Real-World Implementation of Residential Thermostat Control for DR

Traditionally, operators relied on the right mix of generators at their disposal for grid services, but now with two-way communication enabled by the smart grid, demand-response (DR) becomes another option for the electric utility to deploy control strategies shaping the demand profile. DR strategies can tap into the demand flexibility potential of large populations of residential loads to shift electricity use across hours of the day while maintaining the same comfort level. This paper presents the results from applying a DR strategy to the electric baseboards of eleven homes over a two-month period during Winter 2016/17. The DR strategy applies setpoint modulation to baseboard heaters via smart thermostats to store thermal energy prior to peak hours and then uses this stored energy to reduce demand. It is found that demand reductions of 36% and 24% can be achieved during morning and afternoon peaks, respectively, with a small daily reduction in energy consumption. DR holds significant potential for peak shaving where residential heating accounts for an important share of the utility's demand and can be had with little to no user discomfort.