Benefits of Demand Response on Operation of Distribution Networks: A Case Study

Despite of the great focus of attention dedicated to demand response (DR), the potential benefits of DR on distribution networks have not yet been quantitatively studied. This paper aims to assess DR potential impacts on major attributes of the operation of a residential distribution network. For doing so, grossly metered usage of more than 1600 residential consumers from Kainuu, Finland, is disaggregated to appliance-level load profiles. The flexibility of the load profiles is also estimated from the survey data and questionnaires. The individual profiles are then adjusted within their flexibility such that the most evenly distributed aggregated load profile is realized. Finally, the resulted load profile is applied to a Finnish distribution network, and the impacts of the DR on different aspects of the network operation such as the network losses, voltage profiles, and service reliability are studied. The observations certified significant benefits of the DR potentials for the network operation and reliability. It is also revealed that almost all of the benefits can be achieved by enabling the potential of responsive heating and ventilation systems.