Trends in U.S. Household Characteristics that View Smart Meter Data

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the U.S. has increased in the last decade and provides an important link between customers, their load, and the grid.  Smart meters are an essential function in that link.  However, little is known about the households that engage with their household energy interval data. We extend the previous literature on smart meters by examining trends in smart meter usage, specifically viewing smart meter data. Using data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) 2015 and 2020 surveys, we find that household characteristics that predict viewership consistently over time include having internet access at home, solar generation, and the number of electronic devices. Appliance stock characteristics that have the largest impact on electricity use (e.g. electric space heating, and electric vehicle ownership) are not predictive of smart meter viewership. However, viewership is associated with lower annual electricity use when households have electric space heating compared to households with other forms of space heating. We conclude with a discussion relevant to utility policymakers at the state, national, and international levels, focusing on two central questions: how to encourage more awareness and use of AMI data, and under what conditions dynamic pricing programs are most effective across heterogenous households.

Read the full piece at SSRN.