Enabled by advanced communication and information technologies, the smart grid represents a major transformation for the electricity sector. Vast quantities of data and two-way communications abilities create the potential for a flexible, data-driven, multi-directional supply and consumption network well equipped to meet the challenges of the next century. For electricity service providers (“utilities”), the smart grid provides opportunities for improved business practices and new business models; however, a transformation of such magnitude is not without risks. Three related studies are conducted to explore the implications of the smart grid on utilities’ demand-side activities. An initial conceptual framework, based on organizational information processing theory, suggests that utilities’ performance depends on the fit between the information processing requirements and capacities associated with a given demand-side activity. Using secondary data and multiple regression analyses, the first study finds, consistent with OIPT, a positive relationship between utilities’ advanced meter deployments and demand-side management performance. However, it also finds that meters with only data collection capacities are associated with lower performance, suggesting the presence of information waste causing operational inefficiencies. In the second study, interviews with industry participants provide partial support for the initial conceptual model, new insights are gained with respect to information processing fit and information waste, and “big data” is identified as a central theme of the smart grid. To derive richer theoretical insights, the third study employs a grounded theory approach examining the experience of one successful utility in detail. Based on interviews and documentary data, the paradox of dynamic stability emerges as an essential enabler of utilities’ performance in the smart grid environment. Within this context, the frames of opportunity, control, and data limitation interact to support dynamic stability and contribute to innovation within tradition. The main contributions of this thesis include theoretical extensions to OIPT and the development of an emergent model of dynamic stability in relation to big data. The thesis also adds to the green IS literature and identifies important practical implications for utilities as they endeavour to bring the smart grid to reality. / Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-21 12:04:43.652

Growing demand for electricity forces suppliers to expand their generation capacity. Financing these expansion programmes results in electricity cost increases above inflation rates. By reducing electricity consumption, additional supply capacity is created at lower costs than the building of conventional power stations. Therefore, there is strong justification to reduce electricity consumption on the supplier and consumer side. The mining and industrial sectors of South Africa consumed approximately 43% of the total electricity supplied by Eskom during 2012. Approximately 10% of this electricity was used to produce compressed air. By reducing the electricity consumption of compressed air systems, operating costs are reduced. In turn this reduces the strain on the South African electricity network. Previous energy saving projects on mine compressed air systems realised savings that were not always sustainable. Savings deteriorated due to, amongst others, rapid employee turnover, improper training, lack of maintenance and system changes. There is therefore a need to improve projects that have already been implemented on mine compressed air systems. The continuous improvement of equipment (such as improved control valves) and the availability of newer technologies can be used to improve existing energy saving strategies. This study provides a solution to reduce the electricity consumption and operating costs of a deep level mine compressed air system. This was achieved by modernising and improving an existing underground compressed air saving strategy. This improvement resulted in a power saving of 1.15 MW; a saving equivalent to an annual cost saving of R4.16 million. It was found that the improved underground compressed air DSM project realised significant additional electrical energy savings. This resulted in ample cost savings to justify the implementation of the project improvements. It is recommended that opportunities to improve existing electrical energy saving projects on surface compressed air systems are investigated. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis advisor: Scott Fulford / Can smart metering program and time-of-use (TOU) prices help reduce energy consumption in New York City? Being able to track electricity consumption levels and to modify consumer usage patterns are important for policy makers to efficiently manage the energy markets. Unfortunately, no reliable and up-to-date data have been brought to bear on this question. I study the effects of time-of-use (TOU) prices and smart metering for the residents of Shanghai and I investigate further what can policy makers do in order to adapt and transfer this successful DSM experience from Shanghai to the residential sector in New York City. The primary objective of my study is to characterize the realistic short-term and long-term potential for the smart metering program in New York City given my empirical findings that the smart metering program has had brought great benefits to the residents of Shanghai. People respond to incentives; if electricity is charged at different prices throughout a day, consumers are likely to shift their usage to when it is cheaper. My findings suggest that policy makers should think harder about designing a pricing scheme that can optimize the social plus. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics.

