Market-based prosumer participation in the smart grid

Energy management systems can help to minimize energy costs and reduce CO₂ emissions by making efficient use of renewable energy sources, some of which are naturally fluctuating (such as wind, solar power). At the same time, decentralized combined generation of electricity and heat from fossil fuels such as natural gas could increase CO₂ efficiency. However, decentralized generation and volatility of power supply require integrating the endpoints of power usage more tightly with the operation of distribution grids in order to keep up their stability. Endpoints mus be able to react to requests from the grid and adapt their power consumption or generation. Automated systems for interacting with the grid are necessary for adhering to real-time requirements and to handle the information load. This paper outlines the architecture for such an energy management system and describes an initial study that explores the potential of an office environment as a contributor to the smart grid. Our system is called OMELE: On-premise Metering Enabling Load-shedding and Efficiency.