An Empirical Study of Electric Power Demand Control by Real-time Feedback of Consumption Levels: Case of Nushima Island Households

AbstractElectric power demand management will play an important role in the creation of smart-energy communities. We are conducting a field experiment on the real-time feedback of electric power consumption via smart meters and tablet PCs with the participation of 51 households on Nushima Island, one of Japan's remote islands. Our estimate of the effect of feedback in reducing power demand by panel data analysis has revealed that such feedback achieves a saving of 7.6 percent in electric power demand

An Experimental Study of the Impact of Dynamic Electricity Pricing on Consumer Behavior: An Analysis for a Remote Island in Japan

The aim of this research was to investigate how consumer behavior changes after application of dynamic electricity pricing and the persistence of those changes. Based on the investigation results, the authors also discuss the policy implications of demand management to shift consumption to days that have more solar radiation, while at the same time reducing overall consumption. The dynamic pricing experiment was implemented on Nushima Island, located in the center of Japan, with the participation of 50 households. The methodologies used in this study are panel analysis with random effects, and the difference in differences method. Several linear regression analyses are performed to predict hourly electricity usage from a number of explanatory variables, such as life-style factors, the frequency of access to the visualization website, control for weather factors (wind speed and temperatures), and other attributes of the households to predict the log of hourly electric energy consumption. The results show that dynamic pricing brought about 13.8% reduction of electric energy consumption in comparison with the pre-experiment period. Also, by applying a new experimental design approach, this study finds data supportive of habit formation by participants. Based on the findings, this research tries to develop a policy for sustainable energy conservation in remote islands

Partially Redundant Actin Genes in Chlamydomonas Control Transition Zone Organization and Flagellum-Directed Traffic

Summary: The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a biflagellated cell with two actin genes: one encoding a conventional actin (IDA5) and the other encoding a divergent novel actin-like protein (NAP1). Here, we probe how actin redundancy contributes to flagellar assembly. Disrupting a single actin allows complete flagellar assembly. However, when disrupting both actins using latrunculin B (LatB) treatment on the nap1 mutant background, we find that actins are necessary for flagellar growth from newly synthesized limiting flagellar proteins. Under total actin disruption, transmission electron microscopy identified an accumulation of Golgi-adjacent vesicles. We also find that there is a mislocalization of a key transition zone gating and ciliopathy protein, NPHP-4. Our experiments demonstrate that each stage of flagellar biogenesis requires redundant actin function to varying degrees, with an absolute requirement for these actins in transport of Golgi-adjacent vesicles and flagellar incorporation of newly synthesized proteins. : Prevailing knowledge tells us that intracellular trafficking of flagellar proteins occurs on microtubule tracks. In this study, Jack et al. discover that filamentous actin is required for full flagellar assembly, normal flagellar protein synthesis, an intact flagellar gating region, and vesicle transport in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Keywords: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, cilia, actin, trafficking, flagellar assembly, Goldi-adjacent vesicles, transition zone composition, flagellar protein synthesi