OSU-ENGIE Connected Community: automated BUilding Control with Knowledge of distributed EnergY resources and Electrical Systems for Grid Offerings (BUCKEYES GO!)

Lead Performer: The Ohio State University – Columbus, OH 
Partners:
-- ENGIE North America Inc. – Houston, TX
-- NREL – Golden, CO
DOE Total Funding: $4,200,000
Cost Share: $8,600,000
Project Term: June 16, 2022 – June 15, 2027
Funding Type: Connected Communities FOA Award

Project Objective

Up to 20 campus buildings of diverse vintages and uses (commercial, multifamily) with 10.3 MW of peak demand are integrated with a 105 MW combined heat and power plant; a co-located central chiller plant; ~65,000 square feet of PV; 29 EV charging stations; and 50 MW of wind energy through a power purchase agreement. The goal is to leverage this mature campus infrastructure and transform operations and demonstrating cybersecure orchestrated control of buildings and distributed energy resources for energy efficiency, demand management, and provision of grid services including frequency regulation, synchronized reserve, and energy and capacity markets participation.

Project Impact 

• Cybersecure AI- and model predictive control-based approach, integrating local fault detection, ubiquitous sensing and AI-based comfort optimization 
• Aiming for a quantifiable improvement in occupant experience
• Robust methods to survey and measure occupant experience (IEQ, productivity, well-being, building services attitudes and behaviors) and comfort
• Business model for institutional energy management

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Brian Walker
Lead Performer: Michael Hagenberger, The Ohio State University