Demand Response Scheduling for Residential Energy Flexibility: A Day-ahead Renewable-driven Approach

This paper presents a day-ahead demand response framework that supports residential energy flexibility by scheduling household electricity consumption according to renewable energy availability and grid carbon intensity. Developed within the Horizon Europe DEDALUS project, the proposed approach promotes a carbon-aware demand response strategy that shifts flexible loads towards periods with a cleaner electricity mix, contributing to the decarbonisation of residential energy consumption while preserving users' daily routines.

The framework combines appliance-level flexibility modelling, user-defined operational preferences and sustainability indicators within a mixed-integer linear optimisation model. Household appliances are classified according to their operational characteristics, enabling tailored scheduling strategies that maximise renewable energy utilisation while respecting technical constraints and occupant preferences. The optimisation process integrates day-ahead forecasts of renewable energy generation, carbon intensity and electricity demand to generate personalised recommendations for flexible appliance operation.

The proposed methodology is designed for real-world deployment through HERON's Living Lab, where it will be validated across a large portfolio of residential households equipped with smart metering technologies. By combining data-driven forecasting, user engagement and sustainability-oriented optimisation, the framework demonstrates how residential demand response can increase renewable energy integration, reduce carbon emissions and encourage more active consumer participation in future smart energy systems.