VC-21A-A009 -- Decarbonization of a Residential Community in Golden, CO

With the increasing need to reduce carbon emissions, there is a growing interest in electrification combined with renewable generation. It is particularly important to understand the impact electrification of the residential sector and the effects it will have on the energy grid especially during the winter and how to reduce potential increases in utility bills. This study uses ResStock to develop a Monte Carlo simulation using low level individual housing models created in BEopt for the residential housing area in Jefferson County, Colorado. BEopt data was then further used to investigate shifts in peak loads during the winter and summer. This data is then used in the System Advisory Model (SAM) to investigate how the usage of solar panels and battery storage can be used to mitigate the increased energy and utility bills. Overall, for an average housing size of 1750 ft2, there was an increase of 45.7% in average electricity usage going from the reference case to the electrified+ case and an increase of 77.5% going from the reference case to the electrified case. Peak energy usage saw a 4.6-11.0x increase in yearly energy usage going from the reference case to the electrified+ case. Utility bills saw an associated increase of 44.9% and 86.0% increase respectively.