UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 20, Page 4
February 20, 1992
Energy industry cooperating in center's solar study

     Imagine receiving a call from your local power company asking
you to spend a day at home waiting for them to install the latest
power company conservation tool-a solar photovoltaic (PV) array.
     Well, you may not have to use your imagination for long. The
University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Urban Policy
Research has been given a $96,948 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
grant to do a 14 - month evaluation of existing consumer-based
electric utility conservation programs and then create a blueprint
for incorporating solar energy into the mix.
     "We know photovoltaics have potential. We're now trying to
identify feasible applications," center director John Byrne said.
Working with Byrne on the study have been center research manager
Young-Doo Wang and, until his death, Bill Baron, deputy director of
the Institute of Energy Conversion.
     Byrne envisions electric companies installing photovoltaic
panels on homes and commercial buildings primarily to help reduce
consumer peak-load demand enough to actually offset the need to
build new power plants. To do that, solar panels would have to
produce enough energy to heat water, run air conditioners and power
lights during periods of peak-load demand. He would like this study
to show utility companies and the DOE how they can.
     Basically, the electricity produced by solar panels would be
generated on-site rather than by the utility company at its plants.
Ideally, panels on commercial, residential, industrial and
agricultural buildings and sites would produce enough electricity
to offset some of the work that power plants must do.
     Peak-load demand comes when a utility must use all of its
power plants to supply its customers with the electricity they need
when their needs are the greatest, usually in the summer during
daylight hours. The responsibility for meeting increasing peak-load
demand or being able to fully service consumers is what drives
electric companies to build new generating plants. If utilities
can't build new plants, if supply can't keep up with demand,
customers would have to live with brownouts and blackouts.
     Power companies have begun offering customers incentives, like
rate discounts, to allow the company to turn-off water heaters and
air conditioners during peak-load periods, and rebates to purchase
higher efficiency electrical appliances.
     But, Byrne contends, photovoltaics can reduce peak-load demand
more efficiently and with less discomfort and inconvenience to
consumers.
     Water heaters are a good example.
     Byrne explained that, "there are presently one million water
heaters across the nation which electric companies turnoff for
eight hours a day during the summer." That saves anywhere from 300
to 700 watts per heater, thus lowering demand when demand is at its
highest. Customers receive an incentive payment for permitting the
power company to turn the heater off and the utility accomplishes
its purpose-off-loading usage during peak demand. But, customers
lose normal hot water service until it's time to turn on the heat.
     What the energy center study will show, Byrne said, is that
photovoltaic cells, using the sun to produce electricity, can keep
the water sufficiently warm, eliminating the need for the utility
to serve the heater during peak-load periods. There would be no
need for consumers to suffer hours of lost normal hot water service
and no need for the utility to supply electricity to reheat their
water.
     "We already know this has potential and DOE expects us to
identify other demand-side programs that present options for
photovoltaic applications," Byrne said.
     For example, where utilities have programs that turn air
conditioning compressors on and off during peak-load demand, solar
panels could reduce the amount of off-time and consumer discomfort.
     The center and the institute, with the assistance of a
Delmarva Power & Light Co. staff member, have already begun
compiling data. The grant began in October.
     Power companies are playing a non-traditional role in this
project, a group of them, representing most regions of the nation,
are acting as advisors. They include: Long Island Lighting, Niagara
Mohawk, Public Service of Colorado, Pacific Gas & Electric Co.,
Arizona Public Service Co., Salt River Project, Florida Power &
Light, Central & South West Services Co., and Northern States
Power.
     Even though solar energy is considered more practical in
states with less population and more hours of sunlight, the
interest shown by Northeastern and Midwestern utilities indicates
its growing acceptance.
     This is important, since one aspect of the research project is
to design pilot programs incorporating photovoltaics into selected
utilities' consumer conservation plans.
     How well these demonstration projects fare could have an
impact on the future of the photovoltaic industry.
     As Byrne explained in his proposal to DOE, one of the outcomes
of his research would be to expand the market for photovoltaics,
which he calls "vital for near-term growth of the PV industry."
                                        - Barbara Garrison