Shifting household energy consumption to reduce energy demand peaks in the Netherlands

The Dutch energy grids are experiencing increasing strain and pressure. This pressure is the result of the excessive energy demand that is growing every year and the irregular energy supply that is caused by the increasing use of sustainable energy sources. The excessive energy demand causes demand peaks that cannot be processed by our current energy grids, which results in failures and black-outs. While the conventional approach would be to reinforce the energy grids, a more commercially attractive solution is to reduce the peaks in the energy demand. Shifting the residential energy demand is cheap and interesting option compared to reinforcing energy grids. Smart grids and demand-management solutions are new and high-tech opportunities that require insights in the consumption behaviour of the end-users. This paper gives insights in the energy consumption behaviour of Dutch households and the possibilities to shift certain aspects of their consumption patterns to off-peak hours. This paper views the problem of the peaks in the Dutch energy demand as a social and behavioural problem. Therefore, a case study was conducted to study the energy consumption patterns of 11 households as well as their daily activities. The micro-level case study analyses resulted in 11 different household profiles each with their own energy consumption patterns and potential to shift certain energy consuming activities. Based on their consumption patterns, 68 households in a larger dataset could be matched to the household profiles to make an estimation of the potential impact of shifting daily activities. This study finds the most potential for shifting energy consumption for activities in the category Audio, video and computer. However, shifting energy consuming activities in the category Washing, drying and cleaning is estimated to have the most potential impact on the average energy consumption. The least potential was found for shifting energy consuming Kitchen activities, as none of the respondents had potential to shift these. When financial incentives were applied in the form of a variable tariff, this resulted in an increase in the potential for shifting Washing, drying and cleaning activities and the estimated impact this would have on the average energy consumption. For Kitchen and Audio, video and computer activities financial incentives have not resulted in an increase in shifting potential or estimated impact. Furthermore, the results show that the respondents deem financial motivations for shifting their consumption behaviour the least important. Psychological motivations were assumed to be the second most important and social motivations were the most important. The findings of this study result in insights in the energy consumption behaviour of Dutch households that could be used for further developing or creating new solutions for decreasing energy demand peaks