Model for estimation of the potential flexibility of objects

Abstract

Modern trends in power industry show growth of the diffuse power sources within the field of renewable energy sources with the ability to save energy and smart loads. One of the biggest future challenges will be to redirect the energy flexibility management from supply-side flexibility to demand-side flexibility and create a future that gives opportunities for private household consumers or producers of energy to offer the utilization of their flexibility. To get a good value out of the potential flexibility, we need to know the dynamics between their consumption and plausible production of energy. To determine and analyze the dynamics between consumption and production a model which enables us to calculate and evaluate the flexibility is developed. In the first phase it calculates the consumption of small electric appliances based on the input of their electric parameters. In the second phase it calculates the building’s heat losses based on its energy efficiency, which depends on buildings isolation and ventilation parameters. The sum of the energy, which the building needs for its optimal operation, represents the energy that is consumed for space heating, sanitary water heating and the consumption of the other electrical appliances. In the third phase, it calculates the amount of the energy produced by the solar power plant based on its connection load and the predefined normalized profile of energy production. It also calculates the amount of stored energy in a battery with a predefined capacity, based on the difference between the produced and consumed energy. In the last phase, the model adjusts the consumption due to dual-tariff prices and the prices on the day-ahead market, while the surplus of electric energy is sold on the balancing market. The adjusted energy consumption is then economically evaluated by a model based on the dual-tariff consumption prices and the prices on the day-ahead market, while the stored energy is evaluated based on the prices on the balancing market. The estimated flexibility of the object is also economically evaluated based on the prices for tertiary regulation. The model calculates the flexibility and its value from the differences between adjustable and basic energy consumption. The goal is not lowering the energy consumption, but its adaptability towards lower final prices while maintaining the desired temperatures and energetic comfort.