Measurement and Verification (M&V)
Today, every business is driven to improve system efficiency. Electrical power makes up nearly half of energy expenditures across all industries, eclipsing petroleum, natural gas and coal. Thus, finding ways to control energy costs is a key proponent of helping businesses stay competitive.
However, it can be hard to verify COOLNOMIX expenditure (as low an expense as it is) without first understanding how power is being used. Most businesses have no visibility of the energy (kWh) they use for their facilities. It is even less likely that they know how much energy each individual air conditioning or refrigeration system consumes. If they do know, that is a great starting point and they might even know the pattern of energy consumption as it varies each day, each hour, even each minute.
M&V is the process of quantifying the energy savings resulting from improvements in energy-consuming systems. We expect that stakeholders will sometimes want to verify COOLNOMIX performance claims by conducting M&V. Properly applied, M&V can achieve the following:
Accurately assess energy savings and persistence of savings for COOLNOMIX
Reduce uncertainties to reasonable levels
Aid in monitoring equipment performance
Identify additional savings
Improve operations and maintenance (O&M)
For those stakeholders who require M&V, they take one of the two approaches outlined below:
Real-time energy savings using the COOLNOMIX Connect Application — During a time period when the cooling system is likely to operate, with COOLNOMIX in operation, run the Energy Savings mode. After 20-30 minutes, you should see some results. While this approach is short in duration, it is directional and can be a proxy for verifying the energy savings potential.
Retrofit Isolation with Key Parameter Measurement — For a lab setting, there are typically two spaces setup side by side with the same cooling equipment in each. This is referred to as a the Side by Side comparison method. For the real world setting, our customers use the On – Off Comparison method. The time period without COOLNOMIX in operation is called the “BASELINE.” The time period with COOLNOMIX in operation is called “COOLNOMIX.” While it is more commonplace to start with the BASELINE first and then install COOLNOMIX, this method supports putting COOLNOMIX in operation first followed by the BASELINE.
Using the COOLNOMIX Connect app, stakeholders can set the number of hours for the BASELINE (i.e., COOLNOMIX disabled / bypass vs. COOLNOMIX (i.e., enabled). The time duration can vary from 1 hour on / off to N hours on / off, depending upon how much time / money the stakeholder wants to spend.
Since COOLNOMIX energy savings are as a result of a decrease in compressor run-time, our customers are interested in the following data:
Power (Amps) – every second, Sub-metered for each compressor and the supply fan
COOLNOMIX – every 30 seconds, temperature sensor values, status (energy saving or not), alarm status
Indoor Comfort – every 60 seconds, temperature, relative humidity
Weather – every 10 minutes. dry bulb. relative humidity. dew point
We are happy to share our experience with M&V with customers who are looking to determine the best approach for their situation and stakeholders.