Load Sensitivity-Based Demand Control: Impact on Load Forecast Error Reduction

The modern power system has an increasing amount of renewable generation units and modern loads such as e-vehicles. In comparison to the conventional power system with the majority of fossil-fuel power plants, the modern grids have higher intermittency and meanwhile less inertia. Therefore, more power flexibility is required to ensure and maintain the reliable operation of the grid. As a promising solution, the load sensitivity-based demand control utilizes the natural correlation between load power consumption and voltage magnitude, known as the load sensitivity. The control scheme shapes load power by actively modifying the load voltage magnitude within the range grid codes allow. Similar to the conservation voltage reduction, this control scheme can be conducted in substations with tap changers or solid-state transformers. The load sensitivity-based demand control does not rely on the active participation of customers or communication to every single device and thus protects user privacy and reduces communication complicity. This paper provides an initial assessment of how this control can help to reduce the day-ahead load forecast error based on the actual forecast data of Germany and the measured load sensitivity profile from a real apartment.