ResFlex: a residential load profile generator to model individual demand response in distribution grids

To reach an optimal long-term development strategy in distribution networks, the flexibility of residential loads must be considered. However, due to privacy and hardware obstacles, real residential electrical demand data is usually incomplete, outdated or not available. This work proposes a tool for generating synthetic load profiles dependent on the behavior of the households’ members. Based on that, it stochastically constructs a load profile by generating occupancy patterns inside the home and random appliance usage events depending on the attendance to construct a baseload for the home. In addition to this fixed load, several types of flexible appliances are also considered, with suitable flexibility limits. These load profiles can model neighborhoods or small villages to represent the reaction of a complete low-voltage grid to different tariffs. Users will change their consumption patterns within the defined boundaries, reacting optimally to different energy and grid prices. This could allow the evaluation of the effects of different regulations to the customers’ energy bills, the grid congestion, and the system operator revenues.