Testing flexibility of renewable energy systems based on price
The aim of this project is to control the power flowing into and out of a home through a single, remotely operated smart platform.
Project details
Cenergise, an energy trading and services company, received €238,920 in funding through the SEAI Research, Development & Demonstration Funding Programme 2023. The project set out to demonstrate how residential energy assets, such as solar PV, batteries, hot water systems and electric vehicles, can be centrally controlled and scheduled based on electricity prices.
- Funding Agency: SEAI
- Year Funded: 2023
- Lead Organisation: Cenergise Trading Limited
- Partner Organisation: GLAS Energy Technology
- Lead Researcher: Chloe Kinsella
Lead researcher
Chloe Kinsella, Managing Director of Cenergise, is a chartered engineer and gold‑medal graduate of Trinity College Dublin. She has developed profitable trading strategies across multiple commodities within three Irish energy companies and has extensive expertise in the power markets of Ireland, Great Britain and Europe.
Project aim
To demonstrate a smart residential energy platform integrating solar PV, battery storage, hot water systems and EV charging. The platform can be remotely scheduled based on electricity prices and can be called upon by the Distribution System Operator (DSO) to provide flexibility services.
The project
Cenergise developed a break-even dynamic import and export electricity tariff linked to day-ahead auction prices. This tariff fed into an optimisation engine that determined the most cost‑effective times to charge household assets.
Key technical components
Two separate optimisers were created:
- EV optimiser: Forecasts prices for the coming week, identifies the three cheapest days to plug in, and schedules charging during the lowest‑cost period within the next 18 hours.
- House battery optimiser: Sized to match household demand, charging at night and discharging during the day, when solar PV is present, exporting excess generation to the grid is typically more economical under current export rates.
I’m not from a traditional research background; we’re an energy trading business. If you have a problem you want to solve, I would say apply and try to go about solving that problem because ultimately, it’s problem‑solving, that’s what research is.
Results
- Home powered entirely by battery: The system successfully powered a house during three power cuts in 2024, demonstrating full off‑grid capability.
- EV charging cost reduction: Using the optimiser reduced EV charging costs by 50% compared to the dynamic import price at the time of plugging in.
- Ultra‑low tariffs achieved: When high wind generation pushed day‑ahead prices to zero, dynamic tariffs reached 6 c/kWh.
- This highlighted that the fixed 7 c/kWh EV tariffs offered by many suppliers in 2024 were effectively loss leaders.
- Hardware integration: The house battery was successfully wired into the fuse board using a changeover switch, enabling seamless transition during outages.
Next steps
Cenergise engaged with ESB Networks, EirGrid, and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to explore the design of a future residential flexibility market.
A prototype flexibility platform was developed using Streamlit, demonstrating how system operators could procure residential flexibility through a centralised interface.
SEAI national energy research funding programme
The SEAI National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme invests in innovative energy RD&D projects which contribute to Ireland's transition to a clean and secure energy future.
Objectives
- Support solutions that enable technical and other barriers to market uptake to be overcome
- Grow Ireland's national capacity to access, develop and apply international class RD&D
- Provide guidance and support to policy makers and public bodies
- Accelerate competitive energy-related products, processes and systems
