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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Automated Auditing Tool for Retrofit Building Projects [SWR-11-07]

Building energy auditors regularly use notepads, physical forms, or simple spreadsheets to inventory energy consuming devices in buildings and audit overall performance. Mobile computing devices such as smart phones or tablet computers with camera inputs may be used to automatically capture relevant information and format audit input in a way that streamlines work flows and reduces the likelihood of error. As an example. an auditor could walk through a space holding a mobile device, which automatically identifies and appliances, windows, etc. This information would automatically be added to a mobile database associated with the building for later integration with a larger building audit database. The user experience would require little or no manual input, and could integrate with tools to automate used to automate data collection for building energy modeling.

Parker, Andrew↗
DOE OSTI2017

foresee™ (SWR-17-15)

foresee™ is a home energy management system (HEMS) that provides a user centric energy automation solution for residential building occupants. Built upon advanced control and machine learning algorithms, foresee™ intelligently manages the home appliances and distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaics and battery storage in a home. Unlike existing HEMS in the market, foresee™ provides a tailored home automation solution for individual occupants by learning and adapting to their preferences on cost, comfort, convenience and carbon. foresee™ improves not only the energy efficiency of the home but also its capability to provide grid services such as demand response. Highly reliable demand response services are likely to be incentivized by utility companies, making foresee™ economically viable for most homes.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2022

Co-simulation Framework for Community-scale Building-grid Integration [SWR-21-75]

Distributed energy resources (DERs), including rooftop solar, energy storage, and flexible loads, are gaining popularity as costs decline and as building owners and utilities realize their benefits. DERs can improve distribution system efficiency, help prevent the need for expensive grid upgrades, and increase the resilience of local communities. However, they can also cause difficulties in grid operations and can require controls to achieve their benefits. To address this challenge, NREL researchers have developed a community-scale solution that assesses the impacts of DERs and their control strategies on a distribution system. The framework has been shown to reduce solar photovoltaic (PV) curtailment to 0%, mitigate the adverse impact of solar variability on the distribution voltage, and provide up to 5-day critical load support during emergency events. Utilizing 5 different modules representing the feeder, buildings, home energy management systems, an aggregator, and a utility controller, NREL expects this simulation technology to play a critical role in the continued integration of DERs. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar curtailments accounted for 94% of the total energy curtailed in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) in 2020. By enabling Independent System Operators (ISOs) and utility operators to bring solar curtailments to 0%, the electrical grid can become less dependent on fossil-fueled power generation sources. NREL's co-simulation framework contains five major components: Distribution Feeder Model: describes the distribution feeder topology using OpenDSS, including the locations of all DERs. Residential Building Model: simulates a large number of buildings at a high resolution using OCHRETM. The model is equipped to control equipment based on signals from an external module. The model includes major household appliances such as HVAC and a water heater, non-dispatchable load models, a distributed PV system, and a home battery system. Home Energy Management System: optimizes the controls for the devices in a home using foreseeTM. The control can adjust based on the user preferences including cost, comfort, and convenience. In hierarchical control scenarios, where the houses follow signals from an aggregator, the home energy management system provides a flexibility band with a range of power and follows the dispatch signals received from aggregator. Community-Level Aggregator: solves for optimal energy dispatch based on the flexibility bands received from each home and the grid service signal received from the utility controller. Utility-Level Controller: provides grid signals for voltage control using Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), such as solar systems, in the community.

Balamurugan, Sivasathya Pradha↗
DOE OSTI2022

California Load Flexibility Research and Development Hub (CalFlexhub) v0.1

This repository will host the software, data models and documentation developed as part of the California Energy Commission (CEC) funded California Load Flexibility Research and Development Hub (CalFlexHub) project. The main objectives of CalFlexHub are: - Identify, develop, evaluate, demonstrate and deploy cost-effective, scalable, building load-flexible (LF) technologies that are consistent with building energy efficiency, appliance, and load management standards. - Create a portfolio of LF RDD&D technology projects across various building types and sizes including single-family-residential, multi-family, commercial buildings and integrated campuses. - Deploy LF technologies to demonstrate the ability for 99% of the state's customers to receive the load management standards price and marginal GHG signals.

Prakash, Anand Krishnan↗
DOE OSTI2025

mDNS to support local price server discovery with OpenADR 3 (mDNS for OpenADR 3) v1.0

This software contains a template VEN with local VTN service discovery over mDNS. It provides common starter code for an OpenADR3.0 VEN that advertises itself over mDNS, conducts local VTN service discovery over mDNS, connects to the VTN over HTTP(S), and regularly polls and acts on energy prices and events hosted on the VTN. The software is written to be easily modified to accommodate different VEN appliances, VEN-VTN networking protocols, user interfaces, and default responses, given the wide range of possible use cases for local price server discovery. OpenADR3.0 is an open communications standard from the OpenADR Alliance that is designed to provide two-way information exchange regarding e.g., dynamic price and event signals to utility applications, so that customers can modify their energy usage to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

Nordman, Bruce [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2019

Community Energy by Design: A Simulation-Based Design Workflow Using Measured Data Clustering to Calibrate Urban Building Energy Models (UBEMs)

This paper presents a workflow that informs urban design decisions using measured data clustering to calibrate urban building energy models. The method's goal is to support urban design in terms of form, building systems configurations, as well as influencing user behavior aspects in the built environment through a systemic analysis of measured data to develop reliable future-case design scenario energy models. Detailed data on appliance-level electricity use are employed via data clustering to calibrate a urban building energy model for the Mueller community in Austin, TX, USA. The data were collected by the Pecan Street Institute for a year in 2014 from consumers in Austin and other surrounding cities. First, collected energy data were restructured and cleaned from corrupt and/or missing information. Second, in order to identify common energy use patterns, a model-based clustering algorithm for functional data was applied. Behavioral/usage profiles are determined through clustering and translated into usage schedules and behaviors. As a result, an urban building energy model built in the urban modeling interface (umi) was calibrated, with fully calibrated and semi-calibrated buildings, within a maximum calibration error margin of 14% for daily-scale averages. Finally, an illustration of calibrated-urban building energy model design case scenarios is presented, and implications on community energy potential effects are discussed.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Automatic Learning Framework for Smart Residential Communities

Predictability has been foundational to matching supply and demand in the day-to-day operation of the electric power system. Demand predictability is eroding because of the increased use of renewable energy resources and more sophisticated loads, such as electric vehicles and smart appliances. In this paper, an automatic software framework is described which can be used for load forecasting in smart communities. A time-varying clustering-based Markov chain approach is used to predict the energy consumption of residential buildings in a smart community. The training data is based on 1-minute meter data of occupied homes over one month. The data points are first clustered based on the energy consumption and the time of the day. Then, the original data is converted using the Centroids of the clusters. A time-varying Markov chain is subsequently trained to model the energy consumption behavior of residents for each home using the transformed data. The trained model is shown to successfully predict load in 5-minute intervals over a 24 hours period.

Zandi, Helia↗
DOE OSTI2022

Integration of energy systems

This article in MRS Bulletin and the framework set out in the introductory article articulate a scenario of renewable electrons and electrification of end use appliances and industrial processes as a plausible paradigm to realize a carbon-free energy economy. The subsequent articles cover specific sectoral or chemical applications of those renewable electrons (e.g., for hydrogen, transportation, building use, electrochemical storage, and within the chemical industry). This article addresses the intersections among and across those sectors. We describe the importance of considering integrated systems and systems of systems as we consider pathways to a decarbonized energy economy. Further, we review and summarize key insights into the innovation challenges that reside at the particular integration interfaces among sectors, and highlight the opportunity for advances in materials and processes that will be critical to successful achievement of economy-wide, low-carbon energy systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

RENEWABLE MARINE-SOURCE INTEGRATED HEAT PUMP FOR SPACE CONDITIONING, WATER HEATING, AND FRESH WATER HARVESTING IN REMOTE COASTAL AND ISLAND COMMUNITIES

US coastal and island communities have vulnerable energy infrastructure and high energy costs, which are exacerbated by climate change. A unique opportunity exists to use thermal energy from year-round mild temperature variations to satisfy the broad energy needs of these communities. The US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a small-scale marine-source integrated heat pump (MS-IHP) that, as a single appliance, combines space conditioning, dehumidification (including fresh water harvesting from humid air), and water heating for home and commercial building applications in remote coastal and island communities. The unique, innovative features of the MS-IHP offer improved efficiency and substantially reduced costs for space conditioning, dehumidification, and water heating by seamlessly integrating a heat pump, heat pump water heater, and dehumidifier by using a single compressor; optimal year-round space cooling and heating, dehumidification, water harvesting, and water heating; and improved thermal comfort and reliable operation without frosting and defrosting because of the ocean’s warm temperatures and high heat capacity. Preliminary testing was conducted by retrofitting a commercial heat pump, demonstrating an outperformed performance compared with traditional air-source heat pumps. The MS-IHP technology can help decarbonize energy systems in remote coastal and island communities.

