2021 journal article
The Role of Temperature Variability on Seasonal Electricity Demand in the Southern US
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE CITIES, 3.
author keywords: climate forecasts; residential electricity demand; climatology; seasonal variability; regression analysis
open access via www.frontiersin.org (publisher PDF)
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
(Web of Science)
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
(Web of Science)
13. Climate Action
(Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: February 28, 2022
The reliable and affordable supply of energy through interconnected systems represent a critical infrastructure challenge. Seasonal and interannual variability in climate variables—primarily precipitation and temperature—can increase the vulnerability of such systems during climate extremes. The objective of this study is to understand and quantify the role of temperature variability on electricity consumption over representative areas of the Southern United States. We consider two states, Tennessee and Texas, which represent different climate regimes and have limited electricity trade with adjacent regions. Results from regression tests indicate that regional population growth explains most of the variability in electricity demand at decadal time scales, whereas temperature explains 44–67% of the electricity demand variability at seasonal time scales. Seasonal temperature forecasts from general circulation models are also used to develop season-ahead power demand forecasts. Results suggest that the use of climate forecasts can potentially help to project future residential electricity demand at the monthly time scale.Capsule Summary: Seasonal temperature forecasts from GCMs can potentially help in predicting season-ahead residential power demand forecasts for states in the Southern US.