Abstract
Deployment of CTA-2045–enabled devices is increasing in the U.S. market. These devices allow utilities or third-party aggregators to control appliance energy use in homes, and could also be applied to end uses in small commercial buildings. This study focuses on a field study using CTA-2045–enabled water heaters to shift electric load off the peak and toward periods when renewable resources are more prevalent (e.g., near noon for solar resources and near midnight for wind resources). The following load shifting strategies were compared to understand effects on the aggregate load-shifting capabilities of Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWHs) and on consumer hot water supply: non-targeted (traditional), targeted (grouped, with different shifting schedules) and “smart” (adaptive control commands). The results of this study show that targeted and smart control strategies yield significantly more load-shifting potential from a population of water heaters than the non-targeted approach without sacrificing hot water supply to occupants. However, as control commands become more aggressive, aggregators may face challenges in meeting consumer hot water demand. The findings and lessons learned can benefit electric utilities and inform updates to manufacturer controls and communications standards. The data collected may also be useful for developing and validating HPWH models.
Highlights
Many initiatives have been launched to enable the power grid to operate with unprecedented levels of renewable energy generation
They could opt dissatisfaction out remotely course of the pilot thein participants could communicate via the web portal or physically through the Universal Communication Module (UCM), or submit a formal complaint through if hot water was unavailable on demand in several ways
Utilities could obtain most of the load shifting benefit from sending shed commands to homes with high hot water usage, without needing to install Consumer Technology Association (CTA)-2045 controllers on all Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWHs)
Summary
Many initiatives have been launched to enable the power grid to operate with unprecedented levels of renewable energy generation (e.g., solar and wind). To support power grid modernization to integrate more renewable energy, research funds have been directed toward understanding how demand-side resources (e.g., electric water heaters, air conditioners, electric vehicles and other appliance end uses) may be equipped with controls and communication interfaces that enable them to provide flexible grid services while meeting consumer expectations. Utilities have leveraged large energy consuming end-use devices (e.g., water heaters) in Demand-Side Management (DSM) programs through Direct Load Control (DLC). For DLC, professionals are contracted to retrofit end-use devices with load control switches that enable power to be cut or cycled remotely via one-way communication by a utility. This approach is limited, as DSM aggregators do not have information on the equipment status to proactively mitigate effects on consumer amenities.
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