Demand response for renewable energy communities: Exploring coordination of prosumer-generated PV and flexible aggregated demand in the Italian framework
Patricia Ercoli, Alice Mugnini, Alessia Arteconi
Abstract
• Centralized DR strategies increase PV consumption and reduce electricity costs. • Multiple participants increase PV consumption but limit aggregated flexibility. • Larger PV systems improve flexibility but show diminishing returns above a threshold. • DR strategies tailored to prosumer self-consumption requirements increase flexibility. • Pre-cooling strategies offer greater flexibility potential than winter pre-heating. Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) offer a decentralized approach to integrate Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and non-programmable Renewable Energy Sources (RESs), such as photovoltaics (PVs). However, achieving full self-sufficiency and maximizing the use of RESs remains a challenge due to seasonal variability and differences between supply and demand. This study explores energy flexibility in RECs using centralized Demand Response (DR) strategies adapted to the Italian context. A single prosumer with PV generation and multiple consumers with varying building characteristics are considered. Centralized linear programming (LP) is used to optimize energy management and coordinate the collective consumption of prosumer-generated PV. The results show that coordinated building response increases PV self-consumption and reduces electricity costs, but the potential for flexibility depends on factors such as community composition, PV availability, and energy sharing strategies. For example, aggregate displaceable energy for pre-cooling drops from 56.39% (one consumer) to 23.33% (six consumers), while larger PV systems improve flexibility (e.g., from 23.33% with 5.4 kWp to 50.56% with 10.8 kWp of energy shifted for pre-cooling strategies). In addition, DR strategies aligned with prosumer self-consumption demands can allow up to 51.96% of displaceable energy for pre-cooling and 30.91% for pre-heating. Thus, tailored strategies in REC design and operation are essential to maximize energy and economic performance, emphasizing the importance of customized solutions for sustainable and resilient energy systems.