Project Description

One of the most important lessons of the past 30 years of energy policy is that analyzing how people use energy, and how that use changes over time, can yield important policy insights. Yet this lesson has largely been ignored in the popular discussion of the California electricity crisis. To help fill this information gap, this project is compiling a general overview of electricity consumption and peak load in California. We have examined the growth in electricity demand over the last twenty years, as well as the current composition of electricity end-uses. Much of this work is based on data compiled by the California Energy Commission, supplemented by various other agencies such as the California Independent System Operator and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Project Staff

Richard Brown

Jonathan Koomey

Chris Marnay

Francis Rubinstein

Key Data

Publications

Brown, Richard E., and Jonathan G. Koomey. 2003. "Electricity Use in California: Past Trends and Present Usage Patterns." Energy Policy (also LBNL-47992). vol. 31, no. 9. July. pp. 849-864. Preprint. Abstract | 136K PDF

Presentation of research results given at May 16, 2002 EET Division seminar (HTML version and 1.3MB powerpoint download).

Other Resources

California Energy Commission Electricity Page. Lots of information about electricity use in California and the electricity crisis.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Form 714. Annual Electric Control and Planning Area Report, by utility.

North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) Electricity Supply & Demand Database.

California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Data on historical load curtailment can be found in the Power Watch section, under the "System Status Log" link.

University of California Energy Institute (UCEI) Program on Workable Energy Regulation (POWER). The POWER working papers contain many related to the California electricity system (see for example Fisher and Duane, PWP-085).

Severin Borenstein's paper examining the causes of the electricity crisis.

Sponsors

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Building Technologies, State, and Community Programs.

Energy Star energy conservation energy savings energy efficiency environment climate change weatherization solar energy appliances energy audit energy tools efficient buildings energy education heating cooling heat pumps furnaces boilers air conditioners insulation ducts skylights windows thermostats fuel switching mechanical ventilation water heater water heating refrigerator freezer dishwasher clotheswasher clothes dryer miscellaneous energy home energy comfort remodeling residential energy.