Engaging consumers for flexibility provision in residential electric vehicle smart charging and heating

The energy transition requires the integration of renewable energy sources (RES). However, since some RES are intermittent, energy supply does not always match demand. Demand response (DR) programmes encourage consumers to adjust their energy consumption to align with supply. One approach within DR is direct load control (DLC), where consumers allow a third party, such as an energy supplier, to control their energy- consuming appliances. DLC allows the supplier to provide energy to appliances during off-peak hours when the availability of RES is higher. By providing this flexibility, consumers help balance supply and demand.
DLC is particularly viable for high-consumption appliances such as electric vehicles (EVs) and heating systems, which are the focus of this thesis. Despite its benefits and minimal impact on consumer convenience, consumers are often reluctant to accept DLC because they fear losing control and comfort. Therefore, it is essential to understand the conditions under which consumers are willing to accept DLC and to explore strategies for encouraging their participation.
This cumulative thesis consists of an introductory part and six published conference and journal papers. It focuses on how personal characteristics such as energy literacy influence the provision of flexibility for residential EV charging and heating, and how to motivate users to provide such flexibility.
Furthermore, DLC for electrical appliances, such as charging EVs, requires data that EV users need to provide to the energy supplier. The more data that is available, the smarter and more efficient the control of the appliances can become. Therefore, I also analyse what types of data, with varying levels of sensitivity, consumers are willing to share, which factors—such as prior data-sharing habits—influence this willingness, and how much monetary compensation consumers request for sharing data of different sensitivity levels.
The results of this thesis provide researchers with insights into the consumer perspective on providing flexibility and an understanding of how consumers want the related data to be handled.