Residential Air Conditioning: Impacts and Responses

Table of Contents

• Table of Contents
• Energy Insights Opinion
• Executive Summary
• The Main Points
  • The Problem
  • Responses
    • Direct load control
    • Thermostat setback programs
    • Dynamic pricing
    • Technology changes
• Introduction
  • Information sources
• The Situation
  • Regional breakdown
  • Figure: Central AC Trends by Region
  • Figure: Room AC Trends by Region
• Impacts
  • System peak impacts
  • Figure: Monthly AC and Total Consumption, West Central Region
  • Figure: Peak Demand Due to AC and Total Peak Demand, West Central Region
  • Table: Consumption, Demand, and Annual Load Factor for the West Central Region
  • Table: Consumption, Demand, and Annual Load Factor by Region
  • Distribution system impacts
  • Figure: Coincidence Factors for Homes with Central AC and Evaporative Cooling
  • Forecasting
• Responses
  • Demand response and dynamic pricing
    • Direct load control programs
    • Thermostat setback programs
    • Figure: Thermostat Setback Savings
    • Dynamic pricing
    • Participation
    • Marketing and incentives
    • Table: Incentive Payments Offered
    • Figure: Price Sensitivity Analysis, Direct Load Control Incentives
      • Create accurate expectations
    • Impact and savings
  • Technology and efficiency changes
    • Central systems
      • Efficiency trends over time and the role of efficiency standards
        • Effects of efficiency standards changes
        • Figure: Shipment Weighted Average Efficiencies of Central AC Units
        • Table: Efficiency Requirements by Year and Type of AC
    • Room air conditioners
    • Heat pumps
    • Ductless systems
    • Evaporative cooling
    • Solar cooling
    • Programmable thermostats
• Notes
• Appendix
• Figure: Census Regions
• Figure: Energy Market Profiles Regions
  • Synopsis