Gao, Zhiming [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000271397995)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Lab Homes

This dataset includes processed data from the Lab Homes (LH) Test Facility located on the PNNL campus in Richland, WA. This a set of 2 identical homes that allow for the side-by-side comparison/performance evaluation of different technologies under the same weather at any given time. The dataset spans December 6, 2021 to December 27, 2021 and represents a series of tests performed; calibration, set-point excitation, pre-heating, free-floating and warm up. The measurements correspond to whole building electrical power, HVAC energy use, water heating, appliances and lighting, as well as space temperatures, space humidity, window glass surface temperatures, through glass solar radiation, and meterological data from an onsite meteorological weather station. In addition to the measurements, a metadata .json file, a .ttl file to visualize the data as per BRICK schema, and a detailed .pdf description of the dataset are also provided.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2011

RDI's Wisdom Way Solar Village Final Report: Includes Utility Bill Analysis of Occupied Homes

In 2010, Rural Development, Inc. (RDI) completed construction of Wisdom Way Solar Village (WWSV), a community of ten duplexes (20 homes) in Greenfield, MA. RDI was committed to very low energy use from the beginning of the design process throughout construction. Key features include: 1. Careful site plan so that all homes have solar access (for active and passive); 2. Cellulose insulation providing R-40 walls, R-50 ceiling, and R-40 floors; 3. Triple-pane windows; 4. Airtight construction (~0.1 CFM 50 /ft 2 enclosure area); 5. Solar water heating systems with tankless, gas, auxiliary heaters; 6. PV systems (2.8 or 3.4kW STC ); 7. 2-4 bedrooms, 1,100-1,700 ft 2 . The design heating loads in the homes were so small that each home is heated with a single, sealed-combustion, natural gas room heater. The cost savings from the simple HVAC systems made possible the tremendous investments in the homes' envelopes. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) monitored temperatures and comfort in several homes during the winter of 2009-2010. In the Spring of 2011, CARB obtained utility bill information from 13 occupied homes. Because of efficient lights, appliances, and conscientious home occupants, the energy generated by the solar electric systems exceeded the electric energy used in most homes. Most homes, in fact, had a net credit from the electric utility over the course of a year. On the natural gas side, total gas costs averaged $|$$377 per year (for heating, water heating, cooking, and clothes drying). Total energy costs were even less - $\$$337 per year, including all utility fees. The highest annual energy bill for any home evaluated was $\$$458; the lowest was $\$$171.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Post-Retrofit Residential Assessments

This study examined a range of factors influencing energy consumption in households that had participated in residential energy-efficiency upgrades. The study was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and was conducted by faculty and staff of Portland State University Center for Urban Studies and Department of Economics. This work was made possible through the assistance and support of the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO), whose residential energy-efficiency programs provided the population from which the sample cases were drawn. All households in the study had participated in the ETO Home Performance with Energy Star (HPwES) program. A number of these had concurrently pursued measures through other ETO programs. Post-retrofit energy outcomes are rarely investigated on a house-by-house basis. Rather, aggregate changes are ordinarily the focus of program impact evaluations, with deviation from aggregate expectations chalked up to measurement error, the vagaries of weather and idiosyncrasies of occupants. However, understanding how homes perform post-retrofit on an individual basis can give important insights to increase energy savings at the participant and the programmatic level. Taking a more disaggregated approach, this study analyzed energy consumption data from before and after the retrofit activity and made comparisons with engineering estimates for the upgrades, to identify households that performed differently from what may have been expected based on the estimates. A statistical analysis using hierarchal linear models, which accounted for weather variations, was performed looking separately at gas and electrical use during the periods before and after upgrades took place. A more straightforward comparison of billing data for 12-month periods before and after the intervention was also performed, yielding the majority of the cases examined. The later approach allowed total energy use and costs to be assessed but did not account for weather variation. From this statistical analysis, 18 study participants were selected and interviewed. The participants completed an in-home interview covering a range of topics, including changes in occupancy and additional changes to the homes that may have affected energy use. The goal of the interviews was to identify factors that may have contributed to unusual energy performance. These factors were identified by their frequency of occurrence in outperforming or underperforming homes, or simply by identifying factors that had the largest impact on overall savings. The motivations and levels of satisfaction with the outcomes of the upgrades were covered in detail, as well as extensive discussions of behaviors pertaining to thermal control, lighting, water, and appliance use. Most of cases studied achieved substantial energy savings, although it was more common for the projected savings to be greater than the demonstrated savings. Two factors that played a very large role in savings variation were 1) changes in occupancy and 2) fenestration improvements outside of the incentive programs. Motivation for pursuing the upgrades (e.g., environmental sustainability vs. comfort or cost savings) did not seem to play any role in achieving savings. Participants generally were more concerned with maintaining aesthetics through lighting than comfort through heating or cooling. They also seemed more likely to turn the lights off when leaving a room than to turn the heat off when leaving the home.

high performance homes↗
DOE OSTI2011

Status of the Local Enforcement of Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling Program in China

