Working with meter data at the California Energy Commission and adventuring near Sacramento

Claire Petersen (she/her)
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
Area of study: Environment and Resources (E-IPER), PhD, '28
Internship: California Energy Commission

Claire Petersen reflects on her data analysis work at the California Energy Commission, its impact on her PhD pursuits, and her adventures in the Sacramento area

In my short time at the California Energy Commission (CEC) this summer, I was fortunate enough to have the support of Commissioner McAllister to quickly become a resident expert on working with CEC energy consumption data. I even heard recently that my codes are being circulated as an example for other CEC staff members to use when exploring the interval meter data! Currently, I'm working on two projects using the data. One of them is identifying data centers and quantifying their electricity demand. The second project is identifying heat pumps and quantifying their electrification impact on electricity and natural gas consumption.

My immediate team comprises advisors to Commissioner McAllister, and they've got to be some of the nicest and most helpful people I've ever worked with. On top of that, I am grateful to be in contact with all sorts of other folks at the CEC who have an interest in data centers and heat pumps! Most often, I consult with the 'demand forecasting team,' but other times I get advice from people in the buildings unit, or the efficiency division. On many occasions, I've learned of someone at the CEC doing cool work (not even related to my immediate project), and I've reached out to them for a meeting. They've gladly and generously given 30 minutes to tell me all about their experiences. These are often the times that I learn the most about the practical realities of how government operates.

This experience has completely altered the way I want to pursue my PhD. I now want to structure my dissertation research to answer questions that can be useful to the CEC. Not only does this provide me with some guidance on what are the important and practical questions, but it also gives me a sense of expanded purpose and accomplishment. I hope to forge a partnership between the CEC and my lab group at Stanford, with me at the center.

Some stand out moments, aside from the excellent people I've met and the satisfaction of a good day of playing with data, have come from my adventures just outside of Sacramento. On my weekends, although I'm sad to miss the Sunday farmer's market in Sacramento, I like to head towards Tahoe and go hiking or camping in the surrounding forests and lakes. I even got lucky enough to see the northern lights while on a nighttime venture to see the Perseid meteor shower. That is truly a special night I will never forget, and it was made possible from living in Sacramento.