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Demand response with heat pumps: Practical implementation of three different control options.
Jenny Crawley1, Adria Martin-Vilaseca1, Jez Wingfield1
1UCL Energy Institute, University College London, London, UK.
Building Services Engineering Research & Technology : BSER & T
|March 6, 2023
Summary
Demand response for heat pumps in homes reduced peak electricity use by 56-90%. Successful strategies require tailored controls considering diverse home heating systems and user needs for effective grid balancing.
Area of Science:
- Energy Systems Engineering
- Building Services
- Smart Grids
Background:
- Electrification of heating and transport necessitates demand-side flexibility for grid balancing.
- Heat pumps are crucial for future heat delivery, with significant modeling of their demand response potential.
- Limited empirical research exists on practical heat pump demand response implementation in occupied homes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a cross-case comparison of three early adopters of heat pump demand response in the UK.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different control strategies in reducing peak electricity consumption.
- To identify challenges and requirements for practical heat pump demand response integration.
Main Methods:
- Case study comparison of three UK households implementing heat pump demand response.
- Implementation of three distinct control strategies: lowered air temperature setpoints, lowered flow temperature, and blocked heat pump compressor.
- Analysis of electricity consumption reduction during peak periods and assessment of system impacts.
Main Results:
- Observed electricity reductions during peak periods ranged from 56% to 90%.
- The success of demand response was contingent on the control strategy's impact on the heat pump and overall heating system.
- Unintended consequences arose when heat pump logic did not align with demand response requirements.
Conclusions:
- Heterogeneity in building fabric, heating distribution, control systems, and heat pumps necessitates tailored flexibility mechanisms.
- Effective heat pump demand response requires clear definition of electricity system needs and practical integration into heating system design.
- No single stakeholder is responsible for all system components, highlighting the need for coordinated approaches.
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