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Title: PowerChoice Residential Customer Response to TOU Rates

Abstract

Research Into Action, Inc. and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) worked together to conduct research on the behaviors and energy use patterns of SMUD residential customers who voluntarily signed on to a Time-of-Use rate pilot launched under the PowerChoice label. The project was designed to consider the how and why of residential customers ability and willingness to engage in demand reduction behaviors, and to link social and behavioral factors to observed changes in demand. The research drew on a combination of load interval data and three successive surveys of participating households. Two experimental treatments were applied to test the effects of increased information on households ability to respond to the Time-of-Use rates. Survey results indicated that participants understood the purpose of the Time-of-Use rate and undertook substantial appropriate actions to shift load and conserve. Statistical tests revealed minor initial price effects and more marked, but still modest, adjustments to seasonal rate changes. Tests of the two information interventions indicated that neither made much difference to consumption patterns. Despite the lackluster statistical evidence for load shifting, the analysis points to key issues for critical analysis and development of residential Time-of-Use rates, especially pertinent as California sets the stage for demandmore » response in more California residences.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Environmental Energy Technologies Division
OSTI Identifier:
986914
Report Number(s):
LBNL-3870E
TRN: US201018%%377
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32; CALIFORNIA; HOUSEHOLDS; PRICES

Citation Formats

Peters, Jane S., Moezzi, Mithra, Lutzenhiser, Susan, Woods, James, Dethman, Linda, and Kunkle, Rick. PowerChoice Residential Customer Response to TOU Rates. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.2172/986914.
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Peters, Jane S., Moezzi, Mithra, Lutzenhiser, Susan, Woods, James, Dethman, Linda, & Kunkle, Rick. PowerChoice Residential Customer Response to TOU Rates. United States. doi:10.2172/986914.
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Peters, Jane S., Moezzi, Mithra, Lutzenhiser, Susan, Woods, James, Dethman, Linda, and Kunkle, Rick. Thu . "PowerChoice Residential Customer Response to TOU Rates". United States. doi:10.2172/986914. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/986914.
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@article{osti_986914,
title = {PowerChoice Residential Customer Response to TOU Rates},
author = {Peters, Jane S. and Moezzi, Mithra and Lutzenhiser, Susan and Woods, James and Dethman, Linda and Kunkle, Rick},
abstractNote = {Research Into Action, Inc. and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) worked together to conduct research on the behaviors and energy use patterns of SMUD residential customers who voluntarily signed on to a Time-of-Use rate pilot launched under the PowerChoice label. The project was designed to consider the how and why of residential customers ability and willingness to engage in demand reduction behaviors, and to link social and behavioral factors to observed changes in demand. The research drew on a combination of load interval data and three successive surveys of participating households. Two experimental treatments were applied to test the effects of increased information on households ability to respond to the Time-of-Use rates. Survey results indicated that participants understood the purpose of the Time-of-Use rate and undertook substantial appropriate actions to shift load and conserve. Statistical tests revealed minor initial price effects and more marked, but still modest, adjustments to seasonal rate changes. Tests of the two information interventions indicated that neither made much difference to consumption patterns. Despite the lackluster statistical evidence for load shifting, the analysis points to key issues for critical analysis and development of residential Time-of-Use rates, especially pertinent as California sets the stage for demand response in more California residences.},
doi = {10.2172/986914},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}
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DOI:  10.2172/986914
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