low cost load control technology - energy futures … papers/2006... · 3 presentation topics...

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Low CostLoad Control Technology

Dr David Crossley

Managing Director

Energy Futures Australia Pty Ltd

Metering & Billing/CRM Conference

Brisbane, 20-22 November 2006

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Introduction

● This work was carried out as part of a project forthe Demand Side Response Working Group of theMinisterial Council on Energy

● Several case studies of load control projects fromaround the world are included in a research projecton network demand side management (DSM)currently being carried out for the InternationalEnergy Agency Demand Side ManagementProgramme

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Presentation Topics

● Components of load control technology

● Survey of load control technology products

● Technology review

● Options for low cost load control programs

● Creating a forward path for load control technology

● Information resources

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Components ofLoad Control Technology

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Load Control System

Components of a Load Control System

Central control initiation device

Data receipt device

Database

Automated QC procedures

Program Operator

Wired linkPSTNInternetFibre-opticPower line carrier

or

Wireless linkPaging systemRadioMobile phoneMicrowaveGPRSWi-Fi

Communications Customer Site

Communications device

Control DeviceSwitch

Demand controller

Measurement device

Thermostat

Information display device

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Program Operator Technology

● Load control technology at the program operator’s premises has twofunctions

● Load Control Initiation: The program operator generates and sendssignals to initiate (and terminate) a load control program event

► with locally-switched load control, the signals are sent to thecustomer, and can be as simple as phone calls or email messages

► with remotely-switched load control, signals are sent directly to thecustomers’ equipment and instruct it how to respond

● Data Receipt and Storage: For operational and billing purposes, theprogram operator requires data about the quantity and timing of loadreductions achieved through the load control program

► two-way communication links allow this data to be collected in nearreal time

► one-way communications only allow data to be acquired some timeafter load control events

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Communications Technology

● Communications technology for load controlprograms enables signals to be sent by theprogram operator and, if the communications linksare two-way, also enables the program operator toreceive data from the controlled loads

● A range of wired and wireless communicationstechnologies can be used in load control programs;costs vary quite widely depending on the actualcommunications technology used

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Customer Technology

● Load control technology at the customer site has four functions

● Communications: Signals sent by the program operator must bereceived at the customer site and conveyed to selected equipment

● Controlling Appliances and Equipment: The controlled equipmentmust be able to respond to the signals sent by the program operator

► with locally-switched load control, the customer simply uses theexisting switches in the equipment to manually turn it down orswitch it off

► with remotely-switched load control, a range of control devices maybe attached to the equipment

● Load Measurement: The program operator must be able to measurethe load reductions achieved through the load control program; thisrequires a load measurement device, usually an electricity meter

● Information Display: Some load control programs make use ofinformation display devices to provide information to end-usecustomers about their electricity usage and costs

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Survey of Load ControlTechnology Products

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Technology Product Types

● Load control technology products can be classifiedas follows:

►information display devices

►appliance and equipment controllers

►integrated load control systems

● This survey of products is not intended becomprehensive

● The products shown here have been chosen torepresent the broad range of existing applicationsfor load control technology; there are many othersimilar products available on the world market

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Information Display Devices (1)

CCI Power-Mate

Clipsal Cent-A-Meter

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Information Display Devices (2)

Ampy Email ecoMeterHome Energy Monitor

Ampy EmailEM1200 Interval Meter

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Appliance and Equipment Controllers (1)

Grid Friendly™ Appliance Controller

Enermet SWITCHit™Appliance Controller

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Appliance and Equipment Controllers (2)

EnermetROA Ripple Control Receiver

Hunt Load Control Switch

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Integrated Load Control Systems (1)

Carrier EMi Thermostat

Web-based User Interface

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Carrier ComfortChoice System

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a)

b)

LeKeyBoxAppliance Controller

Web-based User Interface

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Shree Dutt TechnologiesElectricity Manager

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Phase 6/Tytronics Rippleband Neighbourhood Node,Load Agent and Meter Interfaces

