Pacific Gas and Electric's (PG&E) Emerging Technologies Program Demonstrates Innovative Sash Management Technologies for Reducing Energy Use

Ryan Matley, PG&E

Because laboratories typically consume four to five times more energy per square foot than do commercial buildings, laboratories seeking to enhance their environmental profile are taking a hard look at equipment retrofits that typically pay for themselves in energy savings over time.

But sometimes, low-cost changes can lay the groundwork for increased sustainability, as a study between PG&E and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics demonstrated. Targeting fume hoods—which can consume as much electricity as three homes—this study tested a simple concept: Asking operators to lower the fume hood sashes during critical pricing periods, times when demand for electricity across PG&E's system is highest.

The experiment, which took place in 13 Novartis laboratories in Emeryville, simulated 11 peak demand events of two to five hours. For each event, PG&E sent an email asking laboratory operators to respond to the urgent need to save energy by lowering their fume hood sashes. The results showed the voluntary change made a big difference. During the test periods, airflow in the Novartis laboratory decreased by up to 27 percent, and on average, each lowered fume hood sash reduced electricity demand by 1 kilowatt (kW)—the equivalent of shutting off nearly 200 lights.

Encouraged by these findings, PG&E then examined the performance of a system that automatically closes the sash and lowers air flow when a sensor shows the fume hood is unoccupied. This technology was tested in two laboratories at the University of California at Davis.

Results showed that auto-closing fume hoods could typically save about 9–13 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity and 2 therms of natural gas annually per cubic foot per minute (CFM) compared to a conventional fume hood. Demand savings equal about 1–2 kW per fume hood. If used throughout California, these savings could help keep the electricity grid stable even during the most difficult conditions. Further, the auto closure technology for fume hoods could offer a very acceptable payback of about 2.5 years.

PG&E's Emerging Technologies (ET) program is actively funding demonstrations and in-field technology assessments to help drive the adoption of emerging energy- efficient products in all market sectors. The results of these two assessments will support California's energy efficiency goals through the development of a fume hood demand response program, and an incentive program for the use of auto-closure devices.

Biography:

Ryan Matley is the industrial portfolio manager for PG&E's ET Program, which leads the industry in identifying innovative and cutting-edge emerging technologies for energy efficiency and demand response. The ET teams are identifying and assessing the next generation of energy efficiency innovations and making them available and affordable for customers. Ryan currently manages several energy efficient initiatives in the high tech, biotech, agriculture, food processing, and heavy industry market sectors; including those for energy management systems, evaporation processes, battery chargers, and fruit and vegetable cooling.

Prior to joining PG&E, Ryan was an consultant at Environex, providing a variety of technical and market research results for precious metal refining processes, automotive emission control catalysis and pollution control from power generation. Ryan holds a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

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