1 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

The Parker Ranch installation in Hawaii

BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

Distribution Transformers

Energy Conservation Program

Christopher Bolduc on behalf of

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

November 3, 2011
2 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Draft Life-Cycle Cost, Payback Period Sensitivity Results: ZDMH, H0, 

and SA1 Core Materials Exclusion for Medium Voltage Dry-Type 

Transformers 

Prepared for the Medium Voltage Distribution Transformers Negotiated 

Rulemaking Working Group

November 6, 2011

Contents

• Life-Cycle Cost Results for Design Lines 9 – 13B

• Payback Period Results for Design Lines 9 – 13B

• Materials Selection Results for Design Lines 9 – 13B

Contents
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Design Line 9 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Efficiency (%) 98.99% 99.12% 99.28% 99.38% 99.50% 99.59% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 0.92% 2.63% 15.71% 92.13% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 99.04% 97.38% 84.29% 7.88% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 0.04% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 2827 4142 3434 -6769 NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 2651 3889 2897 -7408 NA NA

-15000

-10000

-5000

0 

5000

10000

15000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 9 Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
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Design Line 10 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Efficiency (%) 99.31% 99.40% 99.50% 99.53% 99.60% 99.67% 

Transformers with Net LCC Cost (%) 1.29% 24.54% 64.54% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) 98.67% 75.46% 35.46% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Benefit (%) 0.04% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 4252 4787 -1823 -64917 NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 4021 3922 -3278 -66588 NA NA

-100000

-80000

-60000

-40000

-20000

0 

20000

40000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 10 Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
5 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 11 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6

Efficiency (%) 98.81% 98.94% 99.06% 99.13% 99.32% 99.50% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 33.46% 53.96% 78.42% 86.08% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 66.54% 46.04% 21.58% 13.92% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 608 16 -1825 -3170 NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 442 -207 -2150 -3551 NA NA

-8000

-6000

-4000

-2000

0 

2000

4000

6000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 11 Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
6 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 12 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 99.21% 99.30% 99.39% 99.46% 99.53% 99.59% 99.63% 

Transformers with Net LCC Cost (%) 49.96% 61.88% 77.58% 94.33% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) 50.04% 38.13% 22.42% 5.67% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Benefit (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 331 -888 -5374 -18783 NA NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 3 -1643 -6342 -20164 NA NA NA

-40000

-35000

-30000

-25000

-20000

-15000

-10000

-5000

0 

5000

10000

15000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6 CSL 7

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 12 Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
7 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 13A LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Efficiency (%) 98.76% 98.85% 98.92% 99.10% 99.29% 99.48% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 30.83% 37.71% 47.88% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 69.17% 62.29% 52.13% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 726 759 433 NA NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 562 499 114 NA NA NA

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

0 

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC SAvings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 13A Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
8 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 13B LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Efficiency (%) 99.23% 99.31% 99.38% 99.43% 99.49% 99.58% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 8.75% 14.38% 29.83% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 91.25% 85.63% 70.17% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 4266 7404 5995 NA NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 3868 6269 4637 NA NA NA

-10000

-5000

0 

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 13B Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
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Design Line 9 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Mean Payback (Years) 3.5 5.8 12.4 35.2 NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 3.3 5.7 11.8 33.3 NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.96% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.04% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 12,900 13,876 16,686 27,663 NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 3,192 3,307 3,797 4,712 NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 930 801 663 573 NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 579 1,671 4,970 16,862 NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 182 310 449 539 NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 3.2 5.4 11.1 31.3 NA NA

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 9 Average Payback Period

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

median

average
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Design Line 10 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Mean Payback (Years) 2.7 14.5 25.1 79.5 NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 2.0 11.2 21.9 86.4 NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.83% 99.88% 100.00% 99.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.17% 0.13% 0.00% 1.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 43,911 49,040 62,701 123,654 NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 6,475 6,916 8,039 10,622 NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 2,785 2,459 2,023 2,000 NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 461 6,031 20,816 84,352 NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 252 577 1,013 1,037 NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 1.8 10.4 20.5 81.4 NA NA

0 

20

40

60

80

100

120

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 10 Average Payback Period

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

median

average
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Design Line 11 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Mean Payback (Years) 16.7 22.3 29.7 32.7 NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 15.0 19.3 26.1 29.5 NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.75% 99.42% 99.71% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.25% 0.58% 0.29% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 24,282 26,290 29,107 31,112 NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 4,106 4,352 4,699 4,898 NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 982 893 823 777 NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 1,884 4,137 7,302 9,505 NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 133 221 292 338 NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 14.2 18.7 25.0 28.2 NA NA

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 11 Average Payback Period

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

median

average
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Design Line 12 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 21.1 24.3 26.7 36.0 NA NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 18.4 21.1 25.1 34.2 NA NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 62,001 67,914 79,463 98,253 NA NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 7,516 8,049 8,460 9,611 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 3,061 2,782 2,383 2,035 NA NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 5,943 12,388 24,348 44,289 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 334 613 1,012 1,360 NA NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 17.8 20.2 24.1 32.6 NA NA NA

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6 CSL 7

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 12 Average Payback Period

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

median

average
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Design Line 13A PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Mean Payback (Years) 18.2 19.4 21.5 NA NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 12.3 15.1 17.8 NA NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 98.58% 99.92% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 1.42% 0.08% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 28,161 29,241 30,503 NA NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 4,697 4,808 4,948 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 1,089 1,024 966 NA NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 1,229 2,419 3,821 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 104 170 227 NA NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 11.8 14.3 16.8 NA NA NA

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 13A Average Payback Period

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

median

average
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Design Line 13B PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Mean Payback (Years) 9.2 11.9 15.5 NA NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 7.7 11.1 14.4 NA NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.04% 100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.96% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Pretail Price ($) 72,269 78,359 84,635 NA NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 8,567 9,077 9,521 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 4,241 3,721 3,438 NA NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 2,861 9,461 16,181 NA NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 380 900 1,183 NA NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 7.5 10.5 13.7 NA NA NA

-10000

-5000

0 

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

CSL 1 CSL 2 CSL 3 CSL 4 CSL 5 CSL 6

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 13B Average LCC Savings

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

median

average
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Core Materials Selection

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 

M12 

M6 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M5 95.8% 0.0% 0.0% 

M4 

M3 4.2% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 

M12 

M6 

M5 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M3 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1

Design Line 9 Design Line10

•These results represent the fraction of each core material sampled 

in the LCC simulation.

•NULL (blank) values indicate the were no designs available for a 

given core material and efficiency level
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Core Materials Selection (cont)

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 

M12 

M6 0.0% 

M5 

M4 81.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M3 19.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1

Design Line 11

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

M12 

M6 

M5 0.0% 0.0% 

M4 100.0% 71.1% 94.4% 0.0% 

M3 0.0% 28.9% 5.6% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1

Design Line 12
17 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Core Material Selection (cont)

Design Line 13A

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 

M12 

M6 

M5 0.0% 

M4 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M3 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1

Design Line 13B

Materials Efficiency Level

Basecase 1 2 3 4 5 6 

M12 

M6 

M5 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

M4 98.4% 8.9% 0.0% 

M3 1.6% 91.1% 100.0% 100.0% 

M2 

H0

ZDMH

SA1