This project's objective is to develop an automated tool to determine cost effectiveness and feasibility of Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR)/MicroCVR technology transfer. The tool will be suitable for use across installations in lieu of a contracted Preliminary Assessment (PA) and should require little training or assistance.

The technology transfer model and tool will leverage the success of EW-201519, which demonstrated the advantages of deploying CVR/MicroCVR at the enterprise and building level at Fort Myer, Virginia. The results exceeded expectations and showed that these combined technologies can automatically reduce energy use by between 3 to 6 percent. This project will develop an innovative economic and technology assessment tool to transfer this technology throughout the Department of Defense (DoD) quickly and at very low cost. An analytical model and an automated software tool will be developed that assess the feasibility and cost effectiveness of using CVR and/or MicroCVR on an installation. This will allow DoD to perform its own preliminary assessments (normally contracted out at a cost of $50K or more) to determine and prioritize which installations can benefit the most from this technology transfer. The input factors will include the same information an installation would provide to a contracted PA Team. The model will also allow for comparative analysis between installations so that the technology can be installed at bases and in buildings where the payoff is the greatest and most immediate.

The algorithms that integrate these inputs will calculate implementation costs, potential energy savings, and potential payback periods, while allowing for the inherent variability of regional market conditions and the existing technology capability at each installation. The automated tool will be developed using common DoD-owned Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel. A user manual will be provided that will document how to obtain site specific and other data. It will require minimal training, very little or no support and will allow inputs at the installation level by DoD personnel. The tool will provide common decision-making outputs, including reliability and confidence levels for costs and payback periods, allowing automated comparative analysis at the Service or DoD level. The level of fidelity of the results will be sufficient for DoD to make investment grade audit decisions for installations to implement CVR/MicroCVR in a cost effective and prioritized fashion. This eliminates costly preliminary assessments, normally contracted for by DoD with private companies, yet provides similar results with inputs by non-technical personnel using familiar software.

This tool will save DoD both money and time by replacing costly contracted commercial PAs with a near no-cost alternative, saving nearly $20M and accelerating CVR/MicroCVR technology transfer. It will provide sufficiently reliable results to inform an audit-level design and cost investment decisions and allow an unbiased comparison so that investments can be prioritized. This demonstration will also allow DoD to showcase the exceptional value of investing in the Fort Myer demonstration (EW-201519), saving an additional 3-6% on electricity costs for what we anticipate will be the majority of installations. Finally, it will demonstrate that automated tools can replace some PAs where analysis can be standardized.