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At least 271 records · Page 15

Retrofit Winglets for Wind Turbines

The benefits of using winglets on wind turbines has been well documented. However, adding winglets to wind turbine blades leads to significant increases in blade root bending moments, requiring expensive structural reinforcement with cost and weight drawbacks. A unique design philosophy for retrofitting winglets on existing wind turbines is presented. These retrofit winglets offer an increase in power produced without the need for structural reinforcement. Predicted performance and cost benefits are illustrated via a study using the NREL 5MW reference wind turbine. The addition of winglets resulted in a 2.45% increase in Coefficient of Power (Cp) and 1.69% increase in Annual Energy Production (AEP).

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Public Housing: A Tailored Approach to Energy Retrofits - Raleigh

More than 1 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-supported public housing units provide rental housing for eligible low-income families across the country. These units range from scattered single-family houses to high-rise apartments. In this project, the Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative (ARIES) worked with two public housing authorities (PHAs) to develop packages of energy efficiency retrofit measures the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staffs in the normal course of housing operations at the time when units are refurbished between occupancies. ARIES conducted a survey of PHAs to assess their receptiveness to this concept and the applicability of the concept to PHA units. The results of the survey, to which more than 100 PHAs responded, support the proposed approach. The project consisted of a field evaluation in which energy audits were performed on a sample of PHA units at two housing authorities. Energy efficiency turnover protocols were developed for typical units, the protocol was implemented by PHA staff, and the effectiveness of the protocol was quantified through field testing and modeling. The energy efficiency turnover protocols emphasized air infiltration reduction, duct sealing, and measures that improve equipment efficiency. In the 10 housing units in which ARIES documented implementation, reductions in average air leakage of 16%-20% and duct leakage of 38% were obtained. Total source energy consumption savings was estimated at 6%-10% based on Building Energy Optimization modeling with a simple payback of 1.7-2.2 years. Implementation challenges were encountered, mainly related to required operational changes and budgetary constraints. Lack of complete training and inadequate quality control can prevent PHAs from effectively retrofitting units to their full potential. Nevertheless, despite these hurdles, simple improvements, such as caulking and sealing penetrations, windows, and doors; sealing duct boots; and adding pipe insulation into a standardized turnover protocol can feasibly be accomplished by PHA staff at low or no cost. At typical housing unit turnover rates, these measures could impact hundreds of thousands of units per year nationally. Islip Housing Authority - Single Story Typical home - Raleigh, NC Raleigh Housing Authority - 2 story typical home in Raleigh housing authority - Terrace Park

air filtration↗

Pilot Demonstration of Phased Retrofits in Florida Homes (Fact Sheet)

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and Florida Power and Light are pursuing a collaborative energy research/utility partnership to retrofit a large number of homes using a phased approach. The project is creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of home retrofit - simple and deep. Acting as a pilot, this project is expected to provide the information necessary to significantly reduce energy use through much larger community-scale projects in collaboration with utilities, program administrators and other market leader stakeholders.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Walmart - Saving Energy, Saving Money Through Comprehensive Retrofits, Commercial Building Energy Efficiency (Fact Sheet); Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)

Walmart partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2009 to develop and demonstrate energy retrofits for existing buildings. The goal was to reduce energy consumption by at least 30% versus ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, as part of DOE's Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) Program. The project presented here, the retrofit of a 213,000 square foot store in Centennial, Colorado, withefficiency measures across multiple building systems, is part of Walmart's ongoing environmental sustainability program, which originated in 2005.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Retrofit Gloveport Cover and Security Device

The world of glovebox work in the areas of science and manufacturing is in a consistent state of flux due to the inherent nature of changing missions. These rapidly changing work environments result in almost continuous regulatory changes within the codes and standards in order to maintain worker and environmental safety. Gloveboxes designed and manufactured prior to these regulations are not easy to update or retrofit to accommodate new requirements. In order to meet the challenge of retrofitting gloveboxes to the meet the requirements, the following solutions have been developed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit, Annapolis, Maryland

Under this project, the BA-PIRC research team evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place deep energy retrofit at the Bay Ridge multifamily development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This case study summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete.

BA-PIRC↗

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Evaluation of a Multifamily Retrofit in Climate Zone 5, Boulder, Colorado

In 2009, a 37-unit apartment complex located in Boulder, Colorado, underwent an energy retrofit to comply with Boulder SmartRegs Ordinance, a mandate that requires all rental properties to meet certain energy efficiency standards by 2018. The Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), a U.S. Department of Energy Building America team, worked with city planners and building owners to evaluate this program and recently completed a case study evaluating the effectiveness of a collection of retrofit measures.

apartments↗

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Retrofits in Florida Homes - Central and South Florida Homes

In this pilot project, the Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction and Florida Power and Light are collaborating to retrofit a large number of homes using a phased approach to both simple and deep retrofits. This project will provide the information necessary to significantly reduce energy use through larger community-scale projects in collaboration with utilities, program administrators and other market leader stakeholders.

