Avoiding Electric Panel and Service Costs While Saving the Grid

Many homes in the US have electric service and panels that might not support adding new loads. New panels and service connections add to home improvement project costs and delays. They also increase the peak load on the electric grid, reducing grid reliability. This can also result in the need to build new generation capacity, replacement of wires and transformers, as well as other infrastructure, which increases rates for utility customers. In this presentation, we will explore what panel amperages actually are in US homes and how they vary by house age, size or region based on several data sources covering thousands of homes. We will introduce the concepts of "Low Peak Power/Power Efficiency" and how to consider it alongside energy savings. We will discuss opportunities for limiting peak loads, avoiding panel/service replacements and reducing the need for new grid infrastructure.  We will present strategies using low-power appliances, plug and circuit sharing technologies, and load control devices. We will also summarize alternative calculation methods in the national electrical code and discuss recent changes to the electric codes that enable low-power approaches.