What is Green Button Data and why is my electricity consumption data important?

Many people have not yet learned about Green Button Data, and may be asking themselves why their electricity consumption data is important. If you're interested in solar energy then read on!

Let's start with the second question of why it's important to know what your electricity consumption profile is. The amount of solar energy that you can generate varies throughout the day, just as it does, throughout the year. Similarly, most people's electricity consumption varies throughout the day. They might be taking hot showers in the morning before work, or running the washing machine and oven simultaneously when they get home. Meanwhile, when the sun is at it's full potential, the house might be sitting empty.  And if there is a heat wave, your air conditioning might be running at full blast for hours on end.

Figuring out what kind of solar energy system will meet your needs can only be accurately determined by understanding how much electricity you need and when you use it. Moreover, with time-of-use pricing, used by some utility companies such as Southern California Edison to encourage users to reduce their consumption during peak consumption periods, hour by hour electricity consumption data is crucial to accurately determine your solar savings.

Green Button Data

This leads us to the first question: what is Green Button Data? Green Button Data is your measured electricity consumption, hour by hour, day by day, directly from your utility company. The Green Button standard states that your file contains no personal identifiable information, so your privacy is guaranteed. Over 60 million households and businesses now have access to Green Button Data through their utility. The Green Button Data homepage includes a list of the utilities currently offering it.

Downloading your Green Button Data file is by far the most accurate way to get your electricity consumption data.