1 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

The Parker Ranch installation in Hawaii

BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

Distribution Transformers

Energy Conservation Program

LBNL Staff on behalf of

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

November 29, 2011
2 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Draft Life-Cycle Cost, Payback Period and National Impacts Analysis 

Results for Medium Voltage Liquid-Immersed Transformers

Prepared for the Medium Voltage Distribution Transformers Negotiated 

Rulemaking Working Group

November 29, 2011

Contents

• Engineering Results for Design Lines 1 - 5

• Life-Cycle Cost Results for Design Lines 1 – 5

• Payback Period Results for Design Lines 1 – 5

• National Impacts Results by TSL for Equipment Classes 1 & 2

Contents
3 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 1: Engineering Results

$-

$500 

$1,000 

$1,500 

$2,000 

$2,500 

$3,000 

$3,500 

$4,000 

$4,500 

$5,000 

99.00% 99.10% 99.20% 99.30% 99.40% 99.50% 99.60%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 50% Load, Temperature Corrected

M5_CuAl_dgw_sh

M3_AlAl_dgw_sh

M3_CuAl_dgw_sh

M2_AlAl_dgw_sh

M2_CuAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_AlAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_CuCu_dgw_sh

SA1_AlAl_dgw_sh

SA1_CuCu_dgw_sh

CSLs

CSL 0

2007 FR

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6
4 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 2: Engineering Results

$500 

$1,000 

$1,500 

$2,000 

$2,500 

$3,000 

98.80% 98.90% 99.00% 99.10% 99.20% 99.30% 99.40% 99.50% 99.60%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 50% Load, Temperature Corrected

M5_CuAl_dgw_sh

M4_AlAl_dgw_sh

M4_CuAl_dgw_sh

M3_AlAl_dgw_sh

M3_CuAl_dgw_sh

M2_AlAl_dgw_sh

M2_CuAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_AlAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_CuCu_dgw_sh

SA1_AlAl_dgw_co

SA1_CuCu_dgw_co

CSLs

CSL 0

2007 FR

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6 CSL 7
5 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 3: Engineering Results

$-

$5,000 

$10,000 

$15,000 

$20,000 

$25,000 

$30,000 

99.40% 99.45% 99.50% 99.55% 99.60% 99.65% 99.70% 99.75% 99.80%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 50% Load, Temperature Corrected

M5_CuAl_dgw_sh

M4_AlAl_dgw_sh

M4_CuAl_dgw_sh

M3_AlAl_dgw_sh

M3_CuAl_dgw_sh

M2_AlAl_dgw_sh

M2_CuAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_AlAl_dgw_sh

ZDMH_CuCu_dgw_sh

SA1_AlAl_dgw_co

SA1_CuCu_dgw_sh

SA1_CuCu_dgw_co

CSLs

CSL 0

2007 FR

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6 CSL 7
6 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 4: Engineering Results

$-

$2,000 

$4,000 

$6,000 

$8,000 

$10,000 

$12,000 

$14,000 

99.00% 99.10% 99.20% 99.30% 99.40% 99.50% 99.60% 99.70%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 50% Load, Temperature Corrected

M5_CuAl_dgw_5leg

M3_AlAl_dgw_5leg

M3_CuAl_dgw_5leg

M2_AlAl_dgw_5leg

M2_CuAl_dgw_5leg

ZDMH_AlAl_dgw_5leg

ZDMH_CuCu_dgw_5leg

SA1_AlAl_dgw_5leg

SA1_CuCu_dgw_5leg

CSLs

CSL 0

2007 FR

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6 CSL 7
7 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 5: Engineering Results

$-

$10,000 

$20,000 

$30,000 

$40,000 

$50,000 

$60,000 

$70,000 

99.40% 99.45% 99.50% 99.55% 99.60% 99.65% 99.70% 99.75%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 50% Load, Temperature Corrected

