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Lower cost strategies come first
Capturing useful energy from natural energy flows like sunshine, wind, moving water is a great concept. The technologies to capture this energy aren’t cheap, however, nor do they work equally well in all locations. Typically, it’s hard to generate a significant fraction of total electricity we use onsite.
Before investing a lot of time and energy into this credit, focus on energy efficiency and passive energy collection such as daylighting, natural ventilation, passive solar heating before investing in renewable energy systems. This work will probably pay off faster than renewable energy, and if you do invest in renewable energy, you’ll have a lighter load for it to carry.
What types of systems count
All electricity generated and used on site is counted towards...
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95 Comments
E-85 at a gas station?
We are doing LEED Volume under NC-Retail for a gas station chain that sells E-85 at all locations. Does E-85 qualify as On-Site Renewable Energy?
In my opinion it does not. To count under EAc2 it would need to be used by the facility not purchased at the facility.
Owner Agent required information
Marcus,
I am looking at the on-line form for EAc2 On-Site Renewable Energy. (LEED 2009 for New Construction) The asterisk occurs after each of two Required Signatory boxes. Path selected: Option 1 Whole Bulding Energy Simulation.
Thanks!
Under the Additional Details check the special circumstances box and a narrative space opens. Enter your explanation there for how the owner was informed about the ownership of the RECs and the installation of the system. If any documents would assist in this task, upload them.
Owner/Agent to inform Owner - How?
What documentation is expected in response to the asterisk note after the Owner/Agent signature? Is this in the form of a letter from the Agent to the owner describing the restrictions on the on-site renewable energy?
Asterisk reads:
"If signed by the Owner Agent, provide the following additional required information in the Special Circumstances section below: Describe how the Owner was/will be informed, specifically, of the critical elements and ongoing requirements highlighted in grey above. Provide supporting
documentation, if any."
Thanks!
Are you looking in the credit form? What version? I am not sure where this shows up.
PVmodules for generate of onsite renewable energy and REC
For a NC manufacturing project we have been aproached by a company who would mount pv-modules on the building roof and sell them to building owner at no cost premium.
My question is if these modules would achieve the credit intent despite RECs deriving from the module output being sold to someone else.
I could not find any specification on this, but remember having read about this issues when preparing for the LEED BD C exam.
Thank you very much for your feedback.
best regards
Robert
I do not necessarily agree with this but if you sell the RECs you cannot count the system output for EAc2 or EAc1. You can replace the RECs with other RECs and then count the output of your on-site system for EAc2 and EAc1. See page 293 in the Reference Guide. If you have an older version it may say that a 2 to 1 replacement is necessary but that was changed to a 1 to 1 replacement.
In my opinion renewable projects that sell their RECs should still be able to count the output for EAc2. While technically you have sold the environmental attributes, you still managed to get a renewable energy system on your facility. If selling the RECs enabled the financial transaction that allowed you to do that then LEED should not be discouraging this type of arrangement. So I think that if you have renewable energy flowing through your building you should be able to count it for LEED.
I have a project with a similar situation where a 2nd party will own the PVs and install on the owner's site. The 2nd party will sell the electricty back to the owner at a reduced cost. While our project may not consume all power, it is part of a larger facility that will consume 100% of the solar power produced 100% of the time. We don't have a situation where we would be selling RECs. Would this count in EAc2?
Susan, are you sure the 2nd party isn't retaining the RECs? That is usually why the 2nd party is willing to keep ownership and responsibility (for a period of time) of the PVs - they are gaining the RECs generated by the PVs. If that is the case, then the project owner has to balance that by buying RECs from some other source.
Susan,
If the electricity flows into your facility on your side of the electric meter and the RECs have not been sold then it can count for EAc2. If the power flows into the grid side of the meter then probably not.
Renee - At this time, I am not sure but it is a good question. Marcus - Your answer seems to clarify/refine Renee's answer. Thanks!
Dear All
thanks for your feedback.
Susan: our project is the same. The 2nd party sells the power to the user at reduced cost. Further he will not retain the RECs. The project is within a subsidary sheme for PV in China.
Marcus: thanks for the reference to the Reference Guide.
I guess all thats left is to make sure the requirements are specified in the contract and to make sure the contract covers the entire lilfespan of the PV modules.
