Supply and Demand Matching

Supply and Demand Matching, we believe, is perhaps the crucial first step to any Energy Efficiency Campaign. An estate must first establish to what extent it is using energy, what can be done to reduce that demand, and what supply resources can be exploited to meet that demand. In this project we have identified the different means to which demand data can be gathered and this is represented by the differing levels of demand data resolution. High resolution data for example can be half hourly data gathered from a Utility Company using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). EDI is a process by which the utility company keeps the customer reliably informed of their energy demands and it can be considered as a show of good faith on the Utility's behalf in order to keep that client as a customer. High resolution data illustrates variations throughout the day and is definitely the most sought after resolution type. Low resolution data might take the form of monthly meter readings which when illustrated on a graph will not show the detailed variations that the half hourly data provided. This almost static curve can be used for long term assessment but not for short term dynamic analysis.

Demand Reduction Measures are steps that an Estate can employ in order to reduce its current energy usage. This might take the form of increasing insulation standards, or maximising the daylighting potential of the estate, or implementing good control strategies within the existing plant to better control the heating within the estate etc. With good design an estate can keep its energy demands low but all of the strategies just mentioned can successfully be implemented as retrofit items. The cost effectiveness of retrofitting an estate with some of these measures might come into question but the environmental benefits of reduced emissions through the elimination of a fossil fuel fired supply source might be well worth the money. But that is a totally different issue on its own.

This leads onto the supply aspect. As we know energy is generated using fossil fuels in power stations and distributed in the form of electricity; and in the home natural gas is burned in boilers for space heating and hot water. As you might be aware renewable supply sources are making a huge impact on the way we generate energy these days with strict environmental legislation being implemented each and every day. The implementation of renewable energy sources within the URBAN environment however is quite a challenge. Here at Strathclyde University we have the first demonstration project of a thermal solar heated halls of residence in the WORLD and in a few months time a new laboratory complex will be commissioned employing a solar chimney for heating assistance as well as minimising its electrical demand through maximising its daylighting potential with large glazed surfaces. Here in Scotland the deployment of Photovoltaics is not met with much optimism! Indeed even ETSU recommends that PV's are not the best option for the bracing Scottish climate. However, Scotland is one of the windiest countries in the world, try walking down Montrose Street on a Winter Night............ The deployment of roof mounted wind turbines can make a healthy contribution to the energy supply pool but there are still many factors to be considered which were outside the scope of this project.

The following illustration illustrates some of most of which was mentioned above and tries to convey the message that Demand Reduction Strategies should be implemented as a first step before deploying supply side measures.......Why supply energy for a demand you can do without????