Optimal Sizing and Operation of Electric Thermal Storage Systems for the Multi-zone Residential Apartment Building

The escalating energy demand and peak consumption periods during winter pose strenuous challenges. The rapid growth of electricity demand intensifies the risk of energy shortages. Strategic measures are imperative to mitigate the impact of winter peak periods on the grid and the increasing electrical load from conventional heating systems. To address such a challenge, this paper presents a methodology for determining the optimal size and operation of electric thermal storage (ETS) in multi-zone residential apartment buildings by forming an optimization problem. The economic implications of employing ETS with time-of-use (TOU) price signals and its impact on load shifting are explored. A synthetic energy consumption dataset of a residential building in Quebec, Canada, is utilized to evaluate the proposed method. Simulation results demonstrate that the judicious use of ETS, especially with dynamic electricity rates, enhances consumer economic savings by 66.54% and satisfies the energy demand.