Bruce Oreck, the U.S. Ambassador to Finland, began on one of the days at WREF with a talk on how to use language effectively to promote renewable energy. Oreck’s presentation focused on using a different style of language than currently used to promote renewables. For example, instead of using the phrase that renewable energy “saves money,” focus on using “making money” by going solar instead. You can view Oreck’s presentation from WREF here:

To read more about Oreck’s presentation, view the articles  below:

• Oreck Calls for a Change in Semantics to Promote Renewable Energy
• WREF Tuesday Plenary – Solutions for Sore Eyes
• Bruce Oreck, U.S. Ambassador, Finland

Craig Christensen of the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), showed off the already existing building version of their residential modeling program which is located in California.  BEopt is the Lamborghini of building modeling programs.  Under the hood, they have a finely-tunable mechanism of inputs for envelope equipment, setpoints, surroundings, and shading, and have newly integrated existing characteristics, detailed utility tariffs and cost/benefit tests, demand response, and energy storage – but that’s not all.  BEopt runs on a variety of fuels — the simulation engines TRNSYS + DOE2 or EnergyPlus.  Its most unique feature is its ability to test a single design (Design Mode), or to test a wide range of possible designs to find the optimal blend of design features (Optimization Mode), where a cost-energy “swoosh” distribution lays out the options, and shows those closest to the sweet spot.  The engine doesn’t assume efficiency first, but usually recommends it to a point, which then is cheaper to add PV.

Many other modeling tools exist but are usually specialized for renewables or efficiency. A few provide output standards to allow sharing among tools and between PV and EE service providers.  “Integrated tools will encourage integrated projects,” says Devan Johnson of kW Engineering.  The model developed by the team of kW Engineering, SolarNexus, Inc and SaveEnergy123 defines an IEP (Integrated Energy Project) and proposes an open XML standard to speed collaboration and integration of existing tools.  There are schemas for several categories of project data — from existing site and building features to energy systems, utility data, stakeholder information and proposed measure –as well as common schemas to interlink these data.

Seeing these tools in action really brings them to life.  The team from ConSol used BEopt to optimize their low-cost smart-grid-ready solar re-roof project, designed to a target installed cost of less than $4.25/W, including a Home Energy Management system and demand response controller.  A simple mounting assembly with a plug-and-play microinverter electrical interface (as simple as standard home wiring) require no special tools for installation, so a roofing contractor can install it.  This installation cost savings dramatically reduces first costs of the system.  In their showcase home, the team paired a 2.4 kW PV system with a package of energy-efficiency retrofits that amounted in BEOpt to a 30.5% energy savings without PV, and 55% with PV – a clear demonstration of the synergy between load reduction and supply. Actual production of the system came out at 10% better than PVWatts estimates.

Photo Credit: UC Davis West Village Project

Taking the PV-EE synergy to the community level, a partnership between UC Davis and Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3) produced the West Village Project, which is part of UC Davis’ zero net energy community initiative.  1900 student beds were already close to Zero Net Energy on an annual basis, and the team wanted to model the solutions for 343 single family homes at no higher cost to developer and owner.  BEopt allowed them to model many possible solution packages, maximizing energy efficiency where feasible and integrating both PV and biogas to cover annual energy use.  The models also considered shifting conditions, from future economics to policy changes.  The team’s conclusions were that the best package had an incremental cost of around $5000 for a 22-30% energy reduction over California’s Title 24 standards.  The number of homes constructed greatly affected the economic feasibility, but all their modeled batches (30, 60 and 90) compared favorably against the neighboring conventional homes.  Economics were more favorable for a natural gas (rather than all-electric) strategy, and without electric vehicle storage.  In all situations, they concluded that Zero Net Energy is possible with little to no incremental cost to homeowners given the current state of incentives and smart development.