Best regards
Bio-fuel Boilers
From my reading of the Reference Manual for this credit it seems that Bio-fuel can only be used to generate electrical power on-site, and not to power bio-fuel boilers for water heating or space heating. Is this interpretation correct? In that case only something like a mini-CHPCombined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, generates both electrical power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. unit burning bio-fuel is eligible going the bio-fuel route. And even then you are restricted in the bio-fuel you can use, ie. it pretty much needs to be ethanol produced from food waste - is this correct? I don't know of any bio-gas or wood chip CHP systems...
While the language in the Reference Guide has not been changed, it is in error. Eligible bio-fuels can be used directly and do not have to be converted to electricity. The list of eligible bio-fuels includes untreated mill residues, agricultural waste/crops, landfill gas and animal/organic waste.
There is a long history in LEED allowing the improtation of landfill gas to be burned and used for heat not just electricity.
Thanks Marcus, the Reference Guide is definitely misleading on this point so your clarification is very useful.
PVs added after design submission
If an energy model has been reviewed during design phase submission and PVs are added during construction but were not included in the model, can the model be rerun and resubmitted during the construction review? Is there a cost associated with this?
It probably could be added to EAp2/EAc1 at no charge just indicate that the design credit (EAp2/EAc1) changed during construction and add the PV.
PV Watts for other countries?
Help Please! Our GBCI reviwer is asking us to: Provide screenshots or output calculations from a simulation program showing how the annual energy savings was determined for the photovoltaic system.
They suggest using PV Watts, however PV Watts seems to be not usable for our project located in the Carribean as it says "No PV Watts data at mouseclick". Any suggestions? Is there another software we can use?
Whoever engineered the system must have some basis for estimating electricity output--it should be enough just to share their calculations. You'll want to to factor in climate data (solar insolation), orientation and slope of the panels, and their generation efficiency, as well as an estimate of losses in the balance of system components (such as DC to AC conversion).
PVWatts has pretty sophisticated algorithms for doing this, but there are simpler estimates you can use. Check with a local engineer with solar experience if your provider can't do it.
Projected Biomass Boiler
Hi, a company will be working with provisional natural gas boilers, but in a year's time two boilers will be replaced by a biomass boiler whish will be working on sawdust. The fase out of the provisional boilers is already planned, but the LEED project will finished before this replacement, in consequence the commissioning of this equipement is not possible to be performed within the LEED prpoject timeframe. Is it possible to commit the commissioning in order to include this renewable energy source? and is this saw dust boiler eligible since the sawdust comes from untreated wood waste?
Hi Jose,
I think the only way to include those boilers would be to delay applying for LEED certification until they are installed--but be careful that it doesn't take too long, as there is a limit to how long after construction you can apply.
Alternately, you could forego LEED certification from new construction, and, after two years, apply for EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. certification.
Off Site renewable energy -- Is elegible?
Hi, I have the following question: a company that is pursuing LEED certification. Owns a low impact renewable energy plant, but this plan, that is a pass hidraulic plant on a river, is off-site. This cannot be declared as Green Energy since its is owned by the company, but it is not on-site energy so it is not on-site renewable energy. Could we account for this energy on this credit? it meets the intention but is not part of the project even though it will provide all its energy to the LEED building making the proyect offset its energy costs.
The best way to approach a situation like this, in which you don't meet the requirements literally but could argue that you meet their intent, is to submit a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide and see if you can get a favorable ruling.
Jose, there are ways to use assets outside your LEED boundary to help earn LEED credits—review the LEED Minimum Program Requirements Supplemental Guidance Document. However, you don't specify how far off-site you mean. There may be a limit to what is going to easily pass muster, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.
Applicable for On-Site Renewable credit?
My company is considering a geothermal system for an industrial facility. The proposed system is a well of approximately 150 meters deep, where water of appr 10 Deg C is pumped up and directly used for cooling of the building in summer time. However the same water will be used during wintertime for heating by using a heatpump.
