Miscellaneous electric loads (MELs) in buildings are electric charges generated from electronic devices that are not responsible for heating, cooling, water heating, or lighting. MELs are manufactured by "plug-in" and hard electrical devices, including home entertainment centers, kitchen electronics such as microwave ovens and toasters, toiletries such as hair dryers and electric hot tubs, and others such as security systems and ceiling fans. MELs are increasingly important as home electronics become more sophisticated and wider, and other power usage can only be expected to increase.
Video Miscellaneous electric load
Description
Other electrical usage includes a wide range of electronic collections, such as power adapters, pool pumps, computer equipment, televisions, doorbells, telephone/fax machines, and many others. MELs usually do not include major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, dryers, etc. Although each device can attract a small amount of power, the number of large and increasing devices can use most of the home energy. In the United States, MELs consist of nearly a quarter of the energy use of housing, greater than the heating or cooling of final energy use. In low-energy homes, this percentage increases dramatically, because MELs are often ignored while increasing the efficiency of the whole house.
On average, home entertainment equipment, including television, audio equipment, and computers, account for about half of the total MEL in US homes. Approximately 13 percent of MELs come from the device in standby mode.
Maps Miscellaneous electric load
Significance to zero-energy building
MELs can be lowered by using fewer electronic devices, choosing more efficient electronics (eg, Energy Star equipment), modifying occupant behavior and managing standby power. However, MELs are significant barriers in creating zero-energy buildings. Heating, cooling and heating water loads of energy can be reduced by improvements to the building envelope, HVAC and water heating equipment, and air distribution systems. However, MELs are more difficult to understand because of their diversity. Many other electrical devices can be found in most smaller homes - eg toasters, televisions and internet routers, while larger attractions, such as well pumps or water heaters, exist only in a small part of the house. Such varieties make it difficult to find systematic methods to reduce MELs. If MELs can not be reduced, the only way to counter them is with a larger (and thus more expensive) solar system or other power generation method.
Energy feedback devices
One of the reasons MELs are difficult to mitigate is because the use of small electrical devices is controlled directly by building occupants. One way to reduce MELs is to use an energy feedback device that reports real-time energy usage for residents. The use of this device has been tested in various studies suggesting a house-saving of 5% -15%. With the latest advances in technology, energy feedback devices can be purchased for $ 100- $ 150. The feedback device allows people to identify and reduce standby power and reduce unnecessary power. In addition, residents can see the effect of swimming pump/heating pool, heating additional space, air conditioning, etc. The energy feedback device can further help zero energy buildings, where it is desired to align the electrical load with the photovoltaic panel output.
See also
- Detective Energy
- Energy Star
- Plug a load
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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