Energy Conservation Pilot Program

Transcription

1 Energy Conservation Pilot Program Pineapple Hill Residence Average Voltage Incoming Voltage After MicroPlanet Regulation Voltage Before and After MicroPlanet Regulation Prepared by: RLW Analytics Sonoma, CA

2 Introduction The regulator data from the pilot site is clearly rich and provides multiple insights into the ability of MicroPlanet s product to effectively regulate voltage levels and translate those voltage reductions into energy savings. This report presents the results from the pilot site which was a 41 square feet residential unit with: a four ton A/C unit, a five ton A/C unit, pool filtration, and low voltage halogen lights. The residence is currently an unoccupied show home. When occupied, the level of energy consumption should increase markedly. Although the percentage of savings represented in this report would remain fairly constant, the total energy savings should be expected to increase by a factor of at least two. Included in this report are: Reductions in Voltage Levels Hourly Energy Savings Hourly Reactive Power Savings Hourly kw Conservation Voltage Reduction Factors (CVR Factor) 1 Voltage Imbalance Reduction Peak Demand Reduction for Average 15 minutes and Average hourly kw These analyses are based on a modeling design that employed an alternating pattern between regulated and unregulated voltage. Each morning at 2:3 am, the state of the voltage regulator was switched, thus alternating days of regulation with days of nonregulation. Conceptually, the switching pattern ensured the site was exposed to approximately the same set of weather and energy consumption patterns regardless across the regulated days as it was on unregulated days. To ensure the quality of the data and, by extension, the results of this analysis, the energy use consumption patterns and distributions were compared by regulator ON/OFF status to assess whether any systematic differences existed. None were found. This means the results can be directly attributed to the effectiveness of the voltage regulator instead of differences between the experimental regulated and non-regulated days. 1 The Conservation Voltage Reduction Factor (CVR Factor) is a measure of how effectively voltage reductions are translated into energy savings. Mathematically, it is a ratio between the % energy savings and the % voltage reduction, as described below: % _ reduction _ energy CVR f = % _ reduction _ voltage CONFIDENTIAL 2

3 Overall Results and Highlights Data at 15-minute intervals were collected for the period Jun 15 Sep 12, amounting to approximately 89 days or 8,275 observations for the site. Three potential sources of bias in the study were identified and either removed or controlled. First, when the system is employed, it will not be switching between states as it was during this experimental phase. To avoid accounting for the transition effects between the regulated and unregulated state, the 15-minute observation containing the state change and the observation following it were dropped from the analysis, leaving 94 observations per day. Second, the study period contained the holiday, July 4 th, which our experience in load research indicates tends to have atypical load characteristics. Since no corresponding match day existed in the set of regulated days, it was dropped from the analysis. Third, the load tended to vary between weekday and weekend operation most likely resulting from increased customer activity. Some sites ended up with the unregulated sample of days over-representing weekends compared to the regulated days, while others had under-representation of weekends in the unregulated sample. To account for these differences, we calculated weekend and weekday load and voltage totals separately and then combined them on a 5/7 th and 2/7 th weighting respectively for both regulated and unregulated days. The summary results are shown in Table 1, followed by highlights of selected findings. Table 1: Summary Results Average Average kw Average kvar Average Voltage Regulated Unregulated % Difference % % % CVR Factor - kw CVR Factor - kvar The voltage regulators consistently reduced voltage levels. Overall voltage reductions averaged 6.% over the period. This site saved an average 7.2% in energy consumption. This translates into a monthly savings of 151 kwh 1, if voltage levels were constantly regulated. The resulting CVR factor was 1.2 meaning that for every 1% of voltage reduction; the site saw 1.2% energy savings. On a percentage basis, this site saw even larger reductions in reactive power: a 32.7% average. This translated into a CVR factor for kvar of 5.44; for every 1% of voltage reduction, reactive power consumption was reduced by 5.44%. 1. Unoccupied show home savings are expected to be above 3 kwh per month when occupied. CONFIDENTIAL 3

4 Table 2 shows the summary results for kw reduction where peak is defined as the average of the daily maximum average 15 minute period by voltage regulation mode. The maximum kw and corresponding kvar and voltage are shown for when the voltage regulation system is on and off. Table 2: Demand Reduction 15 min Average Peak Peak kw Peak kvar Voltage at Peak kw Regulated Unregulated % Difference % % % CVR Factor - kw CVR Factor - kvar Table 3 shows the summary results for kw reduction where peak is defined as the average of the daily maximum hourly kw. Hourly kw is calculated as the average of four 15 minute readings. Table 3: Demand Reduction Hourly Peak Peak kw Peak kvar Voltage at Peak kw Regulated Unregulated % Difference % % % CVR Factor - kw CVR Factor - kvar Reductions in Voltage Levels The split phase voltage regulator lowers or raises the voltage level, reducing the overall volatility and enhancing power quality. Since most customers do not have voltage regulators installed, voltage levels in power lines are generally kept at a higher than optimal level in order to safeguard against dips in voltages that would otherwise compromise electricity service. The voltage regulator reduces voltage fluctuations providing a more effective safeguard and superior power quality and generally lowers voltage levels (although it will raise voltage when needed). At most sites, the lower voltage levels translate into energy savings without requiring any change in consumption patterns or equipment. This section discusses what the data reveals about the effectiveness of the regulator in reducing voltage levels. CONFIDENTIAL 4

