VPP: Converting Capacity in the Home into Valuable Energy Reserves

Wayne Callender

CPS Energy is the nation’s largest municipally owned energy utility providing both natural gas and electric service, serving more than 728,000 electric customers and 328,000 natural gas customers in and around the seventh-largest city in the nation.

The utility ranks among the nation’s lowest-cost energy providers, while ranking number 1 in wind-energy capacity among municipally owned utilities and number 1 in Texas in the amount of solar-generated electricity under contract.

Home Manager VPP Goals

• 140,000 installations

• Target VPP size: 250 megawatts

• Avg. 1.8 kW per installation during peak

Home Manager

• An energy management solution that allows CPS Energy to control our load management resources as if it was a peaking plant

• Load management information for all program participants is aggregated into a single dashboard that CPS Energy uses to view the aggregation of all consumers’ energy usage displayed in the form of available load

• During times of peak demand, CPS Energy initiates curtailment events to reduce coincident peak demand

• Web based software tool, opt-out of events

• Create unique energy profiles

• View energy usage - real time

• Manage energy from anyplace, anywhere

• Save money, the environment and maintain comfort

Home Energy Management System

• Up to 10% savings on heating/cooling costs

• Works within boundaries set by customer

• Opt-out anytime• Home energy management

system• Anytime, anywhere access

Benefit to CPS Customers

• Real-time data collection and reporting

• Rated up to 50 Amps• Disconnect up to 30 Amps• Wide voltage range support: 120-

240 VAC• Available with or without relay• ZigBee communications, future

integration with Gridstream• Firmware over-the-air upgradeable

Device Controllers

• Radio Thermostat model CT-30 or CT-80

• Push-button opt-out of conservation events

• U-Snap module• ZigBee communications• Future integration with

Gridstream

Communicating Thermostat

• Two-way, high-speed, ZigBee communications with SEP HAN devices

• 3G Wireless for WAN• Collects data directly from AMI

meters• Secure, encrypted

communications• Firmware upgradeable-over-

the-air• Future integration with

Gridstream, Wi-Fi, others

Communicating Gateway

Virtual Peak Plant

Typical Load Shapes During Peak Events

Average Load Reduction Shape

Benefits to CPS

• Helps meet Save For Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) goals• Additional resource to meet reserve margin• Provides CPS Energy Market Operations with Virtual Peak Plant• Ability to participate in ERCOT ancillary service market• Increases customer satisfaction through greater energy efficiency

Participant Feedback

• Environmental impact awareness• Feel they are empowered and have

more control over their energy usage• Perceived energy savings > 20%• The 3 C’s – Cost Savings, Control, and

Convenience