A smart building power management concept: Smart socket applications with DC distribution

Abstract

Recent developments in power electronics increase DC bus utilization in electrical distribution systems due to its numerous advantages compared to AC distribution system in term of energy efficiency, safety, electromagnetic compatibility and renewable energy integration. This study presents a power management system concept based on domestic DC distribution with smart sockets for future smart houses. Energy efficient smart buildings are possible by integrating smart meter, smart sockets, domestic renewable energy generation and energy storage systems for integrated energy management, and this integrated system supports demand side load management, distributed generation and distributed storage provisions of future smart grids. Coming era of smart grids has implications for domestic DC distribution concepts with smarts sockets. Paper describes use of smart DC sockets as an integral part of building power management automation and presents a load shedding algorithm for plug load control for buildings. Simulations show performance of the proposed system components. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.