By Paul Homewood
h/t Patsy Lacey
Another reason not to have a smart meter!
National Grid will be able to tell people the cheapest time to turn on a washing machine up to two days in advance.
New software, developed with conservation charity WWF, breaks the day down into two-hour segments, warning users when energy is at peak demand and informing them when demand is low.
It combines historical data from the grid with weather information from the Met Office to predict times of high and low demand.
The National Grid said it expected energy companies to use the information to produce their own apps encouraging customers to use energy when demand was at its lowest and turn appliances off when there was pressure on the system.
The data, verified by experts from Oxford University, also shows when low-carbon energy sources are active, allowing environmentally-conscious households to use energy at the best times for solar and wind energy.
Duncan Burt, director of the system operator at National Grid, said: “We’re providing our forecast data in a format that allows technology companies to build innovative apps and software that could make a real difference to how and when people use energy.
“Clear and concise information that can tell you in advance when’s best to turn on the washing machine, load the dishwasher or charge your car for example, is a step in the right direction towards a low carbon future.
“This technology puts people at the heart of it, helping everyone to use power when it’s greenest, and likely, more cost efficient.”
In the future the system is likely to be most useful to electric-car owners, who can choose to charge their vehicle at the cheapest and most efficient time.
Some suppliers have started to offer “time-of-use” tariffs, enabled by smart meters, which reward householders for using energy when demand is low.
In January Green Energy UK launched its TIDE tariff which charges less per kWh at low-usage times, such as overnight.
British Gas’s long-standing Economy 7 and Economy 10 tariffs also charge users less for energy used at night.
The National Grid also said that 2017 had been the “greenest summer ever”. Between June 21 and September 22, 52 per cent of electricity demand was met by “low-carbon” sources, compared to 35 per cent four years ago.
Gareth Redmond-King, head of climate and energy at WWF, said the development was a “great leap forward” towards more renewable energy use.
“Green energy forecasting could be a game changer – making the connection between the weather and energy and helping people use electricity when it’s greenest.
“This is not just good news for reducing the effects of climate change but could also help us cut our home energy bills and it’s vital the UK Government bring in time of use tariffs quickly to maximise these opportunities,” he said.
At the end of the day (or night!), the total cost of electricity will still be the same. Interestingly, at the time, the Telegraph reported this on the TIDE tariff mentioned above:
The cheapest electricity will be available between 11pm and 6am every night, at 4.99p per unit.
The most expensive period will be between 4pm and 9pm on weeknights, when electricity will cost 24.99p per unit. This is the period when demand for energy spikes.
The average price for energy is around 14p per unit, according to consultants the Energy Saving Trust.
On the Green Energy UK plan, a customer who uses 30pc of their electricity at the cheapest time and only 2pc at the most expensive time would spend £891.25 on electricity each year.
But if the same customer used 2pc of their electricity between at the cheapest time and 30pc at the most expensive time, their bill would be £1,063.13.
In both cases the rest of the usage would be 24pc used during the day, and 16pc used later in the evening.
According to price comparison site UK Power, the cheapest available annual bill for a medium-sized house is £871.
So, even if you use 30% of your power at night, you’re still no better off. And if you don’t, you’re shafted!
via NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT
September 26, 2017 at 11:09AM
Iowa Climate Science Education 