Homeostatic control: the utility/customer marketplace for electric power

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5232528· OSTI ID:5232528

Schweppe, F. C.; Tabors, R. D.; Kirtley, J. L.

A load management system is proposed in which the electric utility customer controls his on-site power demand to coincide with the lowest possible cost of power generation. Called Homeostatic Control, this method is founded on feedback between the customer and the utility and on customer independence. The utility has no control beyond the customer's meter. Computers located at the customer's site are continuously fed data on weather conditions, utility generating costs, and demand requirements for space conditioning, lighting, and appliances. The customer then directs the computer to schedule and control the power allotted for these functions. On-site generation by the customer can be incorporated in the system. It is argued that homeostatic control is technically feasible, that the level of control equipment sophistication can be adapted to the benefits received by the customer, that such a system would encourage the use of customer-site energy storage and energy conservation equipment, and that it represents a realistic method for allowing the customer to decide how he will use electric power during an era of increasing costs for power generation. (LCL)

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA). Energy Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AM01-76EI02295
• OSTI ID: 5232528
• Report Number(s): MIT-EL-81-033; ON: DE82013658
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
COMMUNICATIONS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COST
DATA TRANSMISSION
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
INDUSTRY
LOAD MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
MARKET
POWER
POWER DEMAND
POWER SYSTEMS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RATE STRUCTURE
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR