Unraveling the Paradox: Unraveling the Paradox: The Economics of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Unraveling the Paradox: Unraveling the Paradox: The Economics of Using Otherwise The Economics of Using Otherwise Wasted Heat for Chilling Wasted Heat for Chilling Lori Smith Schell, Ph.D., ERP, Empowered Energy Lori Smith Schell, Ph.D., ERP, Empowered Energy Kyle Hosford, M.S., UC- -Irvine Irvine Kyle Hosford, M.S., UC th IAEE International Conference 37 th IAEE International Conference 37 New York, New York New York, New York June 2014 June 2014 TM Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 1

Motivation Motivation • Air conditioning in commercial buildings accounts • Air conditioning in commercial buildings accounts for 16% of California’ ’s electricity consumption s electricity consumption for 16% of California • Estimated to grow at 1.30% p.a. through 2024 • Dominant technology: Electric Chillers, which • Dominant technology: Electric Chillers, which contribute to peak electricity consumption contribute to peak electricity consumption • A high • A high- -temperature fuel cell ( temperature fuel cell (“ “HTFC HTFC” ”) generates ) generates significant amounts of high quality exhaust heat significant amounts of high quality exhaust heat • Exhaust heat is wasted in electricity • Exhaust heat is wasted in electricity- -only fuel cell only fuel cell operations operations • If captured, otherwise • If captured, otherwise- -wasted exhaust heat can be wasted exhaust heat can be fed to an absorption chiller for air conditioning. fed to an absorption chiller for air conditioning. Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 2

Piping & Instrumentation Diagram Piping & Instrumentation Diagram Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 3

Absorption Chiller: How It Works Absorption Chiller: How It Works Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 4

HTFC/Chiller Model: Major Components HTFC/Chiller Model: Major Components (1) User Interface to specify building type and select equipment (2) Equipment dispatch to meet building load (3) Levelized Cost of Energy (“LCOE”) calculations based on equipment dispatch Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 5

HTFC/Chiller Model: User- -Friendly Interface Friendly Interface HTFC/Chiller Model: User Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 6

HTFC/Chiller Model: Cost Module HTFC/Chiller Model: Cost Module Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 7

LCOE Changes with Size & Building Load LCOE Changes with Size & Building Load • Optimal fuel cell size depends on availability of • Optimal fuel cell size depends on availability of complementary technologies complementary technologies • Higher capacity, lower capacity factor • Lower capacity factor, higher LCOE • Thermal energy storage ( • Thermal energy storage (“ “TES TES” ”) and/or natural ) and/or natural gas- -fired boiler allow for smaller HTFC capacity fired boiler allow for smaller HTFC capacity gas and greater efficiencies and greater efficiencies • Must balance efficiencies vs. equipment costs • Model an existing building on UCI campus • Model an existing building on UCI campus • Multipurpose Science & Technology Building (“MSTB”) • All physical flows converted to MW or MWh • All physical flows converted to MW or MWh electric or thermal, as appropriate electric or thermal, as appropriate Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 8

MSTB: Traditional Cooling/Heating MSTB: Traditional Cooling/Heating Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 9

MSTB: 300 kW FC + Abs Chiller + Boiler MSTB: 300 kW FC + Abs Chiller + Boiler Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 10

MSTB: Add Electric Chiller for Backup MSTB: Add Electric Chiller for Backup Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 11

MSTB: TES Instead of Electric Chiller MSTB: TES Instead of Electric Chiller Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 12

Conclusions Conclusions • A high • A high- -temperature fuel cell/absorption chiller unit temperature fuel cell/absorption chiller unit effectively displaces traditional electric chillers effectively displaces traditional electric chillers • Peak and total electricity consumption is reduced • Peak and total electricity consumption is reduced • Value of peak reduction is not monetized • LCOE is reduced vs. the traditional technology • LCOE is reduced vs. the traditional technology • $119.80/MWh vs. $120.54/MWh • Backup equipment increases LCOE & reliability • Backup equipment increases LCOE & reliability • Value of increased reliability is not monetized • Adding complementary technologies increases • Adding complementary technologies increases fuel cell sizing flexibility and operating efficiencies fuel cell sizing flexibility and operating efficiencies • Ongoing research • Ongoing research • What is the potential market size in California? • What are the market entry barriers? Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 13

Author Contact Details Author Contact Details Lori Smith Schell, Ph.D., ERP Lori Smith Schell, Ph.D., ERP Empowered Energy Empowered Energy +1 (970) 247- -8181 8181 +1 (970) 247 LSchell@EmpoweredEnergy.com LSchell@EmpoweredEnergy.com Kyle Hosford, M.S. Kyle Hosford, M.S. University of California- -Irvine Irvine University of California +1 (619) 672- -0687 0687 +1 (619) 672 kshosford@gmail.com kshosford@gmail.com Advanced Power and Energy Program, 2014 www.EmpoweredEnergy.com 14