Community Energy Management System To Encourage Power Saving Competition

Abstract

In Japan, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are proliferating as highly efficient domestic fuel cells. To fully utilize SOFCs, we proposed a small CEMS (community energy management system) in a conventional study. However, in that study, electricity generation was evenly allocated into each of three houses with no competition among the homes. In addition, the graphic user interface (GUI) lacked an element to reduce energy consumption. We therefore propose a small-scale CEMS that includes a mechanism for competition among the homes and through which a home can profit from low energy consumption. Specifically, this paper theoretically clarifies that the power generation of each home's SOFC should be equal to the average of all the other homes. This amount is mathematically bounded. We designed an experimental prototype of the proposed CEMS using goal-oriented analysis with the goal of encouraging users to save electricity. We implemented and evaluated the small-scale CEMS system based on this design policy in three real homes over a two-month period. Our experimental evaluation clarified the cost-reduction effect of the proposed CEMS and the GUI's ability to engender a competitive consciousness for energy saving among the homes.