Over the past decade, electric utilities have been confronted by an increase in demand for electricity along with growing environmental concerns and the high cost of installing new capacity. This has inspired the development of peak load management programs. Load management requires more active energy management of commercial and industrial facilities and involves the minimizing and controlling of electrical demand peaks. RLW is extensively involved in load management program design, implementation, marketing and evaluation. It has built on its experience in load research and Demand Side Management (DSM) program evaluation to design and implement Peak Load Management (PLM) and price response programs for several large utilities. RLW staff have designed programs, recruited participants, helped plan and implement customer workshops, carried out on-site engineering studies to identify curtailable loads, installed suitable end-use monitoring equipment, and monitored the impact of curtailments for individual participants and in aggregate. RLW is a member of the Peak Load Management Alliance, which is a nationally recognized not-for-profit organization concerned with reducing peak electrical demand in times of shortness of supply. RLW applies its peak load expertise to help customers save on their electricity costs. There are three primary areas in which RLW can help facility managers save on energy expenditures:

Loadshape and Rate Analysis

The first step of any peak load assessment is to help customers gain an understanding of their energy usage and associated costs. By understanding all of the implications of their detailed consumption patterns, a facility manager can take a more active role in monitoring and managing their usage and utility costs. Rate structures can be very elaborate and confusing, and RLW has the expertise and tools necessary to decipher rates to the ultimate benefit of the customer. RLW can help customers understand their usage and why they are placed in a certain rate class. Some facilities can qualify for a different utility rate via a more proactive approach to energy and demand management. Our rate analyses are designed to help customers determine the best rate for not just the facility's existing energy profile, but also for a modified profile that is achievable via focused energy and demand management. RLW's Visualize-IT and Rate Calculator software facilitates a detailed comparison of annual utility costs under different rate structures. Through this process, RLW will completely explain the customer's current rate class including the specific charges incurred. If the comparative analysis deems it appropriate, RLW will propose a rate switch if there are significant economic savings with minimal customer risk.

Peak Demand Management

Peak Demand Management involves understanding where, when and why demand spikes occur and taking measures to reduce them with minimal impact on facility operations. RLW helps customers identify equipment that contributes to their peak demand and provides techniques to help flatten out their load shape, potentially avoiding costly demand charges. In an effort to help customers understand their load, identify their peak demand management capabilities, and prepare themselves for participation in future energy markets, RLW prepares energy load analyses of many facilities based on past consumption data. This offering provides a visual as well as an analytical overview of a facility's billing information and serves as the foundation for a more thorough end use load assessment of the facility. An on-site assessment of the facility also can be performed to help identify potential demand limiting strategies for the facility. In many facilities, control systems can be programmed to reduce peak demands by scheduling and shifting various coincident electrical loads so as to reduce the associated peak demand charges. Control of this type has been made possible by the development of advanced computerized energy management and control technologies. Such systems are extremely beneficial to building owners because they can reduce electricity expenditures wherever time-of-use rates and demand charges are part of the tariff. They are also beneficial to utility service providers as they can reduce the unwelcome winter or summer peaks demanded by large customers.

Load Response Assessments

Some Utilities, Independent Service Operators (ISO's), and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO's) have initiated Load Response Programs to assist the grid during periods of high demand, supply shortages, or transmission constraints. In today's deregulated industry, some of these parties are seeking demand response from a broader market and providing financial incentives for customers with flexibility in their electrical usage. Some programs offer opportunities for customers to make money during times of high system load via the inflated pricing in real-time energy markets. A valuable side benefit of some of these programs is the inherent availability of real-time energy information from the utility meter, which offers tremendous insight with which facility managers can understand and manage their energy and demand much better than a standard utility bill. These programs also prepare the facilities for future markets where demand charges may be based on load patterns or certain peak times of the day. Load Response Assessments instruct customers on how they can benefit from these programs. RLW helps customers understand the programs available to them and make a more educated decision on what level of participation is best suited for their business. Our assessments are facility-specific and outline both the potential amount and the mechanism for shedding peak load. Highly knowledgeable of the operations of a vast array of facility types, RLW prides itself on delivering practical recommendations, respecting any operations that absolutely cannot be disturbed. Finally, our engineers are adept at helping customers with the technical site preparation that is sometime required to participate in these programs.

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