Response Characteristics of Commercial Air-conditioning Users under Grid Interactive Pricing Mechanisms

As China's electricity demand continues to grow, air conditioning systems constitute an increasingly significant portion of grid load. Due to their inherent flexibility and adjustability, these systems serve as valuable resources for grid demand response programs. This paper reviews domestic and foreign policies on air-conditioning participation in grid interaction and develops a model to evaluate regional pricing mechanisms. Using Shanghai as a case study, we examine the impact of two demand response pricing mechanisms-peak pricing and fixed compensation-on the behavior of commercial air conditioning users. Through quantitative analysis, we evaluate both the load response patterns and economic benefits for commercial users under these different pricing mechanisms. Our findings indicate that Shanghai's fixed subsidy policy demonstrates greater effectiveness in reducing commercial air conditioning loads compared to peak pricing. However, from a system cost perspective, implementing the fixed subsidy pricing policy incurs higher costs than the peak pricing approach. Furthermore, we observe varying response characteristics across different commercial sectors: shopping malls show the strongest response, followed by office buildings, while hotels and healthcare facilities demonstrate relatively lower response levels. These insights provide valuable references for improving economic efficiency and effectiveness of air conditioning load participation in grid interaction programs.