Residential Load Management:
This Residential Load Management (RLM) or geyser-saving project is part of Eskom's energy efficiency initiative. Geysers consume significant quantities of electricity and can be used to control the peak demand.
The peak periods are normally from 07:00 to 10:00 in the mornings and from 18:00 to 21:00 in the evenings.
It involves the connection of control units (or relays) to geysers, allowing them to be switched on and off by remote control. The main aim is to assist municipalities to improve the management or their electricity supply to consumers, particularly during peak periods, resulting in a monetary saving for the municipality and affordable electricity prices for its customers.
According to Eskom's Energy Services Manager in 2006, the utility's residential customers consumed around 17,5% of the total electricity generated, with their share of the demand at peak periods amounting to over 30%. RLM forms part of Eskom's overall Demand Side Management (DSM) strategy. Through DSM, Eskom is striving to influence the way in which industrial, commercial and residential customers use electricity. RLM is aimed specifically at the residential sector, in other words, electricity consumers at home. "Load management is thus seen as an intervention allowing the more efficient utilization of available capacity, as it provides an alternative to new construction," the Energy Services Manager said.
A small control unit (relay) is installed in the home of the customer. This unit will switch off the electricity supply to the geyser during peak demand periods for a predetermined period. Groups of geysers and individual geysers will be controlled and monitored centrally from the local Municipal Energy Centre by means of a ripple communication system. The Centre will also take care of all customer queries.
The main advantage of the load control system is that the relay system can switch the heating element off during times when it is not needed - thus saving electricity by avoiding unnecessary heating cycles.
