The Human in the Loop: An Approach to Individualize Smart Process Control

Abstract

Electrical energy generation and its supply through electricity networks are mainly organized in a top-down, centralized manner. Energy consumption can be predicted quite accurately at a high level which enables to pre-scheduling of production by large power plants. Traditionally, only few actors are involved in the generation, trade, and transportation of electricity, but this is changing rapidly. The increasing share of decentralized renewable energy conversion in combination with new types of buyers and suppliers will drastically alter the operation of electricity infrastructure systems. It has to become smart: the Smart Grid or more general Smart Energy System. In order to minimize uncertainty in the balance between energy supply and demand it is necessary to develop realistic user demand, building and building services installations behavior and Smart Grid interaction. Monitoring the needs of individual users is necessary to predict future states of the demand for the SES (e.g. based on user behavior). The future consumer of energy can become a producer due to the decentralized renewable energy conversion. To control this dynamic and interactive prosumer process support is needed to optimize interaction between offices and Smart Grid. The article describes the first steps towards such system.