Team

Short study: Flexibility potential of households for the network-related reduction of demand peaks

In future, increased use of heat pumps and electric cars in the building and transport sectors could create new requirements for network expansion and operation, especially in the low-voltage networks. The increased use of heat pumps and electric cars has an impact on the quantity of electricity demanded and on the temporal structure of electricity demand. Against this backdrop, the question arises as to which flexibility potentials could be used cost-effectively in households in the future.

In the context of this study, the flexibility potential of different household types is analysed. The focus here is on the costs of flexibility in time windows that are potentially critical for low-voltage grids. The study is based on the ewi ER&S model for the analysis of consumer behaviour (COMODO) and analyses the flexibility potentials for the year 2030.

Economic assessment of the market development model

To extend the current marketing possibilities for electricity from renewable energy sources, Bundesverband Windenergie (BWE) and ARGE Netz propose a market development model. This proposal of changing the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) is supposed to allow a direct retail of renewable electricity from the plant operator to final consumers and at the same time to ensure the proof of the simultaneousness of generation and consumability. ewi ER&S analyses the economic effects of the market development model.
For final consumers, the model creates a possibility to show their preference – and thereby their willingness to pay – for consumable renewable power and to purchase it. This allows the plant operators a better marketing option of their consumable renewable power. If production and consumption happen spatially close to each other, this can additionally relieve the grids. The EEG account will not receive additional financial burdens, even reliefs are possible.