Saving the âOtherâ Energy in Homes
Saving the “Other” Energy in Homes Alan Meier Energy Efficiency Center University of California, Davis Introductions A demand‐side perspective The other energy use in homes
My home’s smart meter Energy savings from Earth Hour The Volkswagen Diesel problem Measuring usability of user interfaces Japan’s 5 GW lunch break My next global energy initiative
The Energy Equality
Energy Supply
Energy Consumption
Which is easier: Increasing energy supplies or Reducing Consumption? Which is cheaper? Which has more environmental benefits?
Treating Energy Demand as a Black Box (and note the assumptions!) https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/content/energy/energy_archive/energy_flow_2009/LLNL_US_Energy_Flow_2009.png
Electricity in the USA Supply Consumption
hydro
Everything else
refrigerators
Everything else
Electricity – Another View Generation Oil Gas
Use Everything else
Hydro
Nuclear Coal
=
Motors !
Thermostats. In the USA, residential thermostats control the same amount of energy as generated by nuclear power plants USA Energy Supply - 2009
Natural gas
Coal
Petrole um
Nuclea r Renew ables
National Energy Consumption
Other Uses
Energy controlled by thermostats
29 years ago!
“Other” is Big in the USA … … And not expected to decline like other end uses
Residential energy use in the United States in 2015
Zero Energy Homes and Other Energy ZNE homes are technically difficult (and certainly more expensive) with high Other energy use We need strategies to reduce Other Energy 1. What is it? 2. How big is it? 3. How do we reduce it?
We Don’t Even Know What to Call It • “Other” (Meier, 1987) • “Miscellaneous” (Meier, 1992) • The subset of standby: – “leaking electricity”: Eje Sandberg 1993 – “wall warts” (anon. ~1998) – “vampire loads” (anon. ~1999)
• • • • •
“Plug Loads” “MELs, “Miscellaneous Electrical Loads” (NREL, ~2010) Residual or not otherwise categorized Minor “Stuff” (Meier, 2016)
Types of Stuff •
High usage, but infrequent – Well pumps, aquariums, hot tubs
•
Extensions of traditional end use devices – Local space & water heating – Kitchen extensions: rice cookers, kettles, toaster ovens, tortilla makers – Some lights
•
Electronics and information technology infrastructure – TVs, gaming consoles, displays, printers, set‐top boxes, modems, routers
•
Health, safety, security – “builder‐installed” loads, sensors, alarms – Japanese “washlet” toilets, exercise machines, oxygen machines
•
Networked products (“Son of standby”) – – – –
Many of the above Many new white goods Lights Lots of little stuff
Stuff
Standby Power – Important Stuff Standby power: Electricity used by a device when switched off or not performing its primary function Caused by: “chargers”, remote controls, displays, network connections, battery charging Numbers: • > 20 products/home • 5 – 10% of residential electricity use • ~1% of global CO2 emissions
Standby power reduced by “1‐watt plan” and other improvements
Builder‐Installed: Findings for a Typical New Home > 50 devices/home ~80 W (650 kWh/year) • Many unique components • Gray area: sometimes installed by occupants • These components create an “energy mortgage” for the home’s lifetime
Examples of Builder–Installed Loads
Hard‐wired smoke alarm
Garage‐ door opener
Security system Ground fault circuit interrupter
Irrigation controller
Cable TV amplifier
Tankless water heater (gas)
House Code
Measurements of Whole‐House Builder‐Installed Loads
Observations • The types of stuff reflect the culture, climate, and personal situation • Stuff’s energy use isn’t bad, but it’s often inefficient • Stuff with electronics—that’s almost everything now‐‐have multiple power modes, so user’s behavior affects energy use • The Internet of Things and plug loads are becoming deeply intertwined
Reducing Stuff’s Energy Use No single strategy will be effective, instead we need multiple strategies (and research): – Technical awareness of what’s actually drawing power • Self‐metering, energy reporting (human interface)
– More network coordination put Stuff on networks • Communications protocols, technical standards • Switch off
– More efficient stuff • Circuitry, materials, insulation, power scaling
– Influencing behavior • Enable power management • Switch off
– Codes and standards, test procedures
Even though we can’t name or define stuff, there are still many opportunities for research that will lead to energy savings.
