Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Dynamic demand response (DDR) is the process of shifting power consumption towards periods of lower demand based on real-time energy pricing data. It is a flexibility measure utilised in the decarbonisation of the UK’s power system to reduce peak demand. Dynamic time-of-use (dTOU) tariffs, such as Agile Octopus, incentivise DDR by providing half-hourly electricity prices for each day. Through this incentive, households are offered the opportunity to reduce their energy costs by applying DDR to energy-intensive, deferrable loads. This paper presents an open-source, Internet of Things (IoT)-based system designed to automate DDR and streamline its implementation. The system identifies the period of lowest electricity prices and activates a relay during this period each day. For validation, the system was tested over a one-month experiment, which showed that, in a favourable scenario, it could reduce an appliance’s electricity costs by up to 44%. These results highlight the system’s potential to deliver substantial energy cost savings, while also encouraging households to participate in flexibility measures that alleviate pressure on the National Grid.
Source: Hardware
Authors: Abdul Basit, Samuel Liu
Institution: University of Lincoln
Language: English
Topic: Smart Grid Energy Management
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
Funder: Royal Society
Awards: G1097109246, G1910410058
OpenAlex ID: W7127104338