Flexibility Index

Flexibility index

Innovation Type: Software

What is this innovation about?

Based on the Neighbourhood Scale Grey Box Models, GBN, the syn.ikia flexibility index, FIN, for different climate zones has been developed to provide input to regulatory bodies on how to design future taxes, tariffs, and markets to help promote SPENs. In relation to this, syn.ikia team has used forecast algorithms for predicting renewable energy production and the use of energy in the demo cases.

For scaling up the flexibility models to the European level, the syn.ikia team has used virtual demo cases combined with sensitivity analyses to show the effect of different energy prices, legislation, and climate changes, as well as social and technological developments.

This single value represented by the Flexibility Index on a neighbourhood scale (FIN) is easier to interpret for end-users and legislative bodies. Thus, it can be utilized for marketing purposes as well.

What kind of challenges it will solve if deployed widely

Considering multi-objective optimization, a flexibility index for each object is going to be proposed, which highlights the control design capabilities compared to the existing approach.

The following users will find this innovation useful:

Universities and engineering/planning companies will probably be interested in this innovation.

How has syn.ikia project impacted the development of this solution/ process/ tool?

The flexibility index was calculated for each demo site during the syn.ikia project, in WP4.3 and WP4.5. This index serves as an indicator of the capability of the incentive-based controller to utilize the flexibility potential of the building and storage elements for demand shift. It can also be considered as a KPI for the building energy system. The comparison of results from the demo sites revealed that having an optimal-sized storage tank helps to enhance the flexibility index. Conversely, the absence of this crucial element was found to reduce the controller’s capability to extract the flexibility potential.

How can this innovation be used beyond syn.ikia project?

For the FFN, the four demo-cases in four different climate zones offer opportunities for improved monitoring, evaluation, and control of energy performance. In addition, it will positively impact indoor climate, costs and CO2 emissions.

The FIN will offer the opportunity to fairly evaluate the real flexibility potential of buildings (and neighbourhoods) with a relatively easy-to use tool that targets the regulatory bodies.

Providing an indicator to compare control designs can help improve the controller design and tuning standards. The FFN can be utilized both for marketing and for standardization purposes, since this single value is easier to interpret for end-users.

For scaling up the flexibility models to the European level, the syn.ikia team has used virtual demo cases combined with sensitivity analyses to show the effect of different energy prices, legislation, climate changes, as well as social and technological developments. Providing an indicator to compare control designs can help improve the controller design and tuning standards. The FIN can be utilized both for marketing and for standardization purposes since this single value is easier to interpret for end-users.

Contact person: Davide Cali, DTU
For more information, please see D4.5: Operational neighbourhood’ models to control and optimise the operation of the HVAC systems and the overall energy flow, https://www.synikia.eu/resource-types/technical-reports/