National Grid Rhode Island Piloting Wireless Alternatives Forging

National Grid Rhode Island: Piloting Wireless Alternatives Forging a Successful Program in Difficult Circumstances April 4 th, 2017 Presented by: Courtney Lane Antje Flanders www. peakload. org

Overview of Pilot • Two Feeders out of Tiverton substation serving Tiverton & Little Compton, RI • 5, 200 customers (80% residential) • Summer afternoon/evening peak • Forecasted to be overloaded during peak hours starting in 2014 • Wires solution (substation upgrade): Would have cost $2. 9 million in 2014 • Least Cost Procurement Law (System Reliability Procurement) allows for NWAs • Non-wires goal: Load relief starting in 2014, up to 1 MW by 2017; defer upgrade to 2018 • Plan for NWA filed and approved in 2012 • Pilot scheduled to run through 2017 www. peakload. org

Pilot design and program offerings • Energy Efficiency • Targeted marketing to increase volume of existing EE programs • Enhanced incentives for statewide EE programs • Residential and Small-Business energy assessments with direct install measures • Unlimited LEDs • Heat pump water heaters • Demand Response • No-cost Wi. Fi tstats (CAC) • No-cost Wi. Fi tstats and plug load devices (WAC) *discontinued in 2016 • Opt-in program with annual bill credit • Pilot specific measures • Window ACs • Window AC Recycling www. peakload. org

Evaluation of Pilot Program • Opinion Dynamics conducting annual evaluations • First evaluation of 2012 pilot; currently finishing up 2016 evaluation • Focus on: • Marketing strategies and effectiveness • Pilot impacts www. peakload. org

Where Do Savings Come From? www. peakload. org

Marketing Efforts www. peakload. org

Marketing Evaluation: EW Online Survey Pilot Recall • Annual Online Survey with Energy. Wise Participants • Recall of pilot marketing • Importance in participation decision • Used to assess participation lift Statewide Recall www. peakload. org

Marketing Evaluation: General Population Survey • Online survey with focus on 2016 marketing efforts ü Direct mail ü Email ü Phone call www. peakload. org

DR Event Analysis • Event impacts based on regression modeling Central AC • Events: 3 -7 pm • Strategy: Set-point increases by 1 -3 °F Window AC • Events: 4 -6 pm • Strategy: Units shut off for the duration of the event www. peakload. org

DR Event Analysis – Findings CAC: 13. 3% runtime reduction and 0. 5 k. W savings/thermostat WAC: 0. 04 k. W savings per thermostat + Connectivity issues = Lower Than Expected Savings Potential solutions • Real-time connectivity assessment • Pre-cooling season outreach www. peakload. org

Outlook for pilot en ts HP WH RF P Ev , D R LE Ds st a ot • 2017 Plan includes an RFP for 250 k. W of load relief. Pil • 2017 Enhancements rts • Create 1 MW of load relief by end of 2017 • Defer substation upgrade by 4 years • Projections show deferral until 2018 WA rec C re ycl bat ing es , p , lug s • Pilot on track to meet goals • Results expected in 2017 on coordinated effort with RI Solarize initiative www. peakload. org

Questions or Comments? • Courtney Lane • 781 -907 -1876 • Courtney. Lane@nationalgrid. com • • Antje Flanders • 617 -301 -4643 • aflanders@opiniondynamics. com www. peakload. org