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Communications Network for theRippleband Load Control System

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Technology Review

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Technology Review (1)

● Interval metering is not necessary to carry out load controlfunctions

● There are many products available that can carry outsimple remote switching of loads

● Some of the products in the survey can carry out remoteswitching that is automatically triggered by thresholdevents, including high price levels and network constraints,without requiring a connection to an interval meter, or evento any type of meter

● However, where interval metering with communicationscapability is available, information about threshold eventscan be transmitted through the meter

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● One-way communication is essential to carry outremote switching of loads

● A one-way communication link is required totransmit control signals from the program operatorto the connected loads

● Depending on the specific capability of thecommunications technology, a one-waycommunication link can also be used to transmitinformation about threshold events, such as highprice levels and network constraints, withoutrequiring a connection to a meter

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● Two-way communication is not essential to carry outremote switching of loads

● However, two-way communication can greatly assistwith the management of a load control program byenabling the transmission of information back to theprogram operator about whether remote switching hasbeen successful and about the current status of theconnected load

● If the return communication link is connected throughan interval meter, the program operator can alsoreceive specific information about the quantity andtiming of any load reduction achieved

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● Metering in some form is required for settlement of thefinancial transactions associated with load control programs

● Accumulation meters are sufficient when the only informationrequired is the quantity of energy used over the billing period

● Interval metering may be required if time-varying pricing is inplace, particularly with CPP and RTP, and when TOU pricingapplies to all loads at the customer site, rather than toparticular specified loads

● However, some technology products are now available thatcan provide pulsed output from legacy electro-mechanicalaccumulation meters; theoretically, this output could beintegrated over specified time periods to generate data similarto that obtained from an interval meter

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Options for Low CostLoad Control Programs

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Distribution of Low Cost Information Display Devices

Purpose: To raise end-use customers’ awareness about their electricity useand cost and encourage a change in their electricity-using behaviour

Target Audience: Primarily residential; small businesses could also betargeted

Technology: Device that displays information about electricity use andcosts, and may also provide information about other factors, eg greenhousegas emissions

Communications: None

Type of Metering Required: None

Infrastructure Required: None

Pricing Initiatives: Time-varying price structures, eg TOU, RTP and/or CPP

Education and Awareness Raising: Promotion and education campaignencouraging customers to change their electricity-using behaviour

Examples of Technology Products: Power-Mate™; Cent-A-Meter™

Indicative Cost: $60 to $200 per customer site

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Installation of Frequency Sensors in Household Appliances

Purpose: To achieve automated switching of household appliances inresponse to system frequency variations

Target Audience: Manufacturers of household appliances

Technology: Computer chip that senses frequency disturbances on thenetwork and turns an appliance off for a few minutes to allow the networkto stabilise during a crisis

Communications: None


Infrastructure Required: None

Pricing Initiatives: None required

Education and Awareness Raising: Education campaign explaining thetechnology to householders

Examples of Technology Products: Grid Friendly™ appliance controller

Indicative Cost: About $2.00 per appliance in large manufacturingquantities plus the cost of any education campaign

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Roll Out of Low Cost Plug-in Appliance Controllers

Purpose: To enable low cost direct load control of appliances and equipment

Target Audience: Primarily residential; small businesses could also be targeted

Technology: Plug-in device that enables remote control of appliances throughpower line signalling

Communications: One-way


Infrastructure Required: Ripple control infrastructure

Pricing Initiatives: Time-varying price structures and/or incentive paymentsrequired to motivate customers to install the controllers

Education and Awareness Raising: Promotion and education campaignexplaining the purpose and objectives of the program and encouragingcustomers not to override load control signals

Examples of Technology Products: SWITCHit™; Rippleband Plug-in Relay

Indicative Cost: $26 to $50 per connected appliance or piece of equipmentplus the cost of an education campaign and any infrastructure required

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Roll Out of Smart Air Conditioner Thermostats

