Energy Savings Projects Research Articles

Designing compact heat recovery systems to increase energy efficiency

Heat recovery in industry is limited by thermodynamic and economic factors. Increased heat recovery in an existing heat exchanger calls for higher costs in terms of capital and pumping due to increased exchanger size and pressure drop. One design option to offset the rapid growth of surface area to meet the upgraded heat load is to seek strategies to increase the heat recovery by increasing the heat transfer coefficient with a moderate increase on pressure drop. Compabloc heat exchangers have the construction features that make them suitable for such purposes. This paper presents a new design methodology for this type of exchanger and discusses its application in retrofit projects. The approach exploits the use of utility paths as the simplest and more practical way of identifying energy savings projects. The importance of analysing and quantifying temperature disturbance propagations is discussed. Applications to two case studies demonstrate the economic viability of using compabloc exchangers to achieve large energy recovery and savings. It is demonstrated that with an additional pumping cost of $66,776.12 USD/year, a total surface area of 1140.8 m2 and capital investment of $1062,272.0 USD, 24.8 MW of additional energy can be recovered, saving $5339,675.52 USD/year, giving a payback of 2.8 months.

Renewable Energy Communities as a New Actor in Home Energy Savings

Renewable energy communities (RECs) might be an interesting new stakeholder in stimulating home energy-saving efforts by tenants and homeowners due to their potential of raising awareness locally and gaining public support for low-carbon energy and energy-savings projects, because RECs are often locally sited, in close social proximity of residents, and are already part of local structures and share local institutions. This comes with many benefits since they already have a reputation locally, a social history with the local community, and can be trusted by the latter. This makes them potentially better suited than other—often less-trusted—parties (i.e., government and business companies) to use their agency to encourage sustainable change. The article builds on empirical data from the EU Horizon 2020 project REScoop Plus, using a mixed-methods research approach, including desk research, expert interviews, validation workshops, and multiple surveys among RECs in six EU member states about energy-saving actions implemented, and their effectiveness in terms of raising awareness, influencing the intention to save energy, and actual energy-saving behaviour. This article provides more insight into the assessment of actions and measures for coaching householders to achieve energy savings and low carbon goals. In addition, it shows the potential of using RECs as a new strategy to address home energy savings in the current housing stock, including options to improve the energy performance thereof.

INTERACTION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL KUZNET CURVE AND URBAN ENVIRONMENT TRANSITION HYPOTHESES IN MALAYSIA

The aim of this paper is to examine the interconnection bewteen the environmental Kuznet curve (EKC) and urban environment transition hypotheses in the Malaysian economy. Economic growth, CO2 emissions, energy consumption, financial development (FD), urbanization variables for the 1971-2013 period, F-bound tests, and multivariate Granger causality methods are used. The long-run relationships among the above series of variables are examined. Also, the findings confirm the existence of an inveretd EKC hypothesis in the Malaysian economy. Furthermore, the study implies that long-run urban sprawl can create environmental and health burdens in Malaysia. Moreover, the causality analysis finds bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions and energy consumption, between economic growth and urbanization, and from economic growth to FD. The overall results suggest that a rapid urbanization process can help to reduce the level of pollution and energy consumption by employing technical innovation and ecological modernization. In addition, the increased energy efficiency, implementation of energy savings projects, energy conservation, and energy infrastructure outsourcing reduce the level of pollution produced by urban areas. Also, alternative biofuels can reduce the emission intensity and fulfill future energy needs.

The Risks of Financing Energy in Turkey: Heading for a Rocky Road

After the implementation of Energy Efficiency Law (EEL) in Turkey, Turkish engineering firms show considerable interest in energy savings projects. There is a growing sign of an energy effi- ciency implementation in Turkey. However, energy importation costs of Turkey still present a challenge leading to huge financial burdens. This paper explores the energy financing in Turkey and the likelihood of risks after the establishment of structural reforms. The so-called structural problems on the agenda of Turkey are emphasized during the crisis. Actually, global crisis affected the lending conditions herein counterparty risk and restricted the relations of enterprises and banks. In this study, it is argued that there are strong barriers for the future energy saving industry in Turkey made up of macro-economic, micro-economic and financial risks coming through both domestic and global means.

