Assessing the energy storage potential of electric hot water cylinders with stochastic model-based control

As electric hot water cylinders (HWCs) have a large capacity for thermal storage, they are well-suited for Demand Side Management (DSM). This paper compares different methods of HWC temperature control and presents a methodology to assess the amount of thermal storage available in HWCs for demand side management based on use behaviour in different household types. Simple stochastic methods for domestic hot water (DHW) demand prediction were employed to design a smart controller that produced lower rates of unmet DHW demand and higher available storage than setpoint and ripple controllers. The average storage available for DSM from the use of this smart controller is predicted to be between 3.63 and 7.20 kWh per household. These results indicate the use of HWCs for thermal storage is a low-cost viable option for peak-shaving of power system load and could decrease power system greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in countries such as Aotearoa New Zealand, where GHG-emitting electricity generation is primarily used to meet peak loads.

Automated summary

This paper compares different methods of HWC temperature control and presents a methodology to assess the amount of thermal storage available in HWCs for demand side management based on use behavior in different household types. By using simple stochastic methods to predict domestic hot water demand, a smart controller was designed to achieve lower rates of unmet demand and higher available storage compared to traditional controllers. The average storage available for DSM from the use of this smart controller is predicted to be between 3.63 and 7.20 kWh per household. These findings suggest that using HWCs for thermal storage is a cost-effective solution for peak shaving and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in countries like New Zealand.