Short-term demand response of flexible electric heating systems: The need for integrated simulations

Active Demand Response (ADR) can contribute to a more (cost-)efficient operation of and investment in the electrical power system as it provides the needed flexibility to cope with the intermittent character of renewables. One of the promising demand side technologies in terms of ADR are electric heating systems as they allow to modify their electrical load pattern without affecting the thermal energy service they deliver, due to the thermal inertia in the system. However, these systems are hard to describe with traditional demand side models, since the performance depends on boundary conditions (occupants behaviour, weather conditions). Therefore, in this paper, an integrated system approach is applied, taking into account the dynamics and constraints of both electricity supply and heating systems. Only such an integrated system approach is able to simultaneously consider all technical and comfort constraints present in the system. The effects not captured by traditional approaches - such as price elasticities and virtual generator models - are identified and quantified, enabling the reader to select a modelling approach, weighing the computational effort against the required accuracy. In extensive power system studies, this approach can be used to assess the technical potential and all effects of flexible demand side technologies.