Reductions in Energy and Water Use in a Government Laboratory through An Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC)

ABSTRACT The USDA's Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology is constantly looking for ways to reduce its energy and water use while still delivering world-class research in a comfortable and safe facility. Over the years, the federal facility has achieved reductions by teaming up with its local utility provider. More recently, it participated in an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) with an energy services company to radically reduce its total energy use from 28,974 MBtu/yr to 23,413 MBtu/yr, and its water use from 426.4 Kgal/yr to 182.0 Kgal/yr while maintaining occupant safety and comfort. The unique features of an ESPC allow any federal facility to accomplish energy savings projects without up-front capital outlays. Both in-house small projects and large projects can be accomplished through the ESPC process using private financing, with implementation costs and debt service paid for out of energy savings.

Breaking Down Financial Barriers Towards a More Sustainable Commercial Real Estate Market

ABSTRACT Approximately 40% of the US energy [1] and nearly 16% of the world energy [2] is consumed within the existing building stock. It is estimated that over 2 quadrillion Btus of site energy could be avoided by simply engaging in an energy efficiency project [3]. These energy savings projects could carry with them an average internal rate of return (IRR) of 17% and save up to $900 billion in estimated energy costs by the year 2020 [4]. Why, then, are private building owners not investing in their buildings? Why are investors and banks unwilling to engage building owners to provide capital for these projects? The simple answer is they can't. Current lease and accounting structures give rise to issues such as the split incentive and leverage barrier, which frequently make these investments financially irrational for commercial building owners. Many financial structures have been developed to successfully fund energy projects in our public buildings. Unfortunately, most of these structures fail to addres...

The impact of energy consumption and CO2 emission on the economic growth and financial development in the Sub Saharan African countries

This study investigated the impact of energy consumption and CO2 emission on GDP (gross domestic product) growth and the financial development in thirty Sub Saharan African Countries. The panel model was used in this study from the period 1980 to 2008. The results showed that energy consumption had played an important role to increase both economic growth and the financial development in the investigated economies but with the consequence of high po llution. This study recommended that these countries should increase energy productivity by increasing energy efficiency, implementation of energy savings projects, energy conservation, and energy infrastructure outsourcing to achieve its financial development and GDP growth and to increase their investment on energy projects to achieve the full energy potential.

МоделЬ первОначальнОгО отборА энергосберегающиХ проектоВ пО критериЮ соответствиЯ стратегическиМ целяМ

The model for selection the energysaving projects is developed on the criterion of accordance for strategy by development of enterprise's energyinfrastructure for construction an optimum portfolio of energy-savings projects

Voluntary agreements with white certificates for energy efficiency improvement as a hybrid policy instrument

In this paper we examine the implementation of a combined policy scheme that consists of a traditional instrument, the voluntary agreements (VAs), and an innovative one, the white certificates (WhC). The basic structure of this scheme is that energy suppliers who undertake an energy efficiency obligation under a white certificate scheme can make use of voluntary actions to enhance investments in innovative energy savings projects. Energy suppliers and other market parties can additionally or in parallel participate in voluntary agreements and set energy efficiency targets. For fulfilling their voluntary agreement target, these market parties can receive tax exemptions or receive white certificates that they can sell in the market. Transaction costs and baseline definition for demonstrating energy efficiency improvement deserve special attention. This policy can assist a country to enhance energy efficiency improvement while it stimulates innovation. Cost effectiveness can be higher than the case of stand-alone policy instruments, since more financing options are available for more expensive projects. Nevertheless, the added value of the scheme lies more in the implementation of innovative measures for enhanced energy efficiency. Furthermore, market parties can discover more business opportunities in energy efficiency and establish a green image; hence an integrated scheme should achieve higher political acceptability.

Review of Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology by Barney L. CapehartEncyclopedia of Energy Engineering and TechnologyCRC Press

