Using participatory data analysis to understand social constraints and opportunities of electricity demand-shifting

Abstract

This paper reports results from an empirical study that explored the potential of interactive electricity Demand-Shifting - a particular form of behavior change where electricity consumption is shifted towards times of the day when production is at its highest - in the context of residential solar electricity generation. We conducted an in-the-wild user study with eighteen households over a period of six months, combining electricity data from smart meters and smart plugs with in-depth interviews to explore laundry routines and washing machine usage for each household. The study highlights that, although washing machines can be considered to be "shiftable appliances", the specific ways in which each household goes about shifting varies considerably. Furthermore, there is a clear need for ICTs to support people by analyzing current context and future plans to automate electricity demand-shifting and synchronization of both laundry and other appliances. Such support will help them maximize the self-consumption of micro-generated electricity while balancing this with environmental concerns, financial benefits and day-today issues relating to convenience.