Advancing Demand Response in the Water Sector
Development of a demand management system and an operational strategy to enable a water utility to reduce costs by participating in load shifting and demand response in response to different IOU rate structures
Regents of the University of California, Davis
Recipient
Davis, CA
Recipient Location
3rd
Senate District
4th
Assembly District
$2,534,981
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
The project is complete, and the final report is under review. The project demonstrated that the water sector has the flexibility to shift its energy demands by up to 1000 gigawatts hour (GWh) annually and reduce its contribution to peak net demand by up to 321 megawatts (MW) for the state. The potential distribution system response depends on the individual system’s combination of tank storage capacity, pumping capacity, and water demands as well as the applied energy rate structures.
The Issue
Water utilities are high electricity users responsible for about 10% of the state's electricity demand, but lack the ability to easily participate in demand response events or shift loads to reduce their energy costs. A water utility's energy uses are complex and their understanding of effective ways to meet inflexible demand needs and electric load management for demand response is lacking. Finding feasible, energy cost saving solutions requires assessment of the conditions at the plant, the system configuration, and assessing real time water and energy data.
Project Innovation
This project is developing a demand management system to optimize energy use and operations using the Moulton Niguel Water District as a pilot site. Through better system optimization, the water utility will be able to reduce its energy bill by participating in demand response and load shifting incentive programs. The demand management system will optimize load for the potable and recycled water systems at Moulton Niguel and be easily adopted by other water districts and utilities.
Project Benefits
The demand management system uses real-time energy analytics to: (1) reduce and/or shift peak energy loads, (2) account for different energy tariff structures, and (3) balance the grid's intermittent renewable load generation. This demand management tool enables water utility participation in demand response and load shifting utility programs. The project efforts will market and communicate the technology, informing other water utilities, which could result in increased use and acceptance. Given the impact of energy consumption by the water industry in California, widespread use of the demand management system could help achieve energy demand reduction needed to support the state's energy goals.
Affordability
This project could lower costs for the water utility through participation in energy utility demand response programs. It could also result in a reduction in system costs through avoided demand charges and reduced constraints on the electric grid during congested periods. Moulton Niguel is expected to reduce peak demand by 25% using the technology solution.
Key Project Members
Frank Loge
Subrecipients
Moulton Niguel Water District
Helio Energy Solutions
California Water Efficiency Partnership
Match Partners
Moulton Niguel Water District