Esse trabalho traz a análise de experiência de gerenciamento pelo lado da demanda implementada na cidade de Alfenas, Minas Gerais. Apesar de o gerenciamento ser uma atividade muito comum nos países industrializados, onde se incorpora com opções de oferta num planejamento integrado de recursos, no Brasil ainda encontra pouca penetração e se verificam poucos trabalhos acadêmicos a respeito. A avaliação deste programa, implementado em Alfenas pela CEMIG, é feita através de pesquisas em domicílio, tanto com os participantes como com os potenciais participantes. O programa implementado era a combinação de um controlador de corrente com descontos tarifários. / This dissertations analyses a Demand-Side Management (DSM) experience at Alfenas, Minas Gerais. Although DSM is a common features of Electricity Distribution Industry in developed countries, there are few experiments reported in Brazilian literature. Most of the initiatives have been hold under PROCEL, supported by Eletrobras. To evaluate Alfenas experiment, conducted by Cemig, household survey was implemented, covering both dwellings participants and not participants of the program. The program combine demand control gadget and tariffs rebates. For those attended by the program, 82,1% declared to be satisfied with the program. And 41,0% of the not covered would be willing to join the program now and 29,5% would be willing to join in the future, if the opportunity were offered

Em diversos mercados de energia onde há competição, a formação de preços de energia elétrica no mercado de curto prazo decorre do equilíbrio da oferta e da demanda, onde geradores e grandes consumidores informam, em periodicidade horária ou inferior, as quantidades de energia e preços associados aos quais estão dispostos a produzir e consumir, respectivamente. No Brasil, no entanto, a demanda utilizada no modelo de formação de preço de energia elétrica no curto prazo (PLD) é considerada inelástica em relação ao preço. Por mais que se possam constatar sinais de resposta da demanda frente à volatilidade do PLD, ou ao custo com uso da rede de transmissão e distribuição no período de ponta, não há mecanismo estabelecido para que os consumidores ofertem as quantidades de energia e preços aos quais estão dispostos a reduzir seu consumo. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar proposta de alteração no processo de formação de preço no curto prazo de modo a permitir a Oferta da Redução do Consumo (ORC) pelos consumidores industriais. A proposta parte da representação do parque termelétrico atual, que serve de base para o valor da oferta de redução do consumo, as adaptações para introdução da curva de operação para fins de consideração da redução de consumo, bem como metodologia para aferição do montante de energia efetivamente reduzido. Além disso, de modo a apresentar o potencial benefício sistêmico com a introdução da proposta, são apresentadas simulações com a cadeia de modelos de formação de preço atual tendo como base a indústria de alumínio no Brasil. Os cenários de ORC da indústria levam em consideração parâmetros econômicos que asseguram a atratividade do negócio em consonância com o benefício sistêmico de redução do custo de operação. Apresenta-se ainda simulação da operação do ano de 2015 com estimativa do potencial de ORC no Ambiente de Contratação Livre (ACL) onde se constatou reduções de até 25% no Custo Marginal de Operação (CMO) e 16% de redução despacho termelétrico. / In several competitive power markets, short term power price is the result of the balance of supply and demand represented by bid and ask prices and energy quantities. In Brazil, short term power price (PLD) calculated by Newave/Decomp price models consider price-inflexible demand, even though traces of demand response to short term power prices and demand tariffs can be identified. The purpose of this Thesis is the proposal of changes in process of power pricing allowing large energy consumers bid their price to curtail their consumption in substitution of thermal power dispatch. Topics included in proposal are: cost of installed thermal power plants in power system, industrial demand curtail and restart features, and demand response effectiveness appraisal tools. Current power price models were employed on simulations to evaluate system\'s benefits with demand response. From an industrial perspective, accounting measures were basis to convert loss of production in demand-side bidding price in order to keep business profitability. Estimate of demand side bidding potential market in Brazilian free market with simulation of system impact in 2015 with results that reached 25% of Marginal Cost reduction and 16% of Thermal Dispatch reduction.

