Enhancing Energy Flexibility Balancing User Needs and Constraints

This study investigates the potential of demand-side flexibility to enhance self-consumption and self-sufficiency in buildings equipped with renewable energy on-site generation, specifically focusing on the scheduling of shiftable household appliances. A novel automatic methodology is presented that leverages probability distributions to model user consumption patterns and identify flexible operating windows for these appliances. The method allows for shifting appliance operation times to better align with renewable energy production while maintaining user comfort. A case study involving four households within a renewable energy community demonstrates a significant improvement in self-consumption and self-sufficiency indexes through the application of the developed methodology. The economic benefits are substantial, resulting in a shorter payback period for the renewable energy investment and a subsequent increased profitability. The results highlight the significant potential of demand-side flexibility management for optimizing renewable energy integration in buildings and enhancing the economic viability of self-consumption strategies.