Parametric performance analysis and energy model calibration workflow integration - A scalable approach for buildings

High efficiency paradigms and rigorous normative standards for new and existing buildings are fundamental components of sustainability and energy transitions strategies today. However, optimistic assumptions and simplifications are often considered in the design phase and, even when detailed simulation tools are used, the validation of simulation results remains an issue. Further, empirical evidences indicate that the gap between predicted and measured performance can be quite large owing to different types of errors made in the building life cycle phases. Consequently, the discrepancy between a priori performance assessment and a posteriori measured performance can hinder the development and diffusion of energy efficiency practices, especially considering the investment risk. The approach proposed in the research is rooted on the integration of parametric simulation techniques, adopted in the design phase, and inverse modelling techniques applied in Measurement and Verification (M&V) practice, i.e., model calibration, in the operation phase. The research focuses on the analysis of these technical aspects for a Passive House case study, showing an efficient and transparent way to link design and operation performance analysis, reducing effort in modelling and monitoring. The approach can be used to detect and highlight the impact of critical assumptions in the design phase as well as to guarantee the robustness of energy performance management in the operational phase, providing parametric performance boundaries to ease monitoring process and identification of insights in a simple, robust and scalable way

Renewable Hydrogen Energy Communities layouts towards off-grid operation

Solar hydrogen technology, i.e. producing green hydrogen by electrolysis fed by solar panels, is gaining attention as studies show it can compete with traditional electric batteries. Contemporary, the interest in the realization of Renewable Energy Community driven by the recent adoption in almost all the EU Countries of the RED II Directive is increasing. To match innovative technologies and new business models making the energy demand and the production closer in terms of time and space, the feasibility of Renewable Hydrogen Energy Community is explored. To determine the profitability of these solutions and size and operate the energy system, energy and economic analyses are needed as well as the optimization of its performance. A building complex with 180 kWp of PhotoVoltaics was studied using hourly real data on energy loads and production. Storage capacities ranging from 500 to 2000 kWh were simulated for hydrogen and electric battery options. The cost of investment and operation was also analyzed for the years 2020, 2030, and 2040 to evaluate changes in technology readiness level as well as accounting for the strong changes in electricity tariff due to the geopolitical issues effects on the market. The analysis was conducted using the DECAPLAN™ digital platform, which employs a mixed integer linear programming solver. Finally, the dispatch on hourly base has been compared for the same two months in 2019, 2020 and 2021 corresponding to pre, during and after pandemic restrictions

Open data and models for energy and environment

An increasing number of data sources and models to handle them call for transparency and openness in assessing their goodness and practical use for people. The simplest and most robust tools to collect, process, and analyse data to offer solid data-based evidence for future projections in building and district and regional system planning are of interest. For this purpose, and following the success of the first Special Issue “Open Data and Energy Analytics”, the Special Issue “Open Data and Models for Energy and Environment” has been launched, intended for energy engineers and planners. Among a very high number of submissions, 10 articles were selected for acceptance and published

Open data and energy analytics

This pioneering Special Issue aims at providing the state-of-the-art on open energy data analytics; its availability in the different contexts, i.e., country peculiarities; and at different scales, i.e., building, district, and regional for data-aware planning and policy-making. Ten high-quality papers were published after a demanding peer review process and are commented on in this Editorial

Building performance monitoring: From in-situ measurement to regression-based approaches

Simple and robust data analysis methodologies are crucial to learn insights from measured data and reduce the performance gap in building stock. For this reason, continuous performance monitoring should become a more diffuse practice in order to improve our design and operation strategies for the future. The research presented aims to highlight potential links between experimental approaches for test-facilities and methods and tools used for continuous performance monitoring, at the state of the art. In particular, we explore the relation between ISO 9869:2014 method for in-situ measurement of thermal transmittance (U) and regression-based monitoring approaches, such as co-heating test and energy signature, for heat load coefficient (HLC) and solar aperture (gA) estimation. In particular, we highlight the robustness and scalability of these monitoring techniques, considering relevant issues in current integrated engineer design perspective. These issues include, among others, the necessity of limiting the number of a sensors to be installed in buildings, the possibility of employing both experimental and real operation data and, finally, the possibility to automate and perform monitoring at multiple scales, from single components, to individual buildings, to building stock and cities

