Application of DSM evaluation studies to utility forecasting and planning
Utilities and their customers have made substantial investments in utility demand-side management (DSM) programs. These DSM programs also represent a substantial electricity resource. DSM program performance has been studied more systematically in recent years than over any previous period. DSM program evaluations are traditionally targeted to meet the program manager`s need for information on program costs and performance and, more recently, to verify savings to regulators for incentive awards and lost revenue recovery. Yet evaluations may also be used to produce results relevant to utility forecasting and planning. Applying evaluation results is especially important for utilities with substantial current and future commitments to acquiring demand-side resources. This report discusses the application of evaluation results to utility forecasting and planning. The report has three objectives. First, we identify what demand forecasters, DSM forecasters, and resource planners want to learn from evaluations. Second, we identify and describe the major obstacles and problems associated with applying evaluation results and illustrate many of these issues through a specific evaluation application exercise. Finally, we suggest approaches for addressing these major problems. The report summarizes results from interviews with utilities, regulators, and consultants to determine how the industry currently applies evaluation results in forecasting and planning. The report also includes results from case studies of Sacramento Municipal Utility District and Southern California Edison Company, utilities with large DSM programs and active evaluation efforts. Finally, we draw on a specific application exercise in which we used a set of impact evaluations to revise a utility DSM forecast.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 64327
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CON--409; ON: DE95010858
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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