The three-volume Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology is an imposing 1,936-page collection of more than 190 timely and informative articles on a broad range of energy engineering topics. The Encyclopedia offers a useful reference for energy managers, researchers, teachers, engineers, designers, consultants, and policymakers. The Encyclopedia’s editor, Barney Capehart, of the University of Florida, Gainesville, is an experienced and highly regarded energy engineering professional. Individual articles were written by over 300 researchers and practitioners in the field. A review of their credentials indicates that they are well qualified and well chosen. The project was sponsored by the Association of Energy Engineers AEE . Although the articles are presented in alphabetical order by title, superficially similar to the design of a traditional encyclopedia, articles are not grouped by shared topic areas. Finding information on a given subject can be a bit tricky in a publication of this size, which covers such a broad range of topics. For this reason, the topical table of contents, beginning on page xxi immediately after the table of contents, becomes an indispensable search tool. The topical table of contents groups individual articles into seven broad categories, each further divided into subcategories. For instance, checking the topical table of contents, Section I, “Energy, Energy Sources, and Energy Use,” we find the subcategory “Renewable Energy.” Under this heading, in turn, the reader finds references to relevant articles scattered throughout the Encyclopedia’s nearly 2,000 pages, among them “Biomass” listed under “B,” on p. 86 ; “Geothermal Energy Resources” listed under “G,” on p. 744 ; and “Wind Power” listed under “W,” on page 1607 . The seven larger groupings listed in the topical table of contents are 1. “Energy, Energy Sources, and Energy Use”: Topics include historical and technical background, fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable energy sources, and fuel cells. 2. “Principles of Energy Analysis and Systems/Economic Analysis of Energy Systems”: Financial and economic analysis topics are covered, as well as principles of electric and thermal energy systems. 3. “Utilities, Suppliers of Energy, and Utility Regulation”: Topics include electric supply systems, utility rate structures and bill analysis, and regulatory issues. 4. “Facilities and Uses of Energy”: The largest section, with topics in the areas of the building envelope, HVAC systems, heat recovery, industrial facilities, space heating, lighting and motors, and steam and boiler systems. 5. “Energy Management”: Another large section, which covers energy auditing and benchmarking, codes and standards, energy management programs, energy savings projects, commissioning, and measurement and verification of energy savings. 6. “Current Energy and Environmental Issues”: A small section covering environmental regulation and sustainable buildings. 7. “Transportation and Other Energy Uses”: A small catch-all section. Experienced energy engineering professionals with solid background knowledge are best equipped to use this publication. In some cases, sufficient background information necessary for a newcomer to the field is not given. For example, the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC section includes detailed articles on subjects such as “Cold Air Retrofit: Case Study”; “Cooling Towers”; “Geothermal Heat Pump Systems”; and “Thermal Energy Storage,” to name 4 of 11 useful and current topics covered in the HVAC section. However, the Encyclopedia does not include a big-picture analysis with an introduction to the basic concepts of HVAC. Such an overview would be very helpful, if not essential, for a beginner hoping to make sense of the individual articles. Reading through the Encyclopedia, I first focused on a number of pieces that covered topics with which I was familiar, looking for accuracy and completeness. I found both. Then I read articles about which I knew little. I found these to be written with reasonable clarity and generally easy to understand. Graphics, though black and white and a bit grainy, were well chosen and helped to clarify and enhance the material. In summary, the Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology presents a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of useful, well-written, and well-researched articles on a broad range of topics in the field of energy engineering. Although not quite an “encyclopedia” in the traditional sense, this impressive threevolume set fills a void in the publications currently available and represents a welcome resource for the energy engineering professional.

06/01476 From volatility to value: analysing and managing financial and performance risk in energy savings projects: Mills, E. et al. Energy Policy, 2006, 34, (2), 188–199

06/01476 From volatility to value: analysing and managing financial and performance risk in energy savings projects: Mills, E. et al. Energy Policy, 2006, 34, (2), 188–199

A Cogeneration Case Study Using the Interactive Energy Balance Program

Cogeneration is a highly effective means of increasing energy ef-ficiency and reducing energy costs by utilizing the heat that wouldnormally be wasted and use some or all of it for the thermal require-ments of a facility. This effective utilization of heat generated duringelectricity production allows for an increase of fuel efficiency from35% to almost 85%. Cogeneration not only reduces energy costs andincreases energy efficiency, but is also beneficial to the environment byreducing the amount of pollutants that are emitted into the atmo-sphere.In a previous work we presented and described the new Interac-tive Energy Balance (IEB) software. The package offers an easy way toaccount for energy bills, working equipment and their energy operat-ing characteristics. Among the equipment considered are: lighting, airconditioning, refrigeration compressors, air compressors, motors, andothers. The electric energy consumed by all pieces of equipment isbalanced against the energy bills (last 12 months). The correspondingenergy costs, graphs, pie-charts, and free format reports are automati-cally generated showing paths and trends on energy consumption. A“Recommendations” section allows for a quick, but beyond a back ofthe envelop type of calculation, initial analysis of potential energy im-provement projects associated with current equipment, and/or for theinstallation of new ones.As a result of the increasing interest, we have included in IEB’s“recommendations” section a “cogeneration” option. Among its manyfeatures is a typical cogeneration environment window with fuel load, power generated, thermal load output, and efficiency, allowing for avariety of uses for the exhaust heat. Furthermore, an information veri-fication chart is displayed and a final “cogeneration savings” printablesummary chart is shown. This chart includes (among others) theworth of thermal load, worth of cogeneration, fuel cost, operatingcost, total savings, simple payback, and return on investment. In thiswork we briefly describe IEB and present a case study on a cogenera-tion recommendation. This provides insight on the versatility, fasterdata entry, balancing process, graphical display, recommendations andmany other features of the software. In addition, we further demon-strate the value of the energy balance approach, and the many optionsfor cogeneration and other energy savings projects

