ACI 09 FUND 8: Wednesday, April 29, :00 pm to 3:40 pm Kansas City, Missouri Electric Baseload Basics ACI 09 FUND 8: Wednesday, April 29, :00 pm to 3:40 pm Kansas City, Missouri A. Tamasin Sterner Pure Energy Lancaster, Pennsylvania Rana Belshe Conservation Connection Consulting Fairchild, Wisconsin

Session Objectives Learn how to separate electric baseload from whole house electric use Explore how occupants, equipment, and use patterns affect electricity consumption Evaluate options and actions to reduce use

Today’s Topics The equipment we will talk about today: –Electronics –Lighting –Refrigeration –Water Heating –And a few other things What they use How they work What can be done – in terms of measures and behaviors

Weatherization Core Competencies

Baseload + Seasonal = Total Household Electric Use Baseload: Electricity that power things— lights and appliances--used year round Seasonal use: Electricity used to provide heating, cooling, often dehumidification The goal is to understand how a particular household uses electricity, identify the possibilities for reducing that use and dialogue with the occupant for the best possible outcomes.

Holiday Hell-o Example of lighting as a seasonal load Photo: A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy

Houses don’t use energy. People do.

Reasons to Address Baseload Sometimes, reducing electric baseload can guarantee better savings than measures geared toward reducing the cost of heating and/or cooling: Savings Follows Use. Plug loads are increasing. Electric energy waste (energized equipment not in active use) is increasing.

“ Electricity originates inside clouds. There it forms lightning, which is attracted to the earth by golfers. After entering the ground, the electricity hardens into coal, which, when dug up by power companies and burned in big ovens called “generators,” turns back into electricity, which is sent in the form of “volts” (also known as “watts” or “rpm” for short) through special wires with birds sitting on them to consumers’ homes, where it is transformed by TV sets into commercials for beer, which passes through the consumer and back into the ground, thus completing what is known as a “circuit.” Dave Barry, Funny Times, 2002

Electricity: Energy & Power Energy From meter to utility bill power over time Watt hour - Wh kiloWatt hour - kWh (1,000 Wh) Power Nameplate – potential – instantaneous demand Watt - W kiloWatt (1,000 W) – kW Watt - is one joule per second or the power supplied when a current of one ampere is driven by a potential difference of one volt

Energy Cost & Value February 4, 2009 Cost/Unit x Unit/MBtu = Cost/Mbtu Pricing Source: ww.eia.doe.gov.neic/experts/heatcalc.xls Fuel SourceUnit Btu/ Unit Unit/ Mbtu Cost/ Unit Cost/ Mbtu Crude OilBarrel6,300, $45.00$7.20 Coal Ton24,916, $240.00$9.63 Mixed WoodCord22,000, $200.00$10.00 GasolineGallon125,0008$1.86$14.88 Corn KernelsTon16,500, $250.00$15.15 Natural GasTherm100,00010$1.55$15.50 Wood PelletsTon16,500, $259.00$15.70 Heating OilGallon138, $3.18$22.71 PropaneGallon92, $2.48$26.96 ElectricitykWh3,412293$0.10$29.31 KeroseneGallon135,0007.4$4.10$30.37

General Baseload Analysis Determine measures and actions Identify options Meter if appropriate Tour house, Survey lights and appliances Interview occupant(s) Review bill and consumption history

Tools of the Trade Consumption history Calculator Camera Clipboard & pen Tape measure kWh meter Ground tester Thermometers Flashlight Ladder Gloves (to remove hot bulbs) Extension cord 2-3 prong adapter MicroWeir or stop watch and container Drip gauge Lamp harp and diffuser extenders Product sheet showing replacement light fixtures Screwdrivers, pliers, or a multipurpose tool like a Leatherman™ Laptop computer with appliance use software

Establish Baseload Use Obtain (a printout of) the customer’s electricity use for at least one year prior to the site visit. Separate the baseload use from the total use by: 1.adding together the three lowest months (not weird numbers) 2.dividing the sum by 3 to get an average baseload month’s use 3.multiplying that number by 12 months This can easily be done visually from a bar chart. There are lots of ways to do this. They all work.

Annual Customer Usage Printout Bill Date (not use date) Billing Days Tariff Schedule Reading SourceKWHKWH/ Day Bill Amount 7/10/200732RSORegular Company2,04364$ /8/200730RSORegular Company1,13438$ /9/200729RSOEstimate1,05636$ /10/200732RSORegular Company1,49247$ /9/200730RSORegular Company1,97266$ /7/200728RSORegular Company1,59957$ /10/200733RSORegular Company1,39642$ /8/200629RSORegular Company1,19441$ /9/200630RSORegular Company1,31444$ /10/200629RSORegular Company89231$ /11/200633RSORegular Company1,74053$ /9/200629RSORegular Company2,38682$ Total Total Baseload 18,218 12,328 $ 1, $ 1, LANCASTERPA17603 LANActive40256S25894Non Ele Ht Cool 1. Three lowest months = ,056+ 1,134 = 3,082 ÷ 3 months 2. Average monthly use = 1,027 kWh/mo 3. 1,027 kWh/mo x 12 mo = 12,328 kWh/yr baseload

Consumption History Approximate monthly baseload use ~ 600 kWh or about 7,200 kWh/year

Annual End Use Consumption Ranges (kWh) National averages trued up to PA utility program experience

Assess the Opportunity for Energy Savings Determine if the customer’s use is in the low, mid range, or high range using their consumption history or data on their utility bills. Focus your efforts in the home based on your determination. Since savings follows use, you will likely find more opportunities to save energy where the use is high. If any category of use is low, then save time and focus where the use is medium or high

Savings Follows Use / Waste Total electricity use relates directly to potential electricity savings

Reasons for High Baseload Time on – 24/7 adds up quickly High demand / power (kW) Poor control strategies Not known to be operating Faulty equipment Intermittent use Hidden loads Lots of people in the household PPL Managing CAP Credits Pilot Program, 2006

What Does My Bill Pay For Source: 2007 Buildings Energy Data Book

Why Address Baseload? Electricity Use is Rising Mark Fortney, 2007, PHRC, PA Home Energy Forum

Plug Load Energy Use is Increasing U.S. delivered residential energy consumption by end use, 2001, 2004, 2015, and 2030 (million Btu per household) Source: Energy Information Administration 2006

“NRDC Study of Set Top Box and Game Console Power Use”, Peter Ostendorp, Ecos Consulting, May $.09/kWh

2007 Ecos Consulting, “Final Field Research Report”: Share of Plug Load Energy Use by Product Category27 Plug Load Baseload Energy Use by Product Category

Power Settings & Mode ON Active power Low power mode Indeterminate power Sleep/hibernate REALLY OFF No power Unplugged Power switched off with strip or other control device “OFF”  Standby power  Phantom load  Vampire power  Idle power Anything with a remote, display, touchpad, or light is using power even when turned “off”

Game Console Power Use NRDC Study of Set Top Box and Game Console Power Use, May 2007, Peter Ostendorp, Ecos Consulting

Power Supplies: A Growing Component Function: convert wall voltage ac to low voltage dc needed to operate today’s digital chips, LED indicators, displays, etc. 6% to 10% of U.S. electricity flows through the nation’s 3.6 billion power supplies 2007 Ecos Consulting, “Final Field Research Report” Roughly 1 to 2% of U.S. electricity could be saved by improving power supply efficiency $2.1 to 4.2 billion saved by consumers on their electricity bills Prevent release of 40 to 80 million tons of CO 2 into the atmosphere Equivalent of taking 2.3 to 4.6 million cars off the road Equivalent of building roughly 4.5 to 9 average sized power plants

Sample Annual kWh of TVs by Mode Standby power is similar regardless of TV type or size. Newer TVs use a lot more energy than older ones. Larger and newer technologies (plasma & rear projection) tend to be used more and are frequently part of a larger entertainment set up. Source: Ecos Consulting, “Final Field Research Report”, 2007

