Comments on: Hot and heavy energy usage: How the demand and price for electricity skyrocketed on a 100° day http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/ Blogs Tue, 21 May 2013 06:50:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Samuel Meyer http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-150 Samuel Meyer Sat, 08 Sep 2012 00:09:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-150 For an individual house, the relationship is probably closer to quadratic once it is hotter outside than the setting of the air conditioner. The heat that enters the house is linearly related to the difference in temperatures (Newton's law of cooling/heating). But... air conditioners become less efficient as the temperature difference increases. If they act as a percentage of a perfect air conditioner (a Carnot cycle, more information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance), then the efficiency is related to the inverse of the temperature difference. As a result, you multiply the two together, and the energy used by the air conditioner increases relative to the temperature squared. For an individual house, the relationship is probably closer to quadratic once it is hotter outside than the setting of the air conditioner. The heat that enters the house is linearly related to the difference in temperatures (Newton’s law of cooling/heating). But… air conditioners become less efficient as the temperature difference increases. If they act as a percentage of a perfect air conditioner (a Carnot cycle, more information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance), then the efficiency is related to the inverse of the temperature difference. As a result, you multiply the two together, and the energy used by the air conditioner increases relative to the temperature squared.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-149 Anonymous Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:38:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-149 Nice observation Andrew! Yes, the four highest-temperature days plotted in the first graph do clearly lie above the linear best-fit line, suggesting some degree of exponential response. More research is warranted to investigate to what extent that relationship holds, but the implication is that after a certain point (say 100 degrees), even a tiny increase in temperature may result in a disproportionate increase in electricity usage. Nice observation Andrew! Yes, the four highest-temperature days plotted in the first graph do clearly lie above the linear best-fit line, suggesting some degree of exponential response. More research is warranted to investigate to what extent that relationship holds, but the implication is that after a certain point (say 100 degrees), even a tiny increase in temperature may result in a disproportionate increase in electricity usage.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-148 Anonymous Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:27:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-148 Thanks for sharing Jason! Best of luck with your work at Coincident Peak. Looks like a very helpful data-driven initiative to help manage peak demand. Thanks for sharing Jason! Best of luck with your work at Coincident Peak. Looks like a very helpful data-driven initiative to help manage peak demand.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-147 Anonymous Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:24:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-147 Hey Chris, thanks for reading! This analysis was focused on the residential sector. But the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has done some analysis of their own about the peak electricity demand of commercial and industrial users--including how demand changes as the temperature increases. In general, it appears that on an average day, the commercial/industrial peak electricity demand occurs earlier in the day (~1-3pm) than for residential users (3-7pm). Still, like residential users, demand noticeably increases on hot days. For details, check out page 214 of the following report: http://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/06-09-demand-response.pdf Hey Chris, thanks for reading! This analysis was focused on the residential sector. But the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has done some analysis of their own about the peak electricity demand of commercial and industrial users–including how demand changes as the temperature increases.

In general, it appears that on an average day, the commercial/industrial peak electricity demand occurs earlier in the day (~1-3pm) than for residential users (3-7pm). Still, like residential users, demand noticeably increases on hot days.

For details, check out page 214 of the following report:

http://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/06-09-demand-response.pdf

]]> By: Rick Shorin http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-144 Rick Shorin Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:54:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-144 The article implies that the study was done for weekdays (work days),it would be interesting to see the differences in usage and prices for the same conditions on weekend days The article implies that the study was done for weekdays (work days),it would be interesting to see the differences in usage and prices for the same conditions on weekend days

]]> By: Jason Massey http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-143 Jason Massey Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:26:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-143 We're working on one for industrial users via our www.coinicidentpeak.com property. Very interesting world of rate schedules, weather and peak demand calls for industrial sector. We’re working on one for industrial users via our http://www.coinicidentpeak.com property. Very interesting world of rate schedules, weather and peak demand calls for industrial sector.

]]> By: Jason Massey http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-142 Jason Massey Wed, 05 Sep 2012 19:04:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-142 Awesome piece...does our heart good! We're getting ready to launch an industrial version of a peak curve/predictor in limited utility footprints over the next month. Would love everyone's thoughts on www.coincidentpeak.com You can play around in a small NC market at 27886 zip code. Awesome piece…does our heart good! We’re getting ready to launch an industrial version of a peak curve/predictor in limited utility footprints over the next month. Would love everyone’s thoughts on http://www.coincidentpeak.com You can play around in a small NC market at 27886 zip code.

]]> By: Andrew Solomon http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-141 Andrew Solomon Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:14:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-141 Love it. Could the relationship between temp and demand at the higher end of the temperature range possibly be exponential? Looks like the data points at that end are well above the linear regression... Love it. Could the relationship between temp and demand at the higher end of the temperature range possibly be exponential? Looks like the data points at that end are well above the linear regression…

]]> By: Chris Martin http://blog.opower.com/2012/09/hot-and-heavy-energy-usage-how-the-demand-and-price-for-electricity-skyrocketed-on-a-100-day/#comment-140 Chris Martin Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:12:00 +0000 http://blog.opower.com/?p=2103#comment-140 Barry--great article! Am curious to know if a similar peak curve chart is available for commercial and industrial users. Barry–great article! Am curious to know if a similar peak curve chart is available for commercial and industrial users.

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