Emerging Gas Technologies: What’s New and What’s Next?

May 12, 2015

CenterPoint Energy Technology Conference

Minnetonka, MN

Ryan Kerr, Emerging Technologies Manager Gas Technology Institute

E: ryan.kerr@gastechnology.org P: 224.735.0264

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> Not-for-profit (501c3) RD&D

organization with 70 year history

> Facilities

─ 18 acre campus near Chicago

─ 200,000 ft2,

28 specialized labs

─ Other sites in

California, D.C., Texas,

Alabama,Massachusetts

> Staff

─ Approximately 250

─ 170 engineers, scientists covering all

fields

Flex-Fuel

Test

Facility

GTI Overview

CHP and Renewable Energy Lab

Residential & Commercial Lab

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Natural Gas Industry Collaboration Emerging Technology Program

> Gas Technology Institute led, utility supported, North American

collaborative targeting residential, commercial, and industrial solutions

> ETP’s principle goal is to accelerate the market acceptance of emerging

gas technologies

Demand Controls for Central Hot Water Systems

• Technology – Installed demand controls for central

domestic hot water monitor real-time demand throughout a multi-family building, while maintaining hot water availability for users, leading to increased energy efficiency and cost savings through reduction in use of natural gas and electricity.

• Savings Potential – Nicor Gas ETP results suggest roughly 2,000

therms and 750 kWh per building (roughly 40 units/building), with paybacks well below 2 years

• ETP Activity – New Minnesota CARD project will evaluate

the same recirculation controls for DHW delivery systems in hospitality and commercial buildings, aiming to identify new control systems that will meet occupant expectations and produce meaningful savings

MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Conventional 24/7 hot

water recirculation pumps

Opportunity • Natural gas savings

• Electricity savings

Segment • Residential &

Commercial

• Multi-family (20+ units), hotels, motels, condos, dorms, barracks, hospitals

• New construction and retrofits

Status • Technology is mature

and readily available off the shelf

Next Steps • Further data on cost

savings in commercial applications

GTI ETP CONFIDENTIAL

Figure 2: Typical Multi-family demand loop, courtesy

of California Utilities Statewide Codes and Standards

Team, “Multifamily Central DHW and Solar Water

Heating”, Oct. 2011

Figure 1: Demand Controls by Enovative

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

Modulating Gas Dryer Retrofit

• Technology – Modulating gas dryer controls allows the

firing rate of standard commercial gas-fired dryers to adjust for the changing demand in heat needed to drive off moisture thereby reducing heat generation and gas use.

• Savings Potential – Nicor Gas ETP project showing 280-330

therm savings per dryer @ $525 installed cost, 11-12% savings

– 2 year payback period before incentives

• Barriers – Making changes to a manufacturer’s burner

system raises safety and liability issues. – Burner systems are carefully designed for a

specific firing rate and excess air ratio and tested to verify their performance under those conditions.

– It would require the appliance to no longer be in its warranty coverage since this should void any manufacturer’s warranty if installed.

• ETP Activity – Nicor Gas ETP evaluated this technology in

the field with 2 hotel sites, 1 laundromat, 1 healthcare site, and 1 dry cleaner.

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MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Commercial dryers

Opportunity • Energy efficiency:

natural gas savings

• Market potential: retrofit existing systems

Segment • Commercial on-

premises laundry facility retrofits

Status • Technology is mature

and readily available off the shelf

Next Steps • Third party verification

of benefits and market analysis

Figure 2: Bio-Therm savings table by drying

time and dryer size, furnished by EZ Efficiency

Figure 1: Bio-Therm modulating controls,

furnished by EZ Efficiency

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

DrySmart Moisture Sensor Retrofit

for Gas Dryer

• Technology – Moisture sensors determine when a load of

clothes is dry and stop the dryer cycle before additional energy is wasted and clothes are overheated.

• Cost/Benefit – Low upfront cost: $199 per dryer. – Expected gas savings in the range of 15-30%. – Electricity savings: 400 kWh annually

• ETP Project Opportunity – New Minnesota CARD sponsored field test

will include both moisture sensor and modulating gas valve retrofit to evaluate each against baseline operating together and separately.

MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Commercial dryers

Opportunity • Natural gas savings

Segment • Commercial, on

premises laundry facilities, including: hospitality, healthcare, prisons, laundry service companies, laundromats and multi-unit residences

Status • Mature technology

available

Next Steps • Collect further data on

cost savings in a variety of markets

GTI ETP CONFIDENTIAL

Figure 2: DrySmart Energy Savings from Test Sites

Figure 1: DrySmart Control

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

75F Dynamic Zone Air Balancing

• Technology – This automatic zone damper system for small

buildings with RTUs is intended to provide comfort to occupants with additional, distributed room temperature control.

– Smart dampers are operated by local wireless thermostats providing individual zone temperature control.

– Target markets are small and medium sized commercial buildings with RTUs in the 3-20 ton range.

• Cost/Benefits- Furnished by Manufacturer – 35% heating energy savings – 20% cooling energy savings – Savings derived from DCV and occupancy sensor

• ETP Review – Inclusion of DCV improve ROI – Small RTUs (3-20 ton) represent under served small

business customers but large potential market – System installation and data collection equipment

installed – Field evaluation needed to validate savings claims,

operational effectiveness, and occupant response

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MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Traditional HVAC equipment

Opportunity • Energy efficiency: natural

gas and electricity savings

• Market potential: retrofit existing systems and for new installations

Segment • Commercial RTUs

• New construction and retrofits

Status • Commercially available, but

only one manufacturer

• Available for installation

Next Steps • Third party verification of

benefits and effectiveness

ETP CONFIDENTIAL

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

Rheem H2ACTM Integrated Air and Water RTU

• Technology – Designed for full-service restaurants, the

first-of-its kind Rheem H2ACTM Packaged Rooftop Unit™ with eSync Integration Technology™ delivers air conditioning and water heating from a single source. The system works by taking the heat removed from the HVAC system — which would normally be rejected into the atmosphere — and uses it to heat water.

• Cost/Benefits – 1.3 to 2 year payback period on manufacture

tested systems – Initial M&V results show 50% energy savings

for hot water (> 1,000 HW GPD) – Evaluating improved cooling EER in heat

recovery mode.

• Market Barriers – High upfront costs and – Lack of consumer familiarity

• ETP Activity – 3 field demonstrations in AL and CA – National Account Full Service Restaurants

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MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Traditional HVAC equipment

Opportunity • Energy efficiency: natural

gas and electricity savings

• Water savings

• Market potential: retrofit existing systems and for new installations

Segment • Commercial

• 1500 gallons of hot water loads or more per day

• 1800 cooling degree days or more per year

• New construction and retrofits

Status • Technology has been tested

at a number of facilities

• Available for installation

Next Steps • Third party verification of

benefits and market analysis.

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

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Condensing High Efficiency RTUs: GTI Baseline Monitoring in the Field of Non-Condensing RTUs

>1 small office

>3 quick service restaurants

>3 drug/convenience stores

>3 clothing/home goods stores

>1 retail “super” store

Source: GTI

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>Patterns emerge in heating runtimes for RTUs in a given building type

─ Perimeter zone: longer runtimes

─ Interior zone: shorter runtimes

─ “Identical” buildings show consistency in RTU runtime patterns: opportunity to prioritize high runtime RTUs for upgrades

>DOAS exhibit highest heating loads ─ Most promising early market entry point for

condensing RTUs

─ Higher outdoor air fraction = higher energy savings

Condensing High Efficiency RTUs: GTI Baseline Monitoring in the Field of Non-Condensing RTUs

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Condensing Heating DOAS Pilots in Big Box Retail Stores in IL and MN

> Nicor Gas ETP

─ Winter 2010/2011 baseline tests

identified DOAS focus

─ Gas savings 11%, with added fan

electricity for net energy cost savings of

$1,444 (over 2,000 therms per unit

annually)

> GTI NA ETP Collaborative

─ Condensing DOAS tests in winter

2013/2014 showed11% annual savings

─ Projected annual savings: similar but

smaller due to differences in control

schemes

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Current Active Manufacturers

Source: GTI

Manufacturer Availability Heating Module Specifications w/Hot Link (subject to

change)

Engineered Air now 90%TE, 100 – 1,400 MBH input, 15:1 turndown, 1,000 to 44,000 CFM

www.engineeredair.com/index.php/our_products/category/indirect-fired#djx-series (DJX

Series products)

