Residential Intelligent Energy Management Solution: Advanced Intelligence to Enable Integration of Distributed Energy Resources
Residential energy management solution enables integration of distributed energy resources
Alternative Energy Systems Consulting, Inc.
Recipient
Carlsbad, CA
Recipient Location
36th
Senate District
76th
Assembly District
$3,985,174
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
The project has been completed and the final report has been published. Across the 100 homes included in the study, there was an average reduction in consumption during peak hours (4-9 p.m.) of 23% (average hourly load reduced from 0.84 to 0.65 kW). Project results show this technology's potential to dynamically adjust the electric grid by functioning as a missing link between rapid load fluctuations and the grid. This dynamic technology has the potential to dramatically flatten the duck curve and balance variable renewable resources. After the project ended, the energy management system was deactivated for study participants. Now that there's real world data of Itron's technology in 100 homes, there's a better understanding of the systems potential which should make it easier for Itron or others to make the case for additional deployments.
The Issue
Increasing amounts of variable solar generation creates challenges for grid operators due to the steep supply increases at sunrise and decreases at sunset. Balancing variable renewable generation with traditional fossil generation offsets some of the GHG savings. Managing loads and utilizing distributed storage has significant potential for balancing variable PV generation.
Project Innovation
This project tests and validates an intelligent residential energy management system that is capable of communicating with a variety of distributed energy resources (DER) including solar PV and energy storage in 100 residences in San Diego. The project integrates the use of pilot time-of-use utility rates in conjunction with simulated dynamic pricing signals to optimize grid impact and cost savings.
Project Benefits
The key advancements in this project are operational integration strategies developed and tested in the field. These strategies have the potential of achieving widespread deployment throughout the state which could significantly reduce peak demand, reduce annual energy costs, and improve grid operations.
Affordability
The energy management system optimizes customer electricity use to minimize customer cost and reduce peak demand based on time-of-use or other dynamic electricity rates. This system incorporates predictive algorithms to forecast customer consumption and electric vehicle charging requirements while accounting for customer comfort levels. In turn, it allows the system to transparently control distributed energy resources and intelligent loads within predetermined customer constraints.
Environmental Sustainability
A solution that enables ratepayers/customers to use higher levels of renewable energy generation will help reduce GHG emissions.
Reliability
Wide-scale adoption of this residential distributed energy resources management system in California can increase grid reliability by efficiently managing electricity usage in millions of homes. This will improve reliability on multiple feeders and reduce the risks associated with a single point of failure at a large battery-energy-storage farm. It also provides the opportunity to preserve and effectively manage energy use, storage, and load during public safety power shutoff events and other disaster-related outages.
Key Project Members
John Clint
Subrecipients
Itron, Inc. dba IBS
Center for Sustainable Energy
KnGrid
