White Paper Explores Emerging Technologies - Minnesota

White Paper Explores Emerging Technologies

Although energy conservation programs are implemented at a state or utility territory level, the development of new technologies and program approaches occurs on a national sphere. In a CARDfunded white paper Evergreen Economics explored what insights and emerging technologies could be gleaned for use in Minnesota from one of the largest publicly funded clean energy research and development programs in the country. The just-completed paper examined the clean energy technologies and innovations being developed by the California Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program. The white paper presents 20 emerging technologies or innovations that provide near- or long-term electric energy savings opportunities, primarily in the commercial and industrial sectors.

Background and methodology

EPIC is a ratepayer-funded research and development program established by the California Public Utilities Commission. Grants issued by EPIC administrators support similar work as Minnesota's CARD program, but also include the development of new technologies for commercialization and market facilitation efforts. The first two triennial funding cycles (covering 2012 to 2017) initiated 296 projects with a total authorized budget of $874 million in public investments.

The CARD white paper sought to identify emerging technologies supported by EPIC that would have future applicability for Minnesota utilities' Conservation Improvement Programs (CIPs). The study team screened the EPIC studies to identify technologies with the greatest potential use in Minnesota and reported on those in the white paper and in separate technology fact sheets (an example of which is shown in Figure 1).

Figure 1: The white paper includes one-page technology fact sheets for 11 emerging technologies

California research largely transferable and worth tracking

The research conducted for the white paper found that EPIC-funded research is worth tracking. California's aggressive energy efficiency and climate goals trigger studies that include new technologies and innovation not yet implemented elsewhere and market facilitation efforts to pave the way for technology adoption. Hence, EPIC-funded research includes industry-leading efforts to develop tomorrow's emerging technologies. For example, EPIC studies addressed such varied innovations as:

? the development of inexpensive anemometers to allow for more targeted ventilation to building occupants;

? algorithms that link and optimize the control of disparate building systems; ? the reuse of used electric vehicle batteries in microgrids; and ? systems that allow for predictive use of electric vehicle batteries to support the grid when

needed, while leaving he vehicle operator with sufficient storage to meet transportation needs.

Insights for technology transfer

The two main challenges in transferring knowledge from EPIC grants are the duration of the studies, which often span multiple years and are sometimes extended, and the breadth of the work being funded. Many of the EPIC studies from the first two program triennia are still in progress, so gleaning insights and transferring learnings requires an examination of preliminary information that may not be published

yet. Although worthwhile for higher priority technologies, such inquiries are probably done most effectively in a centralized manner and not individually by utilities and portfolio managers. There is a potential opportunity for more proactive sharing of applied research results across state energy efficiency research programs to facilitate efficient and timely technology transfer. EPIC studies include supply-side efficiency opportunities and the development of technologies that may not find a home among traditional CIP program portfolios, but rather may be promoted in the market through other channels. For studies that are still in progress, impact potential was challenging to discern. Interestingly, the Evergreen Economics team's screening process did not need to filter out studies from further consideration based on climate or end use applicability nearly as often as anticipated. For example, as noted in the figure below, the team found 252 of 291 EPIC studies screened for climate applicability to be potentially viable in Minnesota.

Figure 2: Study screening results by criterion

Emerging technologies to watch

This white paper summarizes 20 emerging technologies and innovations from EPIC studies that may be applicable and of value to Minnesota utilities--nine presented as technology fact sheets and eleven included as supplemental information. These emerging technologies and innovations fall into five general topic areas:

? Commercial HVAC Technologies and Controls ? New Wastewater Treatment Technologies ? Emerging Technologies in Food Services and Grocery ? Assorted Commercial Building Technologies; and ? Program Adoption Insights from Consumer Studies.

? Accessing study results and fact sheets

For more details on the project, see the white paper, Emerging Energy Efficiency Technologies: Leveraging Public Research for Application in Minnesota, which also includes all eleven technology fact sheets and descriptions of nine additional technologies. The fact sheets are also available as a standalone document. In addition, a recorded webinar, which overviews study results is available for viewing on demand on the CARD Webinar and Videos page. Finally, for those wishing to do a deeper dive, the scoring database with brief descriptions of all EPIC studies reviewed by the Evergreen Economics team is available at the study website (), which also has links to the white paper and fact sheets.

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