From Smart Grids to Smart Consumers Robert Brewer [email_address] Collaborative Software Development Laboratory Information and Computer Sciences University of Hawaii Honolulu HI 96822

Motivation IPCC says climate is changing because of us 1m sea level rise this century Ocean acidification Weather more variable (storms, droughts) Oil will run out this century 91% of HI electricity from fossil fuels Before it runs out, oil price will skyrocket Hawaii spends $800K/hr for oil imports now

IPCC says climate is changing because of us

1m sea level rise this century

Ocean acidification

Weather more variable (storms, droughts)

Oil will run out this century

91% of HI electricity from fossil fuels

Before it runs out, oil price will skyrocket

Hawaii spends $800K/hr for oil imports now

Smart Grid Vision Let’s imagine a “near” future for Hawaii: HECO: more diversified utility-scale generation a “smart” grid Consumers: more personal-scale generation (solar) high quality info about energy usage and impact (CO 2 , $) able to make “smart” energy decisions The result: Lower cost, more predictable & sustainable energy So how do we get there from here?

Let’s imagine a “near” future for Hawaii:

HECO:

more diversified utility-scale generation

a “smart” grid

Consumers:

more personal-scale generation (solar)

high quality info about energy usage and impact (CO 2 , $)

able to make “smart” energy decisions

The result:

Lower cost, more predictable & sustainable energy

So how do we get there from here?

Challenges Changing HECO is hard Homeowners have options Install PV panels Install solar hot water heater Upgrade to more efficient appliances Change their behavior Behavior changes will be key Only option for renters & office dwellers

Changing HECO is hard

Homeowners have options

Install PV panels

Install solar hot water heater

Upgrade to more efficient appliances

Change their behavior

Behavior changes will be key

Only option for renters & office dwellers

The Goal How do we help people become “smarter”? Design and implement simulations of “highly transparent” energy generation and usage. Design and implement consumer-facing information repositories and interfaces Learn: What kinds of information do consumers need, at what time and in what way, in order for them to make “smart” energy choices?

How do we help people become “smarter”?

Design and implement simulations of “highly transparent” energy generation and usage.

Design and implement consumer-facing information repositories and interfaces

Learn:

What kinds of information do consumers need, at what time and in what way, in order for them to make “smart” energy choices?

What is a “smart” choice? A “smart” consumer energy choice is a conscious trade-off between the “3 Cs”: What choice has the least cost ? Run the A/C when energy is cheapest What choice generates the least carbon ? Run the A/C when the carbon intensity of the grid is lowest What choice is most convenient ? Start the A/C before I get home

A “smart” consumer energy choice is a conscious trade-off between the “3 Cs”:

What choice has the least cost ?

Run the A/C when energy is cheapest

What choice generates the least carbon ?

Run the A/C when the carbon intensity of the grid is lowest

What choice is most convenient ?

Start the A/C before I get home

Implications No grid can ever be “smart” enough to eliminate the need for “smart” consumers. Technological support for smart consumption is a non-trivial problem, involving: getting the right information on energy storage, analysis, presentation, delivery social, privacy implications Results will shape smart grid development What consumers need from utilities Design of future smart appliances

No grid can ever be “smart” enough to eliminate the need for “smart” consumers.

Technological support for smart consumption is a non-trivial problem, involving:

getting the right information on energy

storage, analysis, presentation, delivery

social, privacy implications

Results will shape smart grid development

What consumers need from utilities

Design of future smart appliances

Research Directions WattDepot Research infrastructure for energy data storage and analysis OSCAR Oahu Smart Consumer Analysis & Research REIS Smart Grid Lab Design Instrumentation and analysis for GHHI Saunders Hall Energy Competition Understanding impact of incentives, communication on conservation Community Outreach Collaborations with Hawaii organizations

WattDepot

Research infrastructure for energy data storage and analysis

OSCAR

Oahu Smart Consumer Analysis & Research

REIS Smart Grid Lab Design

Instrumentation and analysis for GHHI

Saunders Hall Energy Competition

Understanding impact of incentives, communication on conservation

Community Outreach

Collaborations with Hawaii organizations

WattDepot Integrates power data from diverse sources From utility generation to consumer usage Implemented as RESTful web service PUT http://host/wattdepot/sources/saunders/sensordata/2009-07-28T09:00:00.000-10:00 GET http://host/wattdepot/sources/kahe02/power/2009-12-13T18:00:00.000-10:00 Status Can store & retrieve sensor data Can chart data via Google Visualization API Dynamically fetch Saunders data very soon