Concerns over both environmental issues and about the depletion of fossil fuels have acted as twin driving forces to the development of renewable energy and its integration into existing electricity grids. The variable nature of RE generators assessment affects the ability to balance supply and demand across electricity networks; however, the use of energy storage and demand-side response techniques is expected to help relieve this situation. One possibility in this regard might be the use of water electrolysis to produce hydrogen while producing industrial-scale DSR services. This would be facilitated by the use of tariff structures that incentive the operation of electrolysers as dispatchable loads. This research has been carried out to answer the following question: What is the feasibility of using electrolysers to provide industrial-scale of Demand-side Response for grid balancing while producing hydrogen at a competitive price? The hydrogen thus produced can then be used, and indeed sold, as a clean automotive fuel. To these ends, two common types of electrolyser, alkaline and PEM, are examined in considerable detail. In particular, two cost scenarios for system components are considered, namely those for 2015 and 2030. The coastal city of Darnah in Libya was chosen as the basis for this case study, where renewable energy can be produced via wind turbines and photovoltaics (PVs), and where there are currently six petrol stations serving the city that can be converted to hydrogen refuelling stations (HRSs). In 2015 all scenarios for both PEM and alkaline electrolysers were considered and were found to be able to partly meet the project aims but with high cost of hydrogen due to the high cost of system capital costs, low price of social carbon cost and less government support. However, by 2030 the price of hydrogen price will make it a good option as energy storage and clean fuel for many reasons such as the expected drop in capital cost, improvement in the efficiency of the equipment, and the expectation of high price of social carbon cost. Penetration of hydrogen into the energy sector requires strong governmental support by either establishing or modifying policies and energy laws to increasingly support renewable energy usage. Government support could effectively bring forward the date at which hydrogen becomes techno-economically viable (i.e. sooner than 2030).

Esse trabalho traz a análise de experiência de gerenciamento pelo lado da demanda implementada na cidade de Alfenas, Minas Gerais. Apesar de o gerenciamento ser uma atividade muito comum nos países industrializados, onde se incorpora com opções de oferta num planejamento integrado de recursos, no Brasil ainda encontra pouca penetração e se verificam poucos trabalhos acadêmicos a respeito. A avaliação deste programa, implementado em Alfenas pela CEMIG, é feita através de pesquisas em domicílio, tanto com os participantes como com os potenciais participantes. O programa implementado era a combinação de um controlador de corrente com descontos tarifários. / This dissertations analyses a Demand-Side Management (DSM) experience at Alfenas, Minas Gerais. Although DSM is a common features of Electricity Distribution Industry in developed countries, there are few experiments reported in Brazilian literature. Most of the initiatives have been hold under PROCEL, supported by Eletrobras. To evaluate Alfenas experiment, conducted by Cemig, household survey was implemented, covering both dwellings participants and not participants of the program. The program combine demand control gadget and tariffs rebates. For those attended by the program, 82,1% declared to be satisfied with the program. And 41,0% of the not covered would be willing to join the program now and 29,5% would be willing to join in the future, if the opportunity were offered

Em diversos mercados de energia onde há competição, a formação de preços de energia elétrica no mercado de curto prazo decorre do equilíbrio da oferta e da demanda, onde geradores e grandes consumidores informam, em periodicidade horária ou inferior, as quantidades de energia e preços associados aos quais estão dispostos a produzir e consumir, respectivamente. No Brasil, no entanto, a demanda utilizada no modelo de formação de preço de energia elétrica no curto prazo (PLD) é considerada inelástica em relação ao preço. Por mais que se possam constatar sinais de resposta da demanda frente à volatilidade do PLD, ou ao custo com uso da rede de transmissão e distribuição no período de ponta, não há mecanismo estabelecido para que os consumidores ofertem as quantidades de energia e preços aos quais estão dispostos a reduzir seu consumo. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar proposta de alteração no processo de formação de preço no curto prazo de modo a permitir a Oferta da Redução do Consumo (ORC) pelos consumidores industriais. A proposta parte da representação do parque termelétrico atual, que serve de base para o valor da oferta de redução do consumo, as adaptações para introdução da curva de operação para fins de consideração da redução de consumo, bem como metodologia para aferição do montante de energia efetivamente reduzido. Além disso, de modo a apresentar o potencial benefício sistêmico com a introdução da proposta, são apresentadas simulações com a cadeia de modelos de formação de preço atual tendo como base a indústria de alumínio no Brasil. Os cenários de ORC da indústria levam em consideração parâmetros econômicos que asseguram a atratividade do negócio em consonância com o benefício sistêmico de redução do custo de operação. Apresenta-se ainda simulação da operação do ano de 2015 com estimativa do potencial de ORC no Ambiente de Contratação Livre (ACL) onde se constatou reduções de até 25% no Custo Marginal de Operação (CMO) e 16% de redução despacho termelétrico. / In several competitive power markets, short term power price is the result of the balance of supply and demand represented by bid and ask prices and energy quantities. In Brazil, short term power price (PLD) calculated by Newave/Decomp price models consider price-inflexible demand, even though traces of demand response to short term power prices and demand tariffs can be identified. The purpose of this Thesis is the proposal of changes in process of power pricing allowing large energy consumers bid their price to curtail their consumption in substitution of thermal power dispatch. Topics included in proposal are: cost of installed thermal power plants in power system, industrial demand curtail and restart features, and demand response effectiveness appraisal tools. Current power price models were employed on simulations to evaluate system\'s benefits with demand response. From an industrial perspective, accounting measures were basis to convert loss of production in demand-side bidding price in order to keep business profitability. Estimate of demand side bidding potential market in Brazilian free market with simulation of system impact in 2015 with results that reached 25% of Marginal Cost reduction and 16% of Thermal Dispatch reduction.