BA-PIRC↗

Building America Case Study: Retrofitting Garden-Style Apartments, Brooklyn, New York

This research effort sought to achieve a solution package that yields energy savings greater than 30 percent over the pre-existing conditions in a minimally intrusive multifamily retrofit project. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with L+M Development Partners, Inc. on a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program project, Marcus Garvey Village, in Brooklyn, NY (Climate Zone 4A). The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program is a form of housing subsidy in the state of New York that provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. Marcus Garvey Village was founded in 1975 and contains 625 residential units (ranging from studios to 5-bedroom units) in thirty-two 4-story garden-style apartment structures built with concrete and faced in light brown brick. The single largest challenge for implementation of energy conservation measures at Marcus Garvey was working within occupied spaces. Measures are being implemented in phases to minimize disruption. As of August 2015, the retrofit work is over 50 percent complete. The wall insulation, sealing of the through wall AC vent, and installation of new oil-filled electric baseboards with advanced controls are conducted at one time, limiting disruption to the living room space. In a similar fashion, the kitchen work is done, then the bathroom. The final selection of energy conservation measures is projected to save 26.5 percent in source energy with a cost just under $3.7 million and utility bill savings of nearly $480,000 (of an average $1.8 million annual utility cost for the development).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Building America Case Study: Retrofitting Garden-Style Apartments, Brooklyn, New York

This research effort sought to achieve a solution package that yields energy savings greater than 30 percent over the pre-existing conditions in a minimally intrusive multifamily retrofit project. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with L+M Development Partners, Inc. on a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program project, Marcus Garvey Village, in Brooklyn, NY (Climate Zone 4A). The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program is a form of housing subsidy in the state of New York that provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. Marcus Garvey Village was founded in 1975 and contains 625 residential units (ranging from studios to 5-bedroom units) in thirty-two 4-story garden-style apartment structures built with concrete and faced in light brown brick. The single largest challenge for implementation of energy conservation measures at Marcus Garvey was working within occupied spaces. Measures are being implemented in phases to minimize disruption. As of August 2015, the retrofit work is over 50 percent complete. The wall insulation, sealing of the through wall AC vent, and installation of new oil-filled electric baseboards with advanced controls are conducted at one time, limiting disruption to the living room space. In a similar fashion, the kitchen work is done, then the bathroom. The final selection of energy conservation measures is projected to save 26.5 percent in source energy with a cost just under $3.7 million and utility bill savings of nearly $480,000 (of an average $1.8 million annual utility cost for the development).

affordable housing↗

What Fleets Need to Know About Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversions, Retrofits, and Repowers

Many fleet managers have opted to incorporate alternative fuels and advanced vehicles into their lineup. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer a variety of choices, and there are additional options offered by aftermarket companies. There are also a myriad of ways that existing vehicles can be modified to utilize alternative fuels and other advanced technologies. Vehicle conversions and retrofit packages, along with engine repower options, can offer an ideal way to lower vehicle operating costs. This can result in long term return on investment, in addition to helping fleet managers achieve emissions and environmental goals. This report summarizes the various factors to consider when pursuing a conversion, retrofit, or repower option.

alternative fuel vehicle, afv, conversion, retrofi↗

In situ characterization of the biological performance of a Francis turbine retrofitted with a modular guide vane

There are two strategies to lower overall project costs to an extent that will make many potential sustainable hydropower sites economically viable: (1) design standardized/modular components; (2) use advanced tools to reduce environmental evaluation costs. In this study an autonomous sensor device (Sensor Fish) was used to study a Francis turbine retrofitted with a modular guide vane. The median nadir pressures measured were 74.7, 66.6, and 56.6 kPaA for 90-, 190-, and 380-kW operating conditions respectively. These nadir pressures were compared to other Francis turbines studied using Sensor Fish and were found to be within the same range. The proportion of Sensor Fish releases with severe acceleration events (acceleration = 95G) was also investigated. The proportion ranged from 73 to 80% (runner region), 50 to 64% (guide vane region), and 9 to 28% (draft tube region), which was within the range of the other turbines used for comparison. The Sensor Fish testing that was conducted at Hurley Dam demonstrates that the modular guide vane that was retrofitted to the existing Francis turbine is potentially a suitable replacement that can provide biological performance similar to the guide vane used with other existing Francis turbines, but with the benefit of reduced fabrication costs.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

