We’ve embarked on the first-ever U.S. installation of Flow Environmental Systems’ ANSWR hydronic CO2 heat pump, at the world’s most advanced buildings lab, FLEXLAB at LBNL. Under this 2 year effort we’ll be installing and testing the ANSWR system under a variety of run scenarios, demonstrating its ability to provide heating, cooling and domestic hot water simultaneously from one system.

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• Project Summary

• Press Release

Another demonstration of the Flow Environmental Systems ANSWR hydronic CO2 heat pump will be carried out at the Straus Family Creamery in Rohnert Park, CA. In parallel with our HVAC testing, we’ll put ANSWR to work running freezing and chilling facilities within the Straus operation, accompanied by advanced defrost and control strategies and an ethylene glycol thermal storage tank to effectively shift electrical demand by up to 4 hours. 

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• Press Release

• Project Summary

This project will expand capacity in multifamily units without expensive panel and system upgrades, and enables an otherwise impossible full electrification of each dwelling. Using distributed plug-in batteries, smart electrical panels, and thoughtfully designed controls, we’ll demonstrate how units with 60A panels and circuitry can behave like a 100+A system, and manage a set of all electric resources such as heat pumps, induction stoves, dryers, and other appliances. In grid events, we’ll demonstrate how the units will go into emergency mode, offering extended battery support without sacrificing access to HVAC, cooking, and other critical needs, for up to 5 days. We’ll demonstrate this approach in two housing communities located 15 miles apart in Arcata and Willow Creek, CA with partners Danco Communities and Redwood Energy, and manage the systems via a centralized controller system developed by Berkeley Lab. Battery and smart panels are provided thanks to EcoFlow Technology, and system design is provided by IDeAs Consulting.

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• Project Introduction

• Project Summary

ProspectSV is supporting nationwide policy research with the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), to characterize how industry tools, services, programs, and finance may or may not support compliance with Building Performance Standards (BPS) for smaller buildings and small portfolios.

We’re partnering with the City of Palo Alto Utilities to provide electrification technical assistance, outreach, and program design guidance as the city embarks on piloting installations of heat pump HVAC systems to their customers. More information coming soon!