ET Summit Program

Tuesday, November 16

8:30 AM: Welcome to Day 1 (with Alok Singh)

8:45 AM: How Smart Can Homes Get? The Latest in Smart Home RD&D

10:30 AM: Networking Break

11:00 AM: HVAC and Water Heating Solutions for Single-Family and Multi-Family Residential Customers

12:30 PM: Adjournment

Wednesday, November 17

8:30 AM: Welcome to Day 2 (with Edwin Hornquist)

8:45 AM: Technology Advancements to Enable Low-Carbon Food Processing

10:30 AM: Networking Break

11:00 AM: New Refrigerants Are A-Comin’

12:30 PM: Adjournment

Using Smart Speakers for TOU and Notification

Speaker: Albert Chiu, Product Manager, Pacific Gas and Electric Company | Slides

In this presentation on demand response emerging technology, PG&E evaluates leveraging smart speakers to educate customers on time-of-use (TOU) and using smart speakers to communicate event information such as SmartDays and public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) to customers.

This project was funded by PG&E’s Emerging Technologies Program.

Smart Home Technology and Market Trends

Speaker: Bryan Jungers, Senior Research Manager, Technology Assessment, E Source | Slides

Smart home technology has evolved over the last 10 years, from a nerdy novelty to a mainstream must-have. This presentation will provide a brief state-of-the-market update on smart home technologies in North America. Find out what devices customers already own, which features and benefits they care about most, and how utility programs can capitalize on this growing consumer demand.

Residential Behavior Change from a Time-of-Use Display

Speaker: Hal T. Nelson, PhD, CEO, Res-Intel | Slides
Panelist: Hunter Johnson, Data Scientist, Res-Intel

This presentation will share the results of a collaboration between Res-Intel and SDG&E that evaluated a residential time-of-use display and demand response messaging project in 2020. The display reduced peak summer electricity consumption on hot days by 3 to 8 percent from baseline use, primarily by customers with above-average levels of consumption.

An integrated demand-side management project co-funded by SDG&E's Emerging Technologies—Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs.

Smart Speakers, the Connected Home, and Energy

Speaker: Randy Robinson, Jr., Senior Project Manager, Southern California Edison | Slides

In this short presentation, learn how SCE is utilizing emerging technologies, such as smart speakers, to create impactful products and programs that help customers better manage energy usage, reduce their carbon footprint, and contribute to managing the energy grid.

This project was funded by SCE’s Emerging Products and Technologies Group.

Voice Assistants for Customer Engagement and Customer Programs

Speaker: Siva Sankaranarayanan, Senior Technical Leader, Electric Power Research Institute | Slides

This presentation will share the results of an emerging technologies project conducted by SDG&E and EPRI on the application of Amazon Alexa for improving customer engagement and energy management for customers under time-of-use rates. The study specifically addressed the potential for improved customer engagement and if it leads to better energy management. The study also explored the option of using end-use device signaling as a means to automate energy management and how it works in conjunction with customer engagement through Alexa.

An EPRI Supplemental Project co-funded by SDG&E's Emerging Technologies—Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs.

Technology Transformation: Multifamily/Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater Systems

Speaker: Jonathan Heller, President, Ecotope, Inc. | Slides

The presentation will describe the creation of a new class of water heating products: commercial heat pump water heating (CHPWH) systems. While air-to-water heat pumps are not new, they have captured a very small portion of the water heater market due to the cost, complexity, and risk associated with the design, installation, and operation of these systems. Ecotope has been working with CHPWH manufacturers with funding from Bonneville Power Administration, NEEA, and others aligned with the Advanced Water Heating Initiative to shift to a standardized systems approach in the development and delivery of CHPWHs to the marketplace.

SCE's Emerging Technologies Program is involved in evaluation of application of these systems.

​Implementing Advanced Fuel-Fired Combined Space and Water Heating Systems as an Energy Efficiency Measure in California

Speakers: Tim Kingston, Director, R&D, GTI; and Ryan Kerr, Senior Manager, Emerging Technologies, GTI | Slides

The California TRM now supports fuel-fired combined space and water heating (combis) as a deemed energy efficiency measure. This presentation will provide a portfolio of proven combi-system approaches that can be implemented in utility programs for residential applications.

Emerging Technologies Using Heat Recovery for Domestic Hot Water Delivery

Speaker: Doug Lindsey, Technical Leader, Electric Power Research Institute | Slides

This presentation will introduce concepts and technologies that aim to recapture energy from hot water that goes down the drain. By recovering this wasted energy, less energy will be needed to heat water, either by preheating cold water or by transferring the waste heat to a refrigerant in a heat pump.

SCE's Emerging Technologies Program provided technical assistance during the evaluation of some of these systems.

