@BigN8 thanks for sharing that was a very interesting and enlightening video.
I am a Energy Trader (electricity) for a local utility here in South Carolina and have seen much of what was discussed in the video all ready come true. For us in the Southeast,the Energy markets changed drastically in the fall of 2008, the time of great recession. Prior to 2008, Southeast utilities experienced a year after year annual growth in electric consumption of 2 to 3%, typically monitored in peak demand for the highest hour of usage with a given year. For my utility the summer peak demand usage in 2008 was 4928 MW, if you assume the low side of growth at 2% per year and to make the example simple we will assume a growth of 100 MW per year (4928 MW x 2% = 98.56 MW). Since it has been 10 years since 2008, you would assume our utility peak demand for 2018 would be near 6000 MW (4928 MW + (100 MW * 10 years)). The reality is our peak demand has decreased by about 1% from the 2008 peak or 4875MW. From the Southeast utilities that I trade with, I have found that they all have either been flat or have a minor decrease in peak demand from their 2008 peak demand.
Why the decrease in utility produced electric demand? The first thing people think about is the loss of customers, well in the Southeast the number of customers has continually grown at about 2 to 3% per year, this growth is typically the major contributor to electric demand growth. Industry has also grown, as factories are leaving the rust belt or when new factories are being built many are locating to the Southeast. Due to the recession of 2008, what the electric industry saw for the first time was a concession decision by the public to conserve electric to save money. Electricity is one of the few services that you pay on demand not a flat monthly fee like cable, internet, cellular, so you have some control of your cost.
In the last 10 year what else has changed resulting in the consumer using less electricity? Here are a few efficient changes, compact florescent light bulbs and now LED light bulb, appliances (HVAC especially, all kitchen appliances, etc), programmable HVAC controls, shift from CRT TV's and monitors to LED versions , there are more but that gives you the idea. And in the last 3 years the amount of roof top solar systems has exponentially increased. During the summer the peak electricity demand occurs when the sun is shining the brightest and solar is producing at maximum output.
Like the video mentioned and I agree with, once solar + storage becomes cheap enough the exponential growth will have a dramatic and drastic impact to the old electricity model. There are some consumers out there changing their ways for personal reasons not cost savings but the majority of the consumers will not change until it becomes a personal financial benefit, this will be the tipping point.
