Appalachian faculty and students collaborate on energy conservation research

By Madalene Smith

Appalachian State University's Dr. Thomas Mueller, associate professor of communication in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, has long been interested in consumer perceptions. Recently, he’s partnered with Dr. Joseph Cazier, director of the Center for Analytics Research & Education (CARE) at Appalachian's Walker College of Business, to influence peak power use locally.

The initiative began in August when Mueller sought out Cazier, who was working with a group of graduate students and the university’s power provider, New River Light and Power, to develop a statistical model that could predict peak energy spikes. At the heart of this effort was a concern for energy conservation and sustainability, as peak energy spikes are the product of dirty energy sources including fossil fuels, coal and oil.

Computer information systems major Jabari Myles is one of the students working on the statistical model, specifically data merging and modeling. He assisted in the creation of the model, which records and analyzes energy demand in different substations of Boone in order to predict when demand will be at it’s highest, and then reduces consumption around that specific time. This practice is not only beneficial for the environment, but also results in a cost reduction for the consumer.

“New River Light and Power buys all of their energy from Duke Energy, and when energy demand is high for the state, Duke reaches a point where its normal energy generators cannot fulfill the demand,” Myles shared. “They use other energy sources that cost more and are worse for the environment. Our goal is to figure out when demand is going to be high and reduce consumption during those times.”

The CARE statistical model was able to predict power usage spikes with 90% accuracy. As a social scientist, Mueller was interested in how a consumer’s perception of local power providers could be used to reduce these peak power spikes. He began by collecting responses from power consumers across the state of North Carolina through a student project in his research methods course. The class assessed demographic groups, and then used a 9-item scale to define psychological factors that influenced the groups' perceptions of power providers.

Using the preliminary data collected by his class, Mueller's eventual goal is use his newfound understanding of perceptions to create promotional campaigns that inform consumers on avoiding peak power spikes. A pilot project is currently underway, and Mueller plans to develop peak power reduction lesson plans for the new residential curriculum initiative at Appalachian.

"This collaborative sustainability effort between communication and business is an example of the revolutionary good that can be done by introducing an unfamiliar perspective and skill set to a project,” said Mueller.

Mueller’s research with Cazier and his graduate students has also led to a recent publication, “Consumer Perceptions of Electric Utilities: Insights from the Center for Analytics Research & Education Project in the United States” in the journal Energy Research and Social Science. Cazier and Mueller also traveled to UNC-Chapel Hill to collaborate with other environmentally conscious professors and students.

His work suggests that power providers can partner with local universities to host in-house social science research addressing sustainability concerns for the betterment of the town.

About the Department of Communication

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University focuses on preparing students to succeed in the varied fields within the communication industry. The department offers five majors – advertising, communication studies, electronic media/broadcasting, journalism and public relations – and a minor in communication studies. Graduates work in a wide range of positions in media, corporate, agency, government and nonprofit organizations. 

About the Center for Analytics Research and Education 

The Center for Analytics Research and Education (CARE) at Appalachian State University uses analytics to promote positive behavioral change in the world. Housed in the Walker College of Business, CARE utilizes faculty expertise and student skills in Big Data and Analytics to promote research and education in analytics that will lead to pro-social human behavioral change in the areas of Sustainability, Education, Economic Development, HR Science, and Health & Wellness. For more information, visit businesscare.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.



Dr. Thomas Mueller
Published: Apr 6, 2017 10:28am

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