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

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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 Kyle Hosford, M.S., UC-

• Irvine

Irvine 37 37th

th IAEE International Conference

IAEE International Conference New York, New York New York, New York June 2014 June 2014

TM

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Motivation Motivation

• Air conditioning in commercial buildings accounts

Air conditioning in commercial buildings accounts for 16% of California for 16% of California’ ’s electricity consumption s electricity consumption

• 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
• nly fuel cell
• perations
• perations
• 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.

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Piping & Instrumentation Diagram Piping & Instrumentation Diagram

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Absorption Chiller: How It Works Absorption Chiller: How It Works

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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

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HTFC/Chiller Model: User HTFC/Chiller Model: User-

• Friendly Interface

Friendly Interface

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HTFC/Chiller Model: Cost Module HTFC/Chiller Model: Cost Module

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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 gas-

• fired boiler allow for smaller HTFC capacity

fired boiler allow for smaller HTFC capacity 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

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MSTB: Traditional Cooling/Heating MSTB: Traditional Cooling/Heating

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MSTB: 300 kW FC + Abs Chiller + Boiler MSTB: 300 kW FC + Abs Chiller + Boiler

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MSTB: Add Electric Chiller for Backup MSTB: Add Electric Chiller for Backup

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MSTB: TES Instead of Electric Chiller MSTB: TES Instead of Electric Chiller

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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?

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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 +1 (970) 247-

• 8181

8181 LSchell@EmpoweredEnergy.com LSchell@EmpoweredEnergy.com Kyle Hosford, M.S. Kyle Hosford, M.S. University of California University of California-

• Irvine

Irvine +1 (619) 672 +1 (619) 672-

• 0687

0687 kshosford@gmail.com kshosford@gmail.com