Making legacy thermal storage heating fit for the smart grid

Journal article

Thermal storage heaters, charged using overnight off-peak electricity, have been used for domestic spaceheating in the UK and other countries since the 1980s. However, they have always been difficult forconsumers to manage efficiently and, with the advent of a high proportion of renewables in the electricitygeneration mix, the time of day when they are charged needs to be more flexible. There is also a need toreduce peaks in the demand profile to allow distribution networks to support new sources of demandsuch as electric vehicles. We describe a trial of a smart control system that was retrofitted to a group ofsix dwellings with this form of heating, with the objectives of providing more convenient and efficientcontrol for the users while varying the times at which charging is performed, to flatten the profile ofdemand and make use of locally-generated renewable electricity. The trial also employs a commercially-realistic combination of a static time-of-day tariff with a real time tariff dependent on local generation,to provide consumers with the opportunity and incentive to reduce their costs by varying times of useof appliances. Results from operation over the 2015–16 heating season indicate that the objectives arelargely achieved. It is estimated that on an annualised and weather-adjusted basis most of the usershave consumed less electricity than before intervention and their costs are less on the trial tariffs. Criticalfactors for success of this form of system are identified, particularly the need to facilitate hands-on controlof heating by thrifty users and the importance of an effective and sustained user engagement programmewhen introducing the technology, to ensure users gain confidence through a readily-accessible source ofsupport and advice.

Authors: Boait, P; Snape, J; Darby, S; Hamilton, J; Morris, R

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Energy and Buildings
• Volume: 138
• Pages: 630-640
• Publication date: 2016-12-23
• Acceptance date: 2016-12-17
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.12.053
• EISSN: 1872-6178
• ISSN: 0378-7788
• Language: English
• Keywords: thermal storage; time-of-day tariff; electric heating; demand response; smart meter