Thanks to the close collaboration with the Ghent pilot in RENergetic, the project’s social science team managed to set up a field study on a Heat Demand Response Trial last month. Heat Demand Response is the idea to use waste heat from industry when it is available and was introduced to the households as a community heat innovation: This means that households should agree to have their homes “preheated” between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and then have their thermostats turned off at 8 a.m. for two hours. In this way, the waste heat in the Pilot can be used optimally and a consumption peak can be avoided. To this end, households with smart thermostats in the Ghent New Dokkens community could choose to participate in the “community heat innovation” and were informed via a flyer (see picture) and a contact person. The trial demonstrated great interest in the topic, as 37 out of 48 households are currently trying out this concept of Heat Demand Response. Results, also from a connected survey, will be available in the next months.
