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The smart grid needs smart consumers

Philip JohnsonCollaborative Software Development

LaboratoryInformation and Computer Sciences

University of Hawaii

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Smart grid?

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Smart consumers?

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Need?

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What is the smart grid?

(i.e. how does it differ from our current “dumb” grid?)

(6)1. Accommodate all generation and storage

options

(7)2. Enable new products, services, and

markets

(8)3. Provide power quality for the digital

economy.

(9)4. Optimize asset utilization and operate

efficiently.

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5. Anticipate and respond to system disturbances.

(11)6. Be resilient against attacks and natural

disasters.

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7. Enable active participation by consumers.

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What is a smart consumer?

(14)1. Has access to energy data

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2. Understands energy concepts

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3. Can take action to use energy efficiently.

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Q: Why do we need smart grids and smart

consumers?

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Answer 1: Fossil fuels are a problem,

globally and locally

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Oil production is unlikely to increase forever.

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Oil dependent economies have most to lose.

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Hawaii’s oil addiction

Imported oil supplies 90% of Hawaii’s energy.•Most dependent state in the nation.

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Hawaii’s oil addiction

Hawaii imports 51M barrels of oil annually.•14-21 day supply•one missed delivery from disaster

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Hawaii’s oil addiction

Hawaii energy expenditures:•$6.1B (2007)•Average expenditure: $437K per hour•Increasing by $700M per year•10% of our GDP (3x other states)

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Fossil fuels -> increased CO2 -> increased seawater pH -> coral reef problems.

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Fossils fuels -> climate warming -> sea level rise

Waikiki after 1m sea rise

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Answer 2: HCEI

(Why do we need smart grids and smart consumers?)

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Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative

Meet 70% of our energy needs by 2030 through energy efficiency and renewable energy.

•Stop building fossil fuel plants.

•Generate 40% of our energy locally.

•Utilize solar, wind, wave, geothermal energy.

•Modernize the power grid (smart grid)

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OK, so the smart grid is good.

But do we really need smart consumers?

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Silver Bullet #1:

Just charge more for electricity.

“Smart” consumers will result.

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However:

U.S. economy already has the potential to cost-effectively reduce annual

non-transportation energy consumption by 23% by 2020.

$520B investment -> $1.2T savings

“Unlocking energy efficiency in the US Economy”, McKinsey & Co.

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Silver Bullet #1 problem:

Consumers are not economically rational.

We could already reduce our energy costs by 25% if we wanted to.

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Silver Bullet #2:

Education

If we only understood the issues, we’d change.

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Information campaigns Geller advertised a 3 hour workshop on energy efficiency in paper.

40 people attended.

Pre- and post-questionaires indicated the participants:•had increased energy literacy•were motivated to implement energy conservation.

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Results of workshop

One month followup revealed:

•1 person lowered temp on hot water heater.

•2 people put insulating blankets on heater.

•8 people installed low-flow shower heads.-But all 40 had been given them!

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Silver Bullet #2 problem:

Information alone does not necessarily lead to behavior

change.

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Silver Bullet #3:

Automation

Take away control from the consumer through “smart” appliances and demand

response.

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Automation: Initial experiences

Boulder’s “smart grid city”•50% of those surveyed did not want demand response installed in their homes.

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Automation: Initial experiences

Santa Cruz:•“Stop Smart Meters Campaign”: Smart meters cause brain tumors, headaches, nausea, dizziness, and sleep disruption.

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Automation: Initial experiences

Scotts Valley Smart Meter Resistance:•Smart meters emit 5x radiation of cell phone.•Cell phones are linked to brain tumors...•Therefore, smart meters -> 5x brain tumors?

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Silver Bullet #3 problem:

Automation interacts with social systems in

unpredictable ways.

Power utilities have very little experience and are learning the hard way.

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Summary The smart grid would be good.

Smart consumers would also be good.

Both sides need each other.

It is not obvious how to get there.

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The “Smart Consumer” research question:

What kinds of information,

provided in what ways and at what times,

enables consumers to make

positive, sustained changes

in their energy behaviors?

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Put another way:

What do we need to change about the grid to enable consumers to be smart?

What do we need to change about consumers to enable the grid to be smart?

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Two research projects WattDepot•Software infrastructure for energy collection, storage, and analysis.

