Research Tracker

This project will research and develop new technologies and strategies to eliminate or significantly reduce energy use in standby mode by redesigning the power supply for plug load devices. This research project will also develop and demonstrate strategies to remove plug load devices from grid AC power by redesigning these devices to use DC power from photovoltaic power sources.

This project will research and develop new technologies and strategies to eliminate or significantly reduce energy use in standby mode by redesigning the power supply for plug load devices. This research project will also develop and demonstrate strategies to remove plug load devices from grid AC power by redesigning these devices to use DC power from photovoltaic power sources.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor will develop innovative methods to outcouple the light within OLED devices in order to increase external quantum efficiency. This will be accomplished through nanoscale texturing beneath the anode outside the active region, fabricating sub-anode gratings along with microlens arrays, and top emitting structures with a sub-anode grid coupled with a reflective mirror at the base.

This project will contain three elements to provide data for policymakers and businesses to explore this new market. First, this project will determine prosumer (proactive consumer) interest in a third-party demand response market by testing user acquisition via direct and non-direct engagement strategies. Second, experimentation with behavioral and automated users will allow analysis of user yield under a variety of conditions and extract a set of shadow curves that can inform how much energy load shifting can be expected under various price incentives. Finally, this project will create a novel solution for using residential telemetry to connect prosumers and their Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the market operators.

This project will contain three elements to provide data for policymakers and businesses to explore this new market. First, this project will determine prosumer (proactive consumer) interest in a third-party demand response market by testing user acquisition via direct and non-direct engagement strategies. Second, experimentation with behavioral and automated users will allow analysis of user yield under a variety of conditions and extract a set of shadow curves that can inform how much energy load shifting can be expected under various price incentives. Finally, this project will create a novel solution for using residential telemetry to connect prosumers and their Internet of Things (IoT) devices to the market operators.

GE Global Research will design, build, and demonstrate a highly efficient residential electric clothes dryer. This technology could lead to more than 20 billion kWh of energy savings per year.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory will develop system-level architecture for a plug-and-play multi-sensor platform, which can utilize peel-and-stick sensors less than a quarter of an inch thick and powered by indoor, high-performance, flexible photovoltaics. By developing sensors that are multi-functional and self-powered, this innovative platform can be adopted and deployed for wider spread energy efficiency of buildings.

Iowa State University will demonstrate a way to increase the outcoupling of simple white OLEDs while maintaining a high color rendering index, by disrupting the internal waveguiding, using a unique and innovative corrugation pattern.

FXFOWLE Architects will undertake a research study to determine the viability of implementing the Passivhaus standard on tall residential buildings in New York State. Using a 25 story multifamily project currently in design as a base building, the study will investigate the detailed implications of adapting a typical tall residential building to meet the Passivhaus standard. This work will analyze the impacts from architectural, structural, enclosure detailing, materials, mechanical, zoning, financial, marketability, and constructability perspectives. Market barriers and opportunities will be identified and addressed. In addition, the study will evaluate how applying the Passivhaus standard to a tall multifamily residential building can affect resiliency and security issues

The project will produce a standardizable, transferable, climate zone-specific net zero energy ready retrofit system. This system will be tested at a multifamily affordable housing pilot site.

The goal of this research project is to determine if it is possible to pre-heat water for swimming pools to save energy. The study is designed to show the efficacy of this application as well as the associated energy savings. In 2016, BPA engineering collected baseline operation data on the existing electric resistance water heater for a residential swimming pool. Early in 2017, the CO2HPWH was installed and monitored. The initial results showed that the system was under performing and a number of modifications are being considered. The current plan is to implement the modifications and monitor the new design through December 2017 to allow for warm and cold weather operation. A final paper will be prepared by February 2018. While this study is focused on the residential sector, the nature and results of this study are also applicable to water heating EE projects in the commercial sector. BPA will generate a summary brief which will inform the region of the results. Its important to build the body of knowledge for CO2 heat pumps and demonstrate the efficacy of a new use case.

This supplemental project has been designed to provide utilities a means of working together in a coordinated fashion to test this concept in field environments. The goals of this supplemental project are: 1. To prove the performance of universal Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) 2045 communications port (comm port) 2. Convince manufacturers that the installation of a simple comm port is very low-cost, and makes their equipment easy to incorporate into any utility demand response (DR) program nationwide so that it could eventually become standard practice on all water heaters. If that can be achieved, then the question of whether or not a customer participates in a utility DR program becomes a simpler customer choice.

