Impact of 15-Minute Peak-Shaving on Aggregated Demand in Residential Customer Groups

Abstract

This study investigates the transition from 60-minute to 15-minute metering resolutions and its impact on residential peak demand management. Using smart meter data from 60 Finnish detached houses, the research analyzes peak-shaving effectiveness at both the individual and aggregated levels. Monte Carlo simulations for group sizes of 1 to 10 households reveal significant impact decay, where individual reductions are heavily diluted when aggregated. This study identifies a critical “resolution gap”: an individual 30% monthly peak reduction based on hourly average data translates to a 9.5% reduction in the coincident annual hourly peak for ten households. In contrast, a 30% strategy based on quarter-hourly data achieves only a 5.9% reduction in the same annual hourly peak. These findings demonstrate that 15-minute clipping is less effective at the grid level than hourly-based shaving, providing empirical support for the regulatory decision to utilize 60-minute averages for harmonized power-based tariffs.