Intelligent Home Energy Management Systems: Concepts, Algorithms and Implementation

The increasing demand for electricity and the emergence of smart grids have presented new opportunities for home energy management (HEM) systems for the purpose of reducing energy usage. With the deployment of smart meters, it is possible to perform load control using HEM system with DR enabled appliances. The objective is to develop an intelligent HEM system with DR enabled appliances considering, home occupancy, user comfort, and electricity price. Simulation models of four home appliances, namely, air conditioner, water heater, washing machine, and refrigerator were developed based on mathematical and measurement empirical models using the Matlab/Simulink software. In addition, hardware prototype smart sockets were designed and built to link the home appliances to the HEM controller. The intelligent HEM system can make accurate decision in scheduling and shifting the domestic load operation at the peak period by scheduling the electrical appliances at a specific time without affecting the comfort of customers.