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 18, 2011
2 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Draft Life-Cycle Cost, Payback Period for Low-Voltage Dry-Type Transformers

Prepared for the Low-Voltage Distribution Transformers Negotiated Rulemaking 

Working Group

November 18, 2011

Contents

• Engineering Results for Design Lines 6 – 8

• Life-Cycle Cost Results for Design Lines 6 – 8

• Payback Period Results for Design Lines 6 – 8

• Engineering Results, ZDMH/SA1 Exclusion Scenario for Design Lines 6 – 8

• Life-Cycle Cost Results, ZDMH/SA1 Exclusion Scenario for Design Lines 6 – 8

• Payback Period Results , ZDMH/SA1 Exclusion Scenario for Design Lines 6 – 8

Contents
3 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 Engineering: 25kVA 

1Φ 10kV BIL

$-

$500 

$1,000 

$1,500 

$2,000 

$2,500 

$3,000 

$3,500 

$4,000 

97.80% 98.00% 98.20% 98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60% 99.80% 100.00%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% load, Temperature Corrected

M6_AlAl_bl_co

M5_AlAl_bl_co

M4_AlAl_bl_co

M3_AlAl_bl_co

M3_CuAl_bl_co

M3_CuAl_bl_sh

H0_AlAl_bl_co

H0_CuCu_bl_co

SA1_AlAl_dgw_co

SA1_CuCu_dgw_co

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1

EL 2

EL 3

NEMA Pr.

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6 EL 7
4 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 Engineering: 75kVA 

3Φ 10kV BIL

$-

$1,000 

$2,000 

$3,000 

$4,000 

$5,000 

$6,000 

$7,000 

$8,000 

$9,000 

$10,000 

97.80% 98.00% 98.20% 98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% Load, Temperature Corrected

M12_AlAl_bl_3leg M12_CuAl_bl_3leg

M6_AlAl_bl_3leg M6_AlAl_fm_3leg

M4_CuAl_fm_3leg M3_AlAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_slm_3leg H0_AlAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_slm_3leg H0_CuCu_fm_3leg

SA1_AlAl_dgw_5leg SA1_CuCu_dgw_5leg

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1 EL 2

EL 3

NEMA Pr.

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6 EL 7
5 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 Engineering: 300kVA 

3Φ 10kV BIL

$-

$5,000 

$10,000 

$15,000 

$20,000 

$25,000 

98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60% 99.80% 100.00%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% Load, Temperature Corrected

M6_AlAl_bl_3leg

M6_AlAl_fm_3leg

M6_CuCu_fm_3leg

M5_AlAl_bl_3leg

M5_AlAl_fm_3leg

M4_CuAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_slm_3leg

M3_CuAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_slm_5leg

H0_CuCu_fm_3leg

SA1_AlAl_dgw_5leg

SA1_CuCu_dgw_5leg

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1

EL 2

NEMA Pr.

EL 3

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6

EL 7
6 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.23% 98.47% 98.60% 98.80% 98.93% 99.17% 99.44% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 1.34% 5.77% 30.09% 17.60% 18.14% 38.94% 95.34% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 98.54% 94.23% 69.91% 82.40% 81.86% 61.06% 4.66% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.12% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 207 250 128 307 325 150 -953 

Median LCC Savings ($) 200 236 105 276 296 114 -1003 

-2000

-1500

-1000

-500

0 

500

1000

1500

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

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 6 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
7 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.23% 98.47% 98.60% 98.80% 98.93% 99.17% 99.44% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.6% 2.9% 3.8% 48.5% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 97.6% 97.6% 97.6% 97.4% 97.1% 96.2% 51.5% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 1643 1643 1643 1727 2022 2251 200 

Median LCC Savings ($) 1580 1580 1580 1656 1925 2159 53 

-3000

-2000

-1000

0 

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

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

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 7 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
8 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 LCC Results

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.80% 99.02% 99.14% 99.25% 99.32% 99.44% 99.58% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 8.05% 5.48% 15.99% 5.27% 5.27% 5.24% 65.90% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 91.95% 94.52% 84.01% 94.73% 94.73% 94.76% 34.10% 

