MODULE ASSIGNMENTS: Renewable Energy and Energy Sustainability
Part I: Home Electric Energy Audit
Note: Please use an Excel spreadsheet for this part of the module assignment.
1. Make a list of all the electric appliances and equipment you use at home (Choose at least 5). For the following analysis, you may use data from the attached "Electric Usage Chart" from Efficiency$mart. Select appliances on the chart that most closely match your selected equipment.
2. For each appliance you selected, list on a spreadsheet the monthly hours in use, amount of energy (in kilowatt-hours) used each month, the number of months in use each year, the annual estimated kWh each appliance or equipment uses in a year, and the annual cost of electricity based on 12.25 cents per kWh.
3. Total the estimated number of kWh consumed by all of your selected appliances/equipment annually.
How does your total annual kWh usage from Step 3 compare to the U.S. residential average annual usage of 10,812 kWh (This is based on U.S. average of 901 kWh per month in 2015)?
4. Go to the Home Energy Saver website:
Enter an appropriate zip code and complete one of the following energy assessment options offered.
o Hypothetical analysis
o Inspection of actual house
o Energy audit of actual house
o Designing a new home
You may use default information as provided on the web site, incorporate the appliance selections you obtained above from the attached "Electric Usage Chart", or customize the report with actual or proposed data as appropriate.
Print the report from the Home Energy Saver based on your selection and attach to this module project.
Complete and attach a minimum one page report discussing your experience with the web site, analysis of the usefulness of its findings, and description of the potential impact of its energy savings recommendations.
Part II: Home PV system
For your house (or hypothetical house) you will be selecting the major components for a PV system that will connect to the electric grid. You will be specifying the PV cells, panels, arrays, or modules. You will also be specifying the required inverter(s). You will not be including items such as mounting hardware, wiring, or installation costs. If you find a pre-designed kit that meets the described needs, you may select that for purposes of completing this module
1. Find a listing of PV modules and their prices (You can find these on a website). Choose and record the type you want to use (monocrystalline Si, polycrystalline Si etc.). Record the rated watts of output per PV module you have selected.
2. The electric energy use for the home will be the kWh/year you calculated in Step 3 of Part I above. Assuming an annual capacity factor of 19% for roof mounted PV panels in Ohio, Calculate the kilowatts AC capacity of the PV system required to produce the annual kWh used by your selected appliances in one year.
Hint: KW Capacity = (kWh/year) / (365 day/year x 24 hr/day x 19%)
3. Calculate the number of PV modules of the type/model you selected which will provide the approximate kilowatts capacity calculated in step 2. (Hint: Add up the max watts output listed in the spec. sheet on line).
4. Being grid connected, the capacity of the system can be less than the load because the grid will supply the shortfall. But the inverter MUST be large enough to process the peak output of the Solar Panels.
5. Record part numbers or model numbers of the PV modules you are using, watts, voltage, prices, number of PVs needed, and source of the information.
6. Choose an inverter for the PV system that can connect to the grid. It should be able to fully supply the peak watts output desired. If the inverter can't supply enough power, you can use more than one inverter and the watts of individual inverters will add together. Record part numbers or model numbers, watts, price, number of inverters needed, and source of the information. (You may attach copy of Spec. Sheets).
7. Add up costs of just the PV modules and inverter(s) to get your capital cost for the PV system. Electricity costs can be $0.1225/kWh from the electric usage chart or you can use your own utility selection. Calculate the payback time (ignore O&M fees, interest, and inflation rate) as follows:
($ Cost of PV Project / $Value of annual kWh production) = Payback Years
Part III: Home wind turbine system
1. Go on line. Find a listing of wind turbines and their prices (you can find these on a website such as eBay or a search engine result). Select a small wind turbine system (500 watts to 5 KW) for the home that will be connected to the grid with an inverter or used with batteries to supply minimal off grid loads with an inverter. This exercise is not about a whole house electric supply. Just supplemental supply and savings.
2. Using the information supplied on the web site for your selected wind turbine, record model or part numbers, watts, prices, and source (where you found information) for the wind turbine system.
3. Add up costs of just the wind turbine(s), tower(S), and inverter(s) to get your capital cost for the wind system (Add cost of batteries if off grid system was chosen). If electricity costs will be $0.1225/kWh, calculate the payback time (ignore O&M fees, interest, and inflation rate).
($ Cost of Wind Project / $Value of annual kWh production) = Payback Years
4. Attach a one page description and summary of all findings in Part III above. Also attach copies of Spec sheets for selected equipment.
Attachment:- Electric Usage Chart.pdf