Purpose: To enable low cost direct load control of air conditioners

Target Audience: Residential and small commercial customers

Technology: Programmable thermostat with two-way communications

Communications: Two-way


Infrastructure Required: Two-way communications infrastructure

Pricing Initiatives: Time-varying price structures and/or incentive paymentsrequired to motivate customers to install the thermostats

Education and Awareness Raising: Promotion and education campaignexplaining the purpose and objectives of the program and encouragingcustomers not to override load control signals

Examples of Technology Products: ComfortChoice Demand ManagementSolution

Indicative Cost: $250 to $300 per thermostat; additional costs forinstalling and maintenance of the thermostats and for the communicationsnetwork

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Promotion of Integrated Direct Load Control Systems

Purpose: To enable relatively complex demand side response programs.

Target Audience: Primarily residential and small commercial customers

Technology: Integrated load control system combining appliance andequipment controllers with two-way communications technology

Communications: Two-way

Type of Metering Required: Interval

Infrastructure Required: Two-way communications infrastructure

Pricing Initiatives: Time-varying price structures, eg TOU, RTP or CPPwould be required to motivate customers to install the equipment;alternatively, or in addition, incentive payments could be used

Education and Awareness Raising: Promotion and education campaignexplaining the purpose and objectives of the planned DSR program

Examples of Technology Products: LeKey Energy Management System; SDElectricity Manager; Rippleband Load Control System

Indicative Cost: Range $300 to $600 per site plus the costs for aneducation campaign and communications network

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Creating a Forward Path forLoad Control Technology

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Technology Forward Path (1)

● Considerable product design and development of loadcontrol technology is currently taking place

● Much of this development is being carried out by ICT firmsrather than by firms traditionally involved in designing,developing and manufacturing equipment for the electricityindustry

● Product lifetimes for newly-developed load controlequipment are much shorter than those for otherequipment in the electricity industry

● The rapidly increasing availability of sophisticated loadcontrol equipment at comparatively low cost, opens upmajor opportunities to implement load control programs

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● There is a danger that too rapid deployment of load controltechnology without a clearly defined strategy may result ina range of problems

● These problems may include:►a “rail gauge” problem in which multiple different

proprietary load control products are installed that areunable to interface with each other;

►a stranded assets problem in which existing load controlequipment currently installed in the Australian electricityindustry becomes uneconomic and has to be replacedwith more cost-effective technology; and

►an uneconomic lifetimes problem in which the shortlifetimes of new load control products force massive andcostly physical replacement and re-installationprograms on a regular basis

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● A national policy development process should be established toensure:► that open standards and protocols are developed for all the

important load control functions and that load controlequipment installed in the Australian electricity industrycomplies with these standards and protocols;

► that new technology products are developed to expandexisting load control functions and add new functions toequipment already in use in the Australian electricity industry,eg the existing ripple control infrastructure and the existingvery large stock of accumulation meters;

► that new load control technology products are designed sothat additional capabilities and functions can be addedwithout requiring the physical replacement of whole units orparts of units, eg by using communication links to implementmass upgrades of firmware installed in load controlproducts

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Information Resources

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Information Resources (1)

● David Crossley: [email protected]

● Summaries of documents on demand managementand energy efficiency in Australia are available atmy company’s website:www.efa.com.au/dsmdocs.html

● Ministerial Council on Energy demand sideresponse page:www.mce.gov.au/index.cfm?event=object.showKeywordIndex&keyword=demand%20side

● National Framework for Energy Efficiency:www.nfee.gov.au/default.asp

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Information Resources (2)

● The International Energy Agency DSM Programmecarries out multi-national research projects ondemand side management. Website forinformation about the IEA DSM Programme:http://dsm.iea.org

● The IEA DSM Programme currently has tworesearch projects on demand response andnetwork-driven DSM (Tasks XIII and XV). Websitefor information about participating in these IEAprojects: www.efa.com.au/aieac.html

low cost load control technology - energy futures … papers/2006... · 3 presentation topics...

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