LIMITED COOL STORAGE FOR UTILITY DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS.

THE MAJORITY OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES OFFER TIME-OF-USE PRICING, TOGETHER WITH OTHER DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, TO THEIR RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. PROJECTIONS BY EPRI (EN-4815-SR) SUGGEST A PEAK REDUCTION OFABOUT 45 GIGAWATTS BY THE YEAR 2000, AS A RESULT OF THESE DSM PROGRAMS. PIVOTAL IN ACHIEVING THIS TARGET, IS THE 23 GIGAWATTS PEAK DEMAND REDUCTION TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO TIME-OF-USE RATES. UNFORTUNATELY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL COMMERCIAL CUSTOMER, THE TIME-OF-USE RATE PROGRAM IS THE LEAST ATTRACTIVE DSM PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE UTILITIES. INFACT, FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, ACCEPTABILITY CAN BE LOW AS 3% OF THE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS. THIS IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN LIFESTYLE DISRUPTIONS, UNDER THE PLAN, ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. NO COOKING, CLOTHESWASHING, CLOTHES DRYING ETC., DURING THE 10AM TO 9PM SUMMER PEAK PERIOD, IN HOUSES WITH OPERATING A/C UNITS. THE A/C UNIT PROVIDING THE IRREDUCIBLE MINIMUM ON-PEAK DEMAND FOR THE CUSTOMER. THE ADDITION OF A SIMPLE, COST EFFECTIVE, COOL STORAGE UNIT,WITH ONLY 1-2 HRS OF A/C REPLACEMENT COOLING CAPACITY, WILL MARKEDLY IMPROVE THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TIME-OF-USE PROGRAMS. BY AUTOMATICALLY SEQUENCING THIS COOL STORAGE USEWITH THAT OF THE MAJOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES, COOKING, WASHING OR DRYING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCREASING HOUSEHOLD PEAK OR LIFESTYLE INCONVENIENCE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LIMITED DURATION, OFF-PEAK CHARGING COOL STORAGE SYSTEM, THAT DERIVES SOME VALUE FROM THERMAL STORAGE CAPACITY BUT DERIVES IT'S PRINCIPAL VALUE BY INCREASING THE PARTICIPATION IN THE TIME-OF-USE PROGRAMS, IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS PROPOSAL.