Managing Computer Power Use Teach everyone that it makes sense to Turn off monitor if not using for > 5-20 min. and both CPU and monitor if not using for > min. Use power strips for positive “off” and control of peripherals Learn about and teach others about how to Activate Power Management Functions Maximize sleep features in the operating system

Battery Charging Strategies Chargers can draw 5 to 20 times more power than they can store so... –Unplug chargers once battery is charged –Use timer to control charge cycle Choose equipment based on charging performance Buy efficient chargers Use rechargeable batteries Use power strips to simplify disconnecting chargers

Advanced Power Strip Options

Strategies to Control Home Electronic Energy Use Unplug stuff you don’t use Manage control settings for maximum efficiency Turn equipment off when not actively using Minimize standby use with power strips, switched outlets, unplugging, etc. Purchase less stuff Buy the most efficient products possible

Nighttime from the Space Shuttle

What Affects Lighting Use? Number of sockets/bulbs Hours of use Wattage Lumens (brightness) Restrictive fixtures / colors Task vs general lighting For each bulb: Watts x hours = Wh Wh x.001 = kWh kWh x $/kWh = Cost

Incandescent vs. CFLs

Lumen Comparison

Lighting Lighting can be a surprising share of baseload % Average home has sockets/bulbs CFLs can typically reduce use electricity use by two-thirds or more Reduced waste heat saves on air conditioning and improves comfort

Choosing Bulbs Look for Energy Star logo Select the best bulb for the fixture –Shape –Location –Color quality –Dimmability –Highest lumens per Watt Be aware of weight and overheating Mercury content/disposal Lumen equivalency, not Watts Electronic interference

3 Valuable Pieces of Information Lumens Watts Life Use the box as a teaching aid with customers

EFI Bulb Finder

LED Lighting

Hard-wired Fixtures

Feedback From the Field Issues: –The light is not bright enough –The bulb doesn’t fit within fixture –The bulb takes too long to brighten –The bulb looks weird –The bulb was installed without customer acceptance –Too few were installed –Disposal and mercury concerns So, to assure client satisfaction, choose carefully. There are plenty of excellent CFL’s available.

One example:  Recessed lights are holes in the envelope, most of which leak air  Local hot spot enhances exfiltration forces  A 13 watt bulb increases air flow through a leaky can by 60% when it’s on, a 50 watt bulb by 170% and a 100 watt bulb by 400%! Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc Baseload and Building Science

Telltale Signs in the Snow Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc

Can Light Above Bed in MBR Customer complained about cold air in bedroom IR spot radiometer has laser pointer, costs $120 Reveals non-trivial problem that’s clear to all (including customer) IAT = 70F; OAT = 25F; Can = 43F Warm air rises, cold air descends! Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc

Ceiling Fixture Includes hard wired CFL, electronic ballast Can cover “can” lights; providing better, diffuse light and allows the cans to be air sealed and insulated Saves electricity and gas! Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc

Ceiling Fixture This Instant Pendant Light screws into the recessed light fixture

PowerLux Solution—No Leaks Ballast is outside of hot can in rim where it stays cool CFLs that fit the system are available in 18, 26, 32, and 42 watts, and in color temperatures from 2700 to 4100K All have a color rendering index of 82 and 12,000 hour lifetimes Initial luminous efficacy ranges from 67 to 76 lm/W Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc

Outcome of Dirty Photocell A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy

Strategies To Reduce Electric Light Use Use natural light whenever possible Turn lights off when not needed – especially anything left on 24/7 Consider photo and occupancy sensors Choose bulbs with highest lumens per watt Select lighting to fit each task or situation Use a low watt nightlight instead of a main light Use light colored lampshades/reflector cans Clean bulbs and fixtures for brightest light

GE Refrigerator circa 1934

Factors Affecting Refrigerator Energy Use Size Features Age Ambient air temperature Control settings –Thermostats –Anti-sweat (energy saver) switch Loading patterns Covered containers Condition of door gaskets Cleanliness of coils Door openings

Safe and Efficient Temperatures Desired Temperatures: Fresh food: 36-40°F Freezer: 0-5°F Measure temperatures in the middle of the fresh food and freezer compartments Use standard or digital thermometers. A non-contact thermometer is not suitable for testing the temperatures inside refrigerators.

