Evaluation of washing machine load potential for smart grid integration

Abstract

This paper presents the lessons learned from a smart wash pilot, conducted with 24 employees of distribution system operator Enexis, who were equipped with an energy computer, smart washing machine, photovoltaic panels and smart meter. The pilot goal was to gain experience and knowledge about the application of these smart grid technologies in practice. Launched end of 2010 this was one of the first pilots focusing on consumer involvement. During the pilot consumers were encouraged to shift their load in order to match local electricity supply; to do their laundry while electricity is generated by their own photovoltaic panels. This paper contains an extensive analysis of the data the pilot brought forward and proposes an evaluation method to evaluate the washing machine load potential for smart grid integration. The coincidence factor of the daily load profiles and average load profiles of the participants is studied in order to define the significance of the results. Furthermore the paper elaborates on how the lessons learned during this pilot contributed to the design of a new smart grid pilot launched December 2012 in the Netherlands, ‘Your Energy Moment’, focusing on demand side management of over 250 households.