The team of research engineers at UNLV Center for Energy Research, comprising Aaron Sahm and Rick Hurt, are specialized in conducting thorough tests on photovoltaic systems and their components. With one of only five solar test facilities in the United States, they take pride in providing a diverse range of solar measurements. The center's ideal location in Las Vegas, with its ample sunlight and extreme temperatures, makes it the perfect spot for constant solar testing.
'We conduct testing services for various organizations such as the National Labs in the US, including Oak Ridge National Lab, Sandia National Lab, and NASA National Renewable Energy labs. We also provide resource assessment for local governments, as well as the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and Department of Interior. For instance, if a solar plant is going to be built in a desert, we can set up solar measurement a couple of years before construction to help the plant builders demonstrate to banks how much energy they can reduce. This information is crucial for financing and helps them understand how their systems perform in the specific areas they're building. Our testing services cover solar, wind, and other energy forms, as Aaron Sahm explained while addressing journalists.
'Our team is working on several projects, including monitoring the wind's impact on mixing in one of Southern California's alpine lakes. We have installed monitoring systems around the lake and are collecting data for the Department of Interior, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the local lake authority. Additionally, we test various systems for a manufacturer of evaporative cooling units for greenhouses, including air conditioners and purification systems. We also conduct a numerical and experimental analysis of systems, which involves building test assemblies for Ph.D. students to test their numerical models.
One of our projects involves a Brayton cycle that uses supercritical CO2 as the working fluid. It's an energy cycle that uses a closed-loop system with CO2 gas instead of water. The project has specialized turbo machinery equipment that we make ourselves in our machine shops. We are currently testing bearings in the system and building magnetic couplings to take the rotational energy through the pressure wall', he added.
Apart from this project, the researchers work on energy-efficient homes and compete nationally and internationally in the Solar Decathlon. Aaron Sahm noted impressive results in their work, ranking second and third internationally and first four nationally.
Rick Hurt added that UNLV Center for Energy Research collaborates with home builders on various projects, including constructing zero-energy homes as part of extensive housing complexes. The builders then offer the option to purchase individual components of the energy-efficient homes, such as solar water heating or photovoltaic systems. To ensure optimal performance, researchers conducted side-by-side testing between the newly constructed homes and existing ones. Additionally, scholars monitored the homes for five years to ensure their continued efficiency.
'The first year as models, but when people moved in, we kept monitoring instead of looking at the energy. And the zero energy home was shown to become carbon neutral. Aaron Sahm said they even offset that energy use in the home's construction. I worked on a project involving 185 homes in the western part of town. Initially, students analyzed the homes, and based on their findings, the builder made necessary changes to the homes. As a result, there was a significant 60% reduction in grid electricity consumption across all the homes. Some homes even have a friendly competition among themselves, with a few not having to pay any electric bills, except for the connection fee. These homes are highly energy-efficient and have no power bills.
Reportedly, the power companies are privately owned and not under government control. Some municipalities hold a stake in these companies, but the government does not generate any revenue from them.
'And the energy companies are OK with it. Because in the middle of the day, say, your house is using or making more electricity than it uses. They sell the excess electricity to your neighbors. And they still get their connection fees. The connection fees are about $50 a maximum or $50 monthly, so they still make some money. It helps people to pay $80. Yeah, just to be connected to the power. So I live in a big house, and a big power bill for me is maybe $200. And I get that once a year', researchers noted.
Rick Hurt has provided insights into how solar systems function during winter; PV systems tend to perform better in winter due to lower temperatures. However, the sun's angle may drop; if the system is fixed, it may not work optimally.
'Since the days are shorter, the amount of energy generated is lower. Nonetheless, there is no need to run air conditioning during winter, which equates to energy savings. One can accumulate credits and use them during high energy consumption periods by storing the electricity generated through net metering. Although heating homes with electricity can significantly affect energy consumption, many homes use natural gas for heating', Aaron Sahm stressed.
The scientists have revealed they are working with the area's gas utilities, sharing their intentions to create a blend of hydrogen and natural gas.
Aaron Sahm also shared that they will begin with a 5% utilization of hydrogen and then gradually increase it to 10%.
Currently, there is a lot of interest in this technology in the US as it can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing a portion of natural gas with clean-burning hydrogen.
The team of researchers is collaborating with a privately-owned utility to conduct hydrogen research. It is setting up a project to blend it into a test facility of homes operated by the local gas utility. The Gas Technology Institute will test the appliances and devices to ensure optimal performance and identify potential leakage issues. The project is expected to last for five years.
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