Demand Response (DR) is one of the most customer-dependent options among “smart grid” solutions, thus successful strategies aiming to achieve effective and reliable DR participation should be developed through deep understanding of end-users’ awareness, expectations and concerns. In this scope, FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy hosted an educational training course on the 8 th of February 2020 at the University of Cyprus, where representatives of the pilot end-users as well as building/facility managers of the Cypriot pilot-site were invited.
The objective of the course was to address the role of DR in the evolving electricity market and how the two EU funded projects, DELTA and DRIMPAC, aim to provide innovative end-user-oriented DR solutions. Special Scientist Venizelos Venizelou, FOSS opened the course with an introduction to the current electricity market, the upcoming changes in the energy landscape and how DR has major role to play towards the future ‘Smart Grids’. A presentation by Special Scientist Alexis Frangoullides, FOSS was followed. The concept and objectives of the DELTA project were explicitly explained, while the deployment plans of the Cypriot pilot-site and the central role of the pilot end-users were described. Venizelos Venizelou continued with a presentation of the DRIMPAC project, where the objectives and  innovative solutions of the project were presented.
The course ended with an open discussion where the 20 attendees expressed their interest on engaging with the projects as well as their concerns about the limited energy flexibility potential and the impact of DR on their comfort level. UCY partners assured the participants that the implemented solutions will take both thermal and vision comfort levels into consideration, while the flexibility potential will be maximized through the innovative decision systems introduced by the projects. Attendees also voiced their interest in engaging in a competitive award system and suggested various incentives that will motivate them to actively participate in the projects.