide.

!Pump on barge in operation

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! Strategic Plan !

Yourbrook is undertaking the following steps to validate, demonstrate, and market new tidal technology, culminating in a 500 KW grid-connected demonstration plant on Haida Gwaii. The Kamdis site is presently being investigated to replace Juskatla Narrows as the proposed site of Yourbrook’s initial Demonstration Project because of the proximity to BCHydro transmission lines and First Nations concerns. !Phase A

Initial prototype design (begun 2010) Engineering Analysis confirming the concept mathematically and with computer models

(completed 2011). Secure necessary Investigative Licenses and permits from Provincial and Federal

agencies to proceed at Justkatla Narrows (2011 and 2012). !Phase B

Build small scale prototype, test in shop environment, verify performance (2015). Launch and conduct initial and secondary sea trials (2016 and 2017). Business development and planning, market analysis, financial modelling for Levelized

Cost of Energy, corporate capacity-building (ongoing). Submit ‘Development Plan Template’ for Juskatla to BC Min. of

FLNRO prior to environmental approval (2017) This action raised cultural concerns from local First Nations,

subsequent negotiations resulted in the mutually agreed upon location at the Kamdis site to demonstrate the tech-nology.

Enter into contractual arrangement for analysis and CFD modelling by MIEWR staff of OCRE (Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering branch of National Research Council), for validation, optimization and de-sign maximizing flow velocities through mounting structure. (report completed 2019) !

Phase C Further prototype development: refine components, computer modelling, optimize blade

design and pump functions (2018 and 2019) Secure amended Investigative Licenses and other permits (investigative licences ap-

proved/ permits in process) Initiate System Impact Study with BC Hydro for the inter grid connection of the 500KW

demonstration generator. (2019/in progress) Develop the Kamdis Tidal Power Demonstration Project subsidiary

(est.2020) Engineering and design for scaled up model (est. 2020) !!!!!





!Phase D

Initial engineering / design, layout and assessments for marine environment, geotech-nical and archeological context for the four principal demonstration project ar-eas: foreshore, lower elevation, upper elevation, transmission corridor. (in progress)

Secure Joint Venture vehicle with Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo) (est. 2020)

Secure Power Purchase Agreement with BC Hydro (est. 2020) !Phase E

Issue RFPs and select contractors for environmental assessments and studies. Complete BC environmental assessment for demonstration project

(via Development Plan Template) (est. 2020) Issue RFPs for site preparation, archeological monitoring, geotechnical studies,

construction of scaled up pumps units, site installation components, (est.2020)

Phase F Construction of demonstration project site Design, permit, build connector transmission line, substation, commission line.

(2020-2022) Demonstration Project at Kamdis begins commercial operations. (2023) !

Phase G Establish technology sales division, marketing and licensing of the technology. Establish consulting and support services division Establish manufacturing facility on Haida Gwaii for components (2023 and beyond) !!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





!!!!Patents

Active patent portfolio of Yourbrook Energy Systems Ltd. (as of June 27, 2019)

The above are all part of a patent family derived from WO2013/113109 which has been assigned, in its entirety, in all coun-tries, to Yourbrook Energy Systems Ltd. The patent family can be viewed in detail on Espacenet at the following link: https://worldwide.espacenet.com/searchResults?ST=singleline&locale=en_EP&submitted=true&DB=&query=WO2013113109&Submit=Search

The Competition !There are three main tidal designs currently in use, all of which have their own pros and cons. The barrage system is basically a dam which creates a reservoir of water. Tidal fences block a channel and redirect flows through turbines, and tidal turbines are underwater turbines that

Country Publication number

Status Comments

United States

US9951748 B2 Granted patent Term was extended by 795 days

United States

US2018/0100482 A1

Allowed application & issue fee paid

Continuation of above

Europe EP2809950 B1 Granted patent Validated in Great Britain, France & Norway; opposition period over

Europe EP3269978 B1 Granted patent Divisional of above; validated in Great Britain, France & Germany

Canada CA2861129 A1 Allowed application

Will issue upon payment of fee due Dec. 6, 2019; a divisional is planned but not yet filed


https://worldwide.espacenet.com/searchResults?ST=singleline&locale=en_EP&submitted=true&DB=&query=WO2013113109&Submit=Search




spin as tidal flows go through them. Other experimental designs are in earlier phases of de-velopment. !!The Yourbrook tidal power design effectively solves many of the issues that have negatively af-fected the utilization of tidal energy in the past. Waterway barrages and fences are not neces-sary for tidal flow capture; these designs can adversely affect tidal cycles, salinity, wildlife, ac-cess and the tide levels of surrounding areas. Unlike other tidal turbines, the Yourbrook turbine is slow moving and therefore harmless to marine life, mammals and birds, allowing natural tidal flows to continue unabated. !

!Installation and testing modified blade tips. !!!





