Dharamvir S. Chawla | MEL Candidate | Dec 16, 2022
Mentor: Abhijeet Singh, BC Care Providers
Abstract
The building sector contributes to 10% of total GHG emissions in BC. The clean BC pathway has taken the target to reduce this emission by making net-zero buildings by 2030. A project is undertaken with BC Cares Providers Association to study the techno-commercial feasibility of various clean energy sources for senior living homes, which can also be considered for other buildings. This study is highly beneficial to provide insights into new building constructions to effectively eliminate the use of Natural Gas. The various energy sources under study are Renewable Natural Gas, Complete Electricity, and a combination of RNG & Electricity (Electricity is almost a clean energy source in BC from BC Hydro).
A large-scale building is studied for the entire energy consumption pattern as per its use under pure electric load, baseload, water heating load, and space heating load with an existing energy source along with the operating cost and GHG emissions. The same building is then considered and studied for clean energy use like completely renewable natural gas (supplied by Fortis BC), complete electricity (supplied by BC Hydro), and thirdly the combination of electricity and RNG by keeping the energy load the same as per the existing installations. Results are derived based on the parameters like energy consumption, carbon emission, operating cost, etc. New installation is also proposed including the capital cost of replacement and the payback period with the new technologies available in the market for space heating platforms like Gas Absorption Heat Pumps, Air Source Heat Pumps, and Combined Heat and Power, to rationalize the Capex and Opex after replacement and end of the economic life of the product.
The study has provided wonderful insights to conclude the energy source and its combination through which one can derive what is best suited for buildings under the clean BC pathway of 2030.