Integrates power data from diverse sources

From utility generation to consumer usage

Implemented as RESTful web service

PUT http://host/wattdepot/sources/saunders/sensordata/2009-07-28T09:00:00.000-10:00

GET http://host/wattdepot/sources/kahe02/power/2009-12-13T18:00:00.000-10:00

Status

Can store & retrieve sensor data

Can chart data via Google Visualization API

Dynamically fetch Saunders data very soon

WattDepot Data Flow

OSCAR Simulated dataset of Oahu power generation: Power production by baseline, cycling, peaking plants Carbon intensity of each plant Simulated dataset of consumer usage Based upon real data (Philip’s home usage) Can also simulate future data Design of consumer-facing interfaces to support “smart” choices (3 Cs) ICS 413 & 613 class projects will start this

Simulated dataset of Oahu power generation:

Power production by baseline, cycling, peaking plants

Carbon intensity of each plant

Simulated dataset of consumer usage

Based upon real data (Philip’s home usage)

Can also simulate future data

Design of consumer-facing interfaces to support “smart” choices (3 Cs)

ICS 413 & 613 class projects will start this

REIS Smart Grid Lab Design WattDepot and OSCAR are two components Other possible components: Sensors for Holmes Hall power consumption Sensors for Holmes Hall rooftop PV Simulation software Power generation equipment Educational “lab experiments” Smart grid lab kickoff meeting Coming soon (October)

WattDepot and OSCAR are two components

Other possible components:

Sensors for Holmes Hall power consumption

Sensors for Holmes Hall rooftop PV

Simulation software

Power generation equipment

Educational “lab experiments”

Smart grid lab kickoff meeting

Coming soon (October)

Saunders Energy Competition 5 floors in Saunders Hall compete Series of rounds Scheduled for early 2010 Different incentives and communication media each round “ Ambient” displays show floor power usage Per-floor websites for collaboration Winner gets some $ savings returned Hypotheses Ambient displays & websites aid conservation Incentives help in short term, but not long

5 floors in Saunders Hall compete

Series of rounds

Scheduled for early 2010

Different incentives and communication media each round

“ Ambient” displays show floor power usage

Per-floor websites for collaboration

Winner gets some $ savings returned

Hypotheses

Ambient displays & websites aid conservation

Incentives help in short term, but not long

Community Outreach Blue Planet Foundation (Gary Gill) Planning energy conversation contest < 50 homes Kanu Hawaii (Olin Lagon) Has funding to study power meters & audits Determine their effectiveness in HI Hundreds of homes Hawaii Energy Efficiency Program (Derrick Sonoda) New home of HECO’s efficiency programs Planning website where people can compare electricity usage to similar homes

Blue Planet Foundation (Gary Gill)

Planning energy conversation contest

< 50 homes

Kanu Hawaii (Olin Lagon)

Has funding to study power meters & audits

Determine their effectiveness in HI

Hundreds of homes

Hawaii Energy Efficiency Program (Derrick Sonoda)

New home of HECO’s efficiency programs

Planning website where people can compare electricity usage to similar homes

Deliverables Fall 2009 WattDepot implementation Retrieving data from Saunders (usage & PV), Philip’s house, OSCAR Providing display and simple analyses of data OSCAR implementation Generating simulated Oahu data Dialog with HECO validating simulated data Smart Grid Lab planning Specify sensors to instrument Holmes Saunders Energy Competition Experimental design Website prototype

WattDepot implementation

Retrieving data from Saunders (usage & PV), Philip’s house, OSCAR

Providing display and simple analyses of data

OSCAR implementation

Generating simulated Oahu data

Dialog with HECO validating simulated data

Smart Grid Lab planning

Specify sensors to instrument Holmes

Saunders Energy Competition

Experimental design

Website prototype

Questions? Please ask away! Or email me at rbrewer@lava.net

Please ask away!

Or email me at rbrewer@lava.net