The Kukui Cup•A “next generation” dorm energy competition

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Why WattDepot? Because no existing system could:•Collect data from many meters•Support sub-minute data collection•Facilitate simulation of sensor data•Provide internet-accessible repository•Support visualization variety & flexibility•Allow customization/enhancement or extension (i.e. open source)

Need “enterprise” scale, not “home” or “utility” scale.

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Architecture

Devices

Meters

WattDepotSensors

WattDepotServer

WattDepotClients

HTTP HTT

P

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Sensors Software to collect data• Interface to specific meters• Store data in server via HTTP

Designed for flexibility• Encapsulates vendor-specific code• Any platform or language• Just needs to output XML over HTTP

Current implementations• TED 5000 home energy meter• Veris power meters• Modbus/TCP meters

Sensors

Server

Clients

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Servers Central data repository• RESTful HTTP API• Pluggable back-end database• Data represented as XML or JSON• Devices represented as Sources

Server-side capabilities• Aggregation of sources (virtual sources)• Data interpolation

Sensors

Server

Clients

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Servers: Virtual Sources Virtual sources combine sub-sources• Maps real-world entities to system• Hierarchy can be multi-level

But meter clocks may not be synchronized

Saunders Hall

Floor 2 North

Saunders Hall

Floor 2 South

Saunders Hall

Floor 2

Saunders Hall

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Servers: Timestamp Problem Unsynchronized clocks cause problems• Naïve data comparison difficult

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Servers: Data Interpolation Data resampling at arbitrary times• Linearly interpolate between data points• Solves timestamp problem for virtual sources

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Clients

Data extraction & visualization• Any platform or language• Using REST or Google Visualization APIs

Current implementations• Real-time monitors• Charts• Geographic visualizations• Android mobile application• All independent of data input source

Sensors

Server

Clients

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Clients: Heatmap and Gauge

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Clients: GeoMap

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WattDepot applications

Active:•Simple simulation of Oahu grid•Software engineering course projects•UH Dorm energy repository

Under evaluation:•UH Faculty housing project•University of Skolde sensor fusion project•UH Physics Dept. project

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WattDepot research issues Appropriate privacy policies for energy data.•Maintain anonymity.•Support aggregate analysis.

Mechanisms for fusion of energy data with environmental and other data types.• Incorporate into WattDepot or federate with other repositories?•What is the API?

Energy visualization•How to make data actionable?

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The Kukui Cup

Research Question:•How to obtain sustained, positive behavioral changes in energy usage amongst freshman college students living in the dorms?

Approach:•A “next generation” dorm energy challenge

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Research Challenges Freshman dormitory residents do not receive a bill for energy usage•No financial incentive to conserve energy.

Individual dormitory rooms cannot be metered•No way to isolate individual energy usage, only collective usage (floor-level).

Freshmen generally know relatively little about energy issues and their impact.•Relatively little a-priori interest.

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Kukui Cup Design Component:Competition

Which floor can reduce their energy the most?

Which student can earn the most Kukui Cup points?

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Kukui Cup Design Component:Incentives

iPod for grand prize winner

Pizza parties for winning floors

T-shirts for participants

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Kukui Cup Design Component:

Energy Feedback How much power is your floor using? •Sampled every 15 seconds

How much energy did your floor use•in the last day•in the last week

How does this compare to others?

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Kukui Cup Design Component:

Gaming Point system for activity participation.

Badge system for “cluster” areas.

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Kukui Cup Design Component:Social Media

Web application:•Personalized login-protected home page.

Facebook:•Kukui Cup activities posted to your Wall.

Smart phone:•mobile interface to website.

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Kukui Cup Design Component:

Literacy Events/Presentations•Blue Planet Foundation, Sierra Club, etc.

Activities:•Dorm room energy audit•2 minute energy literacy video episodes

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Kukui Cup Research Issues Which design components were effective?

What are the barriers to adoption?

Are energy conservation behaviors sustained past the competition?

How can design components be adapted to residential and office environments?

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How you can get involved!

Engineering:•Solve the disaggregation problem.

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How you can get involved!

Computer Science:•Human computer interaction•Usability design•Software Engineering

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How you can get involved!

Social Sciences•Game design•Pedagogical design•Politics of sustainable energy

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How you can get involved!

Art•Graphics•Music•Trophies

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Thanks to our sponsors!

(79)http://greenmonk.net/what-if-we-create-a-better-world-for-nothing/