Beer Fridge and Freezer in the Heated Garage is an Expensive Choice A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy

Energy Consumption of U.S. Refrigerators Source: Kinney and Belshe, Refrigerator Replacement in the Weatherization Program: Putting a Chill on Energy Waste. E Source, September 2001, page 1.

Annual Energy Use as determined by: Nameplate information & look up in data base Age Refrigerant R-134a Metering – 2 hours preferred Broken – hardware failure, constant running, insufficient cooling Replacement Criteria A good return on investment (ROI)

Energy Star Database

Refrigerator Dataplate & Input – Output Mfg Model Size Style Age 8-Minute Rule

Calculating Payback Fridge/Freezer Removal kWh/yr x $/kWh = operating cost/year = annual Savings for removing unit Replacement Savings old op cost – new op cost = savings/yr Purchase Price / savings $/yr = simple payback in years and “Savings” = tax free income!

If You Meter Refrigerators Using the Brultech ECM-1200

kiloWatt Hour Meters Brultech ECM- 1220b Volts, Watts, Elapsed time, kWh/period Total cost for period Dual or 240V appliance metering Kill A Watt EZ Volts, Amps, VA, Hertz, Power Factor kWh, Elapsed Time Brand Electronics, Model Watts, kWh, Elapsed time Cost per month, Total cost Peak power, Amps, Power factor Watts Up? PRO Meter Watts, kWh, Elapsed time Cost per month, Total cost Peak power, Amps, Power factor

Refrigerator Testing Tips If you interrupt a compressor cycle, wait 8 minutes before plugging it back in If door is closed and you still have 40W on the meter, perhaps the door switch is broken or the anti-sweat heater is running The usual running range (compressor on) is Watts. Newer refrigerators draw about 150 Watts Watch for defrost periods (~400 Watts) Unplug a refrigerator to clean the coils

Automatic Defrost Cycle (14.4 ft 3 GE unit, 355 Btu for minutes) Source: Kinney and Belshe, Refrigerator Replacement in the Weatherization Program: Putting a Chill on Energy Waste. E Source, September 2001, page 16. Fresh food compartment temperature does not respond significantly to defrost cycle. How much time is required for freezer temperature recovery after defrost?

Refrigerator Use Examples Existing Size (cu. ft.) kWh at 1 hr.kWh at 2 hr. kWh/year of Existing Unit Approx. kWh/yr of New Unit 15 or less.104 kWh/hrAt least kWh/hrAt least.261, (17 cu. ft.) 383 (18 cu. ft.) kWh/hrAt least.281, (21 cu. ft.) 25 or greater.2 kWh/hrAt least.41, max. ( cu. ft.)

Strategies to Reduce Refrigerator Energy Use GET RID OF 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th UNITS Set controls to avoid over-cooling Keep it as cool as possible—away from stove, heat registers, direct sunlight Understand and use the energy saver or moisture control switch if present Be sure the door closes tightly after opening Keep containers covered Allow air to circulate freely around the unit and clean the condenser coils

EPA WaterSense

Annual End Use Consumption Ranges (kWh) National averages trued up to PA utility program experience

Household Hot Water Use Buildings Energy Data Book: 8.2 Residential Sector Water Consumption September 2008 Note(s): 1) Based analysis on 10 single family homes in Seattle, WA Sources: 2000 Residential End Uses of Hot Water in Single-Family Homes from Flow-Trace Analysis

What Affects Hot Water Use? Leaks The number of occupants Difference (∆T) between incoming & hot water temperature Fixture flow rate Appliance type and style Water heater tank insulation Water heater energy factor (EF) Distribution piping design & location Climate and localized ambient temperature Time of use options

Thermometers: Water Temperature Recommended: 120° F

Too Hot Water is Dangerous Children and elderly people are at greater risk for injury

Water Temperature Setting for Clothes Washer (millions of households) Wash Cycle Hot Warm Cold Rinse Cycle Hot Warm Cold No Washing Machine Source:

