Controlling the hosting capacity by flexible application of RES, storage and demand response - FLEXICAP (FLEXICAP)

The variable and more and more expected flexible consumption of electricity from solar and wind will have to result in increased electricity consumption from renewable sources in the future. The search for a good balance between taxes, decentralised sources and energy buffers on site is essential for optimal energy management in both the private and industrial sectors. The technological possibilities to increase the self-sufficiency and self-consumption of energy are sufficient, but by flexibly adjusting consumption and production to each other, self-sufficiency can be increased even further. However, a new challenge is imminent due to the abolition of the traditional day/night tariff system. This will manifest itself in the form of an active control of consumption due to an additional tariff carrier based on connection capacity (the so-called capacity tariff). Linking the use of renewable energy now to the most optimal storage and this in turn to flexible control based on this capacity tariff and the future variable energy tariffs for medium and small consumers means a new challenge for the network of the future.

The answer to this question is undoubtedly to use and/or increase the integration of renewable energy sources and/or by using storage systems and intelligent flexibility. Various challenging and future techniques will be analysed in order to maximise the proposed optimisation. This will also make it possible to avoid the local expansion of network capacity and to use the flexibility in consumption (demand response) to balance supply and demand of energy (in the future as a function of time-dependent energy tariffs). By contributing to the future need for flexibility, this will also have an impact on the distribution network and increase the potential for integrating electric charging points into the network

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The main conclusions can be divided into energetic and economic conclusions.

At the energetic level, the main conclusion is that overinvestment in PV installations provides very little additional self-sufficiency. The preference is for smaller installations supplemented with demand control or batteries. The more demand control or storage, the more solar panels can be recommended. A southern orientation of these panels still appears to be the best.

Smart control of heat pumps can ensure that between 30 and 50% of consumption can be obtained from these solar panels. For electric vehicles, this maximum is also around 50%, depending on the presence of the vehicle during the day. Moreover, peak control for electric vehicles can be achieved without much loss of comfort.

Economically, the cards are different. Larger PV installations often turn out to be very profitable, even at relatively low injection fees. Storage systems became unprofitable with the introduction of the capacity tariff and abolition of the reverse counter. Even when used additionally to reduce the average monthly peak, these systems rarely pay for themselves within their lifetime. Demand-side management of wholesale customers is much more interesting and available, although it appears that major steps still need to be taken to get these systems working together correctly.

The impact of the capacity tariff is almost always small for low-voltage customers. For many, it is interesting to still reduce monthly peaks. For the other customer groups, the capacity tariff almost always entails an increase in network tariffs. The main cause of this is the elimination of the very favorable maximum rate on transmission network tariffs. This group is thus even more strongly encouraged to spread consumption.