This would meet the LEED requirement of “deep” however the use of a heat pumpA type of heating and/or cooling equipment that draws heat into a building from outside and, during the cooling season, ejects heat from the building to the outside. Heat pumps are vapor-compression refrigeration systems whose indoor/outdoor coils are used reversibly as condensers or evaporators, depending on the need for heating or cooling. In the 2003 CBECS, specific information was collected on whether the heat pump system was a packaged unit, residential-type split system, or individual room heat pump, and whether the heat pump was air source, ground source, or water source. (vapor-compression system for heat transfer) would seem to disqualify this application for the on-site renewable credit? Doesn't seem right to me.
The LEED guidance document confused me:
Geothermal energy systems using deep earth water or steam sources (and not using vapor compression systems for heat transfer) may be eligible for this credit. These systems may either produce electric power or provide thermal energy for primary use at the building.
Geo-exchange Systems: (a.k.a. geothermal or ground-source heat pumps) Earth-coupled HVAC applications which do not obtain significant quantities of deep-earth heat, and use vapor-compression systems for heat transfer are not eligible as renewable energy systems. These systems are adequately addressed in EA Prerequisite 2, and may be considered under EA Credit 1.
Any ideas on whether this would qualify as on-site renewable?
Jeff, this system would apparently be considered a "geo-exchange" system. You are basically using the water and its temperature as an efficiency measure, not as a source of energy. This is most clearly the case on the heating side, but I would say it also aopears that way on the cooling side: you are dumping heat into the Earth for cooling, which is an efficiency measure. One could even argue that the heat you are dumping in the summer is being extracted in the winter.
Substantial Completion of Construction?
We are working with a building that originally had not planned to have a rooftop PV system on it, but during the later stages of the project rebate funds were made available and the owner decided to pursue a system. The funding was awarded and planning for installation has commenced, but the project has just been substantially completed. The owner is having a quick structural feasibility analysis done for the rooftop to ensure the planned PV system is appropriate. As long as progress is being made toward installing this system, is it still eligible to be included in the LEED tally, or is LEED's interpretation that the system had to be installed by substantial completion of construction interpreted very strictly? Can the PV system be accounted for in the energy model?
I don't believe installing the PV system after substantial completion would in and of itself be a problem, assuming that the last round of documentation still hasn't been submitted. You can usually add a credit at the very end if you provide a very thorough level of documentation.
To meet the intent of certification addressing the whole building performance, you'd want to have the commissioning agent also commission the PV system and confirm it is integrating properly with other systems. To earn any additional points under EAc1, yes, you'd have to re-run the energy model.
If the additional points make a difference for the certification level or project goals, the team may decide the effort is worthwhile, otherwise you could treat it as an "after market" addition to the building outside the LEED certification.
We have a similiar situation with a project that we are working on where we are considering installing PV panels following substantial completition. I just wanted to check that this would this would not be a problem for a building going to new construction.
Should not be a problem at all assuming that the timing orks with the documentation submission. I think there is precedent for even counting a system that has not been yet installed but a purchase order or contract and installation schedule are provided as documentation.
Eligibility of Wood
This is a more general question about the eligibility of wood as renewable fuel.
Following the Reference Guide I get the impression that all wood apart from untreated waste and mill residue is ineligible. To my opinion this definition is too tight.
I am thinking of wood specifically grown to be used as fuel in wood pellet stoves, CHPCombined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, generates both electrical power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. or whatever. Assuming this wood comes from sustainable foresting (whatever the criteria may be) this should count as renewable energy in my opinion.
Couldn’t a field of fast growing poplar cut down every 5 years or a pine forest cut down every 100 years and grown only to produce fuel be seen as agriculture?
Is it more sustainable and renewable to take potential food like corn and cereal to produce ethanol than using wood as fuel?
Any comments /thoughts on that?
Jens, I think there is definitely room according to the LEED definitions for onsite forest production to count toward onsite renewables. I definitely would want to see a forest management plan that calls for this being done sustainably. See my earlier response under "biomass boiler."
If anyone has more experience with this or has done it successfully, please chime in here!
Biomass Boiler
Our project, a small non-profit farm house renovation, is using a wood fired biomass boiler. Wood for the boiler is timber blow-down from the 917 acre largely wooded property contiguous to the project site and owned by the same owner. EAc2 allows for "untreated wood waste", but states that "forestry biomass waste" is ineligible. I am making the assumption that blow-down is untreated wood waste and that forestry biomass waste is a by-product of timber management practices. Does anyone want to weigh in????
