7/28/2019 0912 Hills

1/33

Technology on the Horizon

Ramping Up Energy Efficiency:Delivering Solutions to Natural Gas Utility Customers in a New Energy Economy

Presented at AGA Energy Efficiency Forumby

Southwest Gas Corp.Anthony W. Hills, P.E.

anthony.hills@swgas.com

12/10/2009

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

2/33

Technology on the HorizonAGENDA

New energy economy

What is Southwest Gas doing Energy Efficient Technology Department

Delivering solutions Gas cooling (available today)

Gas cooling (on the horizon)

Solar thermal (available today)

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

3/33

SWG Service Territory

1.8 million customers

LasVegas

Phoenix

Tucson

Carson City

Victorville

1.8 Million Customers

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

4/33

New Energy Economy

for a Natural Gas Company

Efficiency vs. overall efficiency

Site vs. source (Full-Fuel-Cycle)

Site only standards dont work in a carbonconstrained global environment

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

5/33

Responsibility #1

Natural gas companies and AGA to push policymakers to recognize

Site-based standards do not work

Source efficiency ratings and standards must beaccepted or we will never reach the

greenhouse gas reduction goal the policy

makers want

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

6/33

Resource Optimization Site vs. Source

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

7/33

Deliver solutions to our natural gas customers.

Responsibility #2

Have real answers

How are we going to do this?

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

8/33

Responsibility #2Provide products thatProvide products that

Reduce overall greenhouse gasReduce overall greenhouse gas

emissionsemissionsOffer superior user benefits (cost,Offer superior user benefits (cost,

comfort, green, etc.)comfort, green, etc.)Deliver overall environmentalDeliver overall environmental

superiority compared to the electricsuperiority compared to the electric

fueled equipment on the market todayfueled equipment on the market today

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

9/33

What is Southwest Gas (SWG) doing?

SWG Energy Efficient Technology DepartmentProjects:

Gas heat pumps (GHPs)

8-ton & 15-ton multi-zone GHPs

10-ton packaged GHP

Residential GHP in development

Solar thermal space heating & domestic hot waterwith natural gas backup

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

10/33

Gas-Fired Heat Pumps (GHP)The basic system for the heating and cooling cycleis the same as an electric heat pump (EHP)

Main differences are:

A GHP uses a natural gas (or propane) fired engine todrive its compressors instead of an electric motor

Captures and uses waste heat from the engine

Variable speeds / variable capacity (versus on/off forelectric units)

Maximizing fuel economy Maximizing comfort

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

11/33

Drivers for Gas Cooling Air conditioning load is the dominant energy use

in the Southwest Gas service territory

Most of our customers are in the three largest metro

areas (Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson)

A viable solution to alleviate increasing electricdemand Gas cooling can save over 80% of the electric usage

compared to electric air-conditioners Help flatten the companys load profile

Purchase more 12-month gas and less winter peak gas

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

12/33

Spring Summer Fall Winter

Months

EnergyC

onsumption

Electric

Gas

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

13/33

Spring Summer Fall Winter

Months

EnergyC

onsumption

Electric

Gas

Elec w/GHP

Gas w/GHP

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

14/33

Gas Heat Pumps Packaged & Multi-zone

Provides heating, cooling& captures waste heat

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

15/33

Now sold and supported by

Gas Heat Pumps products

Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ

www.NextAire.com

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

16/33

Multi-zone Outdoor Units

15 RTup to 33 zones

Multiple Zones, Flexible Design

8 RTup to 17 zones

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

17/33

Multi-zone

Air Conditioning System

Ducted and ductless applications

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

18/33

NextAire GHP Air Handlers

Multi-zone GHP

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

19/33

Bullhead City, Arizona

SWG Office Buildings in Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

20/33

Factory in Hungary

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

21/33

Multi-zone GHP

Features Application Benefit8-ton & 15-ton

R-410A

Multi-zones (up to 33zones)

Ground or roof mounted

Designed to operate inextreme high and lowtemperatures

Space saver on existing orfuture mechanical r ooms

Quiet as a whisper, 58 dB

Lower operating cost thantwo or four pipe systems

Manufactured in Japan

Commercial buildings

Custom & semi-customresidential

New or retrofit construction

Ducted, ductless, orcombination of both

Outdoor unit can be set backas far as 400 feet from thebuilding

Up to a total of 1,706 relative

feet

Can handle large 100, 200,300+ tonnage applications

Highly efficient in bothheating and cooling modes

All-in-one heating andcooling unit

Multi-zone feature provideshigher comfort level

Potential for innovativebuilding design with ductlesscapabilities

Fully optimizing part loads

(IPL)Freeing up electricity for

redistribution within thefacilities

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

22/33

10-Ton Packaged GHP

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

23/33

Packaged GHP Overview

Features Application Benefits

10-ton

R-410A

Rooftop package

Built in the U.S.

Made for harshtemperatures of the desertSouthwest

Commercial

Retrofit

New construction

Mounted on rooftop curb,similar to electric rooftopunits

Avoid high demand andtime-of-use electric charges

Highly efficient in both

heating and cooling modes

Captures and utilizes wasteheat from the engine

Saves water compared toelectric units

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

24/33

GHP Demonstration

Yuma, AZ

* Fueled by propane

Department of Defense Demonstration Project

Barstow, CA (Barstow Marine)

Phoenix, AZ (Luke AFB) Las Vegas, NV (Nellis AFB)

Yuma, AZ (Yuma Marine)

CA desert (Ft. Irwin Army)*

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

25/33

Commercial Applications

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

26/33

Environmental Merit of GHPs

Lower emissions

Save primary energy

Smaller carbon foot print

Ozone friendly

Water savings

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

27/33

Annual Water Savings

Saves approximately17,000 gallons of water ayear compared to asimilar-sized electricHVAC system.

Impressive Water Savings!

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

28/33

Whisper Quiet Personalized Comfort

GHP

Conventional A/C

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

29/33

Emerged Technology

Commercially available within SWG service territory

Great opportunity for other Gas Companies?

Consumers CAN have a choice!

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

30/33

Solar Thermal Technology

How does SWG and the natural gas industry play a role?

Solar heating and solar domestic hot water Natural gas back-up with a condensing, modulating

burner (~95% efficient)

Remember site vs. source (it can apply to solar as well)

Does not just shift the electrical load but eliminates the load

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

31/33

Tucson Solar / Natural Gas Hydronic

Heating Project

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

32/33

Phoenix Water Heater System

Solar panel

Hydronic fan coil

7/28/2019 0912 Hills

33/33

Using natural gas on site builds the bridge to a moreefficient, environmentally friendly era of energy use.