AutoBEM: A scalable framework for nationwide building energy simulation and retrofit evaluation in the United States

This paper presents AutoBEM, an integrated, automated framework for nationwide building energy modeling and retrofit evaluation in the United States. Unlike prior UBEM platforms that either rely primarily on representative stock sampling or operate at city scale, AutoBEM automates the generation of building-resolved, physics-based EnergyPlus/OpenStudio simulation models at national scale using GIS-derived geometry, prototype-based assumptions, and standardized scalable workflows. Leveraging the Model America dataset and high-performance computing, AutoBEM generates and simulates energy models for 122.9 million buildings, representing 97.8% of the U.S. building stock. These models are being made publicly and freely available as the Model America v1.0 (MAv1) dataset. AutoBEM supports detailed, building-level assessments of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and post-processed anthropogenic heat emissions (AHE), and evaluates 151 energy conservation measures (ECMs) using localized utility pricing and building characteristics. In addition, AutoBEM incorporates both typical and future climate conditions through integration with Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) and Future TMY (fTMY) weather data derived from IPCC scenarios. In a case study of Phoenix, Arizona, AutoBEM identified several high-efficiency HVAC upgrades and selected envelope measures with short modeled payback periods (1.5 years) for certain building types and standards. Simulations under future climate scenarios (SSP5–RCP8.5) project an 11.3% increase in electricity use and a 32% reduction in natural gas demand by 2100, underscoring the need for climate-adaptive retrofit planning. By enabling reproducible, bottom-up, and location-specific analysis at scale, AutoBEM provides a step toward a national digital twin of the built environment and supports data-driven screening and planning for decarbonization, resilience, and energy equity.

Li, Hang [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000306001920)↗

Optical Element Design for the Retrofit of the World's First Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Power Plant

The world's oldest, and still functional, Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) power plant originally rated at 350 kW, and is situated 50 km from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There are ongoing efforts to retrofit the modules with new secondary optics and triple-junction cell devices. The paper characterizes the initial optical train, whose design is non-conventional in its use of a two-area primary Fresnel lens. The first generation of a retrofit receiver package is described. Challenges beyond the optical design are encountered, including tracking and structural mechanics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Retrofitting Holcim Ste. Genevieve Cement Plant with CO2 Capture Plant Using Air Liquide Cryocap™ FG Technology

The global cement manufacturing industry is a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. The International Energy Agency's "Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario" identifies CCS as a major strategy for meeting that goal. This project is among the first attempts to transfer capture technology developed at coal-fired power plants to the cement industry. The main objective of the project is to execute and complete a front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for commercial-scale, carbon capture projects that separates 95% of the total CO2 emissions at the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement manufacturing facility using Air Liquide’s Pressure Swing Adsorption system (PSA) assisted Cryocap™ technology. The Holcim Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Missouri, US, boasts one of the largest single cement production lines in the world, with a capacity of approximately 12,000 t/day. The plant currently uses traditional fuels, namely coal and petcoke. The captured CO2 will be pipeline and geological storage grade. The industrial host site emits approximately 3.0 million tonne CO2/yr. Air Liquide’s Cryocap™ technology has been developed over the last 18+ years for CO2 capture applications. It has been shown to be applicable to a variety of industrial applications (e.g., steel, cement, SMR, Fluidized Catalytic Crackers (FCCs)). Cryocap™ FG consists of a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) unit coupled with a Cryogenic System. The PSA pre-concentrates the CO2 from the flue gas, while the cryogenic unit enables the CO2 purity to be increased to the desired level. The project team is led by the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The tasks include: complete FEED study for retrofitting the industrial facility with a carbon capture system to support developing a detailed cost estimate; business case analysis outlining the anticipated revenue and credits if projects was built and operated; technoeconomic analysis (TEA) outlining how capture system achieves DOE capture goals; and life cycle (LCA) analysis demonstrating zero net carbon emissions. The FEED study was successfully completed. This includes completing the process basis of design; preliminary engineering; outside battery limits (OSBL) detailed engineering including a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) wastewater treatment system; inside battery limits (ISBL) detailed engineering [1]. An overall project capital cost estimate within a -20%/+30% accuracy was developed. The major contributors to the Total Plant Cost (TPC), by system, are the costs associated with the Outside Battery Limit (OSBL) section of the plant which includes a new river water intake structure and a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system. By cost category, the major contributors to the TPC are equipment and subcontractor costs, followed closely by engineering, construction management, home office and contractor fees. The TEA has been created to reflect the findings of the project. It analyzes the economic performance of the Cryocap™ technology by reviewing the estimated capital costs, operating cost, and revenue. The Cost of Capture (COC) associated with the Cryocap™ technology for 95% CO2 capture, when considering NETL 2018 economic assumptions (42/58 debt/equity ratio, 5.15% interest on debt and 1.42% return on equity in real dollars) and 2022 economic assumptions (42/58 debt/equity ratio, 8.82% interest on debt and 4.90% return on equity in real dollars) was found to be much lower than that for the DOE-NETL’s base-line cases. The highest contributors to the COC are annualized capital expenditures (CAPEX) and electricity consumption which can be offset by using lower cost renewable sources. The LCA was conducted using OpenLCA which is an open-source software that is recommended by NETL. The database utilized for this study was a modified version of TRACI 2.1 (developed by the US. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory and modified by NETL). The Cryocap™ FG technology does not consume fuels in significant quantities and does not utilize specialized chemical solvents subject to decomposition, such as those utilized in amine-based carbon capture systems. The Cryocap™ FG technology mainly utilizes electricity as its energy input; hence, its calculated emissions are mainly associated with the generation of electricity offsite and are dependent on the energy matrix of the grid at the time of project implementation. The water consumption impact of the Cryocap™ FG is mostly for makeup of the water lost by evaporation in the cooling tower; however, the carbon capture plant will be equipped with a ZLD system to avoid effluent streams and minimize water consumption. The successful construction and operation of this plant based on this study results will provide a means to demonstrate an economically attractive and transformational capture technology that can be used to retrofit existing plants and be deployed at new plants.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Grocery Stores (Revised) [Book]