With "untreated wood waste" I think we're talking about lumber waste from the construction industry.
"Mill residue" is sell-explanatory and clearly doesn't apply here.
The question is whether this is "forestry biomass waste" or "agricultural crops," which I would strongly consider. I think that if you have a forest management plan that calls for certain management practices, including harvesting of blow-down, then it should qualify under this credit. In the absence of a forest management plan I would not try to argue for this, however. Harvesting blow-down may seem benign but could really do damage to an ecosystem if not done properly. A management plan provides assurance to LEED that you are doing the right thing.
I don't have experience with this but that's my analysis. Anyone else have thoughts?
Existing parking and PV system outside LEED project boundary
The project is a 4 stories office building. A public road separate the building from an existing parking lot covered by a PV panels covered roof: both the parking and the PV system were committed and are owned by the building owner. The energy produced by the PV system is intended to cover all the building electric energy demand.
The project is pursuing a LEED NC 2009 certification. The LEED project boundary includes just the building area. The parking area has not been included in the LEED project boundary, as it is an existing area previously constructed.
Can the PV renewable energy production be considered for EAp2, EAc1 and EAc2 credits if the owner will apply the renewable energy only to the submitted project?
Can the parking lots also be considered for SSc4.3 credit as long as they are within a ¼ mile of the building entrances?
Reference CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide:
Inquiry Number: 2297
MPR/Prerequisite/Credit:EAc2: On-Site Renewable Energy
Posting date: 8/26/2008
Under the LEED Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects (https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1097) it states: In the case where the renewable energy equipment is not physically located on the applicant building(s), provide data for each building showing the projected energy consumption and the percentage to be met with their prorated or dedicated share of renewable energy.
The owner should also submit a certification letter acknowledging that the renewable energy from a central system will apply only to the submitted project(s) and will not be applied to subsequent buildings for any future LEED certifications. Thus, both projects can pursue EAc2, provided a previously undedicated share of renewable energy generated is allocated to each building project.
Reference CIR
Inquiry Number: 5147
MPR/Prerequisite/Credit: SSc4.3: Alternative Transportation-Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicle
Posting date: 8/22/2008
It is acceptable to have all or a portion of the parking stalls dedicated as preferred parkingPreferred parking, available to particular users, includes designated spaces close to the building (aside from designated handicapped spots), designated covered spaces, discounted parking passes, and guaranteed passes in a lottery system. for SSc4.3 fall outside the LEED Project Boundary, as long as they are within a ¼ mile of the building entrances or serviced by a shuttle bus. Also please note that these preferred parking spaces are to be used only by the LEED project building(s) occupants.
I think this should be fine. Check the LEED Minimum Program Requirements supplemental guidance document—it indicates that you can apply area outside the LEED boundary to certain credits.
EAc2 - selling/buying RECs
Under EAc2 - On-site Renewable Energy in the Reference Guide there is a section titled "Retention of Renewable Energy Environmental Atributes" where it states:
...... To encourage the greater develpment of on-site renewable energy systems, the sale of renewable energy certificates (RECs) is allowed from an on-site renewable energy system that claims the credit if the building owner or energy system owner, either separately or acting together, meets the following conditions:
1. the seller of the on-site RECs must follow all established guidelines for the sale of RECs and not claim any of the environmental attributes for the on-site system.
2. RECs equal to 200% of the system's annual rated energy output each year are purchased from another souce, which must be Green-eGreen-e is a program established by the Center for Resource Solutions to both promote green electricity products and provide consumers with a rigorous and nationally recognized method to identify those products. eligible.
Can anyone explain what #2 means? To be able to sell your own RECs (assuming one produced=one you can sell) if you have to purchase twice as many from somewhere else?? That can't be right......
Thank you.
The reference guide goes on to explain the reasoning behind these stipulations. The basic point that they make is that in many cases, in-state RECs are more expensive to achieve and typically cost more to purchase. These RECs have a different market value because many states have set in-state renewable energy targets.
So it may make sense as a financing tool for building teams to sell the in-state RECs associated with an on-site system. An example of this would be where the local utility offers incentives to install on-site solar but then by providing the developer with that incentive, assumes the rights to the RECs generated by the system.
