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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Kumar Biswajit DebnathORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Integrating renewable energy technologies into a decentralised smart grid presents the ‘Duck Curve’ challenge — the disparity between peak demand and solar photovoltaic (PV) yield. Smart grid operators still lack an effective solution to this problem, resulting in the need to maintain standby fossil fuel-fired plants. The COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns necessitated a shift to remote work (work-from-home) and home-based education. The primary objective of this study was to explore mitigating strategies for the duck curve challenge by investigating this notable shift in behaviour by examining the effect of remote work and education on grid and decentralised solar PV electricity use in 100 households with battery energy storage in the southwest of the UK. This study examined 1-min granular grid electricity and decentralised solar energy consumption data for April–August 2019 and 2020. The findings revealed statistically significant disparities in energy demand. Notably, there was a 1.4—10% decrease in average electricity consumption from April to August 2020 (during and following the lockdown) compared to the corresponding months of 2019. Furthermore, household grid electricity consumption was reduced by 24—25%, while self-consumption from solar PV systems increased by 7—8% during the lockdown in April and May 2020 compared to 2019. This increase in self-consumption was particularly prominent in the morning and afternoon, possibly attributed to the growing prevalence of work-from-home and home-based education. The dynamic shifts in energy consumption patterns emphasised the role of decentralised solar PV energy in meeting the evolving needs of households during unprecedented societal changes. Additionally, remote work might unlock decentralised solar PV's potential in resolving the ‘Duck Curve’, urging further investigation into the implications for energy infrastructure and policy development.
Author(s): Debnath KB, Jenkins DP, Patidar S, Peacock AD
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Applied Energy
Year: 2024
Volume: 367
Print publication date: 01/08/2024
Online publication date: 16/05/2024
Acceptance date: 01/05/2024
Date deposited: 17/05/2024
ISSN (print): 0306-2619
ISSN (electronic): 1872-9118
Publisher: Elsevier
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123378
DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123378
Data Access Statement: The authors do not have permission to share data.
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