A new method utilizing smart meter data for identifying the existence of air conditioning in residential homes

Abstract

Climate change, urbanization, and economic growth are expected to drive increases in the installation of new air conditioners, as well as increases in utilization of existing air conditioning (AC) units, in the coming decades. This growth will provide challenges for a diversity of stakeholders, from grid operators charged with maintaining a reliable and cost-effective power system, to low-income communities that may struggle to afford increased electricity costs. Despite the importance of building a quantitative understanding of trends in existing and future AC usage, methods to estimate AC penetration with high spatial and temporal resolution are lacking. In this study we develop a new classification method to characterize AC penetration patterns with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution (i.e. at the census tract level), using the Greater Los Angeles Area as a case study. The method utilizes smart meter data records from 180 476 households over two years, along with local ambient temperature records. When spatially aggregated, the overall AC penetration rate of the Greater Los Angeles Area is 69%, which is similar to values reported by previous studies. We believe this method can be applied to other regions of the world where household smart meter data are available.

Utilizing smart-meter data to project impacts of urban warming on residential electricity use for vulnerable populations in Southern California

“…Hence, there is not a significant rise in electricity use as temperature drops below the SPT. Applicability and limitations of the segmented linear regression model are discussed in our previous study (Chen et al 2019).…”

“…We utilized a method developed and detailed in our previous study (Chen et al 2019) to identify whether a household has AC using household electricity and ambient temperature data. Air conditioner penetration rates at the census tract level were computed as the ratio of homes with AC to total homes in our dataset.…”

“…2015-2016) of hourly electricity consumption records for 180 476 households in Southern California, as well as local site weather data, to compute household-level relationships between electricity consumption and ambient temperature, using the segmented linear regression model detailed in our previous study (Chen et al 2018). We also assess the prevalence of AC usage across the investigated area at the household level, in the context of climate characteristics, as well as socio-economic demographics, using a methodology presented in our previous study (Chen et al 2019). In this study, the investigated area within Southern California is defined as the territory serviced by Southern California Edison, which includes Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County.…”

Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Energy Use in Los Angeles

“…Demand from three other categories-lighting, major appliances, and plug loads-is largely driven by occupancy without substantial regard to ambient temperature. With 42% of US residential use due to space conditioning, ambient temperature is a primary driver of residential electricity use, especially with high air conditioning penetration [15,18,19]. Despite the mild climate in Southern California, Chen et al assessed a substantial (69% estimated) regional household penetration for air conditioning [19,20].…”

“…With 42% of US residential use due to space conditioning, ambient temperature is a primary driver of residential electricity use, especially with high air conditioning penetration [15,18,19]. Despite the mild climate in Southern California, Chen et al assessed a substantial (69% estimated) regional household penetration for air conditioning [19,20]. This includes residential air conditioning systems in different form factors and cooling capacities.…”