Achieving Integrated and Equitable Decarbonized Loads with CalFlexHub
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Recipient
Berkeley, CA
Recipient Location
9th
Senate District
15th
Assembly District
$7,922,297
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
CalFlexHub is finalizing research plans and preparing for equipment installation for the summer demonstrations. The project team is developing the architecture for the price and GHG communication signal. TAC meetings have been held to solicit feedback on the performance and prioritization metrics.
The Issue
The CalFlexHub will conduct electricity sector applied research and development and technology demonstration and deployment projects that increase the use and market adoption of advanced, signal responsive, interoperable, and flexible demand technologies and strategies as electric grid resources and facilitate integration of distributed energy resources. These projects will increase end-use demand flexibility, reduce dependence on fossil generation for firming renewable resources, enhance grid stability, and take advantage of new electric loads to help resolve reliability issues.
Project Innovation
CalFlexHub will develop and test a Load Management Standards Prototype (LMS-P) with the capability of communicating price, GHG and dispatch signals to up to 99 percent of California consumers. CalFlexHub will research pre-selected, pre-commercial innovations to support the deployment of new, commercially-available, signal-responsive products, refrigeration equipment, air conditioners, water heaters, heat pumps, HVAC and thermostat controls, plug load control devices, battery storage and EV charging systems, and other end-use technologies in residential and commercial buildings. When fully commercialized, these systems will enable cost-effective control to support load-flexibility and provide a clear value proposition for customers, building owners, ratepayers, load serving entities, and grid operators.
Project Goals
Value and prioritize LF technologies.
Foster investment in LF technologies.
Evaluate and understand customer interface and experience.
Mitigate burdens in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Mass-market technology advancement.
Project Benefits
The CalFlexHub projects will improve the size of the flexible load, both in peak (GW) and daily (GWh) shift using several strategies, including integration of thermal storage into HVAC, allowing building end uses to respond to time varying price signals, and integrating controls across end uses. The projects will help achieve California's electrification and decarbonization goals through increased use and market adoption of signal responsive and interoperable flexible demand technologies and strategies to enable end use loads as electric grid resources. These projects will demonstrate the reliability and predictability of signal responsive demand flexible technologies that utilities and system operators can rely on as energy resources as California shifts to more intermittent renewable energy sources.
Affordability
Affordability
California IOUs have about 4–6 GWh of shift DR potential (per event) at or below $200/yr/kWh, growing to up to 8 GWh by 2030. CalFlexHub hopes to reduce these first and operating costs to $100/yr/kWh for 10 GWh/event by 2025.
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
The annual carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emission saving using the electricity emission factor of 0.331 kg/kWh totals to about 0.6 million metric tons of CO2e per year by 2030 from shifting load to times of renewable energy.
Reliability
Reliability
Aiming to increase building peak load reduction from 1 GW to 4–6 GW by 2025, and 8–12 GW by 2030. Also will demonstrate capability to increase building stock shift capability from 100 MWh/event or day to 3 to 10 GWh/event or day.
Energy Security
Energy Security
The technologies from the Hub enable net load to follow electricity supply on the CA grid therefore avoiding/delaying the need for additional generation assets development and providing more time for a secure zero-carbon energy transition.
Subrecipients
The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Berkeley campus
University of California, Riverside
The Regents of California, San Diego
Energy & Environmental Economics, Inc.
Regents of the University of California, Davis
Olivine, Inc.
Guidehouse Inc.
SkyCentrics
TeMix, Inc
Extensible Energy, Inc.
WattTime
Humboldt State University
Harvest Thermal, Inc
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
e-Radio
Rising Sun
Aermec
Argenox Technologies
Match Partners
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
University of California, Riverside
Regents of the University of California, Davis
SkyCentrics
Harvest Thermal, Inc
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
Aermec
