On the value of device flexibility in smart grid applications

Abstract

Abstract-Demand-side management and demand response are proposed as a means to solve different objectives in smart grids, such as, e.g., maximizing self-consumption of a house or peak shaving. Crucial components in these approaches are load shiftable/steerable devices, so-called smart appliances. Although several studies already use these devices and determine how to use their flexibility, their impact on-or value for-the overall system is not studied. This paper provides a methodology to calculate the value of flexibility of smart devices. The methodology makes it possible to quantitatively compare the impact of these devices for different kinds of objectives.The developed methodology is applied in a case study to compare the flexibility of white goods, home batteries and electric vehicles. The results indicate among others that smart white goods may not always be that important for smart grids.

A cyber-physical systems perspective on decentralized energy management

“…Again, the peak shaving performance is largely unaffected when white goods are not controlled as observed in case A. Furthermore, we note that similar results regarding the value of flexibility are obtained by [54]. …”

On the Scalability of Decentralized Energy Management using Profile Steering

“…Another observation is that some devices lack (significant) flexibility, as surveyed in [2]. For these devices the probability that they provide sufficient contribution to the problem (i.e.…”