Floor area = 280 m2 House includes apartment 5 people 3 refrigerators ~5 computers 1 TV No AC ~90% fluorescent/LED
Smart Meters
Gas space heat Gas water heating Gas stove Gas clothes dryer
My home in Berkeley, California
Smart Meter Data for My Home My Account My SmartMeterTM Billing Usage Usage History Hourly/Daily Usage Energy Efficiency Rebates Tips/Tools to Save Energy
My Profile PGE.com Home
ALAN MEIER Account #: 9150029585
Service Address: 7 SAN MATEO RD, BERKELEY, CA 94707
SmartMeter™ Usage Please note that SmartMeter™ usage for today will be available tomorrow between 3–10 pm. Please be aware that the energy usage data presented here may differ slightly from the energy usage data reflected on your monthly bill. Be assured that prior to your monthly bill date, your energy usage data is validated to ensure you receive an accurate bill.
Service ID #: Graph:
Electric - 9150029993
Date:
Hourly Usage
Period:
7 SAN MATEO RD
Week
Day
09/11/2010
Print
Download
280 m2 2 units 5 people 3 refrigerators 5 computers 1 TV No AC ~90% fluorescent Gas space heat Gas water heating Gas stove Gas clothes dryer
login to PG&E website
The smart meter shows how replacement of a 29‐year refrigerator with a new unit reduced the house’s baseline electricity demand 250 watts. (The replacement occurred on November 3.)
Replacement
How Much Energy Was Saved During Earth Hour? Global Earth Hour Electricity Demand Change Experiences 12
10
Frequency
8
6
4
2
0
% Change in Electrical Demand
Earth Hour Demand Shift Records (2007‐2012) • • • •
Annual coordinated, mass, global effort to reduce electricity consumption for 1 hour. Compiled 53 measurements from 9 countries across 6 years Electricity consumption reduction average ‐5.2% and median ‐4.0% Outlier of ‐18% from university campus, representative of highly‐controlled microcosm
Minimum Power Consumption in 5000 Existing California Homes Lowest observed power consumption during one year from smart meters
8760 hr x 0.17 = ~20% of annual consumption
No electric water heat, AC, space heat, etc. What is this?
My home’s smart meter Energy savings from Earth Hour The Volkswagen Diesel problem Measuring usability of user interfaces Japan’s 5 GW lunch break My next global energy initiative
The Energy Equality
Energy Supply
Energy Consumption
Which is easier: Increasing energy supplies or Reducing Consumption? Which is cheaper? Which has more environmental benefits?
Treating Energy Demand as a Black Box (and note the assumptions!) https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/content/energy/energy_archive/energy_flow_2009/LLNL_US_Energy_Flow_2009.png
Electricity in the USA Supply Consumption
hydro
Everything else
refrigerators
Everything else
Electricity – Another View Generation Oil Gas
Use Everything else
Hydro
Nuclear Coal
=
Motors !
Thermostats. In the USA, residential thermostats control the same amount of energy as generated by nuclear power plants USA Energy Supply - 2009
Natural gas
Coal
Petrole um
Nuclea r Renew ables
National Energy Consumption
Other Uses
Energy controlled by thermostats
29 years ago!
“Other” is Big in the USA … … And not expected to decline like other end uses
Residential energy use in the United States in 2015
Zero Energy Homes and Other Energy ZNE homes are technically difficult (and certainly more expensive) with high Other energy use We need strategies to reduce Other Energy 1. What is it? 2. How big is it? 3. How do we reduce it?