The environmental reasoning is that out-of-state RECs have fewer reductions of "other" emissions (not just CO2Carbon dioxide) and that the renewable energy generated in distant locations may be stranded by limited technical and design capacities.
Ben - thanks for your comment. Maybe you could also shed some light on that last piece of information about the out-of-state-RECs .... LEED is a nationa/international concept, not based on a specific state, so how does one arrive at the conclusion that "out-of-state" .... out of which state? ..... would be less expensive? And why would one want to buy RECs that have fewer reductions of "other" emissions? Wouldn't that go against the whole principle of sustainabiltiy? to pick RECs that have fewer emissions reductions?
Lisl - They are legitimate questions and I don't have all the answers for the broader question of the relative environmental benefit of onsite renewable versus purchased RECs. In this context, out-of-state would mean outside the state that the building is located and the assertion that I think is made is that most purchased RECs come from a wind farm (centralized plant) somewhere potentially far from the project building itself.
The onsite renewable system by contrast may have ancillary benefits associated with distributed energy systems that make it in a sense more valuable. See this article http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2004-09-27_500-04-065.PDF.
Lastly, I'm not clear that there really are fewer reductions of other emissions for out-of-state renewable compared to onsite renewable or that the relative CO2Carbon dioxide reduction would be equivalent between the two. Maybe someone else has some better insight into that topic.
Maybe it's a good question to raise for the 2012 revisions?
Yes, that would be an interesting question. Seems not too many people are familiar with how this requirement works.
Seems that if you have to purchase twice as many RECs (200%) as you produce - and could sell - you'd either have to find one heck of a deal somewhere (and why wouldn't anyone else buy from there also instead of buying the more expensive ones) or you'll be actually loosing money in selling RECs.
Is there anyone who has any experience with this from an actual project who would be willing to share any financial info (in as much or as little detail as they are able to) as to how this has worked out?
Thanks.
As of May 2011, LEED requires only a 1-to-1 purchase (or 100%) of RECs to replace the RECs that you selling. This change is via a LEED addendum.
I am wondering if you sell RECs that are based on solar energy, do you have to buy back the same type, or can they be RECs from a different source of energy? SRECs (solar RECs) seems high in cost (they type the owner would be selling) but RECs created from wind seem to cost a lot less.
Activity Generated Electricity from a Manufacturing process
Our porject is a manufacturing facility that produces generators and converters for wind turbines. A component of the manufacturing process is the balancing of the generator rotors. A simplified explaination is that grid energy is used to spin the rotors, however, at the end of the rotor balancing process, the rotors are slowed down by a generator (dynamo effect) which is projected to produce 25,600 kwhA kilowatt-hour is a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu. per year and will be recycled back inot the building's energy system to power the lights and HVAC. The energy savings per balancing cycle is about 1.6 kwh. Would process qualify for the Onsite Renewable Energy credit.
Hi Ken,
Eligible on-site renewable energy systems include photovoltaic, wind, solar, biofuel-based electrical, geothermal (some restrictions) low-impact hydro and wave / tidal systems. The energy is originally generated from a non-renewable source therefore I doubt a LEED project reviewer would allow this process to qualify for EA Credit #2.
You could have the energy modeler deduct the 25,600 kwhA kilowatt-hour is a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu./yr from the proposed annual energy consumption to help improve the point total of EA Credit #1.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the input. I knew this was a grey area, we will go for improving the energy model.
We have a project that is
We have a project that is putting in a PV system on a small warehouse right next to the building seeking LEED certifiction, but it is technically outside of our LEED project boundry. 100% of the electricity will go to the buiding seeking certfication and was put in soley for that builidng. Do you think that will qualify? Also the small warehouse is one the same property and is all owned by the same owner.
Nena, I think this is fine. You'll find support for it under MPR#3 supplemental guidance.
Do you think I need to show this small warehouse on the site plan? Our site plan currently only shows the area we are considering as the LEED project boundry.
I don't think there is any harm in showing it, and it seems like a good idea.