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

Mean LCC Savings ($) 983 2431 2152 5354 5354 5368 -1182 

Median LCC Savings ($) 862 2282 1921 5086 5086 5103 -1524 

-10000

-5000

0 

5000

10000

15000

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

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 8 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
9 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 3.3 8.7 15.6 13.0 13.3 17.3 34.8 

Median Payback (Years) 2.7 8.4 15.0 12.7 13.1 16.9 33.9 

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.84% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.16% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 1,245 1,329 1,484 1,709 1,771 2,012 2,912 

Mean Installation Costs ($) 958 1,024 1,113 1,026 1,059 1,164 1,490 

Mean Operating Costs ($) 136 126 119 102 96 87 80 

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 41 192 435 574 668 1,014 2,241 

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 13 24 30 48 54 63 70 

Payback of Average Transformer 3.1 8.0 14.3 12.1 12.5 16.1 32.2 

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 6 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
10 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.5 6.0 7.1 18.9 

Median Payback (Years) 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.4 5.9 7.0 18.4 

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 3,667 3,667 3,667 3,713 3,952 4,236 6,174 

Mean Installation Costs ($) 1,743 1,743 1,743 1,761 1,729 1,839 2,362 

Mean Operating Costs ($) 222 222 222 214 187 153 131 

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 603 603 603 667 874 1,268 3,729 

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 121 121 121 129 156 190 212 

Payback of Average Transformer 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.2 5.6 6.7 17.6 

0 

5 

10

15

20

25

30

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 7 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
11 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 PBP Results

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 9.5 8.8 12.6 8.7 8.7 8.7 22.1 

Median Payback (Years) 9.0 8.6 12.3 8.5 8.5 8.5 21.5 

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

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

Mean Retail Cost ($) 7,727 8,696 10,325 10,800 10,800 10,798 17,639 

Mean Installation Costs ($) 2,850 2,999 3,102 3,159 3,159 3,158 3,906 

Mean Operating Costs ($) 739 600 522 320 320 320 264 

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 825 1,943 3,675 4,206 4,206 4,204 11,793 

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 98 236 314 516 516 517 573 

Payback of Average Transformer 8.5 8.2 11.7 8.2 8.2 8.1 20.6 

0 

5 

10

15

20

25

30

35

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 8 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
12 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 Engineering, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

$-

$500 

$1,000 

$1,500 

$2,000 

$2,500 

$3,000 

$3,500 

$4,000 

97.80% 98.00% 98.20% 98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60% 99.80% 100.00%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% load, Temperature Corrected

M6_AlAl_bl_co

M5_AlAl_bl_co

M4_AlAl_bl_co

M3_AlAl_bl_co

M3_CuAl_bl_co

M3_CuAl_bl_sh

H0_AlAl_bl_co

H0_CuCu_bl_co

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1

EL 2

EL 3

NEMA Pr.

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6 EL 7
13 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 Engineering, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

$-

$1,000 

$2,000 

$3,000 

$4,000 

$5,000 

$6,000 

$7,000 

$8,000 

$9,000 

$10,000 

97.80% 98.00% 98.20% 98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% Load, Temperature Corrected

M12_AlAl_bl_3leg M12_CuAl_bl_3leg

M6_AlAl_bl_3leg M6_AlAl_fm_3leg

M4_CuAl_fm_3leg M3_AlAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_slm_3leg H0_AlAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_slm_3leg H0_CuCu_fm_3leg

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1 EL 2

EL 3

NEMA Pr.

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6 EL 7
14 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 Engineering, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

$-

$5,000 

$10,000 

$15,000 

$20,000 

$25,000 

98.40% 98.60% 98.80% 99.00% 99.20% 99.40% 99.60% 99.80% 100.00%

Manufacturer Selling Price ($)

Efficiency at 35% Load, Temperature Corrected

M6_AlAl_bl_3leg

M6_AlAl_fm_3leg

M6_CuCu_fm_3leg

M5_AlAl_bl_3leg

M5_AlAl_fm_3leg

M4_CuAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_fm_3leg

M3_AlAl_slm_3leg

M3_CuAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_fm_3leg

H0_AlAl_slm_5leg

H0_CuCu_fm_3leg

CSLs

EL 0

EPACT '05

EL 1

EL 2

NEMA Pr.

