[Equest-users] Utility rates and data entry

[Jeremy Poling]

For US locations, utility companies are required by law to publish their tariff schedules for the public – but these are not eQuest files.  Many do on their website, but if you’re in a rural co-op of any sort you might have to get a copy from their office or have them fax it to you.

 

I’ve always built them from the tariff sheets, but I start in wizard mode by selecting pre-built rate that is similar in structure (there are a few California utility rate structures that are pre-packaged).  From there, I modify it.

 

The most difficult part of me even WITH an electrical engineering background is figuring out the complex rate structures from the tariff sheets, especially if the utility company has gone to market-based pricing (i.e. the per-kWh cost of electricity each month is adjusted based on their cost of raw fuels for power plants and the price of purchased electricity from someone else).  The laws of algebra unfortunately make entering all components of a rate a must, especially if there are demand charges, fixed charges, and different block sizes.

 

The only exception to this are the rare cases where a user is not being charged for energy.  I worked on a municipal project that had a “franchise” agreement with the utility company from when they first turned over control of a municipal utility system and generating capacity over to the bigger utility company.  Essentially, they paid an annual fee and were not charged separately for energy use for government run facilities, including street lighting.  In cases like this, you would use the CBECS tables and come up with a flat per-kWh rate.

 

Jeremy R. Poling, PE, LEED AP+BDC
 

 

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Nick Caton
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 3:50 PM
To: Carol Gardner; tblack_pe at cox.net
Cc: eQuest users
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Utility rates and data entry

 

Agreeing with Carol, I’d also add that I’m not aware of any utilities who create/publish rate files for use in eQuest.

 

Every rate I’ve ever used has been (1) sourced by myself, either from the relevant utility or owner, with references kept on record in my project file, and (2) defined in eQuest by myself.  If I ever wish to use a previous rate for a given location, I will open up the old file and save the rate as defined for importing into the new project (this is rendered simple through buttons in the wizard rate definition screens).  

 

If you’re asking whether you can just input a (simple) flat rate to estimate relative savings, where in reality you have demand/block rate structures, the answer will depend on what you are trying to compare relatively and what magnitude of effect those loads would have on the block/demand charges.  In short, there’s no short answer – it will boil down to your own judgment based on your understanding of the loads and their profiles.  

 

Hope that helps!

 

~Nick

 

 

 

NICK CATON, P.E.

SENIOR ENGINEER

 

Smith & Boucher Engineers

25501 west valley parkway, suite 200

olathe, ks 66061

direct 913.344.0036

fax 913.345.0617

www.smithboucher.com 

 

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Carol Gardner
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 3:38 PM
To: tblack_pe at cox.net
Cc: eQuest users
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Utility rates and data entry

 

To be the most relevant the rate should come from the local utility(ies) that will service the building you are modeling.

On Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 10:20 AM, <tblack_pe at cox.net> wrote:

Hello All:

I am having trouble with the input of the utility rate.  Is the rate file supposed to come from the utility, or can I just input a rate and model the relative savings?

Best regards,

Tracy A. Black, P.E.; LEED AP
5002 E Redfield Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85254-2848
h:  602-569-8347
c:  602-332-7197
tblack_pe at cox.net
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tblackpeleedap
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-- 
Carol Gardner PE

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