Optimizing the use of flexible residential demand for balancing wind power

Due to limited predictability of variable renewable energy sources such as wind energy, the balance between demand and supply in electricity systems is challenged. Market players integrating these technologies in their portfolio face increasing imbalances and are, consequently, charged with cost-reflective imbalance tariffs. In this paper, an optimization model is developed which aims to minimize wind power imbalances by means of combining different control options: thermal generators re-dispatch, intra-day market trading and shifting flexible residential demand. The model is applied to a case study on a representative market player in the Belgian market context. Simulation results show that flexible demand provides a significant share in the reduction of the imbalance volume.