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Implementing real-time electricity pricing in residential sector is supposed to be an effective measure to balance daily electricity load and promote electricity conservation. However, due to lack of empirical evaluation, evidence about the in-field impacts of real-time electricity pricing is still lacking in China. Based on household survey and agent-based modeling, this study simulates Chinese household's 24-h electricity demand profile, and analyzes how households adjust their electricity use activities under the dynamic real-time pricing scheme. Results show that real-time pricing has the potential to shift residential electricity load from peak to off-peak periods and reduce total electricity consumption. The magnitudes of these two effects hinge on the probability of households' response to electricity price increases. Survey results indicate that such probability varies along the two dimensions of households' characteristics and the type of electricity use activities. To raise the response rates and improve real-time pricing's effects, the following strategies are proposed: 1) introduce and subsidize the purchase of economically feasible domestic electricity storage devices; 2) integrate environmental education modules in the real-time pricing policy design, so as to raise household dwellers' sensitive to the price signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing worldwide concern regarding emissions of energy-related greenhouse gases (GHGs). Policy, technology and human awareness provide opportunities for offsetting these effects through energy conservation, efficient appliances and solar generation in households as these have been the subject of increasing attention across the world in recent years. Solar rooftop generation, in particular, could deliver significant efficiency improvements and reductions of CO2 emissions through its diffusion, which also avoids losses in electricity transmission and distribution systems; energy efficiency contributes to the achievement of a sustainable future because it reduces the energy-infrastructure needs, increases competitiveness and improves consumer welfare; conservation would also reduce CO2 emissions in households. The purpose of this paper is to assess the combined effect of the diffusion of solar rooftop generation, energy efficiency and electricity conservation in the residential sector in Colombia. Simulation results for different policy scenarios indicate that rooftop generation, energy efficiency and conservation can together lead, under certain conditions, to important reductions in both electricity prices and emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]