EL 3

EL 4

EL 5

EL 6

EL 7
15 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 LCC Results, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.23% 98.47% 98.60% 98.80% 98.93% 99.17% 99.44% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 3.06% 8.04% 37.51% 74.67% 99.21% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 96.51% 91.96% 62.49% 25.33% 0.79% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.43% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 196 226 90 -166 -1045 NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 185 210 66 -192 -1080 NA NA

-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 6 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
16 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 LCC Results , ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.23% 98.47% 98.60% 98.80% 98.93% 99.17% 99.44% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.7% 5.1% 69.3% 0.0% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 97.6% 97.6% 97.6% 97.3% 94.9% 30.7% 0.0% 

Transformers with No Impact on LCC (%) 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

Mean LCC Savings ($) 1630 1630 1630 1695 1520 -477 NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 1567 1567 1567 1630 1431 -591 NA

-3000

-2000

-1000

0 

1000

2000

3000

4000

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

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 7 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
17 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 LCC Results, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Efficiency (%) 98.80% 99.02% 99.14% 99.25% 99.32% 99.44% 99.58% 

Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) 8.22% 5.46% 16.43% 15.41% 33.66% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers with Net LCC Savings (%) 91.78% 94.54% 83.57% 84.59% 66.34% 0.00% 0.00% 

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

Mean LCC Savings ($) 967 2448 2059 2632 1419 NA NA

Median LCC Savings ($) 844 2297 1851 2400 1145 NA NA

-4000

-2000

0 

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

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

Average LCC Savings ($)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 8 Average LCC Savings

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
18 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 6 PBP Results, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

 

Efficiency Level 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 4.7 9.6 17.2 25.0 45.1 NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 4.0 9.1 15.9 23.7 43.7 NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 99.47% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0.53% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 1,257 1,344 1,527 1,863 2,687 NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 973 1,034 1,101 1,194 1,375 NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 134 125 119 109 103 NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 54 203 453 881 1,887 NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 14 23 29 39 45 NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 4.0 8.8 15.5 22.8 41.5 NA NA

0 

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 6 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
19 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 7 PBP Results, ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.7 8.6 22.8 NA

Median Payback (Years) 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.5 8.4 22.2 NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 0% 

Transformers having Undefined Payback (%) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 

Mean Retail Cost ($) 3,658 3,658 3,658 3,706 4,074 6,305 NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 1,741 1,741 1,741 1,760 1,875 2,233 NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 223 223 223 215 199 167 NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 609 609 609 677 1,159 3,749 NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 121 121 121 128 145 177 NA

Payback of Average Transformer 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.3 8.0 21.2 NA

0 

5 

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 7 Average Payback Period

Average; Median; Box 25%-75%; Whisker 5%-95%
20 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Design Line 8 PBP Results , ZDMH/SA1 

(Wound Core) Exclusion Scenario

 

Efficiency Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Mean Payback (Years) 9.7 8.9 12.8 12.6 16.2 NA NA

Median Payback (Years) 9.1 8.6 12.4 12.3 15.8 NA NA

Transformers having Well Defined Payback (%) 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 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 ($) 7,715 8,696 10,293 11,200 12,690 NA NA

Mean Installation Costs ($) 2,848 2,999 3,116 3,162 3,411 NA NA

Mean Operating Costs ($) 741 600 528 446 418 NA NA

Mean Incremental First Cost ($) 837 1,970 3,683 4,636 6,375 NA NA

Mean Operating Cost Savings ($) 97 238 310 392 420 NA NA

Payback of Average Transformer 8.6 8.3 11.9 11.8 15.2 NA NA

0 

5 

10

15

20

25

30

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

Average Payback Period (years)

Efficiency Level

Design Line 8 Average Payback Period

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