Several demand side management (DSM) techniques and algorithms have been used in the literature. These algorithms show that by adopting DSM and Time-of-Use (TOU) price tariffs; electricity cost significantly decreases, and optimal load scheduling is achieved. However, the purpose of the DSM is to not only lower the electricity cost, but also to avoid the peak load even if the electricity prices low. To address this concern, this dissertation starts with a brief literature review on the existing DSM algorithms and schemes. These algorithms can be suitable for Direct Load Control (DLC) schemes, Demand Response (DR), and load scheduling strategies. \end{abstract} Secondly, the dissertations compares two of DSM algorithms to show the performance based on cost minimization, voltage fluctuation, and system power loss [see in Chapter 5]. The results show the importance of balance between objectives such as electricity cost minimization, peak load occurrence, and voltage fluctuation evolution while simultaneously optimizing the cost.

Orientador: Fábio Leão Bertequini / Resumo: O consumo de energia elétrica por parte de consumidores residenciais apresenta curvas de carga bem definidas ao longo do dia e por meio delas é possível perceber horários de maior e menor concentração de demanda. Consequentemente este comportamento exige muito dos sistemas de geração e distribuição em determinados intervalos de tempo e as concessionárias, por sua vez, tomam medidas para incentivar o consumo em momentos fora destes intervalos. Esta prática é denominada Gerenciamento pelo Lado da Demanda, que pode ocorrer de forma Direta ou Indireta. Uma das formas de Gerenciamento pelo Lado da Demanda Indireto (GLDI), que atualmente vigora no Brasil, é a Tarifa Branca (TB). O objetivo consiste em deslocar a demanda de ponta para horários fora de ponta, contribuindo, assim, para a melhoria da curva de carga do alimentador e, além disto, incentiva a mudança de hábito dos consumidores. Por outro lado, a adoção da TB e a mudança dos hábitos de consumo dos consumidores poderão causar impactos na rede de distribuição os quais devem ser investigados. A proposta deste trabalho é analisar esses impactos, com base em um modelo de Programação Linear Inteira Mista o qual considera a adoção de painéis solares pelo consumidor e, consequentemente, a exportação de energia elétrica para a rede. O modelo busca a otimização da curva de carga do consumidor rearranjando os horários de uso dos aparelhos eletrodomésticos para os horários fora de ponta, levando em conta o conforto e a redução da fatu... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The consumption of electric energy by residential consumers presents well-defined load curves throughout the day through which is possible to perceive times of higher and lower demand concentration. Consequently, this behavior puts a high demand to Generation and Distribution Systems during certain given intervals of time so distributers, in turn, take measures to encourage consumption at moments outside those time ranges. Such practice is known as Demand-Side Management (DSM), which can occur either directly or indirectly. One of the indirect Demand-side Management that takes place in Brazil is called the “White Fee”. Its main objective is to shift peak demand to off-peak hours, contributing to the improvement of the feeder’s load curve and also to encourage consumers’ change of habits. On the other hand, the accession of the White-Tariff and the change of consumer behavior can impact on the distribution grids, which should be looked into. The proposal of this paper is to analyze such impacts based on a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model which considers the consumers’ solar panels purchase, and consequently, energy exports to the grid. The model seeks the enhancement of the consumers’ load curve by rearranging the hours of use household appliances at offpeak hours, taking into account comfort and a decrease in consumers electricity billing. The model was implemented in the AMPL language, making it possible to solve the CPLEX. In order to observe the impact of the White T... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre