Objective

This project will demonstrate that Grid-Amplified Building Energy Seasonal Storage (GABESS) can help solve five important Department of Defense (DoD) challenges:

  1. Install Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP) with an approach that is applicable in every climate zone.
  2. Increase energy efficiency and resiliency and reduce emissions at DoD installations.
  3. Projects structured with sufficient financial performance to enable the use of Energy Services Companies (ESCO) and Utility Energy Services Contracts (UESC).
  4. Seasonal and diurnal renewable power storage.
  5. Increase deployment of previously demonstrated ESTCP technologies and approaches.

Technology Description

GABESS technology combines Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Water Source Heat Pumps (WSHP) and Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES). The ASHP delivers a greater quantity of cold or heat energy to the BTES than the electric power consumed, thus the stored energy in the BTES has been Grid Amplified. The stored heat/cool is recovered for Building Energy heating or cooling (not electricity) via the WSHP. The BTES can store thermal energy for months with low losses, providing Seasonal Storage. The project will be executed in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Together the teams will evaluate deployment at Joint Base Andrews in Washington D.C. The new arrangement of existing technologies creates value to make GABESS financeable.

  1. The capital cost of the BTES (the most expensive element) can be 50% of a traditional GHP systems with less land area.
  2. Outperforms utility grid batteries by storing off-peak energy diurnally and seasonally at > 100% round trip efficiency, at the point of end-use. Advantages over batteries are a) cut peak demand permanently and b) electrify heating without increasing peak demand. Local utility incentives are justified because all ratepayers benefit. Operating and maintenance savings including cooling water and treatment chemicals.
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Benefits

The expected DoD benefits from a GABESS-based Thermal Microgrid retrofit of existing buildings are:

  1. Can be financed with performance contracting (UESC and ESCO).
  2. Reduce electric power heating, ventilation, and air conditioning peak demand (kW) 50% and energy (kWh) 40%.
  3. Electrify heating and water heating and eliminate natural gas use and emissions.
  4. Reduction of on-site and off-site emissions.
  5. Reduce borehole geo-exchange costs by 40% with fewer boreholes and a smaller footprint.
  6. Increase energy resilience and ability to withstand energy supply disruptions.
  7. A robust Technology Transition plan starting at project inception to develop a community of energy professionals in the DoD, government, utilities, and ESCO. The goal is an “open-source” approach that fosters deployment by many entities across the country, thereby achieving rapid acceptance that results in easier and lower-cost adoption across DoD facilities.