Demand response promotes less energy use

The Town of Newfield recently started promoting demand response, a system that will pay customers to use less energy in times of high demand.

The program is currently coordinated by the Newfield Clean Energy Committee, but it was started in 2017, before the committee’s formation. Now, the committee has incorporated demand response as part of the group’s efforts to support more sustainable energy. The Town of Newfield first publicized the program on its website Aug. 9 (tinyurl.com/2zdtsx4z).

The system requires residents to have a smart thermostat installed in their home that controls a central air-conditioning system. In short, the thermostat increases the AC’s temperature setting during times of high-energy demand in order to reduce the strain on the power grid.

Kitty Gifford, a Newfield resident who serves on the Climate Smart Communities Task Force for the town, said many people who have smart thermostats do not use the scheduling feature as efficiently as they could.

“It turns out a lot of people have a smart thermostat, but they don’t use all the capabilities of them,” Gifford said. “This program is really to help people use these thermostats to get the most benefit out of them.”

There are limitations to how much the demand response program can change users’ thermostat. It will only change the temperature a few degrees, it can only activate up to 15 times per season, and consumers can opt out of it if they so desire. Gifford said she believes the limit is to account for the typical number of high-demand periods while also not being too intrusive.

“You’re not giving up control over the system; you’re just participating in a program to help decrease electricity usage and improve the performance of the grid,” Gifford said.

The demand response program can only activate in the summer, considered from the start of May until the end of September.

The system has financial incentives for those who participate in NYSEG’s Smart Savings Rewards program. Participants who sign up can receive a $45 gift card for Amazon and are given a $20 credit on their bill at the end of the season for reducing how much energy they use. Gifford said that the impact those incentives will have has yet to be determined, but she has heard from some people who are receptive to the idea.

“We have seen some initial interest in participating,” Gifford said. “I have a little bit of feedback that the incentives might be attractive enough to encourage participation, but I don’t think that’s truly been tested yet.”

According to Gifford, if enough residents sign up for and participate in the program, the Town of Newfield can receive a $5,000 award to be invested in clean energy efforts.

Gifford said the utility companies also benefit from the system, as reducing the demand on the system helps prevent outages and allows them to be more efficient with their energy.

“Obviously, it benefits the utility company because it helps them use resources more efficiently,” Gifford said. “Of course, they want their customers to participate because then they can manage those resources better.”

Heather McCarty, a member of Newfield’s Town Board, stressed the importance of the need to conserve energy, adding that if not enough people participate in energy conservation efforts, brownouts and power outages may become common.

“We’re facing a situation with the climate changing, the weather getting hotter, and we’re increasing electricity use,” McCarty said. “It’s important for individuals and organizations to be part of this effort to reduce energy use to the best of their ability.”

McCarty said reducing one’s energy use can save money and recommended participating in the name of community responsibility.

“It’s important to think about the community participation aspect of this program,” she said. “By signing up for the demand response program, you’re helping everybody get electricity they need during these peak energy periods.”

Gifford said that while it seems as though the demand response program takes control away from energy users, it’s ultimately for their benefit.

“It can seem really different to feel like you don’t have complete control over your system,” Gifford said. “But you’re participating in a larger program that’s going to make your access to electricity more stable.”

McCarty hopes Newfield’s participation in this program can serve as an inspiration to others.

“By showing that a small town such as Newfield can participate in the Clean Energy Communities program successfully, we set an example for other communities,” McCarty said.

Newfield Notes appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In brief:

Newfield Town Board to meet

The Newfield Town Board will meet Sept. 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, including the agenda and Zoom link, visit the town’s website at newfieldny.org.

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The Newfield Public Library will hold its weekly storytime from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Sept. 13.

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The Newfield Democrats will meet at the Newfield Town Hall Sept. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.