A model of electric residential end-use is proposed for establishing the load diagram of an area by a process of synthesis. The model follows a `bottom-up' approach, allowing construction of the relative load shape of the area, starting from knowledge of its most relevant socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, Unitary Energy Consumption (UEC) and the load profiles of individual household appliances. Several probability functions have been introduced in order to cover the close relationship existing between the demand of residential customers and the psychological and behavioral factors typical of the household; the model makes frequent use of the latter through a Monte-Carlo extraction process. The model has been applied for the simulation of a residential area where field measurements of power demand had been made at 15-minute intervals and a combined-mail survey had been conducted to investigate household energy usage. The paper reports the results of a comparison between recorded and predicted load profiles

Flat tariff has always been the default condition for residential customers in Italy and only starting from July, 1st 2010, the Italian Authority for Electricity and Gas (AEEG) approved the entry into force of a mandatory time-of-use (ToU) tariff at two-part rate periods. In order to assess the impact of the tariff in the short and medium term among Italian customers, R.S.E. has started a research project on residential loads and demand, in collaboration and under the patronage of AEEG. The results of such analysis show that, even if there has been a limited shift of consumptions from peak hours to off-peak hours, the change in the behavior of the users is not negligible. Particular attention has been paid to the possible causes that have contributed to limit the amount of energy shifted from peak hours to off-peak hours and to analyse some possible solutions in order to make the tariff more effective.

No abstract

No abstract