As part of its commitment to promoting and improving the local enforcement of appliance energy efficiency standards and labeling, the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) launched the National and Local Enforcement of Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling project on August 14, 2009. The project’s short-term goal is to expand the effort to improve enforcement of standards and labeling requirements to the entire country within three years, with a long-term goal of perfecting overall enforcement. For this project, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Shanghai were selected as pilot locations. This report provides information on the local enforcement project’s recent background, activities and results as well as comparison to previous rounds of check-testing in 2006 and 2007. In addition, the report also offers evaluation on the achievement and weaknesses in the local enforcement scheme and recommendations.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Retrofitting Combined Space and Water Heating Systems: Laboratory Tests

Better insulated and tighter homes can often use a single heating plant for both space and domestic water heating. These systems, called dual integrated appliances (DIA) or combination systems, can operate at high efficiency and eliminate combustion safety issues associated by using a condensing, sealed combustion heating plant. Funds were received to install 400 DIAs in Minnesota low-incomehomes. The NorthernSTAR DIA laboratory was created to identify proper system components, designs, operating parameters, and installation procedures to assure high efficiency of field installed systems. Tests verified that heating loads up to 57,000 Btu/hr can be achieved with acceptable return water temperatures and supply air temperatures.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2013

Final Scientific/Technical Report: Context-Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM)

Because of growing energy demands and shortages, residential home owners are turning to energy conservation measures and smart home energy management devices to help them reduce energy costs and live more sustainably. In this context, the Honeywell team researched, developed, and tested the Context Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM) as a trusted advisor for home energy management. The project focused on connecting multiple devices in a home through a uniform user interface. The design of the user interface was an important feature of the project because it provided a single place for the homeowner to control all devices and was also where they received coaching. CASHEM then used data collected from homes to identify the contexts that affect operation of home appliances. CASHEM's goal was to reduce energy consumption while keeping the user's key needs satisfied. Thus, CASHEM was intended to find the opportunities to minimize energy consumption in a way that fit the user's lifestyle.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2012

Test Methods and Protocols for Environmental and Safety Hazards Associated with Home Energy Retrofits

A number of health hazards and hazards to the durability of homes may be associated with energy retrofitting and home renovation projects. Among the hazards associated with energy retrofit work, exposure to radon is thought to cause more than 15,000 deaths per year in the U.S., while carbon monoxide poisoning results in about 20,000 injuries and 450 deaths per year. Testing procedures have beendeveloped for identifying and quantifying hazards during retrofitting. These procedures commonly include a battery of tests to screen combustion appliances for safe operation, including worst case depressurization measurement, backdrafting (spillage) under depressurized or normal conditions, and carbon monoxide production.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2013

California: California's Clean Energy Resources and Economy [Brochure]

California is remarkably well positioned to compete in the global race for clean energy. It is second in the nation among states with renewable power capacity, contains multiple renewable energy resources from all types of renewable energy, and is the nation’s leader in solar, biomass, and geothermal power generation. For example, California has the most solar photovoltaic installations in the country and is a leader in wind energy. It added more new wind power than any other state in 2011, and wind now makes up 4% of the state’s electricity generation. The state also takes advantage of abundant hydroelectric resources from California rivers. California is also a perennial leader in energy efficiency investment, leading the country with $\$$1.1 billion in utility investment for energy efficiency programs in 2010. Investment from 2010–2012 is expected to yield savings of nearly 7,000 gigawatt hours of electricity. The state has set unprecedented energy efficiency standards for appliances, equipment, and residential and commercial buildings. For example, the recently approved 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards will result in 25% and 30% more efficient residential and commercial construction standards respectively than those that they will be replacing, providing more savings for California energy users.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2013

New Mexico: New Mexico's Clean Energy Resources and Economy [Brochure]

New Mexico is poised to become a leader in clean energy production, thanks to its exceptional renewable resources—particularly the solar energy potential of its southern deserts. From 2010 to 2011, New Mexico’s solar photovoltaic capacity nearly tripled from 43 megawatts (MW) to 116 MW, placing New Mexico fourth in the nation. Concentrated solar thermal generation plants have the potential to further develop this resource. Geothermal activity in the northern Rocky Mountain areas has significant energy production potential; there are also pockets of strong wind resources across the state. New Mexico’s state energy policies and utility incentive programs aim to take full advantage of these resources. In 2012, 4.4% of electricity in New Mexico was generated from renewable resources. New Mexico’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires that this rate increase to 20% by 2020 for investor-owned utilities and 10% for cooperatives. In addition to its Renewable Portfolio Standard, personal and corporate tax credits are available for alternative energy production and efficient building development. To encourage conservation, New Mexico has also adopted an energy efficiency standard. Its goal is to reduce energy consumption relative to 2005 levels—5% by 2014 and 10% by 2020. New Mexico also boasts several utility rebate programs for energy efficient appliance purchases.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