An increasing number of energy-efficient appliances operate on direct current (DC) internally, offering the potential to use DC power from renewable energy systems directly and avoiding the losses inherent in converting power to alternating current (AC) and back. This paper investigates that potential for net-metered residences with on-site photovoltaics (PV) by modeling the net power draw of the "direct-DC house" with respect to today's typical configuration, assuming identical DC-internal loads. The power draws were modeled for houses in 14 U.S. cities using hourly simulated PVsystem output and residential loads. The latter were adjusted to reflect a 35% load reduction representative of the most efficient DC-internal technology based on an analysis of 32 electricity end-uses. The model tested the effect of climate, electric vehicle loads, electricity storage, and load shifting on electricity savings; a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine how future changes in the efficiencies of power system components might affect savings potential. National average direct-DC savings of 5% were estimated for configurations without storage and 14% for configurations with storage. Load shifting did not have a significant positive effect on savings, and the electric vehicle reduced the incremental savings compared to the same house configuration without it. The estimated savings were affected by the power system and appliance conversion efficiencies but were not significantly influenced by climate. v I would also like to thank Rachel O'Malley and Will Russell for their patience and support with this paper and especially for guiding me through the whole duration of this master's program from the beginning to the graduation process.
Cost effective zero net energy (ZNE) schemes exist for many types of residential and commercial buildings. Yet, today's alternating current (AC) based ZNE designs may be as much as 10% to 20% less efficient, more costly, and more complicated than a design based on direct current (DC) technologies. An increasing number of research organizations and manufacturers are just starting the process of developing products and conducting research and development (R&D) efforts. These early R&D efforts indicate that the use of DC technologies may deliver many energy and non-energy benefits relative to AC-based typologies. DC ZNE schemes may provide for an ideal integrating platform for natively DC-based onsite generation, storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging and end-use loads. Emerging empirical data suggest that DC enduse appliances are more efficient, simpler, more durable, and lower cost. DC technologies appear to provide ratepayers a lower cost pathway to achieve resilient ZNE buildings, and simultaneously yield a plethora of benefits.
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