Students and faculty conducting energy and smart grid research at the University of Texas have had access to a treasure trove of knowledge found nowhere else on earth: billions of time-stamped data records from the Pecan Street Research Institute’s original field research that measure minute-to-minute consumer energy use down the appliance level, solar panel generation, electric vehicle charging, transformer impacts and even natural gas and water use for hundreds of households.
Beginning today, the Pecan Street Research Institute is opening membership in its research consortium to university students, faculty and researchers from around the world. Upon sign-up, new members receive a free sample data set of home electricity use that appears to be the largest ever made available to university researchers.
“Our mission is to accelerate innovation in energy,” said Pecan Street Inc. CEO Brewster McCracken. “And innovation happens faster when smart people have access to the kind of original research data we are developing. Today’s university students are tomorrow’s energy executives, engineers and entrepreneurs. We are excited about the great things they can achieve through access to this unique and valuable resource.”
Membership in the Pecan Street Research Consortium is free for students, faculty and researchers working on university-sponsored research, classroom instruction or curriculum development. They will join corporate members of Pecan Street’s Industry Advisory Council, who have been guiding and participating in the organization’s research since 2011.
In addition to receiving the free data sample, new members receive lists of suggested research