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How smart water meters can

help consumers save energy

Gerrit Rentier Senior Business Process Analyst

DELTA Energy & Multimedia

London, April 28th, 2014

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Presentation outline

Introduction/ DELTA N.V.

Water conservation and energy use

The role of (smart) meters and feedback modes

Smart meters & multi-utility

How consumers’ energy use relates to water and we can

enhance energy saving with targeted information.

Dutch smart meter requirements

Proof of concept: putting it to the test

Consumer response to the concept

Lessons learned

Technical and organizational lessons, consumer response

Perspectives compared to Smart Homes market

Questions

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Look who’s talking: DELTA N.V.

• DELTA N.V. is a municipal multi-utility company.

Shareholders: Province of Zeeland & local municipalities.

• Production, Trade, Supply B2B of Electricity and Gas

• Largest Dutch player in renewable energy (PPA for

electricity from Gemini wind turbines, 600 MW), also a bio

mass, a nuclear and a natural gas power plant;

• Waste management services (“Indaver”), Water (“Evides”)

• Metering and utility services (nationally)

• Locally; internet, (digital) TV, retail energy and water;

• DELTA Netwerkgroep, maintenance of infrastructure for

water, gas, electricity & cable, incorporating a DSO

• As a municipal multi-utility it is in the nature of

DELTA to focus on added stakeholder value

including sustainability in a multi-utility approach

• We are looking for cost efficiency, innovation, consumer

empowerment & energy efficiency through integrated

offerings; multi-utility, synergy; “Connect” (“verbindt”)!

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Behavioral conservation programs & water

California water utility East Bay Municipal Utility District saved 5 percent of water through a behavioral program including Home Water Reports (SmartWater, start up)

Source: “Evaluation of East Bay Municipal Utility District's Pilot of WaterSmart Home Water Reports “ , David L. Mitchell, M.Cubed, Thomas W. Chesnutt, Ph.D., CAP™ A&N Technical Services, Inc. Prepared for California Water Foundation & East Bay Municipal Utility District

April 9, 2014: Palo Alto program; SmartWater partners with OPower (NYSE: OPWR) -home reports -web portal, history -water efficiency tips

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Water heating = 27% energy costs..

If consumers get a better understanding of their hot water use then they can see new ways of spending less on energy .. hot water is second only to space heating in savings potential !!

Smart Meter Program KSF #1: “Design and deploy with the consumer at the heart of the solution…” show #1 heating, show #2 water heating, show #3 appliances (washers)

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New role of utilities new role of meters

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Potential of smart meters for conservation

ACEEE report shows up to 9 or even 12 percent conservation for energy if the information is near real time.

ACEEE report shows up to 9 or even 12 percent conservation for energy if the information is near real time…

Smart meters can technically enable the first four categories of feedback loops…

“Advanced meter reading initiatives and residential feedback programs: A Meta-Review for Household Electricity-saving Opportunities”, American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Washington, June 2010

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Psychological basis: experiential learning

If we present actionable information (“concrete experience”) based on recent smart meter data that tells consumers where they are spending energy (and money), leading to observation and comprehension, then they are enabled to try and save energy and water (“active experimentation”), in heating, hot water, appliances.

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Connected: multi-utility smart concept

Spending pattern, hot water, washers, smart meters, feedback modes a test. Target: see if we can put these ideas in action within the technological setting of the Dutch Smart Meter Requirements and find out how consumers respond

Personal example Family situation: parents + 3 children <7 year Relation between energy bill and heating of water:

Gas 30% € 210 Electricity 35-40% € 246

Dutch Smart Meter Requirements…

• P1= HAN, IEC 62056-21

(RJ-11 connector, serial protocol);

• P2= wireless MBus, slave meters

• DSO rolls out smart E and G meters

and facilitates consumers & markets

• P0= Maintenance port

• P3= GPRS connection, WAN

• P4= market interface for ESCO’s,

Energy Suppliers (Water companies)

“P1- device”(Energy management

display, APP, tablet etc)

P1

G-meter

W-meter

Heatmeter

P2

Central system

GSM network

P3

P2

P0

Energy

suppliers

ODA’s

Water companies

P4

P1 =

Consumer port

Customer is in control

“BYOD”

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Combining E, G & W data for consumers

• Proof of Concept; graphs basic format, 60 minute refresh G & W, N=50

• We can distinguish volumes for gas attributed to heating from volumes

for gas attributed to baths and showers if peaks correlate;

• We can distinguish electricity used for washers & dish washers from

other uses of electricity if peaks correlate;

• Consumers can draw their own conclusions based on near real time

information and act.

(*) short demo movie proof of concept)

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Consumer response to proof of concept

Without a campaign, brochures or anything, just 1 letter, still most consumers are positive (left graph) and 48% of the consumers have become slightly more aware of water use (graph below) (“iets meer bewust”)

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Consumer response: graphic display

Asked if they were able to distinguish the bigger energy ‘culprits’ from the presented data, 48% of the consumers said “Yes”. From these findings and from remarks in the questionnaire, we have become convinced that the response to this concept can be a lot better: 1. if the solution comes with a campaign (a program) and a social media platform; 2. if data for energy and water is shown in one graphical item on popular devices (smart phones, tablets, lap tops) and 3. if data is more frequent (“near real time”, ACEEE findings, experiential learning)

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Lessons learned from Proof of Concept

• Commissioning and installation process; replication of processes and instructions for “gas” to

also cover “water” (or “heat”) is relatively easy

• ICT; replication of data structures & interfaces for

“gas” to cover “water” (or “heat”); relatively easy

• The roll out field tool we have used (“SmarAPP”) supports “Water” in the same way as it supports “Gas”

without any significant modifications

• Asset Management poses a challenge; Water-meters have no natural place in the DSO’s ICT

architecture, so; this requires effort & interfaces

• Consumers did generally appreciate the extra data

• Consumers want to see the combined information in one

easy graphical representation, no ‘clicking’ & hassle

• Frequency of 60 minute updates is not very valuable in

terms of “experiential learning”; by the time you notice,

the chance to act on that information is gone

(A) Tradi-tional meters Regulatory

(B) Smart meters Regulatory (EED ) home reports

(C) Smart meter E remote (WAN)

(D) Smart meter E with device in the home (HAN)

(E) “Niche” Smart meter E, with device in the home and near real time data from slave meters (DSMR 5: 2016,..) HAN (WAN)

(F) Smart thermostats/ smart homes HAN (WAN) Remote control (Nest, GEO)

E Bill (Year)

Month 24 hrs (web portal)

10 seconds 1 second (DSMR 5) Real time

G Bill (Year)

Month 24 hrs 60 minutes 5 minutes (DSMR 5)

Real time

Free Free Cheap Medium price (+/- 100, 150)

Bluetooth/WiFi P1 device; Cheaper

Pricey Device +/- 250/350

W Bill (Year)

N.A. 24 hrs Not (*) DELTA pilot; 60 minutes

5 minutes Ambition

Real time

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Utility Services, Metering, Smart Homes

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Conclusion..

Water, Energy & Nature are valuable resources we as a society should approach with respect .. and in

conjunction!

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Questions?