To efficiently facilitate the energy transition it is essential to evaluate the potential of demand response in practice. Based on the results of a Dutch smart grid pilot, this paper assesses the potential of both manual and semi-automated demand response in residential areas. To stimulate demand response, a dynamic tariff and smart appliances were used. The participating households were informed about the tariff day-ahead through a home energy management system, connected to a display installed on the wall in their living room. The tariff was intuitively displayed: self-consumption of photovoltaic generation was stimulated by means of a low tariff, but also the generation itself played a central role on the display. Household flexibility is analyzed, focusing on: (i) the load shift of (smart) appliances, and (ii) the response of the (overall) peak load towards the dynamic tariff. To assess the latter, i.e. price responsiveness, the participants were split up in two comparable groups which were subject to a different moment of evening peak-pricing. Based on the results, it is concluded that mainly the flexibility of the white goods (i.e. the washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher) is used for demand response. The main part of the flexible load of these (smart) appliances is shifted from the evening to the midday, to match local generation. This load shift remained stable over a long period of time (>1 year) and is not responsive to the exact moment of peak-pricing. Therefore, it is concluded that a simple and transparent design for dynamic tariffs is sufficient and most effective to stimulate (manual) residential demand response. Such a tariff should emphasize the ‘right’ moments to use electricity, intuitively linked to renewable generation.@en

Abstract On the one hand, several developments make the operation of the distribution grids more and more complex. On the other hand developments in energy storage and the availability of loads which are not time critical bring up possibilities to provide more flexibility in the grid and to use the available system more efficiently. In this paper, these and other advantages of as well distributed energy storage as load management of not time critical loads are discussed. An approach is described to analyse the available capacity in the grids, to investigate how this capacity can be used by applying storage or load management and to compare the benefits of storage and load management. This approach is illustrated using a real medium voltage network and measured data. It shows the part of the capacity in the distribution grids which is now unused, but can be made available by applying storage or load management of non-critical loads. The size of the storage and the non-critical loads which are needed to use this capacity are determined. The characteristics of future loads, the need to support integration of distributed generation and the desired level of reliability of supply are factors that determine the size of the storage and how storage or load management can be applied best.@en