Demand side management potential of domestic water heaters and space heaters

Demand side management (DSM) is a viable strategy for facilitating integration of renewable energy into power systems. The demand resource from water and space heating can be used to reduce or delay system demand peaks, and in combination with other flexible loads, reshape the aggregate demand profile and manage system ramping. In this paper, the aggregate power draw profiles for heat pump based water heating and under floor space heating systems for the Irish domestic sector have been synthesized and the effects of daily and seasonal variations, the type of dwelling and control / usage patterns on demand are discussed. The results show a significant seasonal and daily variation of the demand profile for water and space heating, indicating its viability as a DSM resource on the Irish power system, but also the challenges of operation.