Demand-Side Energy Management in Smart Buildings: A Case Study

Abstract

Electrical energy is indispensable in our daily life with the developing technology. The most important feature is reliable and sustainable transmission of electrical energy to consumers is to provide the supply-demand balance in real-time. The ever-increasing demand for electrical energy, gradual depletion of traditional resources used to meet demand, and increasing dependence on foreign sources resulted in diverse electricity generation plants. As a result of this diversity, with the increase in the importance of electricity storage systems and awareness of energy-saving, Demand Side Management (DSM) gains great importance in ensuring supply-demand balance. DSM reduces costs by scheduling consumption instead of increasing generation to balance supply and demand. Residences constitute a large part of energy consumption worldwide, so DSM applications in buildings increase efficient usage of energy. Various management strategies can be used to save energy depending on the building type. In this article, an overview of Energy Management System (EMS) strategies to increase energy efficiency is presented. Then a case study is carried out in a residential model in Matlab/Simulink environment. The electrical devices were controlled with a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC), taking into account comfort, cost, and Demand Response (DR). In addition, Renewable Energy Resources (RES) to demonstrate their contribution were modelled and integrated into the system. Finally, case studies were conducted, and a comparative analysis of obtained results was carried out.