The use of a forecasting algorithm to provide improved maximum demand control

Electricity tariffs have a duty to provide to the consumer a charge which represents the true cost of the energy supplied. This is done in a variety of ways and with increasing sophistication in metering systems tariffs have become much more complicated as more detail of the cost of generation has been incorporated. The normal approach has been to use a maximum demand controller. These items of equipment range from very simple devices which aim to catch the `rogue´ half hour to those which log the loads and have a range of possibilities for load shedding. The authors address the problems inherent in existing maximum demand controllers and outline the use of forecasting algorithms and the advantages which may be gained by their incorporation in a novel controller