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders successfully plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. Detailed technical discussion is fairly limited in these guides. Instead, we emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diversecase studies, and unbiased evaluations of the most promising retrofit measures for each building type. A series of AERGs is under development, addressing key segments of the commercial building stock. Grocery stores were selected as one of the highest priority sectors, because they represent one of the most energy-intensive market segments.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Advanced Rooftop Control (ARC) Retrofit: Field-Test Results

The multi-year research study was initiated to find solutions to improve packaged equipment operating efficiency in the field. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office (BTO) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) conducted this research, development and demonstration (RD&D) study. Packaged equipment with constant speed supply fans is designed to provide ventilation at the design rate at all times when the fan is operating as required by building code. Although there are a number of hours during the day when a building may not be fully occupied or the need for ventilation is lower than designed, the ventilation rate cannot be adjusted easily with a constant speed fan. Therefore, modulating the supply fan in conjunction with demand controlled ventilation (DCV) will not only reduce the coil energy but also reduce the fan energy. The objective of this multi-year research, development and demonstration project was to determine the magnitude of energy savings achievable by retrofitting existing packaged rooftop air conditioners with advanced control strategies not ordinarily used for packaged units. First, through detailed simulation analysis, it was shown that significant energy (between 24% and 35%) and cost savings (38%) from fan, cooling and heating energy consumption could be realized when packaged air conditioning units with gas furnaces are retrofitted with advanced control packages (combining multi-speed fan control, integrated economizer controls and DCV). The simulation analysis also showed significant savings for heat pumps (between 20% and 60%). The simulation analysis was followed by an extensive field test of a retrofittable advanced rooftop unit (RTU) controller.

Katipamula, Srinivas↗

Air Distribution Retrofit Strategies for Affordable Housing

In multifamily and attached buildings, traditional duct sealing methods are often impractical or costly and disruptive because of the difficulty in accessing leakage sites. In this project, two retrofit duct sealing techniques -- manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings. An analysis on the cost and performance of the two methods are presented. Each method was used in twenty housing units: approximately half of each group of units are single story and the remainder two-story. Results show that duct leakage to the outside was reduced by an average of 59% through the use of manual methods, and by 90% in the units where the injected spray sealant was used. It was found that 73% of the leakage reduction in homes that were treated with injected spray sealant was attributable to the manual sealing done at boots, returns and the air handler. The cost of manually-applying sealant ranged from $275 to $511 per unit and for the injected spray sealant the cost was $700 per unit. Modeling suggests a simple payback of 2.2 years for manual sealing and 4.7 years for the injected spray sealant system. Utility bills were collected for one year before and after the retrofits. Utility bill analysis shows 14% and 16% energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing procedure respectively in heating season whereas in cooling season, energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing were both 16%.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