Determining Electrical Panel Utilization with Smart Meter Data

An oft cited barrier to residential electrification is the need for a panel upgrade. In our analysis of more than 2,000 homes in Northern California, the average panel utilization is 35%. In a broader analysis covering over 22,000 homes 86% have peak loads under 50 amps. These data indicate most homes can electrify without a costly upgrade. By utilizing hourly smart meter data, the need for a panel upgrade can be performed quickly and without a costly home inspection.

Many publications, including the recent Policy Brief “Solving the Panel Puzzle” issued by SPUR in May 2024, describe in detail the reasons to limit the number of electrical panel upgrades when electrifying homes. In this paper we are not going to discuss in detail the downside of performing unnecessary panel upgrades. Excellent discussions can be found in other papers. However, as a brief refresher, an unnecessary panel upgrade:

• Adds significant expense.

• Delays electrifications.

• Could trigger local distribution system updates.

• Results in more grid investment than needed.

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