The project includes feasibility and design studies followed by demonstration of a large central reverse cycle chiller (RCC) or heat pump water heaters for energy efficient production of domestic hot water in multifamily residential projects. Feasibility and design studies were completed in 2010. The first installation was completed in November 2012; a second installation was completed in the Spring 2013. The next phase of the project will include measurement and verification of energy savings. The project will conclude with a final report of lessons learned and recommendations for future applications of this technology. This project will look to answer the following research question: quantify the energy savings using a large heat pump water heater (or called RCC) vs. electric resistance domestic hot water in a multifamily (MF) application to prove the concept, and understand technical challenges and whether this is a good technology for multifamily sector.

PPG Industries, Inc. will develop high-performing dark-colored pigments for use in cool roof coatings. These pigments would satisfy customers' demand for dark-colored cool roofs and lead to 0.17 quads of energy savings annually.

This project will design and develop innovative LED lighting solutions for three key general illumination product categories. These solutions are a best-in-class medium, screw-base replacement lamp, linear tubular light emitting diode (TLED) replacement lamps and spectrally optimized, dedicated LED luminaires. Product design requirements will be based on consumer light quality and functional performance preferences determined through a series of unique laboratory-based consumer preference and product characterization studies

This project will design and develop innovative LED lighting solutions for three key general illumination product categories. These solutions are a best-in-class medium, screw-base replacement lamp, linear tubular light emitting diode (TLED) replacement lamps and spectrally optimized, dedicated LED luminaires. Product design requirements will be based on consumer light quality and functional performance preferences determined through a series of unique laboratory-based consumer preference and product characterization studies

This project will provide a detailed market segmentation and baseline energy demand assessment of the gaming market, including development of measurement and benchmarking protocols for gaming software and hardware. Top-selling gaming PCs and games are then cross-benchmarked and retrofitted to achieve maximum energy savings beyond what commercialized products currently can attain.

This project is developing a gas-fired absorption heat pump that offers a significant advancement for space and water heating technologies when compared to conventional gas heating technologies (an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of 140% versus 100%, respectively). This heat pump will provide efficient space and water heating for single and multi-family homes in most climate zones.

In 2013, BPA received an unsolicited proposal for a case study for a side-by-side comparison of a geothermal heat pump and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system in nearly identical multifamily housing units in Tacoma, Washington. The project provided a unique opportunity to evaluate these two technologies while providing an application for multifamily housing. The project will determine how the seasonal performance of the two systems for space conditioning and production of hot water compares. The following information will be provided for the operation of both units: quantified savings and costs over a specific baseline; understanding of the engineering design, installation, ownership, and possible utility barriers; quantified annual energy savings, benefits, and costs; documented magnitude and longevity of the incremental electric energy savings; documented operation and energy use; and described energy savings time of occurrence and duration, load shape, and lifetime.

Columbia University will use an inexpensive and widely tunable library of quantum dot (QD) synthesis reagents along with automated high-throughput synthesis and analysis tools to grade the alloy composition of QD heterostructures, in order to provide stable and efficient narrow-band red down-converters for LEDs.

Evidence in a new, groundbreaking Energy Department report, Home Rx: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, shows that home performance upgrades can improve the quality of a homes indoor environment by reducing the prevalence of harmful indoor air pollutants and contaminants. This paper is just one part of the Energy Departments broader Health and Home Performance Initiative. Another step will be to develop messaging that home performance programs, contractors, and partners can use to communicate clearly about the health benefits of home performance work with consumers and stakeholders.

The next step for the Initiative will be to engage with stakeholders to develop a roadmap to facilitate the home performance industrys incorporation of healthcare into their work. Workshops are slated for conferences in January, March, and May 2017.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will work with project partners to address several indoor air quality challenges for high performance homes through experimental, analytical and modeling efforts. The long term goal of this project is to significantly reduce the indoor air quality risks that are a barrier to industry adoption of high performance homes.

The Healthy Homes Accelerator aims to better integrate healthy housing principles and practices in energy retrofits and new home construction; and support the creation of local partnerships between key stakeholders that are aimed at overcoming barriers to incorporating enhanced health measures in buildings.

Cree, Inc. will incorporate a high-efficacy LED light engine into a demonstration luminaire, with concurrent advancements in LED light engines, optics, and sensors integrated to result in high efficacy as well as additional features such as spectral tuning.

Arizona State University is demonstrating an efficient and stable white organic light diode (WOLED) using a single emitter on a planar glass substrate. By simplifying the device fabrication process, increasing the robustness of materials, and providing cost-effective emitter materials, Arizona State University will help reduce the overall manufacturering costs of WOLEDs.

United Technologies Research Center will demonstrate a compressor design that will enable high-efficiency small commercial rooftop air conditioning systems. This technology could provide 30% annual energy savings and reduce energy use by 2.5 quads by 2030.

United Technologies Research Center will develop a high-performance commercial cold climate heat pump system. The system could enable annual electricity use for building space heating in cold climates to decrease by at least 25%.