The key is to properly size PV at that sweet spot between the price of efficiency and the price of PV.  While customers often go for the easy but more expensive PV first, it makes natural sense to design and implement them together. Common data is collected to perform the design analysis, and they will perform reciprocally in the built reality.  The overall return on investment on combined EE and PV projects is better than for PV alone, and with evidence from the integrated modeling tools and their brainchild projects will help efficiency and supply to penetrate the market as a winning duo.

Young ISES Workshop

Don’t miss the Young ISES Forum, Sunday 13 May, 4-5pm at the Colorado Convention Center, Room 401

Come link up with young renewable energy professionals from all over the world at this special meet-up before the Welcome Reception.

 “How to Get Published in a Research Journal: An introduction for young scientists and researchers” – Wednesday 16 May, 12-1pm (Ballroom 1A)

Get advice from the Executive Publisher at Elsevier and the Editor-in-Chief of Solar Energy Journal.

Informal social event – Wednesday evening, 15 May
Check for details at WREF!

Questions?  Contact Corry de Keizer, Young ISES representative, ISES Board of Directors     youngises@ises.org

Register today at WREF 2012!

Today, April 20, is the last day to register for WREF 2012, this year’s National Solar Conference, at early bird prices.  Special events for members include Chapter and Division caucuses, the ASES Annual Awards Banquet, and the ASES Annual Business Meeting.  We’d love to have you join us in Denver next month.

REGISTER RIGHT NOW!

Colorado Renewable Energy Society hosts Electric Avenue, May 16-17

Nissan Leaf

The Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) today announced it will host a showcase of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging and conversion technologies in downtown Denver, May 16-17, 2012, inspiring Governor Hickenlooper’s proclamation of statewide Electric Vehicle Day, May 17. Located at 14th St. and California St., CRES’ Electric Avenue is free and open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The event highlights CRES’ continuing outreach and collaboration with a range of organizations throughout the region to educate and promote clean cities, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Gov. Hickenlooper proclaimed May 17th as Electric Vehicle Day in Colorado in recognition of CRES’ Electric Avenue and the American Lung Association’s other Project FEVER (Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies) events, which encourage education and adoption of EV’s across the state.

Electric Avenue will be adjacent to the World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF), which will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, May 13-17 2012. The forum is estimated to attract 4,000 participants from around the world, including those attending Showcase Colorado, a 16-session track organized by CRES . With WREF attendees and over 100,000 downtown workers and visitors who pass that location every day, Electric Avenue is expected to draw a significant number of visitors. This event gives sponsors the opportunity to showcase EVs and EV supply equipment to an international audience, many of whom are early adopters of renewable energy and efficiency technologies.

“This event provides a great opportunity for people to get their first hands-on experience with an EV,” said Lorrie McAllister, CRES executive director. At Electric Avenue, Coloradans and visitors from around the world will have the opportunity to learn about EVs and EV charging technologies. We encourage curious consumers to come and kick the tires and perhaps take a test drive.”

Electric Avenue is one of several EV-related events sponsored in part by the American Lung Association and administered by Denver Clean Cities Coalition. Over 80 Colorado organizations have come together under the banner of Project FEVER (Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies). This broad, wide-ranging coalition includes educational institutions, municipalities, transit agencies, private industries, other state agencies, regional partners, subcontractors and utilities. The event is being sponsored by ECOtality, a leader in EV charging technology. Denver’s Channel 7 will also be onsite to film the event for their afternoon broadcast.

For information on how to participate in Electric Avenue, contact Brandon Williams, CRES Electric Avenue Chair,

b.williams@cres-energy.org or 720-938-6614.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu will hold a press availability on Wednesday, May 16, at 10:30am, in the Colorado Convention Center.

Press room: Meeting room 612

• WREF program in printable pdf format
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory media kit (pdf)
• Colorado Renewable Energy Society media kit (docx)
• SolarTAC (Technology Acceleration Center) brochure (pdf)
• About the American Solar Energy Society
• ASES Award winners with links to bios
• WREF featured speakers with links to bios
• SOLAR TODAY magazine
• SOLAR@WORK, the ASES bulletin for renewable energy professionals
• “What is ASES?” video