A reliable energy information system for promoting voluntary energy conservation benefits

This paper presents the design and development of a reliable PLC/RF ENergy Information System (ENIS) for promoting voluntary energy conservation benefits. With the help of monitoring and browsing energy information immediately, the price signal and visible energy saving profile can provide incentives for customers to migrate peak demand elastically and economically. Two real-world applications of the ENIS are then reported. First, shedding peak load and diminishing energy consumption at NCTU University are explored by managing air conditioners through debit cards and energy meters (EMs). Second, in an aggregate community, the real-time pricing signals can motivate end users to shift peak demand by means of manual or automatic load controls. These examples illustrate that EMs and energy information displays with enhanced reliability are highly applicable for voluntary energy conservation in densely populated areas.