Yourbrook’s floating prototype undergoing testing in Juskatla Narrows. !





!!The Yourbrook Solution The Yourbrook team surveyed the problems inherent in conventional tidal power extraction technologies and designed a system that solved or mitigated as many of these issues as possi-ble.

To date most tidal power technologies being pursued have the electrical generator coupled directly to underwater turbines, with the apparatus anchored to the seabed, resulting in high installation and maintenance costs.

In contrast, Yourbrook’s technology consists of an array of tidal "pumps" mounted on perma-nent pylons above the tidal stream. This accessibility allows for easier installation and access for maintenance. Re-locating the electrical generation component to the upland and mounting the pumping mechanism above water reduces electrolysis and corrosion, which further enhances the life span and the fundamental reliability of the unit.

!! Example of typical debris above and below water surface that machinery must withstand.

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!!Pumps driven by the tidal stream send pressurized water to upland hydro turbines. As variable stroke pumps, they adjust and utilize the energy available throughout the full range of tidal flows. During daily periods of high tidal flow, the pumped water that exceeds the demand of the turbines is pushed to a reservoir at elevation enabling it to maintain pressurized flow back through the turbine during periods of tidal slack.

A unique advantage of this technology is the simplicity of control. The pumps’ output volumes are controlled and the electrical output at the turbine is governed.

The output pressure of all the pumps is regulated by the head pressure from the upper reser-voir. The output volume of an individual pump, or the whole array, is regulated by computer control. This also allows for isolation of an individual pump into neutral position allowing free wheel with no movement of the pumping components while being serviced.

Each time energy is converted from mechanical to electrical and back again to mechanical, losses are incurred. Providing direct pumped flow to the turbine along with pumped storage reduces losses inherent with energy conversion usually associated with conventional pumped storage. The configuration of tidal pumps in combination with the “pumped storage" system is unique-ly designed to deliver "firm" power with load-following capabilities. !!!!Climate Change and Need for the Technology !Canada spends approximately 2 billion dollars annually powering remote communities. Accord-ing to a recent Conference Board of Canada report (September 2016), 292 remote or off- grid communities in Canada are reliant on diesel generated power, which emits high volumes of pol-lutants harmful to the environment and the health of local populations. These are exactly the communities where Yourbrook’s technology would be especially beneficial.

International climate negotiators agreed at the 2009 UN climate change conference in Copen-hagen that global warming this century shouldn’t increase by more than 2 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

According to the International Energy Agency, $36 trillion of global investment will be needed in clean energy by 2050 to meet this goal – which amounts to $1 trillion a year.

Renewable energy can contribute to "social and economic development, energy access, secure energy supply, climate change mitigation, and the reduction of negative environmental and health impacts." The goal is to help create a suite of clean energy technologies and the knowl-edge to ensure uptake of the technologies. !





Current Project Status January 2020 !The tidal power prototype was launched in June 2016, following shop testing during which the equipment performed as anticipated. Field trials began in summer 2016, with intermittent testing continuing through the fall of 2019. !Independent operational data has been collected for proof of concept by members of the NRC of Canada in November of 2018 who visited the rig in operation on site and has been analyzed in conjunction with the Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering (OCRE)/Marine Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources Program of the National Research Council. The OCRE team com-pleted a Report in April of 2019, validating pump function. They did extensive CFD modelling of blade design and structural shapes of the mounting arrangement to increase flow velocities through the machinery and made recommendations for further optimization. !!

Prototype during onsite trials summer and fall 2017. For brief video of trials, go to: http://www.yourbrookenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_1360-1-11-sec.1.mp4 !!!

The next two-year phase of development will advance the technology from Technology Readi-ness Level 7 to Level 8, with improvements to elements of the prototype design, mounting, elec-tronic controls, and blade design. Additional trials will be conducted in different locations with-in Justkatla Narrows, with attention to long term equipment operation and hydrodynamic mod-elling of high yield blade design, followed by pump scale-up design and engineering. !Development will culminate in construction and installation of a 500KW grid-con-nected demonstration project. !The Yourbrook team is presently conducting research into pumping of sea water, in-vestigating: biofouling, electrolysis and salt water pump storage (SWPS). The results


http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/solutions/collaborative/miewr.html

http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/solutions/collaborative/miewr.html

http://www.yourbrookenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_1360-1-11-sec.1.mp4




of this study will increase the number of geographical locations for deployment of this technology and industrial uses of the technology. (in progress) !Presently development is financed by Yourbrook and funds from the National Re-search Council of Canada through the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), with additional support from the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT). The Federal Government of Canada is currently offering a variety of funding programs to support development of Clean Technologies, and Canadian businesses that will reduce GHG emissions. Yourbrook intends to participate in all such programs for which the Company is eligible. !Yourbrook is an EBC (eligible business corporation) for the sale of BC Venture Capital Tax Credit share purchases.



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