EAc2-Retention of Renewable Energy Environmental Attributes
I'm working on a project that is pursuing EAc2 but is also considering generating RECs. I just want to confirm three things: 1) that if we pursue this path, the building owner will need to purchase RECs (either in-state or out-of-state) equal to 200% of the system's annual rated energy output; 2) whether there a certain time period we need to purchase the RECs for and 3) do we still need a 10-year agreement for the purchase of the energy output? Thanks for your clarification.
Yes,
1) You will have to purchase RECs for 200% if they are generated out of state, and 100% if in-state
2) The REC purchase is as long as you sell the REC from the onsite system
3) Not really. Can you point out where you see that clause?
Hi Shillpa,
Thanks for the clarification. The wording in the reference guide is a bit unclear.
My last question about the 10-year agreement came from a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide--now a LEED Interpretation--from 8/21/2009, which I've included below. It adds to the confusion as it only requires purchasing RECs equal to 100% of the energy output and states that it supersedes the 200% requirement. So is the 200% for out-of-state RECs correct in the reference guide or is it overruled by the LEED Interpretation?
The applicant is asking for clarification on the quantity and length of time for which RECs need to be purchased in order to achieve credit for On-Site Renewable energy that is sold to the grid. Most of the various CIRs referenced by the applicant are relevant; some of these rulings appear to add confusion to the quantity of RECs that are needed. It has been determined that the project can achieve EAc2 by purchasing a total amount of RECs equal to 100% of the system's annual rated energy output. There must be at least a 10-year contract for the purchase of the energy output. This CIR supersedes the 200% requirement set by the CIR Ruling dated 5/16/2006. Please note this CIR only dictates the quantity of RECs and the duration and other requirements related to documentation and green-eGreen-e is a program established by the Center for Resource Solutions to both promote green electricity products and provide consumers with a rigorous and nationally recognized method to identify those products. stay valid as stated in the 5/16/2006 and other CIRs.
Michael
The reference guide implies the RECs are to be purchased for the same length of time as the applicant is selling is credits for. So if their PPA or some kind of REC generation agreement is for 20 years, they have to purchase RECs for 20 years. The CIRs are not valid for LEED 2009 projects and may not be cited.
Reference guide language is: RECs equal to 200% of the system's annual rated energy output "each year" are purchased...
Note the 'each year' term which supersedes all CIRs in our opinion.
To claim for EAc2
Hi,
Can i claim the points under EAc2 for a particular building if the PV array is inside the LEED campus boundary but outside the LEED project boundary?
And are we allowed to use the higher feed in tariff for the PV renewable energy in EAc1: Optimize energy or do we have to use the electricity tariff?
Thanks
Regina, I would say the answer to this question is yes, based on the piece about parking on page 14 of the LEED MPR supplemental guidance document.
I have a similar situation. Has anyone had any luck with this? Did GBCI ask you to provide a narrative or include submit a drawing showing the location of the PVs, etc.?
PV Production Calculation for EAC1
Dear All,
With a PV system on the roof of the building, we have calculated the predicted annual renewable electricity generation with some PV calculation software like PVSOL or software made available by inverter manufacturers. All give us approximate results around 20000 kWhA kilowatt-hour is a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu.. Since the energy model for EAC1 has been created with eQuest and since we do not have time to include PV in eQuest model, are results by these software sufficient? Specifically, would the reviewers demand from us exceptional calculation methodology information, which we would be unable to give with these software?
Hi Omer
For EAc1, PV generation capacity from a reliable calculation are sufficient. These should be backed by details of PV system size, capacity per panel, and reasonable assumptions to come up with the kWhA kilowatt-hour is a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000 watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu.. This number should also be used for EAc2 credit documentation. If you are using a software, make sure it's an industry accepted calculator and the PV vendor/installer can stand behind the results. For EAc1, you can add this kWH into the form and deduct from the total energy used to obtain total energy cost savings. Most software don't have the capability to model renewable energy system and this methodology is acceptable. You don't have to show a detailed ECMEnergy conservation measures are installations or modifications of equipment or systems intended to reduce energy use and costs. but for the PV generation calculation.
ESCO Performance Contract
If our project finances the on-site PV through an ESCO Performance Contract where the PV is owned and operated by a third party, but the electricity is sold back to the project/building owner - I assume this is eligible for EAc2 as the power is produced and used on-site? Also, I assume the PV does not have to be tied to the grid to qualify?
