HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-21 Agenda Packet - Board (10) c-
'TRUCKEE DONNER
Public Utility District
Staff Report
To: Board of Directors
From: Scott Terrell
Date: June 15, 2000
Subject: Ground Source Heat Pump Site Monitoring Grant Funding Resolution
Truckee Donner Public Utility District participated with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in the
development of a Ground Source Heat Pump pilot project involving evaluating the performance of
GSHPs in Truckee and Sacramento during the period from November, 1996 through January, 1998.
This project was funded by a $190,000 grant from the California Energy Commission. There were 5
sites in Truckee in this program. Prior to the ending of this pilot site monitoring period TDPUD and
SMUD approached the CEC to fund a phase II GSHP pilot site monitoring project. The CEC was
interested and funding was available and TDPUD and SMUD applied for $200,000 of additional
funding. Attached is a resolution for the proposed adoption of this GSHP Phase 11 pilot project.
Due to budget and program changes at the CEC the grant funding was delayed. The grant money
has now been awarded for a TDPUD/SMUD GSHP phase II pilot program. The original pilot program
proved to provide very valuable information for TDPUD customers. A few key points include the fact
that GSHPs only cost about 3 cents per square-foot winter-month to heat an average insulated
building during the winter. For example, an average 2500 square foot home with a GSHP would only
cost an average of$75 per winter month to heat. Another valuable piece of information derived from
the pilot is adding a pre-heating tank in conjunction with the water heater to optimize the benefits of
hot water generation from the GSHP. Other useful information was obtained from this pilot project.
The GSHP phase 11 pilot will add 3 additional monitoring sites to Truckee. This phase will focus more
on how to optimize the benefits of an existing GSHP installation. Most energy experts are aware that
adding such features as insulation and other conservation measures into a building saves energy
and generally improves the economic benefit of heating and cooling buildings. Buildings in Truckee
equipped with the GSHP technology have proven to provide economical, low-cost and comfortable
heating. The CEC, TDPUD and SMUD believe that incorporating some additional conservation
features into select homes may optimize the benefits to a building user by lowering energy costs,
improving the overall cost-effectiveness of a GSHP project and providing greater comfort. The phase
11 GSHP pilot will allow us to research and quantify these benefits.
Reccomendation
Staff recommends that TDPUD participate in receiving the $200,000 California Energy Commission
GSHP grant funding along with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District by adopting the attached
Resolution.
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