This project will address the fundamental challenges for green LEDs by a combination of innovations in epitaxial growth and layer design, advanced processes including tunnel junctions, and advanced materials characterization.

Lumileds, LLC will develop a high-efficacy, high-power LED emitter enabled by patterned sapphire substrate flip-chip architecture, die development to include novel contact design, phosphors with reduced bandwidth, and new optical materials for light extraction from the die.

United Technologies Research Center will demonstrate a heat pump that is smaller, quieter, and cheaper to maintain than current models. The heat pump could result in annual energy savings of more than 1.5 quads and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 million metric tons.

This project will develop, validate and quantify energy impacts of a new generation of high performance facade systems and provide the design and management toolkits that will enable the building industry to meet challenging energy performance goals leading to net zero buildings by 2030. Building envelope technologies can be integrated into a cost-effective system that reduces energy-use associated with HVAC and lighting while improving occupant comfort. Technology development activities include highly insulating (Hi-R) windows, energy recovery-based envelope ventilation systems, and dynamic daylight redirecting systems. Supporting tools, data, and design methods will also be developed to enable widespread, reliable, cost-effective deployment throughout California.

OLEDWorks will develop the cost-effective and scalable manufacturing methods needed to produce a high-performance, large-area OLED lighting panel and luminaire system. This work will help develop and integrate the cost effective manufacturing technologies necessary to achieve the DOE performance and cost targets.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory will demonstrate a high-efficiency refrigerator that uses novel rotating heat exchanger technology to reduce energy use. The technology could produce energy savings of approximately 13%, or 407 TBtu/year.

Lumileds, LLC will develop an LED light engine that integrates a new low-cost, high-power chip and optimized drivers. This light engine will enable comprehensive luminaire system cost reduction.

QM Power, Inc. will develop advanced HVAC motors that are significantly more efficient and cheaper than current solutions for almost all electric motor compressor and fan applications. The technology will have the potential to save more than 0.62 quads of energy.

GE Global Research will build a scalable, efficient, modular luminaire to address the integration of driver, optics, and package in a flexible integration platform that allows for simplified manufacturing to customized performance specifications.

The Home Improvement Catalyst (HI Cat) is a new DOE initiative focused on high impact opportunities to achieve energy savings in home improvements already planned or being undertaken by homeowners. The Home Improvement Catalyst is designed to identify the multiple pathways to achieving an energy efficient home through energy upgrades and speed the adoption of market-ready energy improvements; resulting in greater energy savings over time.

Throughout the development of the AVS resources and meta-analysis, HI Cat will conduct outreach to EPA, utilities, CEE, REEOs, and program implementers seeking to advance programs that advance high performance HVAC and QI practices. DOE is partnering with MEEA to collect data and evaluate the HVAC SAVE program (Iowa), test approaches to offering additional services, and develop a case study of the HVAC SAVE program in Iowa.

The University of California, Santa Barbara, will identify the fundamental causes of current droop in state-of-the-art commercial LEDs. These findings will lead to development of higher-performing LED lighting technologies.

With a focus on typical business as usual HVAC trade practices, HI Cat seeks to capture greater efficiency at high volume within the home improvement transactions at key decision points. HI Cat will work in partnership with industry to design contractor ready resources via development of a Sequencing Tool that curates advisory content that can be applied during the sales transaction. The sequencing tool, designed for use by trade contractors, will identify opportunities to improve upon the current transaction in any given scenario, without disrupting it. Related resources, such as a contractor playbook, will provide ing relevant sales tools and tips; selection, specification, and field installation guidance; proposal and contract language; etc. It will also offer messaging about the energy efficiency pathway or customer journey, reference applicable DOE and industry technical standards/guidance and provide technical information to address follow on EE opportunities.

Trane, in partnership with the University of Illinois, will develop engineered microstructure surfaces that will reduce refrigerant leaks and enhance HVAC&R systems efficiency by improving the strength and quality of brazed joints.

This project will improve the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of amber and red aluminium gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP)-based LEDs by developing strain-engineered cladding layers to provide enhanced carrier confinement.

the University of Miami, in partnership with Schneider Electric and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will create a tool for dynamic cooling and airflow optimization that is customized for the design and operational requirements of data centers and computer rooms by integrating several open-source modeling packages: the Modeling Buildings Library/Spawn-of-EnergyPlus for flexible IT equipment and cooling system modeling; LBNLs GenOpt for optimization; and the University of Miamis Fast Fluid Dynamics package for airflow modeling.

As part of an ongoing effort to enhance low-power wireless communication, this project will develop a wireless connectivity module made of radio frequency (RF) hardware and systems software that enables RF connectivity at over 50% lower active power consumption for integration into MELs.