Overview
A homeowner’s typical usage is pulled based on the address. For every EE product added to the project, a percent reduction is calculated based on the percent better than the standard. The percent reduction is pulled directly from EnergyStar data on a per appliance basis. The percent reduction is applied directly to the end use consumption for the usage category directly connected to the EE product. Applying the reduction gives the post installation usage, and impact is directly shown in the usage/production charts.
You can find the full list of EnergyStar products here. Sighen also allows the creation of your own energy efficiency equipment.
EXAMPLE
Given a home with 20,000 kWh of annual usage, let’s say the 20% of the usage comes from appliances and 5% of the appliance usage comes from the Refrigerator. Upgrading the refrigerator to a 25% more efficient version:
20000 kWh * .2 * .05 = Refrigerator usage pre install = 200 kWh
200 kWh * (1-.25) = Refrigerator usage post install = 150 kWh
So, the overall percent reduction = 50/2000 kWh = .025 or 2.5%
The post installation usage = 1950 kWh
DETAILS
Required Inputs:
8760 usage profile
Energy efficient product
Homeowner persona
Steps:
Usage profiled pulled via Genability
Monthly and Annual values can be updated by the user
Consumption products added to represent newly added or planned usage
Will not be ready for SPI
Persona to modify usage curve
EE products selected
Each product has its own specific data to calculate usage reduction
Solar system design
Calculation:
Total Offset Usage = Usage + Consumption - Solar System Production - EE Product Reduction
Usage: Genability + Manual Inputs
Solar system product: Production calculator or PVWatts
EE Products: Typical Usage pulled by region from EIA.gov data source
HVAC
Lighting
Appliances
Washer
Dryer
Refrigerator
Dishwasher
Water Heaters
Other EE Products:
Roofing
Cooking/Stove
Windows
Not Implementing:
Misc - the usage of miscellaneous products explicitly: TVs, Microwaves, Cell Phones, etc will not be reduced by specific items. It will be reduced by impacts to the overall usage curve, such as roofing and windows.
Product Selection
Windows - Manual override for % or kWh reduction
Roofing - Manual override for % or kWh reduction
HVAC - Manual override for % or kWh reduction
Lighting
For upgrade to LEDs, 90% decrease in usage for indoor and outdoor lighting
For upgrade to CFLs, 70% decrease in usage for indoor and outdoor
Appliances - Manual override for % or kWh reduction
Selected appliances only reduce the average usage of that specific appliance type, within the full category/8760 of appliances
Water Heaters - Manual override for % or kWh reduction
Calculate average typical usage of selected equipment from stored data to get 8760 profile for selected EE product, for each selected EE product
Calculate reduction using 8760 profile of EE product
A specific model gives the ‘precise’ reduction
A manufacturer allows us to calculate based on the average of all EE products for that specific manufacturer of a specific product type
A manual override is factored in directly as input, given the persona
Apply reduction based on % or kWh
Calculate 8760 usage profile post installation
Calculate daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly usage profiles
Calculate bill savings, usage savings, incentives, etc.