Households with solar panels face challenges in shifting their energy consumption

Did your grandmother additionally do the laundry when a sunny day was forecast? Now that so many households have photo voltaic panels and the electrical energy community is experiencing issues as a result of overload at peak occasions, it might even be higher if households with photo voltaic panels run home equipment such because the washer on sunny days. The power generated is then instantly consumed as a substitute of saved, lowering grid congestion.

Nevertheless, in follow, folks don’t at all times do that. Naomi Hubert investigated why that is the case throughout her grasp’s diploma at TU Delft.

“Many people with solar panels have difficulty shifting their energy consumption to periods when this energy is produced, while this can actually help reduce blockages on the energy network. Especially now that more and more households are generating energy themselves with their solar panels, and that number is still rising.” Hubert explains.

“In my research, I interviewed 283 Dutch households with solar panels about their ‘washing’ behavior.” Washing conduct is a reasonably versatile behavior, however additionally it is comparatively energy-intensive.

Routine

The research now printed in Power Analysis & Social Scienceexhibits that there are numerous components that affect whether or not or not folks’s washing time is shifted.

It seems to be tough for folks to adapt to applied sciences, similar to washing when the photo voltaic panels present loads of power. It is because households have problem monitoring the power manufacturing of their photo voltaic panels and the energy consumption of their family.

As well as, doing the laundry has turn out to be a routine exercise that’s typically carried out on a regular day and time. One other level is that individuals who have problem shifting the time they’re doing their see themselves as passive customers of the power system. Which means that they don’t really feel like an energetic participant of the (photo voltaic) power system.

Lastly, it emerged that individuals are not properly knowledgeable about the advantages of utilizing power when it’s generated, or methods during which they might achieve this.

Behavioral change supported by expertise and knowledge

These outcomes present that expertise and behavioral change should assist one another, however that this isn’t self-evident. It is necessary that we not solely take a look at the person, but in addition on the greater image. For instance, automation of home equipment can assist altering routine washing conduct, however will most likely not be adequate.

Offering sensible info and clarifying that households do play an energetic position within the power system is equally vital. Hubert says, “The rise of solar panels is a great development for the energy transition, but to prevent problems with overloading the energy network, the behavior of households must also change. People need to be supported in this change. I hope to contribute to that with this research.”