Energy Networks

Traditionally, power systems have not used the control of domestic appliances for Demand Side Management (DSM), adopting the philosophy that such loads should be supplied at all times. However, the intelligent control of smart appliances offers the possibility of effective (peak) load shaving at times of high marginal electricity generation costs.

Besides the possibilities of reducing demand of electricity at times when generation costs are high, effective DSM could be a key to overcoming the turbulences that European power networks face in the next 10-15 years. The benefits of DSM will increase as more intermittent generation supply comes online while base-load generation from nuclear and coal declines as plants reach the end of their design life. Security of electricity supply will be enhanced by the dynamic operation of the power system together with DSM.

Smart-appliances can play a number of roles in the power system:
Provide reserve and frequency response specifically for intermittent renewable generation (e.g. wind)
Provide reserve and frequency response specifically for power systems with conventional generation (particularly those with stressed generation systems or large in-feeds)
Reduce the requirement for transmission and distribution assets. The matching of loads to local (micro) generation is a particular example of this reduction in the need for transmission and distribution circuits.

The Smart-A project will try to understand how Smart Appliances can provide reserve and frequency responses, taking into account the commercial and environmental benefits of this application of DSM. The project team will develop techniques for effective DSM using Smart Appliances including load shifting and will test their effectiveness under several future development scenarios.
As with local energy generation systems, communication and control requirements will also be looked at in the framework of energy networks.