Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL's) expertise that makes homes and commercial buildings more efficient and "connected" to the power grid will now be deployed in two separate, multi-million-dollar projects in Washington State and Utah.
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced funding for 10 such "Connected Communities" projects nationwide. The projects, which serve as models for future efforts, seek to transform thousands of homes and workplaces into state-of-the-art, energy-efficient buildings that interact with the grid to coordinate their energy consumption. The coordination can save energy, reduce costs and carbon emissions, improve grid reliability, and increase use of clean energy sources.
Researchers at PNNL will partner with Spokane Edo LLC and PacifiCorp on respective projects in Spokane, Washington, and Salt Lake City, Utah. PNNL will introduce technologies, such as Intelligent Load Control and the Eclipse VOLTTRON™ software platform, to both projects, while providing a range of technical expertise.