Yes, generated and used onsite with environmental attributes intact are the keys, so it sounds like you qualify. No, there is not a grid-tie requirement.
What about the opposite? If the electricity will only be tied to the grid and not connected directly to the project. The project will be connected to the same substation that the PV is connected to however.
The PV installation is part of the project, using a rack system above the surface parking area (all of which are new). Our client is a major company and in all practical matters is the muncipality and power company. The project is an office building and the PV installation will make up a large percentage of the annual energy used (approx 50%) though not all.
Just found the someone else's CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide on this topic. Seems like our approach is compliant. We are only interested in the grid connection, not the subsidized price.
CIR 2473
4/15/2009
The applicant is requesting clarification if an on-site installed renewable energy system that ties into the grid directly without connecting to the building meets the requirements of EA credit 2 and if the subsidized price can be applied to the calculations. 1. The owner of the on-site PV system (or the entity that has entered into a Power Purchasing Agreement to have PV installed on their property) is the key criteria here, not which side of the meter the energy seeps into. It should be noted that environmental benefits can only be claimed once. In cases where a building that hosts a PV system does not use the PV and/or the PV is fully financed, owned and sold to third parties, the host is not entitled to LEED recognition or REC value, unless the RECs are repurchased by the building owner. Only under such conditions of electricity generation using an on-site PV system, 100% of RECs need be repurchased when hosted on the same building. 2. No, subsidized price cannot be applied to the calculations.
Purchase of Biogas eligible for Onsite Renewable Energy?
Our projectteam has suggested buying a percentage of biogas from the supplier for use in the boilers as fuel for the site-wide heating system. Does anyone have experience of this approach applying for EAc2 Onsite Renewable Energy?
The selected biogas fulfills the Credit definition of biofuels (derived from animal waste), but this refinement of waste --> gas occurs off site. It is only the second-stage conversion of biogas --> useful heat energy for our project that will be occuring on site.
Any thoughts / experience gratefully received!
Victoria, according to the LEED Reference Guide, purchase of biogas for use onsite qualifies for this credit.
Required commissioning for On-Site Renewable Energy
The LEED NC 2009 briefly mentions that commissioning and measurement and verification are both needed if EaC2 On-Site renewable energy is pursued, however it does not state if fundamental commissioning is sufficient or if enhanced commissioning is a must. Any help will be apprecaited.
My two cents: having on-site renewables doesn't mean that enhanced commissioning is required - the Ref Guide is just trying to make it clear that any onsite renewables have to be inside the scope of the commissioning activities. Same applies to M&V - this is not neccesarily required, but if an M&V plan is developed then the renewable technologies should be a part of it.
Given the following
Given the following definitions of the variables, I am not sure if these are the correct formulas to use to determine the Percent Renewable Energy (PRE) per EA C2. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
PDEM - Proposed Design Energy Model
Energy cost per year from energy model for Design case
REC - Renewable Energy Cost
Cost of on-site renewable energy produced per year
PBP - Proposed Building Performance
Energy cost per year from energy model for Design case
The on-site Renewable Energy Cost is subtracted from the Proposed Design Energy Model cost to determine the Proposed Building Performance cost (PBP = PDEM-REC)
BAEC - Building Annual Energy Cost
Energy cost per year from CBECSThe Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) is a national sample survey that collects information on the stock of U.S. commercial buildings, their energy-related building characteristics, and their energy consumption and expenditures. Commercial buildings include all buildings in which at least half of the floorspace is used for a purpose that is not residential, industrial, or agricultural, so they include building types that might not traditionally be considered "commercial," such as schools, correctional institutions, and buildings used for religious worship. CBECS data is used in LEED energy credits. and CSAECS
PRE - Percent Renewable Energy (EA C2)
(In essence, the first two formulas are the same):
PRE = 100 ( REC / PBP ) = %
PRE = 100 ( REC / (PDEM - REC)) = %
PRE = 100 ( REC / BAEC ) = %
EAc2
I'm trying to find out what savings can be achieved for a building that uses 679,758KBtu annually that puts in a 20KW PV system (estimate design case).
Any information even if just ball park would be great!
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