Power balance provision through co-ordinated control of modern storage heater load

Operational inflexibility due to wind variability at high penetration levels can be mitigated through flexible demand. However, most flexible loads entail a subsequent short-term higher energy payback and aggregated load coincidence. Storage heaters operating on a dual tariff, that typically charge during a fixed time window, can be considered as distributed thermal storage without an associated energy payback period. Modern storage heaters have improved heat retention, the capability to estimate their required charge, two way communication and local frequency measurement. Storage heating load currently exists in the system, making it more eminently suitable as bulk energy source/sink. This paper presents the use of modern storage heaters to accommodate higher levels of wind integration. A technical assessment of the capability of such load to provide reserves is also presented. Two types of heaters, with different capabilities and associated communication infrastructure requirements are considered for analysis. The results are demonstrated on a detailed single bus model of the 2020 Irish power system.