Engineering topics

Piazza, Alisha M.

Publications and source records attributed to Piazza, Alisha M..

3 records

DOE OSTI2024

Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project: Bainbridge Island, Washington - Cohort 2 Technical Assistance: Pathways to 100% Renewable Energy

The City of Bainbridge Island (COBI) applied for and received technical assistance from the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program (ETIPP) in part to achieve their goal of 100% renewable electricity generation by 2040, five years ahead of the Washington State goal, and to increase its energy resilience in the face of natural disasters. To help address these goals, the City of Bainbridge Island (COBI) applied for and received technical assistance from the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program (ETIPP) during 2022-2024. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, ETIPP provides technical assistance to remote coastal and island communities interested in approaches to renewable and resilient energy transitions. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) completed the technical analysis aspects of the project, supported by the community partner Spark Northwest and the program administrator, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This report begins by describing the approach to technical assistance in the ETIPP project, followed by the development of future scenarios for electric demand based on current use. Potential pathways to 100% renewable energy are identified and analyzed by technology contributions from solar energy, anaerobic biodigestion, distributed wind, and marine energy. The combinations of these technologies and contributions to meet demand are discussed, along with potential policies and programs for implementation of the most relevant technologies moving forward. The report concludes with recommendations for next steps for COBI to meet the goal of 100% renewable energy generation by 2040 on- and off-island, and key caveats to consider.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Very High Efficiency Dedicated Outdoor Air System Field Site Re-Evaluation

The study reported here evaluated the long-term performance of Very High Efficiency (VHE) Dedicated Outside Air Systems (DOASs) installed at eight sites that participated in field evaluation studies performed by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) from 2015 through 2020. The study compared the energy performance of the systems in 2021-2022 to the findings of the original evaluation. It also evaluated the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) as perceived by occupants and building operator feedback before and after the system conversion. The findings of the study are important for building owners and managers who are considering adopting VHE DOASs. The study found that the systems: (1) consistently saved energy over the long term, (2) improved occupant comfort, and (3) received positive feedback from building operators. All of the sites had similar or improved energy savings over the pre-conversion system compared to the original evaluation savings, and only one site had a small reduction in energy savings. The sites averaged 48 percent whole site energy savings compared to the pre-conversion system. The continued energy performance of these sites provides strong evidence that the energy savings achieved by VHE DOAS retrofits will be sustained long term. The study also investigated the changes in occupant comfort resulting from the VHE DOAS retrofit. Responses to a survey sent to the sites’ occupants revealed that the conversion resulted in a better indoor environment for the occupants. Most respondents reported that their satisfaction increased, and dissatisfaction decreased post-conversion. Overall occupants were 43 percent more satisfied and 30 percent less dissatisfied post-conversion compared to pre-conversion. The study's findings suggest that a VHE DOAS can be a solution to improve the energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and increase occupant comfort in buildings.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2023

Emerging Technologies Review: Water Microgrid

Project 69643 Task 10 - The Air Force Civil Engineer Center has tasked Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with investigating emerging technologies to inform the Air Force’s understanding of the technology and to guide key considerations for implementing technologies that are resilient and alternative sources to the traditional methods used in the Air Force today. This report explores the concept of a water microgrid for deployment at Air Force installations. A water microgrid is a local water system that supplies, treats, and distributes water, with the primary objective to meet mission critical water demand during a disruption of the primary supply. A water microgrid can advance an Air Force installation’s water infrastructure and water resilience by being at the ready for meeting critical missions during a utility outage.

42 ENGINEERING↗