Thread by @MichaelGiberso3

Some claim there is not much potential in residential demand response. Here is my personal rejoinder in chart form. I'm on a TOU plan with a peak rate nearly 4x offpeak and also enrolled in a demand response program though my utility. (Some details on chart in 🧵). #energytwitter

I was looking at data to see (a) how well my effort to program my smart thermostat worked, and (b) see the effect of utility's DR call on July 11 compared to my own efforts. On (a) the red line shows real savings during the peak, but (b) the blue line shows I could do better.

The smart thermostat interface makes it difficult because it tries to make it easy. It wants to build the program around preferred temperatures for waking, while away during the day, upon return home, and when sleeping. @Honeywell_Home

I'm lying to my Honeywell Smart Color Thermostat to manipulate it into doing what I want. As the thermostat menu shows, I'm telling it I wake at midnight, leave home at 2:45 PM, return at 3:00 PM, and go to sleep at 7:30 PM. None of this is true. honeywellhome.com/us/en/products…

Other than having to lie to my thermostat to get want I want, I like it. I can change settings from my phone (I reset the temp when away for a weekend, cooled the house down while on the road an hour before we returned-it was great!😎) You can also change the background color.🤷‍♂️

Estimated savings > $1 per July weekday (maybe >$120 through October). With rebate from my utility for signing up to their residential demand response program, I'll have more than covered the price of the thermostat after 7 months in use. @SRPconnect #byot enrollmythermostat.com/srp/

The rate plan we're on includes a 3-hour peak from 3 PM-6 PM. This period is marked on the chart above. (The utility also offers another 3-hour option with a 4 PM-7PM peak, a 6-hour peak option with lower rates, and an EV rate with super offpeak prices overnight).

The residential demand response program gives the utility the option to temporarily reprogram the thermostat up to 15 times from May to October, but I can opt out anytime by simply resetting the thermostat. So far this year: 4 DR calls, 1 opt out.

I was surprised at first that 3 of the 4 DR calls were one weekends. However, it might be that they get enough residential peak shaving most weekdays due to TOU rates; don't get weekend peak shaving because the rate is flat all day.

Only the one weekday conservation event (July 11) shown in the chart above. My own program gets a good first hour then use starts to recover; the utility gets two good hours (at the expense of higher before and after consumption, but presumably those are lower stress periods).

Tried searching for a way to get passed the Honeywell program interface and program the unit directly. All I found were stories about cybersecurity and third-party hacking of smart appliances. Any help @Honeywell_Home?

Mostly rehashing the thread, but some additional thoughts here. mgiberson.com/2022/07/i-want…

Actually, also got a mildly amusing, mildly horrifying story about an ex-spouse who moved out but still had the thermostat app on his phone. He reportedly used it to make the temperature unpleasant in the house and run up the home energy bill. Mostly horrifying. Don't do this.