Simulator for optimal scheduling of domestic appliances

Abstract

Introduction of real-time pricing models for the price of electricity may lead to a reduction in both economic and environmental burden compared with existing models. Thanks to the timely response to price changes during the day the user can achieve a reduction in the payments for energy. However, recent studies show that lack of knowledge of users and their unwillingness to adapt their habits to changing energy prices is the biggest obstacle to successful implementation of the model. In our work, we propose to solve this problem by introducing automatic optimal energy consumption scheduling framework. This article presents the authors extension in the past created MILP model for the optimization of household appliances. The model is extended by rules of behavior that allows preserving logical links in the course of periodically triggered optimization (so called receding horizon). We also present and test the software simulator, in which the designed model is implemented. The application simulates the operation of Building Energy Manager, which based on user preferences, prediction electricity prices and other important parameters controls the operation of appliances in the house.