https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/ Building science knowledge, HVAC design, & fun Wed, 11 Jan 2023 13:47:21 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3567 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:04:58 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3567 Can anybody get a utility to
Can anybody get a utility to give a rate for the cost of a non-subsidized kWh? This would be a help in getting more sustainable programs a level playing field.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3566 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:35:52 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3566 I am encouraged by the OGE
I am encouraged by the OGE presentation of TOU rates. There is an element of trying to be attractive to the customer, which is so often not seen in Texas. 
 
Since customer choice has been enacted in Texas, rates have gotten simpler not more complex. Since a TOU rate is inherently complex, it certainly appears to me the customer must be enticed to use it. While technology is one issue and politics is another, I certainly hope that customer wants are not steamrolled in the end.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3565 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:09:14 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3565 Mark, while I agree with your
Mark, while I agree with your smart guys’ assessment that load shaping is not easy, that’s a short-sighted perspective. The technology exists, it’s just a mater of price signals and economies of scale.  
 
Many C&I; facilities already practice load management since demand charges may represent as much as half of their overall electric bill.  
 
Optional real-time and demand-based tariffs for residential have predictably been unsuccessful. The problem is that participants must opt-in. This means most participants who self-select will already have favorable a load profile, so further changes under the tariff will be minimal. This will change when residential tariffs are brought in line with a utility’s fixed and variable costs. Today, politics not technology is the main impediment.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3564 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:57:34 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3564 TOU rates are are becoming
TOU rates are are becoming the default for new accounts. If you don’t specify fixed rates you get TOU automatically. We did TOU last summer and it worked well for us. This summer we’re going even more aggressive to variable peak pricing where the peak rate varies from day to day depending on anticipated demand.  
 
http://www.ogepet.com/programs/smarthours.aspx

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3563 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:45:56 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3563 Also I must submit that TOU
Also I must submit that TOU (time of use) rates are pretty unpopular when residential customers have the ability to choose. Is there any place in the union where they are welcomed by customers? Practically the only cases I have learned of, the rates were either forced upon the customers, or an experiment. Merely getting “smart meters” is not enough, somebody needs to get a PUC order to implement this — if it will come about. 
 
Residential demand charges? Technically has some appeal but more or less unheard of in the USA. At one time Houston Lighting & Power was gung-ho to introduce KVA meters for residential (like KW but more technically correct) but their PUC disallowed the project. That was somewhat embarassing since the utility had already bought the first batch of meters, they had to eat the expense. 
 
I agree that TOU rates, demand meters, and the like are technically very interesting. I have no fear of such change personally, but objectively this is the last thing great majority of residential customers wants.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3562 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:32:34 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3562 Although utilities are
Although utilities are interested in KW and not KWH, it is not really easy to reduce the former and not the latter. I submit that by and large, KW and KWH track each other. This is 2nd hand opinion from a really smart guy who worked in the regulatory department of an electric utility… I don’t know it firsthand but take it on faith when this guy believes it.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3561 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:16:02 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3561 Rob, utility sponsored AC
Rob, utility sponsored AC tune-up programs are mostly interested in peak kW savings. This is because kW (demand) determines how much (inefficient) standby generation must be brought online to satisfy peak loads, which are often driven by AC. 
 
From the homeowner’s perspective, saving 0.6 kW is meaningless since very few residential customers pay a demand charge. That’s why kWh savings estimates must be reported. The utility could care less about reducing kWh, were it not for the utility commission requirements. 
 
Load diversity comes into play when considering the system-wide impact of a tune-up program. Interestingly, adding freon to an undercharged AC will actually increase its kW draw, but capacity will increase by a higher %, thus reducing run times (assuming the system isn’t undersized). However, if you end up adding freon to 1,000 systems, the diversified load (kW) will drop because fewer systems will be running at any given time. 
 
The most effective way to retire inefficient generation capacity and postpone new capacity is to reduce peak kW, not reduce kWh. Efficiency improvements do both, which means the utility loses revenue. In the residential sector, the utility’s and customer’s objectives are somewhat at odds. If the goal is to reduce kW, then different rate structures and energy management strategies are warranted. Secretary Chou has signaled that the time has come for residential tariffs to better reflect a utility’s fixed and variable costs. This means more time-of-use-billing, the addition of kW charges, and lower off-peak kWh charges. When (not if) that happens, traditional approaches to energy efficiency must be supplemented by advanced control strategies and energy/thermal storage technologies.

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3560 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:40:31 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3560 Rob, presumably that means
Rob, presumably that means the tuneup will save 0.6kW (600W) of power while the AC is running (which seems a little odd, but ok) – and that power savings over time (which must be about 1000 hours (596/0.6)) will save 596 kWh of energy. 
 
Even my utility is confused. Their last blog post spoke of a 330 volt solar panel. They can’t even keep voltage and power straight. 😉

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3559 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:01:27 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3559 The real problem, Allison, is
The real problem, Allison, is that the guys running the utilities are influenced by evil Maxwellian demons, who are known tricksters and reprobates! 🙂

]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation/#comment-3558 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:59:52 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=energy-and-power-and-confusion-and-consternation#comment-3558 This is great! I understand
This is great! I understand this very well but there’s something I have never really seen a good explanation of that a layman can understand. That is the concepts of kW and kWh as they relate to utility energy efficiency programs. For example, it has been determined that an AC tune-up program will result in a .6 kW savings and a 596 kWh savings (per system) that the utility can claim. Please explain the difference between the two values in this context and what they mean relative to ‘energy savings’. 
 
 
 
Thank you very much! 
 
 
 
Rob

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