This paper presents experiences from a pilot study focusing on daily demand response from households, utilizing smart metering, remote load control, pricing based on the hourly spot price combined with a time of day network tariff, and a token provided to the customers indicating peak hours. The observed demand response was 1 kWh/h for customers with standard electrical water heaters. By aggregating this response, the potential for demand response from 50% of Norwegian households can be estimated at 1000 MWh/h (4.2% of registered peak load demand in Norway). A cost-effective realization of this potential should have high focus when considering smart metering technology. From a market perspective, a potential load reduction of this size should be bid into the day ahead market. Demand response to price (the day after) will not affect the price, but might create imbalances and the need for activating balancing resources, creating additional costs.
Norway is currently the largest market in the world for electric vehicles compared to the total number of vehicles sold, and there is also a political goal in Norway to stop the sale of new conventional cars 1 by 2025. Changing to non-emission transport can result in approx. 1.5 mill. private electric vehicles in 2030, resulting in an energy need of 4 TWh, which represents an increase of 3% of the Norwegian electricity consumption. The increased number of electric vehicles will not be an energy problem, but it can be a capacity related problem in the distribution grid if all households are charging at the same time - in addition to their usual consumption of electricity. This paper presents results from a research project evaluating the consequences of the increasing share of electric vehicles and the potential for demand response and flexibility in charging. Results are based on a survey performed among households with electric vehicles and meter data of the energy consumption from charging of a selection of the most common electrical vehicles in Norway.