Flexible cooling demand in cluster of buildings: energy flexibility quantification in presence of central or distributed photovoltaic generation

Renewable energy sources have increased over the years and their penetration is expected to continue to grow, with significant implications for power grids. This is relevant given the growing demand for electricity, especially for space cooling. In this regard, flexible cooling energy demand management can ensure grid stability and promote the integration of Renewable Energy Sources. However, to flexibly manage large amounts of energy demand in presence of renewable sources, it is necessary to quantify the energy flexibility that groups of building can provide. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to investigate the flexible cooling demand response of a cluster of buildings representative of the Italian building stock in presence of photovoltaic electricity generation. The results show a potential reduction in grid electricity demand for cooling up to 44.76%.