Designing the iFLEX solution

Based on market and user research, iFLEX has developed an initial set of use cases and requirements for the iFLEX solution with the aim to facilitate consumer and prosumer participation in energy flexibility services, making participation easy to manage through the iFLEX Assistant.

The overall use cases and functions of the iFLEX system therefore deal with the management of the flexibility, both at individual household level with main focus on electricity usage, and at apartment building level, which also involves other energy systems such as district heating.

The functions reflect the overall aim of iFLEX which is to enable energy consumers and prosumers to:

  • improve the energy and sustainability performance of their premises (manage energy) and
  • enter into the energy and flexibility markets by offering their flexibility to relevant market actors and profiting from this (manage flexibility).

Flexibility can be offered by either modifying the energy usage according to the status of the energy supply, communicated through price signals or by offering the capability to reduce or increase consumption/production in certain situations and periods of time, communicated through flexibility requests and incentives.

The market actors can be energy suppliers, balance responsible parties, resource aggregators or system operators who procure and leverage the flexibility for optimal balancing of supply and demand or for grid operation, therefore also benefitting from the iFLEX solution.

Apart from functions to be performed by the system, iFLEX has also elicited business, end-user, security and socio-economic requirements guiding the design of the iFLEX solution so that it becomes an attractive, easy and secure choice for consumers who would like to offer their flexibility.

During the course of the project, the requirements will be analysed, revised and improved through engagement of end users and further research of their needs and the context of use.

For more details, see the public report D2.1 Use cases and requirements

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Validating iFLEX flexibility management and energy optimisation

In the last phase of the project, the focus is on validating the iFLEX Assistant deployed in each pilot and on demonstrating the optimisation of the energy usage in the participating households and residential buildings, based on the activation of demand responseDemand Response Intentional change of normal consumption patterns by energy consumers in response to external price signals (implicit DR) or incentives to reduce or increase consumption (explicit DR). Both operations can be automated. events.

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iFLEX Assistant mobile app

The iFLEX mobile app helps you manage your home energy consumption, energy flexibility and energy performance. Check out the functions in the video.

iFLEX at Enlit Europe 2022

Enlit Europe connects people who work towards the common goal: To deliver a clean, affordable and reliable energy for all. Find us in the European Projects Zone.

Two iFLEX papers accepted in IEEE SmartGridComm’22

The papers cover the analysis of the incentive mechanisms in the Slovenian and Greek pilots and have been produced by Athens University of Economics and Business – the Services, Technologies and Economics Group.

Testing the iFLEX concept

To investigate consumer acceptance of the iFLEX concept, the project has conducted a public survey in the three pilot countries. The results show a general positive attitude towards offering energy flexibility and using iFLEX to manage it, as long as it does not conflict with comfort and the feeling of being in control.

Join us at Sustainable Places 2022

iFLEX is co-organising a workshop on consumer-user engagement in the design of energy flexibility services. Join us on 8th September for some real-life experiences and exchange of knowledge and ideas.

What is happening in BRIDGE

Take a look at the recent conclusions and recommendations from the BRIDGE community on how to unlock energy flexibility in Europe.

Offering the thermal capacity of apartment buildings

The Finnish pilot investigates how apartment buildings can contribute to both power grid and district heating system balance by offering the thermal capacity of the building as a flexibility resource. The role of the iFLEX Assistant is to learn the behaviour of the building in order to forecast available flexibility and to automate the demand-response operations.

Managing electricity price signals

The Slovenian pilot looks at dynamic pricing as a means of adjusting electricity consumption behaviour, signalling to consumers and prosumers when it is best to consume energy. The role of the iFLEX Assistant is to make it easy for consumers and prosumers to manage their response to the price signals.

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