Functionality of the Energy Butler

Even today, electricity storage still involves high losses. The challenge is therefore to maintain a permanent equilibrium between generation and consumption. Fluctuations in this equilibrium are reflected in electricity prices on the Electricity Exchange. High supply in periods of low consumption can even lead the price per Kilowatt hour to fall to zero. Conversely, the price in periods of low generation and high consumption has even reached Euro 2 per KWh in the past. The growing share of regenerative energies, such as wind and solar energy, will lead to even greater fluctuations on the generation side.

Private customers have traditionally not been exposed to these price fluctuations. Electricity costs the same whatever the time of day. However, if customers had an incentive to shift their electricity consumption to periods in which supply is high and demand low, then energy suppliers could procure their electricity at more favourable prices and pass on this price benefit to their customers.

These new structures are being investigated in the ongoing Model City Mannheim project. Based on the findings of the Energy Butler project, the energy market of the future is already being tested in the Model Region Mannheim. …find out more

The idea

We offered those customers taking part in the practical trials an electricity rate in which the price varied during the day. This way, customers could save money by consuming electricity in less expensive periods. They were assisted here by the Energy Butler, which automatically turned on electricity guzzlers, such as driers and fridges, in periods of cheaper electricity.

Once a day, MVV Energie forwarded information about the next day’s prices to customers via their broadband internet links. Based on this price schedule, the central control unit calculated an optimal operations schedule for the appliances connected.

The following key appliances were connected for the practical trials: washing machines, driers, dishwashers, fridges and freezers.

At the given time, the central control unit sent a radio signal to the relevant control box. This then switched on the electricity for the relevant appliance. Customers always had the option of overriding the automatic system and using their appliances manually as usual.