Buildings, Energy, Greenhouse Gas, Industrial and Policy Modeling and Simulation Tools Available from Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Department

January 7, 2014

Tools and models to find the best way to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in cities and industries, to follow the transport of pollutants through the environment, and to calculate the cost of power interruptions are among those available on a new Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) web site.

The site brings together models and simulation tools developed by the Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts (EAEI) Department of the Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division.

“Our hope is that the site will facilitate greater technical awareness of the many analytical tools we have developed over the years, potentially leading to new opportunities for cooperation among stakeholders and sponsors,” said Charles H. Goldman, Leader of the Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Department.

The site lists tools according to research area (technology environment, economics), the relevant energy sector (buildings, industry, power transportation, cross-sector).

A search tool in the left hand margin of the page allows users to search for relevant tools by research area, sector, and the type of user who might be interested in the tool: industry practitioners, academic institutions, policy makers, state regulators, and utilities. By checking off the boxes under area, sector, and user type (or research group within the Department), the user can create a customized list of tools geared to his or her own interests.

The search tool helps users go directly to the tool with the capabilities they need, rather than search through a variety of pages.

The variety of tools available is broad and reflects the work conducted by dozens of researchers in the EAEI Department over many years of effort. Included in the 40 available tools are a tool for analyzing distributed energy resources, a utilities tariff analysis, a tool for analyzing energy-efficient retrofit alternatives for commercial buildings, and tools for analyzing the energy efficiency gains and greenhouse gas reductions of various types of measures in a variety of industries including pulp and paper, steel, and textiles.

Author

Allan Chen