Toronto Metropolitan University

Purpose

Most existing buildings operating a natural gas–based heating system can be paired with an electric heat pump and controlled using the dual-fuel switching (DFS) platform. In this basic scenario, the DFS can select the energy source to minimize energy costs by considering the temperature dependent efficiency of the heat-pump and time-of-use price of electricity. When compared to its pre-retrofit condition (i.e., 100% natural gas) the DFS system operates with lower operational cost and emissions annually. The Project will use NRC test facilities to obtain experimental data in a lab setting to further advance the capabilities of the DFS platform while demonstrating its efficacy in mitigating grid demand and fuel costs.