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stevehull · 02-23-16, 08:02 AM

Jeff,

I am actually enthusiastic about TOU (time of use) policies. It will accelerate the use of load shifting and the use of a variety of "batteries" to do that. Not all have to be electrochemical. One fascinating one is the use of pressure compressed air.

Compressed Air Energy Storage Makes a Comeback - IEEE Spectrum

The first generation of the PV war has been won. PV added spectacularly in 2015. The problem is the infamous "duck curve" where PV exacerbates the daily disparity of high and low loads vs use.

Electricity Demand and the Duck Curve

The other thing that TOU does is it makes the consumer aware of the actual costs. The consumer does not now see the hundreds of $ per kW spent at peaking times, but goes about unaware of it and pays the same rate. TOU makes people think about certain discretionary tasks (dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, etc). Just shifting those to a lower cost and more efficient time is a huge improvement from a cost and efficiency standpoint.

The second generation will be when utilities are divorced from generating electricity and see themselves as distributors of existing electricity. There will be the need for base load - no doubt about that. The second generation of change has started, but net metering will evolve into a more complex arrangement.

About 1/3rd of our existing power bill is the "cost" for the distribution system. Someone has to pay for that. We can all go off grid, or accept some costs for the use of inexhaustible energy at the flip of a switch. Many of us here are willing (and do) use low amounts of electricity, but we are the VAST minority. Most people don't care! TOU will start to hit them in their wallet and they will wake up.

To that point, the major Oklahoma utility (OG&E) did a pilot program of "smart hours" where you get a large rebate if you will curtail energy use of high demand days from 3-7 PM. They expected about 1-2% of people to respond. Almost three times that number signed up. People DO respond to the wallet - in general they do not read, understand metering plans or think. The word is "sheeple".

ECOhoma!: OG&E Smart Hours / Time of Use Pricing

The way I see it, constant rates just allow the status quo to be continued. Thoughts?

What do others on the group think?

Steve

02-23-16, 08:02 AM	#9
stevehull Steve Hull Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: hilly, tree covered Arcadia, OK USA Posts: 826 Thanks: 241 Thanked 165 Times in 123 Posts	Jeff, I am actually enthusiastic about TOU (time of use) policies. It will accelerate the use of load shifting and the use of a variety of "batteries" to do that. Not all have to be electrochemical. One fascinating one is the use of pressure compressed air. Compressed Air Energy Storage Makes a Comeback - IEEE Spectrum The first generation of the PV war has been won. PV added spectacularly in 2015. The problem is the infamous "duck curve" where PV exacerbates the daily disparity of high and low loads vs use. Electricity Demand and the Duck Curve The other thing that TOU does is it makes the consumer aware of the actual costs. The consumer does not now see the hundreds of $ per kW spent at peaking times, but goes about unaware of it and pays the same rate. TOU makes people think about certain discretionary tasks (dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, etc). Just shifting those to a lower cost and more efficient time is a huge improvement from a cost and efficiency standpoint. The second generation will be when utilities are divorced from generating electricity and see themselves as distributors of existing electricity. There will be the need for base load - no doubt about that. The second generation of change has started, but net metering will evolve into a more complex arrangement. About 1/3rd of our existing power bill is the "cost" for the distribution system. Someone has to pay for that. We can all go off grid, or accept some costs for the use of inexhaustible energy at the flip of a switch. Many of us here are willing (and do) use low amounts of electricity, but we are the VAST minority. Most people don't care! TOU will start to hit them in their wallet and they will wake up. To that point, the major Oklahoma utility (OG&E) did a pilot program of "smart hours" where you get a large rebate if you will curtail energy use of high demand days from 3-7 PM. They expected about 1-2% of people to respond. Almost three times that number signed up. People DO respond to the wallet - in general they do not read, understand metering plans or think. The word is "sheeple". ECOhoma!: OG&E Smart Hours / Time of Use Pricing The way I see it, constant rates just allow the status quo to be continued. Thoughts? What do others on the group think? Steve __________________ consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990 Last edited by stevehull; 02-23-16 at 09:24 AM..