Availability and Flexibility of Loads for the Provision of Reserve

In the smart grid environment, reserve services (RS) are also expected from the demand side, taking into account the flexibility and availability of loads connected into the grid. This paper proposes a method to calculate the availability of thermal domestic loads for the provision of upward RS, considering some aspects regarding the constructive characteristics of the appliances, as well as the consumer habits and comfort preferences. A case study comprising 500 consumers with three types of domestic thermal loads (electric water heaters, air-conditioners, and refrigerators) will be used to illustrate the method.