Two boiler hours, caused by a forecast made by hand.
Heat load depends on outdoor temperature, wind, day of the week and the inertia of the network. Operations management estimates it in advance for each network and then decides which plant runs when. If the estimate is too high, the peak load boiler runs for no reason; if it is too low, the boiler has to start up at short notice.
3heating networksEach network has its own inertia and its own customer mix.
5generation plantsTwo combined heat and power plants, a heating plant and two peak load boilers share the schedule.
96quarter-hoursFor each one, someone decides which plant covers the load.
180 hoursof peak load per heating seasonThe boiler runs when the estimate comes too late or is too rough.
The headline figure targets these 180 boiler hours: 30% fewer peak load hours per heating season.
The 30% reduction in peak load hours is this agent's headline figure. Networks, plants, quarter-hours and boiler hours reflect a typical heating season at a municipal utility and do not come from any measurement.