Advanced High-Temperature Heat Pump for the Efficient Recovery of Low-Grade Industrial Waste Heat

Speaker: Ammi Amarnath, Senior Technical Executive, Electrification & Customer Solutions Research Area, Electric Power Research Institute | Slides

This presentation will inform the audience about the development of advanced high-temperature heat pumps that can recover waste heat from industrial process and produce high-quality useful steam. Though this development is happening around the world, the focus will be on the development and testing of a unique heat pump in California with a high coefficient of performance (COP >=3.4) while utilizing a low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant. Upon commercialization, steam produced from such a heat pump can be readily used in food processing and other applications, such as bread making, cooking, sterilization, and chemical processing.

This project was funded by the California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC).

Solar Steam for Deep Decarbonization of Almond Processing

Speaker: Philip Gleckman, CEO, Sunvapor, Inc. | Slides

Pasteurization of almonds without the use of chemicals requires steam year-round. The energetic demand for steam far exceeds electricity demand at the facility. This presentation introduces a deep decarbonization solution that uses solar thermal energy to generate steam for the facility’s steam supply network, offsetting 50 percent of the annual gas usage with a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants. The platform has broad applicability to the decarbonization of California industries.

This project was funded by the California Energy Commission’s Food Production Investment Program (FPIP).

Industrial Agriculture and Water Program: An Overview

Speaker: Michael Lozano, Senior Mechanical Engineer, California Energy Commission | Slides

This presentation will provide an overview of the CEC’s Industrial, Agriculture and Water (IAW) program. IAW is an almost-20-year-old program which has provided large grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in California’s IAW sectors. This overview will highlight CEC efforts in California’s agricultural and water sectors.

These projects were funded by the California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) and Natural Gas Research Programs.

Reducing Global Warming Potential in the Food Processing Market

Speaker: Jay Madden, PE, Senior Engineer, Emerging Products & Technologies, Southern California Edison | Slides

Greenhouse gas reduction is taking center stage in SCE’s programs. Rather than concentrating on electrical savings only, our Emerging Technologies focus is on Total Systems Benefits. These benefits include reducing natural gas combustion and replacing high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. Current projects include cold storage warehouses using very low GWP refrigerants, replacing gas-fired boilers with heat pumps, and plug-in loading docks for truck refrigeration units.

This project was funded by SCE's Emerging Technologies Program.

Food Production Investment Program Overview

Speaker: Kevin Uy, PE, Supervisor, California Energy Commission | Slides

This presentation will provide an overview of the CEC’s Food Production Investment Program (FPIP). FPIP is an innovative program which provides large grants for drop-in and emerging energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in order to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in California’s food-processing sector.

These projects were funded by the California Energy Commission’s Food Production Investment Program (FPIP).

A Tale of Two Natural Refrigerant Systems: Interim Findings from a Comparative Study in Sacramento

Speakers: Kathleen Ave, Senior Climate Program Manager, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; and Daniel J. “DJ” Chapman, Senior Mechanical Engineer, ADM Associates Inc. | Slides

​This presentation will provide an overview of SMUD’s Pilot Natural Refrigerant Incentive Program origins and objectives. Two natural refrigerant systems in two separate grocery store chains have received the incentive thus far and are still being monitored. Interim system performance findings from the first year following installation will be shared.

This project was funded by SMUD and the American Public Power Association’s Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments (DEED) grant program.

California: HFC Policy and Regulations

Speaker: Aanchal Kohli, Air Resources Engineer, California Air Resources Board | Slides

This presentation will discuss the HFC policy landscape in California and provide information about California’s climate mandates as well as existing and proposed measures to reduce HFC emissions.

Refrigerant Update: The Next Transition Has Begun

Speaker: Steve Kujak, Director, Next Generation Refrigerant Research, Trane Technologies | Slides

Regulatory actions to control climate change has resulted in the development of lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. This presentation will cover the various low GWP refrigerant technology options available today for the commercial air-conditioning applications and future options that will be placed in the marketplace by 2024.

The Energy/Greenhouse Gas Nexus in Supermarket Refrigeration

Speaker: Jay Madden, PE, Senior Engineer, Emerging Products & Technologies, Southern California Edison | Slides

Upcoming regulations in the California refrigeration industry are addressing the global warming potential (GWP) of current refrigerants. But what is the current state of California supermarkets, and where do we need to go to meet our GWP goals? Learn how SCE, through several field assessments, is researching the energy impacts of newly proposed replacement refrigerants. These studies will occur in new and retrofitted supermarkets, in several California climate zones.

Food Retail Refrigeration Trends and Opportunities

Speaker: Danielle Wright, Executive Director, North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council | Slides

Regulations and corporate climate targets in the food retail sector are driving a large-scale transition away from super-polluting HFC refrigerants towards climate-friendly alternatives such as natural refrigerants. This presentation will provide an overview of the regulatory landscape, emerging technology solutions with low global warming potential, and opportunities to maximize both indirect and direct GHG emissions.