Integration of load shifting and storage to reduce gray energy demand

Abstract

The smart grid concept offers an opportunity to design new environmentally friendly energy markets for reducing CO2 emissions. To achieve this goal, we should increase the use and penetration of green energy while softening our dependency on gray (non-environmentally friendly) energy too. In this work we show how load shifting and storage can be incorporated into new energy markets to reduce gray energy consumption. We used multi-agent-based simulations that are fed with real data to analyze the influence of load shifting and storage to reduce gray energy demand as well as the behaviour of prices for gray and green energy. Results suggest that reduction in gray energy consumption is feasible during peak times, i.e. up to 15%. Nonetheless, if the amount of renewable resources is increased 50%, higher reductions can be achieved, i.e. up to 30%. Furthermore, one of the findings also suggests that storage helps to keep the price of green energy low.