We Don’t Even Know What to Call It • “Other” (Meier, 1987) • “Miscellaneous” (Meier, 1992) • The subset of standby: – “leaking electricity”: Eje Sandberg 1993 – “wall warts” (anon. ~1998) – “vampire loads” (anon. ~1999)
• • • • •
“Plug Loads” “MELs, “Miscellaneous Electrical Loads” (NREL, ~2010) Residual or not otherwise categorized Minor “Stuff” (Meier, 2016)
Types of Stuff •
High usage, but infrequent – Well pumps, aquariums, hot tubs
•
Extensions of traditional end use devices – Local space & water heating – Kitchen extensions: rice cookers, kettles, toaster ovens, tortilla makers – Some lights
•
Electronics and information technology infrastructure – TVs, gaming consoles, displays, printers, set‐top boxes, modems, routers
•
Health, safety, security – “builder‐installed” loads, sensors, alarms – Japanese “washlet” toilets, exercise machines, oxygen machines
•
Networked products (“Son of standby”) – – – –
Many of the above Many new white goods Lights Lots of little stuff
Stuff
Standby Power – Important Stuff Standby power: Electricity used by a device when switched off or not performing its primary function Caused by: “chargers”, remote controls, displays, network connections, battery charging Numbers: • > 20 products/home • 5 – 10% of residential electricity use • ~1% of global CO2 emissions
Standby power reduced by “1‐watt plan” and other improvements
Builder‐Installed: Findings for a Typical New Home > 50 devices/home ~80 W (650 kWh/year) • Many unique components • Gray area: sometimes installed by occupants • These components create an “energy mortgage” for the home’s lifetime
Examples of Builder–Installed Loads
Hard‐wired smoke alarm
Garage‐ door opener
Security system Ground fault circuit interrupter
Irrigation controller
Cable TV amplifier
Tankless water heater (gas)
House Code
Measurements of Whole‐House Builder‐Installed Loads
Observations • The types of stuff reflect the culture, climate, and personal situation • Stuff’s energy use isn’t bad, but it’s often inefficient • Stuff with electronics—that’s almost everything now‐‐have multiple power modes, so user’s behavior affects energy use • The Internet of Things and plug loads are becoming deeply intertwined
Reducing Stuff’s Energy Use No single strategy will be effective, instead we need multiple strategies (and research): – Technical awareness of what’s actually drawing power • Self‐metering, energy reporting (human interface)
– More network coordination put Stuff on networks • Communications protocols, technical standards • Switch off
– More efficient stuff • Circuitry, materials, insulation, power scaling
– Influencing behavior • Enable power management • Switch off
– Codes and standards, test procedures
Even though we can’t name or define stuff, there are still many opportunities for research that will lead to energy savings.
Floor area = 280 m2 House includes apartment 5 people 3 refrigerators ~5 computers 1 TV No AC ~90% fluorescent/LED
Smart Meters
Gas space heat Gas water heating Gas stove Gas clothes dryer
My home in Berkeley, California
Smart Meter Data for My Home My Account My SmartMeterTM Billing Usage Usage History Hourly/Daily Usage Energy Efficiency Rebates Tips/Tools to Save Energy
My Profile PGE.com Home
ALAN MEIER Account #: 9150029585
Service Address: 7 SAN MATEO RD, BERKELEY, CA 94707
SmartMeter™ Usage Please note that SmartMeter™ usage for today will be available tomorrow between 3–10 pm. Please be aware that the energy usage data presented here may differ slightly from the energy usage data reflected on your monthly bill. Be assured that prior to your monthly bill date, your energy usage data is validated to ensure you receive an accurate bill.
Service ID #: Graph:
Electric - 9150029993
Date:
Hourly Usage
Period:
7 SAN MATEO RD
Week
Day
09/11/2010
Download
280 m2 2 units 5 people 3 refrigerators 5 computers 1 TV No AC ~90% fluorescent Gas space heat Gas water heating Gas stove Gas clothes dryer
login to PG&E website
The smart meter shows how replacement of a 29‐year refrigerator with a new unit reduced the house’s baseline electricity demand 250 watts. (The replacement occurred on November 3.)
Replacement
How Much Energy Was Saved During Earth Hour? Global Earth Hour Electricity Demand Change Experiences 12
10
Frequency
8
6
4
2
0
% Change in Electrical Demand
Earth Hour Demand Shift Records (2007‐2012) • • • •
Annual coordinated, mass, global effort to reduce electricity consumption for 1 hour. Compiled 53 measurements from 9 countries across 6 years Electricity consumption reduction average ‐5.2% and median ‐4.0% Outlier of ‐18% from university campus, representative of highly‐controlled microcosm
Minimum Power Consumption in 5000 Existing California Homes Lowest observed power consumption during one year from smart meters
8760 hr x 0.17 = ~20% of annual consumption
No electric water heat, AC, space heat, etc. What is this?
