Challenge

Arizona Public Service (APS) was ordered to evaluate its demand-side management (DSM) programs to focus on reducing peak energy use and demand. The utility was also required to assess each measure within its DSM portfolio that delivers highest-value peak savings while also helping to alleviate duck curve issues by shifting energy use into midday hours when solar production is highest.

Solution

Guidehouse derived 8760 hourly load shapes for every measure within APS’s DSM portfolio, including energy efficiency, demand response, load management, and energy storage measures. Guidehouse derived these load shapes using:

• Field-measured data for residential and commercial lighting, HVAC, and pool pump energy efficiency measures
• Simulated load profiles for electric batteries and grid-interactive water heaters based on time of use and demand charge rate structures
• Building simulation models calibrated to APS-specific data

Impact

Guidehouse’s data supported APS in the filing of its 2018 DSM Implementation Plan and its energy storage and load management pilot. APS was able to report the planned cost-effectiveness metrics and potential customer bill savings for each of the new measures.