Modine now 90%TE, up to 500 MBH input, 7:1 turndown, up to 12,000 CFM

www.modinehvac.com/web/Commercial-HVAC/Commercial-Ventilation-1.htm (Atherion

products)

Reznor now

up to 93% TE, up to 600 MBH package (400MBH split),up to 10:1 from 500 to 11,500 cfm

package (6000 cfm split).

www.rezspec.com/en/me/all-products

(YDMA, YDHA, & YDSA products)

Munters now

90%TE, up to 800 MBH input, 10:1 turndown, up to 16,000 CFM

www.munters.us/en/us/Products--Services/Dehumidification/Energy-Recovery/Packaged-

Energy-Recovery1/?Product=87392AFD-C031-4BC7-AED9-65E508651504

(DryCool product literature does not currently show condensing option)

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Expanding Condensing RTU Offerings

> One manufacturer responding to the lower OA% challenge by providing

condensing heating RTU product lines for the full (100 to 0) %OA spectrum

─ Reznor model YDMA (~100 to 60% nominally)

─ Reznor model YDHA (~60 to 30% nominally)

─ Reznor model YDSA (~30 to 0% nominally)

> GTI led Minnesota CARD project currently soliciting sites

Image Source: Reznor

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Natural Gas Heat Pump: IntelliChoice Energy

> NextAire Gas engine-driven heat pumps (GHPs) combine high efficiency heating

(1.2-1.5 COP) and cooling (0.95-1.2 COP)

─ Modulating engine speed for better part-load performance

─ Engine heat recovery increases efficiency

─ Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) provides heating and cooling for up to 33

zones

> Demonstrated savings in energy and operating costs compared to conventional

chiller/boiler equipment and electric heat pumps

─ Up to 30% reduction in operating costs,

not including associated water savings

─ Significant reduction in peak electric demand

─ 80% less electric power consumption,

with significant reduction in peak

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> IntelliChoice Energy (ICE) NextAire ™ GHP currently only

gas engine heat pump commercially available in U.S. for

HVAC

─ Initial product only available for warm climates;

NextAire™ Model E certified in 2014 for all U.S.

climates

─ Aisin/Toyota engine has proven reliability,

demonstrated long life (30,000 hrs) with over 300

installations nationwide

─ 8-ton and 15-ton Multi-Zone VRF units,

11-ton packaged rooftop

─ GTI currently demonstrating Model in Idaho,

Georgia, and Illinois

> Yanmar 16- & 20-ton GHPs in process of EPA

and UL certification with expected 2015 market introduction

Figure 1: Rooftop Model

Figure 2: Idaho Demo Site

Natural Gas Heat Pump: Technology Status

Destratification Fans

• Technology – Destratification fans provide an inexpensive

method to lower gas consumption in large, open facilities by forcing the warmer air near the ceiling down to the floor level, decreasing the need for extraneous heat.

• Savings Potential – Heating savings of 21.4% (3594 therms/year)

with destratification fans demonstrated at ‘big box’ store in IL

• ETP Review – The use of destratification fans is

commonplace. – A low impact solution without substantial

ancillary costs. Many manufacturers and suppliers sell and support the products. Limited technical knowledge and skill is required for installation.

• ETP Review – The Nicor Gas ETP is analyzing data from two

demonstration sites suggesting efficacy and cost-effectiveness for certain applications

– Further investigation needed to understand impact and optimization of set back thermostats

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MARKET SITUATION

Baseline • Traditionally heated and

cooled warehouses and open indoor spaces

Opportunity • Energy efficiency: natural

gas savings

• Market potential: retrofit existing systems and for new installations

Segment • Commercial and industrial

• New construction and retrofit

Status • Technology is mature and

readily available through multiple suppliers with a variety of products

Next Steps • Further data on therm

savings in a variety of markets for:

1. Low speed, high volume fans

2. Thermal equalizers

Figure 3: Destratification using thermal equalizers

Figure 1: Big Ass Fans

Figure 2: Thermal Equalizers

ACTIVE ETP

PROJECT

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Steam Systems and Energy Efficiency

Improvement Opportunities

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State-of-the-Art Heat Recovery:

CBW Ultramizer System

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CBW Ultramizer System:

Demo in Minnesota

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Thanks for your attention.

Ryan Kerr

Emerging Technologies Manager

Gas Technology Institute

E: ryan.kerr@gastechnology.org

P: 224.735.0264