Flow – Gallons per Minute (gpm) MicroWeir OR… a stop watch & a gallon jug. If it fills in less than 2 minutes, it is likely a candidate for replacement! Showerheads: 2.5 gpm the rule Less is better! Larry Kinney Photo

Household Water Use – Not only Hot

Strategies to Reduce DHW Use & Water Waste Fix all leaks – hot or not Keep thermostat at safe & efficient setting Reduce standby losses Limit use of hot water when doing laundry or cleaning Turn off water when not using Turn thermostat down or off for vacations Manage outdoor water use: car washing, irrigation

Use of Clothes Washer (millions of U.S. households) Loads of Laundry Washed Each Week –1 Load or Less –2 to 9 Loads –10 to 15 Loads –More than 15 Loads

Use of Clothes Dryer (millions of U.S. households) Use a Clothes Dryer –Every Time Clothes are Washed –Some, but not All, Loads –Used Infrequently No Clothes Dryer

Dryers are responsible for 6-10% of domestic electricity use.

We Looked: We Saw… High occupancy Anything running 24/7: air handler, lighting Extra lighting Multiple refrigerators and/or freezers Broken appliances Failing motors Malfunctioning equip: well, septic, sump pumps Heavy-duty battery chargers Home entertainment rooms Large/multiple aquariums Off-site but connected loads Waterbed heaters Dehumidifiers set too high Forgotten heaters in crawl spaces, garage, porches Grow lights Ice makers running without water hookup Washers always using hot water Ventilation equipment Pressure tank problems Current leaking to earth: water heater, yard line, well pump

Ceiling fans, too if on 24/7 Example: Cost of Operation Airhandler fans on 24/7 500W x 24 hours x 365 days x.001kW/W = 4,380 = $438 per year Radon exhaust fans. EPA IAQ house standards require them in attached garages. 100W x 8760 hrs/yr x.001kW/W = 876 $.10 = $88 per year

Baseload Waste Often Reveals as Heat

High Number of Occupants A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy

Influencing Change Identify all possible opportunities to save Put costs on operations and equipment use Recognize what customer cares about and will/won’t do Focus on biggest users Prioritize where you spend your time Present only options that make sense and offer a return on investment

AirHandlerOn->Auto SetBackTstat 24hrFansOff TurnDownTstat LidsOnPots FiltersMonthly FridgeDoorClose RecommendedIgnored Worthwhile Marginal Waste? ComputersOff ColdWash 2 nd Fridge/FrzOff VampirePowerStrips Priorities: Recommended vs. Worthwhile: Actions LightsOff ClothesLine ShorterShowers CeilingFan 24hrTVsOff 24hrLightsOff CleanFridgeCoils HumidiferOff Urban Legends Note: Values based somewhat on difficulty in maintaining action Michael Blasnik, “Ten Simple Things that Don’t Save Very Much Energy”

Baseload is a Waste & Pollution Issue Over a five year period, an incandescent bulb uses electricity equal to 10 mg of mercury emissions from a coal-fired plant. A CFL may contain 1- 4 mg of mercury, but “uses” only 2.4 mg of emissions from electricity. Mercury in a CFL is contained and is recycled with proper disposal*. Once out of the smokestack mercury is uncontrollable. Electricity generated from coal-fired plants is only 33% efficient at the plug. The rest of the source energy is “wasted” in generation, transmission, & distribution losses. U.S. EAP 2002 *

Coal-Fired Electricity Generation Water waste: ½ to 1 gallon per kWh NOX SOX Mercury (Hg) Particulates Greenhouse Gases GHG Carbon Dioxide Equivalency CO 2 e Photo: Rana Belshe

Feedback Welcome! A. Tamasin Sterner Rana Belshe Thanks to: Larry Kinney Rick Karg

Light fixtures in upscale home Major leakage to attic through fixtures Nine 75 Watt incandescent bulbs in kitchen ceiling Middle row retrofitted with CFLs: 25W, 20W, 13W Fix is 13W CFLs plus metal box 1 ft on a side in attic Larry Kinney, Synertech Systems Inc