Domestic hot water tanks are a pivotal element for an effective demand side management strategy. The UK has an estimated 13.9 million hot-water tanks, of which 59% use electricity as a primary or secondary energy source (this will rise as the UK moves towards DECC’s vision of a 2050 low carbon economy). Currently, this represents an installed energy store of at least 43GWh, four times that of Dinorwig, UK's largest pumped hydro facility . By comparison in 2013, the peak generation deficit in the UK’s electricity network over one half hour settlement period was 1.48GWh.
This project brings together three SME's to address the creation of a supply (and value) chain to access this under-utilised storage capacity to deliver an effective DSM asset that responds to the dynamic needs of the grid. It will integrate novel hot water tank controls and decision making algorithms, with novel digital platforms and energy aggregators to allow end-user/supplier communications and effective supply chain business models.