Can Single Family and Multifamily Homes in the Zero Energy New Homes (ZENH) Program in California Reduce Peak Load and Reduce the Need for New Power Plants and Electrical Distribution?

Steve Vang and Rob Hammon, ConSol
Bill Kelly, PowerLight
Walker Wells and Ted Bardacke, Global Green USA

Keywords

Abstract

California, and the U.S. in general, has an increasing problem with the cost and growth of electric power during hot summer peak-demand periods. As population in California increases, and thousands of homes are being built each year, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has developed the Zero Energy New Home (ZENH) Program which offers an attractive solution to this problem. PowerLight, ConSol and Global Green are currently working with builders to bring the CEC’s ZENH Program into the mainstream, while creating a long term sustainable market for single family and multifamily housing (in particular projects developed with federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits). The teams will identify areas where land entitlement incentives are established and areas where it might be possible to reduce time and cost for building ZENH communities. The teams will also identify barriers attempting to implement ZENHs and will propose strategies to address those barriers.

ZENH homes incorporate advanced energy efficient features with photovoltaic systems. Each home complies at least 25% above the 2005 Title 24 standards, has at least 70% annual electric bill reduction and draws no more than 1 kW during the system peak time. ZENH homes will be monitored by the utilities to see if they will shave the peak load and reduce underground branch circuits. Monitoring equipment will be installed in some of the ZENH homes or units.