The California Residential Appliance Saturation Study (RASS) is a comprehensive study of residential sector energy use. The California Home Energy Survey is the primary data source for the RASS.

For the 2019 study, the survey is being sent to California residents from August 2019 through February 2020 in mail and online versions. About 300,000 select households are being asked to provide information about their appliances, heating and cooling equipment, use of solar or electric vehicles, and general energy use.

The study supports the CEC’s residential sector energy demand forecast model. It is conducted periodically, with two previous studies completed in 2009 and 2003.

The CEC manages the study in cooperation with investor-owned utilities and publicly-owned utilities. The investor-owned utilities include Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Gas Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric. Publicly owned utilities include the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

The 2019 RASS is scheduled to be completed by June 2020. The CEC has hired DNV GL Energy Insights USA, Inc. to conduct the study.

  • Calculate appliance saturations at the forecasting zone level by home type and fuel use.
  • Calculate estimates of annual energy for appliances by home type and fuel use at the forecasting-zone level.
  • Incorporate advanced metering infrastructure electricity consumption data into forecasting model input development.
  • Enhance the RASS study database, which the public can use to research residential saturation and consumption data collected and analyzed through the RASS process. The interactive database will have results from the 2003, 2009, and 2019 studies.

The 2019 survey is methodologically consistent with the 2003 and 2009 surveys. Data are collected through surveys administered via a Web portal or a paper booklet. Participants are selected randomly by utility service area, climate region, home type, and energy consumption level. Close to 300,000 California homes will be recruited by email or mailed invitations or both to provide information for the survey. The data will be made anonymous upon collection.