In Februray 2016 I finished my master thesis in Electrical Engineering at the Insitute for Electronics of the TU Graz. I put the abstract here onto that page, so anyone might get an imagination what my thesis and work [1] was about.

Abstract

Since there is an recognizable increase in energy demand and a growing importance of the role of
decentral and renewable energy generation, intelligent energy management gains more importance
not only for the power grid but also for the end-user’s households. Therefore, additionally to prediction
systems on the level of high voltage power grids, a reliable prediction of energy consumption as well
as energy production in households, will play a central role, so that in the end it is possible to utilize
the available energy in an optimal and economic way. Smart meter and variable tariff models are only
the very first steps towards time and energy-availability dependent tariff plans. On the one hand, to
use electrical energy in times when it is available in excess, is in favour of the power grid operator
because the grid could be significantly relieved. On the other hand, to save explicitly energy in times
of high energy demands is also in favour of the consumer who could save real money. Therefore, it will
be necessary in close future, to use the potentials of intelligent integration of renewable energies in
an optimal way, no matter if the electrical energy prices are currently low, or self-produced electrical
solar power from the rooftop will be used. This master thesis has the objective to concept and engineer
a device which can be optically well integrated into the living room with an user-friendly handling
which the user is familiar with from modern smart phones and tablets. Moreover, the device should
reach an artificial intelligence with which it should be able to learn the user’s habits to eventually utilize
most efficiently the available electrical energy, preferable from renewable energy sources. With the
use of the latest cutting-edge technologies and concepts, regarding software and hardware, it should
be possible without any restrictions to interconnect existing as well as future home automation
technologies with the developed device. In the end, these technologies and the developed device
should help the consumer to efficiently reduce the cost for electrical energy. The required hardware,
the so-called Smart Energy Manager, should be drafted and realized as part of this thesis. Furthermore,
the device itself should be proofed with all applicable standards to translate the prototype hardware
into a series product later on.

[1] Christian Mentin, Design, construction and analysis of a scalable and expandable system platform for the development of a Smart Energy Manager, Graz University of Technology, 2016.