by Lisa Westerfield, Technical Group Services
The most popular energy efficiency measures to reduce demand side loads include high-performance envelopes, daylighting, glazing, passive solar heating and then some. People often overlook the fact that power losses supplied by inefficient transformers can increase a building’s energy costs by as much as 6-12%.
Locked away in an electrical closet for the life of a building, transformers take high voltage power from the grid and convert it to lower voltage power that can be used by everything that runs on electricity in homes, offices, and manufacturing facilities.
The process of converting (stepping down) voltages involves some waste in the form of heat. Common examples of transformers that step-down power to even smaller voltages, that cell phones and laptops use, are at the cubes located at the ends of chargers. After they’ve been plugged in for a while, they warm up. That warmth is electricity that’s being lost in the form of waste heat.
Prior to 2007, efficiency requirements were non-existent for transformers. Recognizing the impact that inefficient transformers have on the built environment, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was enacted. The policy required all dry type transformers rated 600V or less to meet NEMA TP-1 requirements by January 2007. In 2016, the DOE amended 10 CFR 431 (DOE 2016). By decreasing losses from 29-36% depending on the size of the transformer, the DOE estimated that that the new energy efficiency standard will save consumers up to $12.9 billion for equipment sold from 2016 – 2045.
While the DOE 2016 standard is a step in the right direction, those looking to do better, lower energy costs, and design NetZero projects need every edge they can get to reduce the demand side load and the renewable footprint. Transformers that are more efficient than the DOE standard exist.to help.
Powersmiths makes transformers with an additional 30-50% less losses than the DOE 2016 standard. These efficiencies are achieved by using a higher grade of steel for the core, using copper for the windings, offering models in each kVA size that are optimized for the application load, and offering more kVA sizes so that the whole system does not need to be oversized. The additional reduction in losses translates into an additional reduction in energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions by 6-12%. Put into perspective – On a NetZero project estimated to use 100 panels, would need 6-12 less panels.
To learn more about “Powersmiths Solutions for NetZero Buildings” go to https://www.powersmiths.com/netzero/
For more information, contact Lisa Westerfield, LEED AP, Technical Group Services at 609-947-1960 or at lisa@tgs-inc.com