1 

## Joe Hagerman Senior Advisor, DOE

- BTO 

# Characterization of Connected Equipment

Docket EERE

- 2014

- BT

- NOA

- 0016

# What is Characterization?

• “Characterization” is the measurement or evaluation of the physical or informational responses that connected equipment can provide.

– See Backup slides for full definitions of all terms that DOE asked for public
comment.



## • Examples of characterization:

- Electrical Voltage, current, power, phase angle

- Temporal Response duration, recovery time, lock out time

- Experimental Temperature, pressure, humidity, flow rate

- Digital Operating mode, status, forecast, diagnostic



## • Characterization is a voluntary process. It is not annual efficiency testing, a labeling or rating program (such as Energy Star), or test procedure development.

2 Physical

Informational

# Why is Characterization Important?

• Objectively characterizing engagement of connected equipment will enable integration of intermittent renewable resources at scale and enhance grid reliability/resiliency while unlocking potential new value streams for homeowners and building owners and operators.

• Example benefits of characterization include:

– Help establish a scalable market for connected equipment to deliver grid services.

– Inform population analyses of scaled effects for utilities to rely on this equipment to deliver services.

– Protect consumer value (e.g. amenity, quality of service)

– Protect manufacturers (e.g. violation of warranty)

– Promote innovation by developing level playing field for evaluating what services can be delivered

3

# Process to Date

• 4/30/14

- public meeting at NREL, announced in the Federal Register, to engage industry in BTO vision for connected equipment delivering valuable services.

– “Physical Characterization of Smart and Grid

- Connected Commercial and Residential Buildings End

- Use Equipment and Appliances,” FR Vol. 70, No. 76, 19322

– General support for DOE as convener of industry and stakeholders to develop characterization protocols through an open, transparent, voluntary, consensus process.

• 7/1/14

- public meeting in Washington, DC, announced in the Federal Register, to present draft characterization framework to industry and invite comments.

– “Physical Characterization of Grid

- Connected Commercial and Residential Buildings End

- Use Equipment and Appliances,” FR Vol. 78, No. 108, 32542

.

– Industry continues to support DOE direction to develop characterization protocols for connected equipment. Emphasis on open, transparent, voluntary, consensus process.

• 8/14/14

– “A Framework for Characterizing Connected Equipment” published in FR Vol. 79, No. 157, 47633

.

– 23 public comments received either on the process or the framework document itself

– Revision in progress to incorporate public comments. Final publication scheduled for Dec. 15 th , 2014.

4

# Our “Ask” of ASRAC

• Form ASRAC Working Group (WG) as a vehicle for engaging industry in an open, voluntary, consensus process to develop characterization protocols

.

– Process can convene industry to move in unified direction.

– Overwhelming supported by industry and industry encouraged DOE to employ a consensus process to discuss and develop this area of concentration since it is emerging.

• ASRAC WG Charter will be to discuss and achieve consensus on:

– Prioritized list of equipment for which DOE should consider developing characterization protocols.

– Complete characterization protocols for two highest priority equipment types on prioritized list.

– Position paper on the industries’ and utilities’ needs for connected equipment which includes a discussion of important sensitivities (see backup slide XX) as identified by industry during the DOE public meeting and comment process.

– Convene from Jan.5 th to Sept. 30 th of 2015.

• Propose that nominations for working group members shall be provided to ASRAC by no later than Dec. 31 st , 2015.

– First meeting to be co

- located at ASHRAE winter meeting. 56 

# Backup Information

# Terms

• Equipment: Building end

- use loads that consume, store, or generate electricity while providing necessary services and amenities within buildings. Examples of equipment include: refrigerators, computers, lighting, HVAC, heat pumps, room AC, vehicle chargers, inverters, or energy storage to name a few. Because equipment varies widely in size and complexity, boundaries delineating what is, and is not considered part of a particular piece of equipment should be clearly defined on an individual basis and may occur during the characterization protocol development.

• Connected : The capability of equipment to receive and transmit signals (e.g., to/from equipment, buildings, utilities, or third

- party providers), make decisions, and respond accordingly. Connected equipment also includes intelligent features that enable, for example, the projection of future states, measurement and verification (M&V), or maintenance needs. Two simple illustrative examples of connected functionality are as follows: (1) HVAC equipment detects a compressor failure and transmits its condition to a third

- party maintenance provider; (2) a refrigerator receives a load curtailment request and then adjusts load and forecasts future availability.

• Service : In the context of this framework document, services are energy or power related functions that benefit consumers, building owners, third

- party providers, or utilities. For example, a building owner may contract with a third

- party provider which provides a service to monitor energy consumption of equipment and to report when consumption drops below a given threshold. Another service may be the offering of equipment by a building owner to participate in peak load reduction programs. Services may be

a one

- time offering, periodic, or regular in frequency depending on the service contract that has been agreed upon.

7

# Terms

• Response : Physical or informational actions taken by equipment in reaction to external signals or internally generated information. Examples of physical responses include load reduction or increase, adjustment of set points, short cycle prevention, or scheduling of events. Examples of informational responses include forecasting future conditions, logging data, reporting maintenance issues, or alerting

consumers.

• Characterization : The measurement and evaluation of physical or informational responses that are possible for connected equipment. Examples of physical measurements include voltage, current, phase angle, or time. Informational measurements may include data files, status, or sensor values. Experimental parameters may include pressure, temperature, or humidity. Characterization may include the evaluation of information oriented characteristics (e.g., forecasting, status, or diagnostics). An example of characterization is an accounting of the presence or absence of given features, such as the ability to schedule future events or alert the owner of excessive energy consumption.

From “ Physical Characteristics of Smart and Grid Connected Buildings Equipment “
Docket ID: EERE

- 2014

- BT

- NOA

- 0016 Agency : Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office (EERE )
Parent Agency: Department of Energy (DOE)

89 

# Common Themes from Framework
Document Comments:

• Industry overwhelmingly supports DOE’s vision, objectives, and process for characterizing connected equipment.

– DOE should continue to reach out and collaborate with others performing related work.

– DOE should continue to engage stakeholders in an open, transparent, voluntary process.



### • Protocols should be developed through a consensus process.

– Minimize burden on industry that characterization would impart.

– Eligibility and approved responses should not stifle innovation.



### • Interoperability is critical but was understood to be beyond scope.

– DOE is addressing interoperability through other means/processes

### 1. Explain how these activities promote innovation among industry players.

2. Determine how to inform stakeholders of services that connected equipment can deliver

3. Discuss how to best protect consumer value by maintaining quality of service and amenities

4. Consider how to protect manufacturers by avoiding damage and misuse

5. Identify suitable metrics based on potential services

6. Discuss how to minimize burden on industry

7. Develop and adopt a principle of doing no harm to efficiency

8. Outreach to other groups performing related work

9. Consider importance of information privacy and security

10. Discuss and help DOE understand the full implications for interoperability

11. Establish adequate reference architecture

10 

# Sensitivities ASRAC WG May Consider During Protocol DevelopmentAHRI AO Smith Bonneville Power Bosch LLC
Carrier Cox Software Architects Danfoss Drexel University Rheem Manufacturing Southern Company
Trane True Manufacturing University of Colorado
USNAP Virginia Tech Emerson Honeywell Johnson Controls
Lennox Mitsubishi Electric PG&E Portland General Electric 

# Participants at Apr 30 Public Meeting at ESIF

# Participants at July 11 Public Meeting at DOE

- HQ

1. AHAM
2. AHRI
3. Carrier
4. Consortium for Energy Efficiency
5. EEI
6. Energy Solutions

7. EPA
8. EPRI
9. Goodman Manufacturing
10. Ingersoll

- Rand
11. ITW 12. National Grid
13. NIST
14. NRDC
15. NRECA
16. Regen Energy
17. Schneider

- electric
18. Southern Company
19. Southern California Edison
20. Traulsen
21. Virginia Tech

12

# Reviewers of Physical Characterization Framework Process and Document

1. AHRI

2. AGA

3. American Public Gas Association

4. AHAM

5. California Investor Owned Utilities

6. Copper Development Association
Inc.

7. Cox Software Architects

8. Department of Industry of the Commonwealth of Australia

9. Edison Electric Institute (EEI)

10. Goodman Global, Inc

. 11. Ingersoll Rand

12. KLATU Networks 13. Laclede Group

14. Lennox International, Inc.

15. M2M Systems Integrators

16. Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities

17. NEMA

18. NRECA

19. NRDC

20. Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP)

21. REGEN Energy

22. TC9, Inc.

13

### • The SGIP’s stated vision is to further Smart Grid “Interoperability” by:

– Facilitating and harmonizing standards development

– Conducting outreach to establish interoperability

– Developing reference architectures and implementation guidelines

– Identifying testing , certification, and security requirements [in the cyber realm]



### • The SGIP’s focus on interoperability standards, reference architectures, and communications is beyond the scope of connected equipment characterization.

– Characterization of connected equipment measures or evaluates the physical and informational responses that connected equipment can provide

.

– Characterization does not include interoperability or communications.



### • Activities within the B2G and H2G SGIP domain expert working groups are not aimed at characterizing physical responses of connected equipment.

14 

# How is Characterization of Connected Equipment Different from SGIP?