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Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.

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Main Author: Du Preez, Catharina
Other Authors: Vermeulen, H. J.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
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access_status_str Open Access
author Du Preez, Catharina
author2 Vermeulen, H. J.
author_browse Du Preez, Catharina
Vermeulen, H. J.
author_facet Vermeulen, H. J.
Du Preez, Catharina
author_sort Du Preez, Catharina
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71926
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:06.129Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
publishDateSort 2012
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71926 Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users Du Preez, Catharina Vermeulen, H. J. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Residential energy management Energy efficiency Web applications Dissertations -- Electrical engineering Theses -- Electrical engineering Eelctric utilities -- Management Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Energy efficiency, as the effective use of energy, is recognized as one of the simplest ways to improve the sustainable use of resources and by implication involves the end-user. The 2008 power crisis which South Africa experienced, highlighted supply exigencies and prompted a subsequent emphasis on affordable, rapidly scalable solutions, notably energy efficiency. As the establishment of new supply capacity is both costly and time-consuming, the logical alternative has been to focus intervention on the demand side. Residential electrical end-use has been identified as an area where the potential for change exists and strategies to address residential demand have gained momentum. The vulnerability of energy systems affects energy security on technical, economic and social levels. South African consumers are confronted with rising living costs and a substantial increase in electricity prices according to the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (2010-2030). Integral to addressing end-use is the ensuing behaviour of the end-user. End-use analysis aims to grasp and model customer usage by considering the electric demand per customer type, end-use category, appliance type and time of use. This project has focussed on the development of an interactive web application as a tool for residential end-users to improve energy efficiency through modified consumption behaviour and the adoption of energy efficient habits. The objectives have been aimed at educating an end-user through exposure to energy efficient guidelines and consumption analysis. Based on a Time Of Use-framework, a consumer’s understanding of appliance usage profiles can help realize the cost benefits associated with appliance scheduling. In order to achieve the desired functionality and with extendibility and ease of maintenance in mind, the application relies on the provision of dynamic content by means of a relational database structured around end-use categories and appliance types. In an effort to convey only relevant information in the simplest way, current web technology was evaluated. The resulting design has favoured an interactive, minimalistic, graphic presentation of content in the form of a Rich Internet Application. The development process has been divided into two phases. The residential energy consumption context has been substantiated with a case study of which the main objective and outcome has been to devise a methodology to generate usage profiles for household appliances. Phase one of the development process has been completed, as well as the case study. The conceptualization and framework for phase two has been established and the recommendation is to incorporate the methodology and usage profile results from the case study for implementation of the second phase. The effectiveness of the tool can only be evaluated once phase two of the application is complete. A beta release version of the final product can then be made available to a focus group for feedback. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Energie effektiwiteit, gesien as die effektiewe aanwending van energie, word herken as een van die eenvoudigste maniere om die volhoubare gebruik van hulpbronne te bevorder en betrek by implikasie die verbruiker. Die 2008 kragvoorsieningskrisis wat Suid-Afrika beleef het, het dringende tekorte aan die lig gebring en ’n gevolglike klemverskuiwing na bekostigbare, maklik aanpasbare oplossings, vernaamlik energie effektiwiteit. Aangesien die daarstelling van nuwe voorsieningskapasiteit beide duur is en baie tyd in beslag neem, was die voor die hand liggende alternatief om te fokus op vraag-kant toetrede. Huishoudelike elektriese verbruik is geïdentifiseer as ’n area waar die potensiaal vir verandering bestaan en strategieë om residensiële aanvraag aan te spreek het momentum gekry. Die kwesbaarheid van energiestelsels affekteer energie sekuriteit op tegniese, ekonomiese en sosiale vlakke. Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikers word gekonfronteer met stygende lewenskoste en ’n aansienlike toename in elektrisiteitspryse volgens die Geïntegreerde Hulpbron-Plan vir Elektrisiteit (2010-2030). Eie aan die aanspreek van verbruik is die voortvloeiende gedrag van die verbruiker. Verbruiksanalise poog om verbruik te begryp en te modelleer deur die elektriese aanvraag na gelang van verbruikerstipe, verbruikskategorie, toesteltipe en tyd van verbruik in aanmerking te neem. Hierdie projek het gefokus op die ontwikkeling van ’n interaktiewe web-toepassing as ’n instrument vir residensiële verbruikers om energie effektiwiteit te verbeter deur gewysigde verbruiksgedrag en die ingebruikneming van energie effektiewe gewoontes. Die doelwitte is gerig op die opvoeding van ’n verbruiker deur blootstelling aan riglyne vir energie effektiewe verbruik en verbruiksanalise. Gebaseer op ’n Tyd-Van-Verbruik-raamwerk, kan ’n verbruiker se begrip van toestelle se verbruiksprofiele ’n bydrae lewer om die koste-voordele geassosieer met toestel-skedulering te realiseer. Om sodoende die verlangde funksionaliteit te bewerkstellig en met verlengbaarheid en gemak van onderhoud voor oë, steun die toepassing op die verskaffing van dinamiese inhoud deur middel van ’n relasionele databasis wat gestruktureer is rondom verbruikskategorieë en toesteltipes. In ’n poging om slegs toepaslike informasie in die eenvoudigste vorm weer te gee, is teenswoordige web tegnologie geevalueer. Die vooruitspruitende ontwerp is ’n interaktiewe, minimalistiese, grafiese aanbieding van die inhoud in die vorm van ’n sogenaamde "Rich Internet Application". Die ontwikkelingsproses is ingedeel in twee fases. Die huishoudelike energieverbruikskonteks is bevestig deur middel van ’n gevallestudie waarvan die vernaamste doelwit en uitkoms was om ’n metodologie daar te stel om verbruiksprofiele van huishoudelike toestelle te genereer. Fase een van die ontwikkelingsproses is voltooi asook die gevallestudie. Die konsepsuele onwikkeling en raamwerk vir fase twee is reeds gevestig en die aanbeveling is om die metodologie en verbruiksprofielresultate van die gevallestudie te inkorporeer vir implementering van die tweede fase. Die effektiwiteit van die toepassing kan eers geevalueer word sodra fase twee afgehandel is. ’n Beta-weergawe vrystelling van die finale produk kan dan beskikbaar gestel word aan ’n fokusgroep vir terugvoer. 2012-11-27T12:41:13Z 2012-12-12T08:16:58Z 2012-11-27T12:41:13Z 2012-12-12T08:16:58Z 2012-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71926 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 155 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Residential energy management
Energy efficiency
Web applications
Dissertations -- Electrical engineering
Theses -- Electrical engineering
Eelctric utilities -- Management
Du Preez, Catharina
Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title_full Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title_fullStr Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title_full_unstemmed Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title_short Development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
title_sort development of an interactive energy management web application for residential end users
topic Residential energy management
Energy efficiency
Web applications
Dissertations -- Electrical engineering
Theses -- Electrical engineering
Eelctric utilities -- Management
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71926
work_keys_str_mv AT dupreezcatharina developmentofaninteractiveenergymanagementwebapplicationforresidentialendusers