M4_CuAl_dgw_5leg

M3_AlAl_dgw_5leg

M3_CuAl_dgw_5leg

M2_AlAl_dgw_5leg

M2_CuAl_dgw_5leg

ZDMH_AlAl_dgw_5leg

ZDMH_CuCu_dgw_5leg

SA1_AlAl_dgw_5leg

SA1_CuCu_dgw_5leg

CSLs

CSL 0

2007 FR

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6
8 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 1 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Efficiency (%) 99.16% 99.22% 99.25% 99.31% 99.42% 99.50%

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 54.40% 5.89% 5.89% 9.77% 14.88% 54.58%

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.08% 0.08% 0.08% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 45.52% 94.03% 94.03% 90.23% 85.12% 45.42%

Mean LCC Savings ($) 56 566 566 472 610 78

Median LCC Savings ($) -33 572 572 474 539 -86

-1500

-1000

-500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 1 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
9 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 2 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 99.00% 99.07% 99.11% 99.18% 99.31% 99.41% 99.46%

Transformers with Net LCC Cost (%) 22.77% 26.45% 32.45% 36.52% 60.09% 78.97% 87.65%

Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Transformers with Net LCC Benefit (%) 77.23% 73.55% 67.55% 63.48% 39.91% 21.03% 12.35%

Mean LCC Savings ($) 166 -46 -238 -294 -463 -712 -952

Median LCC Savings ($) 245 232 173 130 -102 -397 -659

-4000

-3500

-3000

-2500

-2000

-1500

-1000

-500

0

500

1000

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 2 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
10 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 3 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 99.48% 99.51% 99.54% 99.57% 99.61% 99.69% 99.73%

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 20.10% 15.60% 6.80% 4.90% 4.00% 7.80% 27.80%

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 1.20% 1.10% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 78.70% 83.30% 93.20% 95.10% 96.00% 92.20% 72.20%

Mean LCC Savings ($) 1196 2713 4713 5084 6035 6327 3756

Median LCC Savings ($) 994 2159 4787 5054 5998 6100 2989

-4000

-2000

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 3 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
11 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 4 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 99.16% 99.22% 99.25% 99.31% 99.42% 99.50% 99.60%

Transformers with Net LCC Cost (%) 10.83% 2.84% 2.84% 2.76% 2.40% 5.53% 31.22%

Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) 0.72% 0.72% 0.72% 0.72% 0.25% 0.00% 0.00%

Transformers with Net LCC Benefit (%) 88.45% 96.44% 96.44% 96.52% 97.35% 94.47% 63.51%

Mean LCC Savings ($) 624 3092.4 3092.4 3100.6 3207.2 3214 1464

Median LCC Savings ($) 397 3153.6 3153.6 3160.3 3266.9 3019 1051

-1000

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 4 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
12 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 5 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Efficiency (%) 99.48% 99.51% 99.54% 99.57% 99.61% 99.69%

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 24.97% 34.57% 60.75% 43.45% 54.14% 63.71%

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 75.03% 65.43% 39.25% 56.55% 45.86% 36.29%

Mean LCC Savings ($) 2733 3313 -836 1176 -907 -3631

Median LCC Savings ($) 2402 2222 -2443 1336 -839 -4062

-30000

-25000

-20000

-15000

-10000

-5000

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 5 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
13 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 1 PBP Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Mean Payback (Years) 30.1 9.3 9.3 11.3 12.4 19.7

Median Payback (Years) 18.6 9.0 9.0 10.9 12.0 19.0

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 86.34% 99.92% 99.92% 99.98% 99.99% 99.97%

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 13.66% 0.08% 0.08% 0.02% 0.01% 0.03%

Mean Retail Cost ($) 2,111 2,406 2,406 2,505 2,754 3,268

Mean Installation Costs ($) 2,230 2,272 2,272 2,344 2,415 2,606

Mean Operating Costs ($) 216 162 162 159 136 129

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 308 645 645 816 1,135 1,841

