Saving the “Other” Energy in Homes

Alan MeierEnergy Efficiency Center

University of California, Davis 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

IntroductionsA demand‐side perspective The other energy use in homes

The Energy Equality

EnergySupply

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

refrigerators

Everything else

Everything else

hydro

Electricity in the USASupply                              Consumption

Electricity – Another View

Coal

Nuclear

OilGas

Hydro

Generation

Motors !

Everything else

Use

=

National Energy Consumption

Other Uses

Energy controlled by thermostats

Coal

Natural gas

Petroleum

Nuclear

Renewables

USA Energy Supply - 2009

Thermostats. In the USA, residential thermostats control the same amount of energy as generated by nuclear power plants

29 years ago!

“Other” is Big in the USA …

Residential energy use in the United States in 2015

… And not expected to decline like other end uses

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 Energy1. 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 StuffStandby 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

Irrigation controller

Tankless water heater (gas)

Security system

Ground fault circuit interrupter

Cable TV amplifier

Measurements of Whole‐House Builder‐Installed LoadsHou

se Cod

e

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 UseNo 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.

Smart MetersFloor area = 280 m2

House includes apartment5 people3 refrigerators~5 computers1 TVNo AC~90% fluorescent/LED

Gas space heatGas water heatingGas stoveGas 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 EfficiencyRebates

Tips/Tools to SaveEnergy

My Profile

PGE.com Home

ALAN MEIERAccount #: 9150029585

Service Address:7 SAN MATEO RD, BERKELEY, CA 94707

SmartMeter™ UsagePlease 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 datareflected on your monthly bill. Be assured that prior to your monthly bill date, your energy usage data isvalidated to ensure you receive an accurate bill.

Service ID #: Electric - 9150029993 7 SAN MATEO RD

Graph: Hourly Usage Date: 09/11/2010

Period: Week Day Print Download

280 m2

2 units5 people3 refrigerators5 computers1 TVNo AC~90% fluorescentGas space heatGas water heatingGas stoveGas 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

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Freq

uency

% Change in Electrical Demand

Global Earth Hour Electricity Demand Change Experiences 

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

How Much Energy Was Saved During Earth Hour?

Minimum Power Consumption in 5000 Existing California Homes

Lowest observed power consumption during one year from smart meters

No electric water heat, AC, space heat, etc.

What is this?

8760 hr x 0.17 = ~20% of annual consumption