Utilizing smart-meter data to project impacts of urban warming on residential electricity use for vulnerable populations in Southern California

Extreme heat events are increasing in frequency and intensity, challenging electricity infrastructure due to growing cooling demand and posing public health risks to urbanites. Tihis study utilizes smart-meter data from 180,476 households in Southern California to quantify increases in residential electricity use per degree warming for each census tract. Utilizing climate change projections for end of century, the authors show that 55% and 30% of the census tracts identified as most vulnerable are expected to experience more than 16 and 32 extreme heat days per year, respectively.

In order to minimize risks from increasing extreme heat, the authors claim it is critical to:

• Project increases in electricity use with urban warming; and 
• Identify neighborhoods that are most vulnerable due in part to a lack of air conditioning and inability to afford increased energy.