Philippa Calver
Title: To what extent are household needs recognised and addressed within UK domestic ‘demand response’ pilots and plans?
PhD summary
At all times within the UK electricity network electrical generation and electrical demand need to be equal. Adjustment of generation is currently undertaken to meet demand. With an increase of generation within the network that is unable to be controlled, e.g. nuclear that has long response times, and wind and solar that are unable to be dispatched when needed, instead we need to focus on methods to adjust demand to suit generation at any point in time.
My research is looking at the proposed methods to adjust electricity demand within the domestic setting. This includes external control of appliances to change their energy consumption to suit level of generation (based on settings managed by the consumer) and the wide scale use of peak and off peak energy electricity prices.
This research is looking at the developments using a frame of ‘energy vulnerability’, being at risk of being unable to access the energy physiological or socially necessitated to live a fulfilled life. Characteristics that have been seen to increase level of energy vulnerability include: living in rented accommodation, being older, suffering from a mental or physical condition, having children.
Dates
July 2016- July 2019
Funding
Centre for Doctoral Training in Power Networks, EPSRC
Institution name
The University of Manchester
Supervisors
- Dr Sarah Mander (Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research), The University of Manchester
- Dr Ruth Wood, The University of Manchester
Discipline area
Power Networks (School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering)