テキサス州での家庭向けのデマンドレスポンスの状況

デマンドレスポンス


テキサス州での家庭向けのデマンドレスポンス(DR)の状況をこの記事を元に纏めてみた。
同じテキサス州内でも、場所によって、また電力会社によって、アプローチがかなり違うが、家庭でもデマンドレスポンスが使われつつあるのが分かる。
家庭用の場合、エアコンをどうやって電力会社がコントロールするかが大きな課題になる。テキサス州は夏が暑いので、40度を越える気温の際には各家庭がエアコンを最大出力にし、電力需要が一気に上がり、最悪停電になったりする。
それぞれのプログラムを見ると、色々工夫の跡が見られて面白い。
外から強制的に設定温度を上げるだけでは無く、住人がそれを取り消せたり、エアコンを止める時間をグループ毎にずらしたりと工夫されている。

  • 市営電力会社：市域における地域独占が許されているが規制を受ける(regulated)
    • AUSTIN市(「Austin Energy」、市営電力会社)
      • ‘Power Partner Thermostats‘ program
        • Austin Energy will give you $85 for signing up for this program.
        • That money can go towards one of the internet-connected thermostats required to participate.
        • In exchange, you agree to have your AC turned up during some weekday afternoons during the summer:
        • “We schedule events that override/modify your thermostat settings on about 15 days a year from June through September.
        • During peak hours (typically 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), an event may adjust your setting by 4 degrees or cycle the system off for 20 minutes per hour.”
        • If you’re home during that time and get uncomfortable, you can override it and set the temperature lower.
        • Nest, one of the smart thermostats partnered with Austin Energy, says only ten percent of users with its thermostat adjusted their temperature ten percent of the time.
    • SAN ANTONIO市 (「CPS Energy」、市営電力会社)
      • San Antonio has two demand response programs.
      • "Home Manager" program
        • gives you a smart meter, smart thermostat, and ”monitoring and control devices for your outside AC unit and your electric water heater,” according to CPS Energy.
        • Equipment and installation are free.
        • In exchange, participants agree to take part in ‘Conservation Events,’ when CPS deploys demand response because energy demand is peaking or there are issues on the grid.
        • From CPS:
          • “These events usually occur between 3 and 6 p.m. and only last two or three hours.
          • Also, during that time period the adjustment to your thermostat is always 3 degrees and you can opt out at any time and return to your normal settings.
          • All you have to do is change the temperature on your thermostat or the web portal and the system will return to that setting.
          • Conservation events don’t occur very often, but they are crucial in managing the energy needs of the city.”
      • "smart thermostat" program.
        • In exchange for a free Honeywell smart thermostat, residents agree to participate in “cycling” during some summer days.
        • That means their AC is turned off for about ten minutes each half hour during times of peak demand.
  • 自由化されている都市の民営の電力会社
    • 「Reliant Energy」
      • Reliant will not only give you a free Nest thermostat with their ‘Learn and Conserve’ plan, they’ll also pay you for using less AC during times of peak demand, $0.80 per kWh. (That could add up to about $20 each summer.)
    • 「Bounce Energy」
      • The company has a ‘Peak Rewards‘ program, which gives customers 5% back during summer months for using less energy during times of peak demand.
      • There’s no thermostat incentive, however, and on their website Bounce says the program is closed to new participants at this time.
    • 「Green Mountain Energy」
      • This retail electric provider offers a free Nest learning thermostat (worth $250) for signing up for a 100% renewable power plan called ‘Pollution Free Efficient.’
      • While the program doesn’t have a demand response component like the one with Austin Energy, it does utilize a program called ‘Seasonal Savings’ developed by Nest:
      • “In the winter and summer, the Nest Thermostat automatically fine-tunes the temperatures in your heating and cooling schedule by a few degrees to be more efficient while keeping you just as comfortable.
      • You can change the temperature or adjust your schedule at any time, but Nest owners with Seasonal Savings can use 5-10% less heating and cooling that season.”
    • 「TXU Energy」
      • The private power company offers a popular ‘Free Nights or Weekends‘ program which gives participants electricity at no cost either at night or on weekends in exchange for a higher daytime or weekday rate.
      • The company announced last year that nearly 100,000 people had signed up for the program.
    • 「Direct Energy」
      • Under a new plan announced this week, Direct Energy will give you up to three smart thermostats (installation is charged, however) and a fixed 24-month rate if you sign up for its Meridian Savings Plan.
      • The thermostat can be controlled remotely via a smartphone.
      • There is no demand response per se, but Direct Energy says the thermostat will guide customers towards more efficient energy use based on their consumption.
      • The plan is only available in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas.

（なお、右上の写真は、良く見かけるDRのロゴで「収入になって、電力網の安定化に役立って、かつエコだよ」と言う。DRはまさにその通りだ。）