5 The graph below shows the difference in the average voltage on regulated versus unregulated days. Without the MicroPlanet voltage regulator, voltage fluctuates throughout the day, maintaining an average level of volts. When the regulator is engaged, the daily voltage curve is smoothed out, reflecting lower voltage volatility. Voltage is approximately 6% lower, ranging from volts, over the course of the day. Average Voltage and Percent Reduction % Volts % 15.% 1.% 5.% Percent Voltage Reduction 1 12: AM 2: AM 4: AM 6: AM 8: AM 1: AM 12: PM 2: PM 4: PM 6: PM 8: PM 1: PM.% Time Percent Voltage Reduction Unregulated Regulated CONFIDENTIAL 5

6 Voltage Distribution When the voltage regulation system was on, the voltage readings ranged from 113 to 115 as shown below. When the voltage regulation system was off, site voltage ranged from 118 to 122. The histogram below shows the frequency distribution of site voltage readings in.2 Volt bins over the 89 day trial period, each value representing the upper bound of that bin. There were 4,14 observations with voltage below 114 volts, representing 49.6% of all observations and over 99% of observations when the voltage regulation system was on. Average Voltage Histogram 6% 5% % Readings 4% 3% 2% on off 1% % Volts CONFIDENTIAL 6

7 Hourly Energy Savings The overall results indicate that there are energy savings throughout the day. As the graph below shows, the percent load reduction ranges from -13% to 23% with the highest reductions occurring between 9:am and 11: am. Average Load and Percent Reduction : AM 2: AM 4: AM 6: AM 8: AM 1: AM 12: PM 2: PM 4: PM 6: PM 8: PM 1: PM kw 3% 25% 2% 15% 1% 5% % -5% -1% -15% -2% Percent Load Reduction Time Percent Load Reduction Unregulated Regulated CONFIDENTIAL 7

8 Hourly Reactive Power Savings The impacts of voltage regulation on reactive power are slightly larger. As shown in the graph above, savings range from 1% - 55% throughout the day. Average Reactive Power and Percent Reduction.7 7% kvar % 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% % 12: AM 2: AM 4: AM 6: AM 8: AM 1: AM 12: PM 2: PM Percent Reactive Power Reduction 4: PM 6: PM 8: PM 1: PM Time Percent Load Reduction Unregulated Regulated Hourly kw and kvar CVR Factors Because of the consistency in percentage voltage reduction across the day, the hourly CVR factors for energy and reactive power follow the same pattern as the percentage savings reported above. As the graph below shows, the CVR factor ranges from -2 to 4, with a peak occurring at 11: am. The low 1:pm CVR factor appears to be due to unusually large loads that occur regularly between 1:3pm and 1:45pm at the site. CONFIDENTIAL 8

9 Hourly kw and kvar CVR Factors Average Load and Hourly CVR Factor kw : AM 2: AM 4: AM 6: AM 8: AM 1: AM 12: PM 2: PM 4: PM 6: PM 8: PM 1: PM CVR Factor Time Hourly CVR Factor Unregulated Regulated The reactive power CVR range from 2 to 9 with peak corresponding to the peak energy savings, occurring from 9: am to 11:am. Average Reactive Power and Hourly CVR Factor kvar CVR Factor 12: AM 2: AM 4: AM 6: AM 8: AM 1: AM 12: PM 2: PM 4: PM 6: PM 8: PM 1: PM Time Hourly CVR Factor Unregulated Regulated CONFIDENTIAL 9

10 This Report Was Prepared by: RLW Analytics RLW Analytics is a recognized industry leader providing innovative analytical, engineering and market research consulting for utilities, energy efficiency organizations, regulatory bodies, private companies, and independent transmission system operators. Currently, RLW has more than 4 full-time employees at offices in California, Michigan, Connecticut and New York with a combined total of over three hundred years of professional experience, with industry-leading expertise in statistics, econometrics, and energy engineering. RLW s engineers, statisticians, and consultants are recognized experts in energy auditing and building simulation modeling, load research and load monitoring, statistical sampling, econometrics, energy analysis, market research, software development, and project management. They have collected detailed information at thousands of residential, commercial and industrial sites, built thousands of building energy simulation models, implemented countless telephone surveys, and published hundreds or research reports. They have also worked extensively with quantifying energy savings from voltage regulation as part of a multi-year study conducted for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. CONFIDENTIAL 1