Customer Use of Web-based Energy Usage Data - An Evaluation of California's Real-Time Energy Metering Program

摘要

As a result of funding authorized by the California state legislature, advanced automated meter reading devices have been installed for nearly all customer accounts in the state with billing demands greater than 200 kW. Customer accounts that did not already face time-of-use (TOU) prices were converted to a TOU rate. This paper reports some preliminary findings from an ongoing qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the metering program. The primary objective of the qualitative evaluation is to develop "lessons learned" about the metering technologies, the installation process, communication of information to customers, and customers' perception and use of the timely information on their energy usage patterns. The quantitative evaluation is designed to measure any changes in customers' demand and energy consumption that can be attributed to the installation of the meters, the availability of new information on their energy usage patterns, and/or the conversion to a TOU price structure.