Abstract/Summary

The UK residential sector accounts for about one-third of overall electricity demand. The proportion and rhythm of this demand are projected to change largely due to projected changes in household characteristics such as demographic structure, energy-relevant practices and the changes in the ordering and structure of each day during the week. The UK population is ageing and future levels of electricity demand will depend not only on energy-efficiency gains, changes in the work-life length and structure, but also more on the activities of older consumers. The relationships between device use and activity patterns can shed light on the timing of residential electricity demand. This study analysed the timing of some energy-relevant practices enacted by over 65 year-olds in Reading, UK. The aim of this study is to investigate the pattern of the energy-relevant practices by older people. This study was carried out between November 2015 and February 2017 using meter readings and appliance-use diaries. These provided a snapshot of the timing of selected device (shared) use, the pattern of kWh demand and the frequency of use for other devices for seven consecutive days. From these, I developed energy intensity indexes and time slots to enable comparison of the most significant kWh readings within and across days. The frequencies of households using the selected devices were used to indicate the synchronicity (coming together) of device use. Meters were installed in participating households for a week during which the occupant(s) filled-in time use diaries for selected devices in a mostly 4-hour time ii slot and indicated the frequency of use for other appliances. The meter readings were recorded every 60 seconds and aggregated in alignment with the diary time slots. This enabled the determination of the variation and rhythm of electricity demand and electricity demand intensity. Frequencies were employed to describe the pattern of use of the selected devices. The findings from this study suggest that the single and two-person older households differ significantly in their pattern, intensity of electricity demand and device use. For instance, two-person households seem to have higher levels of routine and internal synchronisation than single households.