An Agent-Based Approach for Efficient Energy Management in the Context of Smart Houses

Abstract

Traditional power systems are centralized systems that supply electricity to end users through unidirectional transmission and distribution networks. The heterogeneity of renewable energy sources has introduced complexity in the transmission and distribution of electricity. Thus, intelligent distributed coordination and real-time information is needed to ensure that the electricity infrastructure will run efficiently in the future. This information enables the grid to meet the challenge of balancing supply and demand by actively sensing and responding to fluctuations in power demand, supply, and costs. In the near future, smart homes will be able to exchange energy, to sell to or buy from different actors available in the market. These new changes will introduce a soft competition in the market where each user will try to get lower contract prices according to his needs. In order to respond to the user’s needs while integrating new sources of energy, we propose an agent-based approach for optimizing energy consumption. We present the agents’ interactions that aim to procure energy for household activities at a suitable price to satisfy the user’s needs. The results showed that these strategies can lead to a more environmental friendly, responsible, and efficient way to consume and distribute energy.