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TCAAP Energy Integration Resiliency Framework <br />Policy White Paper – Energy Efficiency Strategies (Demand-Side Management) <br /> <br /> 30 <br />6.2. Advanced Communication Infrastructure <br />Numerous innovations in energy efficiency rely on the opportunities to connect customers, equipment, <br />utilities, and supply technologies across an advanced communication infrastructure. Advanced <br />infrastructure includes meters that log energy consumption at frequent intervals, the hardware and <br />software to distribute these data to a utility or customer platform, and the communications platform <br />itself, (e.g. the internet and Wi-Fi access points). Use of such advanced communication infrastructure <br />will allow individual technologies and buildings to improve performance as a result of real-time <br />conditions, and also allow future energy consumers to be more engaged and responsive . As a recent <br />report The New Energy Consumer describes, “[the] growing emphasis on personalization and <br />connectedness are disrupting the marketplace and creating a need to engage consumers on their <br />terms.”3 Some specific examples of current or emerging technologies that require a reliable advanced <br />communications infrastructure are: <br /> Residential thermostats that are Wi-Fi enabled and tie into home security systems, to <br />automatically save energy when a home is vacant <br /> EV stations that respond to signals of excess renewable capacity to begin charging <br /> A microgrid central communications system that controls sheddable loads to manage peak <br />load and power quality. <br />6.2.1. Advanced Metering Infrastructure <br />“Advanced metering” generally refers to two-way utility meters that can both send and receive signals, <br />and log or communicate customer energy use at short time intervals. Some states (notably California) <br />now require utilities to install advanced meters. The State of Minnesota does not currently require this, <br />however, over the course of TCAAP development this could change. In the near-term, utilities could <br />deploy advanced meters across TCAAP as a pilot demonstration, along with corresponding program <br />pilots.4 The ability to saturate whole neighborhoods with advanced meters means t hat demonstration <br />projects can focus on the aggregated benefits of operations at the larger distribution level. Potential <br />pilots could include demand response, real -time energy use feedback, or possibly new innovative tariff <br />schedules designed for energy conservation. <br /> <br />3 “The New Energy Consumer: Architecting for the Future.” Accenture, 2014. <br />4 Note that the additional costs of installing advanced meters would need to be approved by the appropriate state regulatory authority, <br />depending on the defined purpose.