An estimated 1.2 billion people do not have access to electricity due to economic and environmental barriers that arise in conventional electrification. This project brings together electrical engineers, architects, community planners and artists to envision the development of an ensemble of tools and technologies for low cost, non-toxic, off-grid capable future household energy delivery systems. The research will integrate concepts from passive home design to develop a primarily-DC energy delivery system (unlike primarily AC systems, currently) while integrating photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems using next-generation low-cost, high efficiency, earth-abundant materials. If successful, the concept can help support the design of cheaper stand- off-grid residential systems in communities without access to transmission, improve the survivability of existing off-grid microgrids in the wake of natural or system disasters, and engage Native American communities from the Dakotas in the development of technologies and educational materials that deeply resonate with their inherent conservationist ideals.


The goal of this planning grant is to formulate a research package integrating passive house design, next-generation PV materials, and novel power-electronic interfaces for Zero Energy-Ready Homes suitable for off-grid deployment, with specific emphasis on the Native American community in North Dakota. The project's central research concept is in the development of culturally informed, zero-energy ready systems integrating traditional academic research in Electrical Engineering with architecture- especially, using passive home design principles, and landscape architecture with environmental and land-use issues provided through community engagement with the three tribal institutions. Unlike primarily AC systems used currently, the project will attempt the development of a primarily-DC delivery system using next-generation low-cost, high efficiency PV materials (Cu-Zn-Sn-S), advanced harsh-weather resistant batteries (capable of low-temperature operation), multi-level DC conversion systems, and the necessary systems integration-including control and protection elements while guided by architectural and environmental design constraints. The three-pronged research plan will involve: 1) energy minimization using passive house design principles, 2) design of primarily-DC architectures with PV integration and storage and 3) development of bi-linear state-space models to optimize control performance. The team will also seek partnerships with leading research laboratories engaged in the development of new technologies for cost-effective, grid independent Zero Energy Homes and next-generation PV materials. The research will engage three tribal institutions in North Dakota and seek the community?s inputs to understand how cultural factors translate to residential energy usage and efficiency. The team will work closely with representatives from these institutions to develop a set of specifications subject to energy usage and environmental constraints aligned with the community's cultural values. This will help ensure that techno-centric tools developed in the project are respectful and inclusive of the community's cultural, environmental and ethical dimensions.