ABB Endorses Efficiency Standards for Distribution Transformers
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US Dept. of Energy program would save 250m tons of CO2 through 2038
Norwalk, Connecticut, July 10, 2007 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology company, announced today that it endorses the tiered implementation of efficiency standards for distribution transformers proposed by EEI/APPA on February 7th, 2007.
The announcement follows extensive review of the issues around the U.S. Department of Energy's August 4th, 2006 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) for the Distribution Transformers Energy Conservation Standard.
The EEI/APPA recommendation is to phase in a national efficiency standard beginning in 2009 at DoE's TSL-2 level, and progress to a higher standard (TSL-4) in 2013. ABB believes that this approach will provide significant energy savings that are consistent with the market's ability to satisfy demand for distribution transformers.
In the NOPR, DoE defined six "trial standard levels" (TSL) of efficiency:
TSL-1: The NEMA TP 1 standard level
TSL-2: 1/3 of difference between TP 1 and minimum LCC (TSL-4)
TSL-3: 2/3 of difference between TP 1 and minimum LCC (TSL-4)
TSL-4: Minimum LCC (Life-Cycle Cost)
TSL-5: Maximum energy savings with no change in LCC
TSL-6: Maximum energy savings
The projected national benefit to be obtained from these various levels of efficiency as stated in the NOPR is significant, as shown in the table below.
Cumulative benefit 2010 - 2038 Trial Standard Level
1 2 3 4 5 6
Primary Energy Saved (Quads) 1.77 2.39 3.15 3.63 6.9 9.77
Emissions Reductions
CO2 (Mt) 123.1 167.3 218.5 252.7 483.1 679.5
NOx (kt) 34.1 46.4 60.9 71 134.9 188
Hg (t) 3 3.7 4.3 4.9 6.4 6.5
As noted by the DOE in the NOPR, the TSL-2 energy savings is equivalent to twice the 2001 primary energy consumption of New York and California combined or 11 new 400-megawatt (MW) power plants.
TSL-2 is readily achievable today both technologically and economically. Further delay in its enactment will result in a significant lost opportunity to reap the benefits of this standard given the 30 year life span of these devices.
TSL-4, representing the minimum life-cycle cost alternative, provides an energy savings 52% greater than TSL-2 as stated in the NOPR. This is equivalent to three times the combined energy consumption of New York and California or 17 new 400-megawatt power plants. TSL-4 additionally reduces emissions over TSL-2 by 51% for CO2, 53% for NOx, and 32% for Hg.
TSL-4 is readily achievable today using conventional technology in the vast majority of distribution transformer applications. In the few areas where uncertainties exist, ABB is confident that the industry will supply solutions prior to 2013.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 109,000 people. The company's North American operations, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, employ about 12,000 people in 20 manufacturing and other major facilities.
