A standardised flexibility assessment methodology for demand response

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to standardised four-step flexibility assessment methodology for evaluating the available electrical load reduction or increase a building can provide in response to a signal from an aggregator or grid operator. Design/methodology/approach The four steps in the methodology consist of Step 1: systems, loads, storage and generation identification; Step 2: flexibility characterisation; Step 3: scenario modelling; and Step 4: key performance indicator (KPI) label. Findings A detailed case study for one building, validated through on-site experiments, verified the feasibility and accuracy of the approach. Research limitations/implications The results were benchmarked against available demonstration studies but could benefit from the future development of standardised benchmarks. Practical implications The ease of implementation enables building operators to quickly and cost effectively evaluate the flexibility of their building. By clearly defining the flexibility range, the KPI label enables contract negotiation between stakeholders for demand side services. It may also be applicable as a smart readiness indicator. Social implications The novel KPI label has the capability to operationalise the concept of building flexibility to a wider spectrum of society, enabling smart grid demand response roll-out to residential and small commercial customers. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need for an early stage flexibility assessment which explicitly includes source selection that can be implemented in an offline manner without the need for extensive real-time data acquisition, ICT platforms or additional metre and sensor installations.

Development of a Framework for Activation of Aggregator Led Flexibility

“…On-site automation systems in buildings are typically a form of building management system (BMS), whereas, in industrial sites, a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system may be installed. The aggregator-based framework then implements "Step 1: Identification of flexible sources, loads, storage and generation" from the standardized flexibility assessment methodology [16]. Step 1 is applied to the data for each of the buildings or sites individually.…”

“…gies 2021, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of based framework then implements "Step 1: Identification of flexible sources, loads, st age and generation" from the standardized flexibility assessment methodology [16]. S 1 is applied to the data for each of the buildings or sites individually.…”

“…The voltage charging the battery system is greater than the voltage discharging the battery system due to non-ideal processes, therefore, the efficiency losses are different. The flexibility of the battery system, f B may be modeled as shown in Equations ( 10)- (16).…”

“…This paper proposes the automation of a flexibility assessment methodology previously developed by the author [16] combined with elements of an approach developed for the management of flexible grid resources [17]. The flexibility assessment methodology [16] consists of a four-step process that quantifies the available flexibility at a building or site offline, enabling contract negotiations for demand-side services between building operators and aggregators.…”

“…This paper proposes the automation of a flexibility assessment methodology previously developed by the author [16] combined with elements of an approach developed for the management of flexible grid resources [17]. The flexibility assessment methodology [16] consists of a four-step process that quantifies the available flexibility at a building or site offline, enabling contract negotiations for demand-side services between building operators and aggregators. This paper adapts the methodology for the development of online real-time flexibility assessments by automating the data collection, flexibility characterization, and scenario modeling steps from the assessment and coupling these with an aggregator-based multi-building or site optimization stage.…”