Membrane-bound redox enzyme cytochrome bd-I promotes carbon monoxide-resistant Escherichia coli growth and respiration

The terminal oxidases of bacterial aerobic respiratory chains are redox-active electrogenic enzymes that catalyze the four-electron reduction of O2 to 2H2O taking out electrons from quinol or cytochrome c. Living bacteria often deal with carbon monoxide (CO) which can act as both a signaling molecule and a poison. Bacterial terminal oxidases contain hemes; therefore, they are potential targets for CO. However, our knowledge of this issue is limited and contradictory. Here, we investigated the effect of CO on the cell growth and aerobic respiration of three different Escherichia coli mutants, each expressing only one terminal quinol oxidase: cytochrome bd-I, cytochrome bd-II, or cytochrome bo3. We found that following the addition of CO to bd-I-only cells, a minimal effect on growth was observed, whereas the growth of both bd-II-only and bo3-only strains was severely impaired. Consistently, the degree of resistance of aerobic respiration of bd-I-only cells to CO is high, as opposed to high CO sensitivity displayed by bd-II-only and bo3-only cells consuming O2. Such a difference between the oxidases in sensitivity to CO was also observed with isolated membranes of the mutants. Accordingly, O2 consumption of wild-type cells showed relatively low CO sensitivity under conditions favoring the expression of a bd-type oxidase

Challenges and Barriers of Wireless Charging Technologies for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles could be a significant aid in lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Even though extensive study has been done on the features and traits of electric vehicles and the nature of their charging infrastructure, network modeling for electric vehicle manufacturing has been limited and unchanging. The necessity of wireless electric vehicle charging, based on magnetic resonance coupling, drove the primary aims for this review work. Herein, we examined the basic theoretical framework for wireless power transmission systems for EV charging and performed a software-in-the-loop analysis, in addition to carrying out a performance analysis of an EV charging system based on magnetic resonance. This study also covered power pad designs and created workable remedies for the following issues: (i) how power pad positioning affected the function of wireless charging systems and (ii) how to develop strategies to keep power efficiency at its highest level. Moreover, safety features of wireless charging systems, owing to interruption from foreign objects and/or living objects, were analyzed, and solutions were proposed to ensure such systems would operate as safely and optimally as possible

The terminal oxidase cytochrome bd-I confers carbon monoxide resistance to Escherichia coli cells

Carbon monoxide (CO) plays a multifaceted role in the physiology of organisms, from poison to signaling molecule. Heme proteins, including terminal oxidases, are plausible CO targets. Three quinol oxidases terminate the branched aerobic respiratory chain of Escherichia coli. These are the heme-copper cytochrome bo3 and two copper-lacking bd-type cytochromes, bd-I and bd-II. All three enzymes generate a proton motive force during the four-electron oxygen reduction reaction that is used for ATP production. The bd-type oxidases also contribute to mechanisms of bacterial defense against various types of stresses. Here we report that in E. coli cells, at the enzyme concentrations tested, cytochrome bd-I is much more resistant to inhibition by CO than cytochrome bd-II and cytochrome bo3. The apparent half-maximal inhibitory concentration values, IC50, for inhibition of O2 consumption of the membrane-bound bd-II and bo3 oxidases by CO at-150 & mu;M O2 were estimated to be 187.1 & PLUSMN; 11.1 and 183.3 & PLUSMN; 13.5 & mu;M CO, respectively. Under the same conditions, the maximum inhibition observed with the membrane-bound cytochrome bd-I was 20 & PLUSMN; 10% at-200 & mu;M CO

Load shifting and peak clipping for reducing energy consumption in an indian university campus

This paper analyzes the intelligent use of time-varying electrical load via developing efficient energy utilization patterns using demand-side management (DSM) strategies. This approach helps distribution utilities decrease maximum demand and electrical energy billing costs. A case study of DSM implementation of electric energy utility for an educational building Alagappa Chettiar Government College of Engineering and Technology (ACGCET) campus was simulated. The new optimum energy load model was established for peak and off-peak periods from the system's existing load profile using peak clipping and load shifting DSM techniques. The result reflects a significant reduction in maximum demand from 189 kW to 170 kW and a reduction in annual electricity billing cost from $11,340 to$10,200 (approximately 10%) in the upgraded system. This work highlights the importance of time of day (TOD) tariff structure consumers that aid reduction in their distribution system's maximum demand and demand charges. Copyright