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 18 71 71 75 98 104

Payback of Average Transformer 17.4 9.0 9.0 10.9 11.6 17.6

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line1 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
14 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 2 PBP Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mean Payback (Years) 13.7 18.6 22.8 23.8 26.9 30.9 34.2

Median Payback (Years) 8.5 10.0 11.8 13.5 19.0 24.1 28.1

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 97.62% 99.87% 99.84% 99.91% 99.85% 99.88% 99.92%

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 2.38% 0.13% 0.16% 0.09% 0.15% 0.12% 0.08%

Mean Retail Cost ($) 1,410 1,454 1,501 1,569 1,812 2,016 2,544

Mean Installation Costs ($) 1795 2086 2281 2369 2525 2678 2474

Mean Operating Costs ($) 108 101 99 94 83 77 73

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 370 705 948 1,103 1,501 1,858 2,183

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 34 40 42 47 59 64 68

Payback of Average Transformer 11.0 17.6 22.4 23.3 25.6 29.0 31.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 2 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
15 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 3 PBP Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mean Payback (Years) 14.2 10.1 6.6 6.3 6.6 9.9 15.6

Median Payback (Years) 9.8 7.3 5.5 5.6 6.1 8.7 13.8

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 95.80% 97.40% 99.90% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 99.90%

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 4.20% 2.60% 0.10% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.10%

Mean Retail Cost ($) 8,101 8,757 9,362 9,503 10,090 12,248 15,583

Mean Installation Costs ($) 4,419 4,369 4,370 4,402 4,523 4,996 5,679

Mean Operating Costs ($) 1,272 1,126 965 938 856 714 650

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 1,219 1,825 2,432 2,604 3,312 5,943 9,960

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 129 274 436 463 545 687 751

Payback of Average Transformer 9.5 6.7 5.6 5.6 6.1 8.6 13.3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 3 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
16 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 4 PBP Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mean Payback (Years) 10.8 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.5 8.9 15.6

Median Payback (Years) 10.8 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.2 8.5 15.2

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.22% 99.07% 99.07% 99.18% 99.74% 99.95% 94.73%

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.78% 0.93% 0.93% 0.82% 0.26% 0.05% 0.00%

Mean Retail Cost ($) 5,760 6,332 6,332 6,340 6,425 7,485 10,458

Mean Installation Costs ($) 4,140 4,183 4,183 4,182 4,224 4,583 4,710

Mean Operating Costs ($) 668 483 483 483 471 401 334

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 686 1,301 1,301 1,308 1,435 2,853 5,954

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 76 261 261 262 273 343 414

Payback of Average Transformer 9.1 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.2 8.3 14.4

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6 EL 7

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 4 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
17 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 5 PBP Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Mean Payback (Years) 15.9 18.4 26.3 18.3 19.3 21.2

Median Payback (Years) 12.1 15.1 21.9 15.9 18.4 20.4

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 98.90% 99.43% 99.72% 99.74% 100.00% 100.00%

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 1.10% 0.57% 0.28% 0.26% 0.00% 0.00%

Mean Retail Cost ($) 28,643 32,669 40,548 43,711 48,848 63,076

Mean Installation Costs ($) 8,268 8,118 8,528 8,769 9,419 9,835

Mean Operating Costs ($) 3,800 3,583 3,345 2,934 2,769 2,185

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 4,794 8,670 16,959 20,364 26,150 40,795

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 387 603 841 1,252 1,417 2,001

Payback of Average Transformer 12.4 14.4 20.2 16.3 18.4 20.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

EL 1 EL 2 EL 3 EL 4 EL 5 EL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 5 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%

median

average
18 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Equipment Class (EC) 1 EC 2

DL1 DL2 DL3 DL4 DL5

TSL1 EL 5 EL 1 EL 6 EL 6 EL 2

TSL2 EL 6 EL 1 EL 7 EL 7 EL 4

TSL3 EL 3 EL 3 EL 3 EL 3 EL 4

TSL4 EL 3 EL 1 EL 3 EL 2 EL 2

TSL5 EL 4 EL 3 EL 4 EL 3 EL 4

TSL6 EL 6 EL 7 EL 7 EL 7 EL 6

Proposed Trial Standard Levels 

and Mapping of TSLs to ELs

The following draft Trial Standard Levels are presented for discussion.