From volatility to value: analysing and managing financial and performance risk in energy savings projects

Many energy-related investments are made without a clear financial understanding of their values, risks, and volatilities. In the face of this uncertainty, the investor—such as a building owner or an energy service company—will often choose to implement only the most certain and thus limited energy-efficiency measures. Conversely, commodities traders and other sophisticated investors accustomed to evaluating investments on a value, risk, and volatility basis often overlook energy-efficiency investments because risk and volatility information are not provided. Fortunately, energy-efficiency investments easily lend themselves to such analysis using tools similar to those applied to supply side risk management. Accurate and robust analysis demands a high level of understanding of the physical aspects of energy-efficiency, which enables the translation of physical performance data into the language of investment. With a risk management analysis framework in place, the two groups—energy-efficiency experts and investment decision-makers—can exchange the information they need to expand investment in demand-side energy projects. In this article, we first present the case for financial risk analysis in energy efficiency in the buildings sector. We then describe techniques and examples of how to identify, quantify, and manage risk. Finally, we describe emerging market-based opportunities in risk management for energy efficiency.

Risk transfer via energy-savings insurance : Mills, E. Energy Policy, 2003, 31, (3). 273–281

Among the key barriers to investment in energy efficiency improvements are uncertainties about attaining projected energy savings and apprehension about potential disputes over these savings. The fields of energy management and risk management are thus intertwined. While many technical methods have emerged to manage performance risks (e.g. building commissioning), financial risk transfer techniques are less developed in the energy management arena than in other more mature segments of the economy. Energy Savings Insurance (ESI) - formal insurance of predicted energy savings - is one method of transferring financial risks away from the facility owner or energy services contractor. ESI offers a number of significant advantages over other forms of financial risk transfer, e.g. savings guarantees or performance bonds. ESI providers manage risk via pre-construction design review as well as post-construction commissioning and measurement and verification of savings. We found that the two most common criticisms of ESI - excessive pricing and onerous exclusions - are not born out in practice. In fact, if properly applied, ESI can potentially reduce the net cost of energy savings projects by reducing the interest rates charged by lenders, and by increasing the level of savings through quality control. Debt service can also be ensured by matching loan payments to projected energy savings while designing the insurance mechanism so that payments are made by the insurer in the event of a savings shortfall. We estimate the U.S. ESI market potential of $875 million/year in premium income. From an energy-policy perspective, ESI offers a number of potential benefits: ESI transfers performance risk from the balance sheet of the entity implementing the energy savings project, thereby freeing up capital otherwise needed to self-insure the savings. ESI reduces barriers to market entry of smaller energy services firms who do not have sufficiently strong balance sheets to self-insure the savings. ESI encourages those implementing energy saving projects to go beyond standard, tried-and-true measures and thereby achieve more significant levels of energy savings; and ESI providers stand to be proponents of improved savings measurement and verification techniques, as well as maintenance, thereby contributing to national energy savings objectives and perhaps elevating the quality of information available for program evaluation. Governmental agencies have been pioneers in the use of ESI and could continue to play a role in developing this innovative risk-transfer mechanism. There is particular potential for linkages between ESI and the ENERGY STAR (registered trademark) Buildings Program. It is likely that ENERGY STAR (registered trademark)-labeled commercial buildings (which have lower performance risk thanks to commissioning) would be attractive to providers of energy savings insurance. Conversely, the award of energy savings insurance to an ENERGY STAR (registered trademark)-labeled building would raise the perceived credibility of the Label and energy savings attributed to the Program.

Realisation of the energy saving policy in the Czech Republic

The article provides a survey on the principal tendencies during the implementation of the energy saving policy in the last decade in the CR, and the principal framework for improvement of the system for the implementation of the policy of energy saving and utilisation of renewable energy sources in the Czech Republic as provided by the Energy Management Act. The energy savings projects are financially supported by the National program of economic management and use of renewable and of secondary energy sources. The article also informs about the results achieved in the field of decreasing fuels and energy consumption and improvement in the impact of the energy sector on the environment. A significant contribution can be seen in the cooperation with EU states whose results the article also outlines.