| This paper proposes a theoretic framework for the quantification and optimization of building energy flexibility, facilitating the transition of passive consumers to grid interactive energy resources. The methodology is aimed at overcoming two major challenges in flexibility deployment, the stochastic nature of building operations and the absence of standardized flexibility performance indicators. In this study, flexibility is formally defined as a set of admissible power trajectory deviations from an optimally determined baseline profile, as opposed to the common practice of representing flexibility as a single numerical value. The framework is presented in three distinct stages of mathematical operations. In the first stage, a multi objective optimal control problem is formulated to optimally determine the baseline profile by considering energy cost, occupant comfort, and actuation effort as decision variables. In the second stage, instantaneous upward and downward flexibility envelopes are calculated under dynamic, operational, and comfort constraints, thus characterizing the flexibility region. In the third stage, event based flexibility products such as load shedding, increase, and shifting are determined for a predefined service window. In this study, scenario based and chance constrained optimization approaches are incorporated to address uncertainties in weather conditions, internal gains, and occupant behavior. The flexibility sets obtained in this study are then mapped into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), facilitating the evaluation and exploitation of building energy flexibility in future renewable energy based power systems. |
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