Draft Trial Standard Levels (TSLs) Description

1. Minimum LCC / Max NPV

2. Max Energy Savings with positive (or near zero) NPV at 3% discount rate

3. 30% Reduction in Operating Costs

4. Materials constraint (greatest LCC Savings with M3 steel available as a 

design option)

5. Materials constraint plus (gap-fill between TSL 4 and TSL 6)

6. Maximum Technology
19 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

National Impacts Results for MV LiquidImmersed, by Trial Standard Level

Summary Results by TSL for Liquid-Immersed Transformers

Draft Trial Standard Levels (TSLs) Description

1. Minimum LCC / Max NPV

2. Max Energy Savings with positive (or near zero) NPV at 3% discount 

rate

3. 30% Reduction in Operating Costs

4. Materials constraint (greatest LCC Savings with M3 steel available as 

a design option)

5. Materials constraint plus (gap-fill between TSL 4 and TSL 6)

6. Maximum Technology

Trial Standard Level

Base 1 2 3 4 5 6

Transformer Shipments 2015-2044 (Billion KVA) 1.95 1.94 1.92 1.93 1.94 1.93 1.91

Equipment Cost ($Billions) 60.91 -12.76 -21.33 -19.31 -9.77 -19.83 -45.93

Operating Cost Savings ($Billions) 78.50 21.95 26.72 23.55 18.53 23.79 39.35

Cumulative Source Savings 2044 (Quads) 1.50 1.78 1.51 1.21 1.53 2.80

Net Present Value at 3% Discount Rate ($Billions) 9.19 5.39 4.23 8.76 3.96 -6.58

Net Present Value at 7% Discount Rate ($Billions) 0.36 -2.47 -2.33 0.90 -2.53 -11.36
20 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Summary Results by TSL for Equipment Class 1

National Impacts Results for MV LiquidImmersed, by Trial Standard Level

Summary Results by TSL for Equipment Class 2

Trial Standard Level

Base 1 2 3 4 5 6

Transformer Shipments 2015-2044 (Billion KVA) 0.80 0.80 0.79 0.79 0.80 0.79 0.78

Equipment Cost ($Billions) 42.38 -7.48 -9.72 -11.86 -5.89 -12.38 -28.20

Operating Cost Savings ($Billions) 39.49 12.08 12.61 12.26 10.28 12.51 20.47

Cumulative Source Savings 2044 (Quads) 0.78 0.84 0.79 0.63 0.82 1.47

Net Present Value at 3% Discount Rate ($Billions) 4.61 2.89 0.40 4.39 0.13 -7.74

Net Present Value at 7% Discount Rate ($Billions) 0.03 -0.99 -2.16 0.32 -2.36 -8.16

Trial Standard Level

Base 1 2 3 4 5 6

Transformer Shipments 2015-2044 (Billion KVA) 1.15 1.14 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.14 1.12

Equipment Cost ($Billions) 18.53 -5.28 -11.61 -7.45 -3.88 -7.45 -17.73

Operating Cost Savings ($Billions) 39.01 9.87 14.12 11.29 8.25 11.29 18.88

Cumulative Source Savings 2044 (Quads) 0.72 0.94 0.71 0.58 0.71 1.33

Net Present Value at 3% Discount Rate ($Billions) 4.58 2.50 3.83 4.38 3.83 1.16

Net Present Value at 7% Discount Rate ($Billions) 0.33 -1.48 -0.18 0.58 -0.18 -3.21