This paper proposes a generic algorithm for industries with degrading and/or failing equipment with significant consequences. Based on the specifications and the real-time status of the production ...line, the algorithm provides decision support to machinery operators and manufacturers about the appropriate lifetime extension strategies to apply, the optimal time-frame for the implementation of each and the relevant machine components. The relevant recommendations of the algorithm are selected by comparing smartly chosen alternatives after simulation-based life cycle evaluation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), considering the short-term and long-term impact of decisions on these economic and environmental KPIs. This algorithm requires various inputs, some of which may be calculated by third-party algorithms, so it may be viewed as the ultimate algorithm of an overall Decision Support Framework (DSF). Thus, it is called "DSF Core". The algorithm was applied successfully to three heterogeneous industrial pilots. The results indicate that compared to the lightest possible corrective strategy application policy, following the optimal preventive strategy application policy proposed by this algorithm can reduce the KPI penalties due to stops (i.e., failures and strategies) and production inefficiency by 30-40%.
Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Aggregators benefit from novel energy forecasting (EF) approaches. Improved forecasting accuracy may make it easier to deal with energy imbalances between ...generation and consumption. It also helps operations such as Demand Response Management (DRM) in Smart Grid (SG) architectures. For utilities, companies, and consumers to manage energy resources effectively and make educated decisions about energy generation and consumption, EF is essential. For many applications, such as Energy Load Forecasting (ELF), Energy Generation Forecasting (EGF), and grid stability, accurate EF is crucial. The state of the art in EF is examined in this literature review, emphasising cutting-edge forecasting techniques and technologies and their significance for the energy industry. It gives an overview of statistical, Machine Learning (ML)-based, and Deep Learning (DL)-based methods and their ensembles that form the basis of EF. Various time-series forecasting techniques are explored, including sequence-to-sequence, recursive, and direct forecasting. Furthermore, evaluation criteria are reported, namely, relative and absolute metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Coefficient of Determination (R2), and Coefficient of Variation of the Root Mean Square Error (CVRMSE), as well as the Execution Time (ET), which are used to gauge prediction accuracy. Finally, an overall step-by-step standard methodology often utilised in EF problems is presented.
This review article explores and locates the current state-of-the-art related to application areas from freight transportation, supply chain and logistics that focuses on arrival time, demand ...forecasting, industrial processes optimization, traffic flow and location prediction, the vehicle routing problem and anomaly detection on transportation data. This review categorizes the related works according to machine learning methodologies so as to present the methods’ evolution through time, their combinations and their connection with the various applications in the specified fields. Thus, a reader would effortlessly get insights about the current state-of-the-art related to machine learning in freight transportation and related application areas.
The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) was included in the third version of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and has since been used in research involving a variety of building types ...and climate zones. While numerous studies highlighted the qualitative characteristics of the current SRI framework, this work describes a methodology for adding quantitative features to it. It uses indicators for each effect area and proposes multiple standards as rating assessment factors. We specify the integration of this crucial component enhancing the framework. This enhanced framework is applied to a hypothetical use case, and the outcomes are compared with those of the current framework. The results demonstrate that the SRI score was increased after adding quantitative elements to the SRI framework.
Low-power embedded systems have been widely used in a variety of applications, allowing devices to efficiently collect and exchange data while minimizing energy consumption. However, the lack of ...extensive maintenance procedures designed specifically for low-power systems, coupled with constraints on anticipating faults and monitoring capacities, presents notable difficulties and intricacies in identifying failures and customized reaction mechanisms. The proposed approach seeks to address the gaps in current resource management frameworks and maintenance protocols for low-power embedded systems. Furthermore, this paper offers a trilateral framework that provides periodic prescriptions to stakeholders, a periodic control mechanism for automated actions and messages to prevent breakdowns, and a backup AI malfunction detection module to prevent the system from accessing any stress points. To evaluate the AI malfunction detection module approach, three novel autonomous embedded systems based on different ARM Cortex cores have been specifically designed and developed. Real-life results obtained from the testing of the proposed AI malfunction detection module in the developed embedded systems demonstrated outstanding performance, with metrics consistently exceeding 98%. This affirms the efficacy and reliability of the developed approach in enhancing the fault tolerance and maintenance capabilities of low-power embedded systems.
Energy demand and generation are common variables that need to be forecast in recent years, due to the necessity for energy self-consumption via storage and Demand Side Management. This work studies ...multi-step time series forecasting models for energy with confidence intervals for each time point, accompanied by a demand optimization algorithm, for energy management in partly or completely isolated islands. Particularly, the forecasting is performed via numerous traditional and contemporary machine learning regression models, which receive as input past energy data and weather forecasts. During pre-processing, the historical data are grouped into sets of months and days of week based on clustering models, and a separate regression model is automatically selected for each of them, as well as for each forecasting horizon. Furthermore, the multi-criteria optimization algorithm is implemented for demand scheduling with load shifting, assuming that, at each time point, demand is within its confidence interval resulting from the forecasting algorithm. Both clustering and multiple model training proved to be beneficial to forecasting compared to traditional training. The Normalized Root Mean Square Error of the forecasting models ranged approximately from 0.17 to 0.71, depending on the forecasting difficulty. It also appeared that the optimization algorithm can simultaneously increase renewable penetration and achieve load peak shaving, while also saving consumption cost in one of the tested islands. The global improvement estimation of the optimization algorithm ranged approximately from 5% to 38%, depending on the flexibility of the demand patterns.
A way to improve energy management is to perform balancing both at the Peer-to-peer (P2P) level and then at the Virtual Microgrid-to-Virtual Microgrid (VMG2VMG) level, while considering the ...intermittency of available Renewable Energy Source (RES). This paper proposes an interdisciplinary analytics-based approach for the formation of VMGs addressing energy balancing. Our approach incorporates Computer Science methods to address an Energy sector problem, utilizing data preprocessing techniques and Machine Learning concepts. It features P2P balancing, where each peer is a prosumer perceived as an individual entity, and Virtual Microgrids (VMGs) as clusters of peers. We conducted several simulations utilizing clustering and binning algorithms for preprocessing energy data. Our approach offers options for generating VMGs of prosumers, prior to using a customized Exhaustive brute-force Balancing Algorithm (EBA). EBA performs balancing at the cluster-to-cluster level, perceived as VMG2VMG balancing. To that end, the study simulates on data from 94 prosumers, and reports outcomes, biases, and prospects for scaling up and expanding this work. Finally, this paper outlines potential ideal usages for the approach, either standalone or integrated with other toolkits and technologies.
The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) is a newly developed framework that measures a building’s technological readiness to improve its energy efficiency. The integration of data obtained from this ...framework with data derived from Building Information Modeling (BIM) has the potential to yield compelling results. This research proposes an algorithm for a Recommendation System (RS) that uses SRI and BIM data to advise on building energy-efficiency improvements. Following a modular programming approach, the proposed system is split into two algorithmic approaches linked with two distinct use cases. In the first use case, BIM data are utilized to provide thermal envelope enhancement recommendations. A hybrid Machine Learning (ML) (Random Forest–Decision Tree) algorithm is trained using an Industry Foundation Class (IFC) BIM model of CERTH’S nZEB Smart Home in Greece and Passive House database data. In the second use case, SRI data are utilized to develop an RS for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system improvement, in which a process utilizes a filtering function and KNN algorithm to suggest automation levels for building service improvements. Considering the results from both use cases, this paper provides a solid framework that exploits more possibilities for coupling SRI with BIM data. It presents a novel algorithm that exploits these data to facilitate the development of an RS system for increasing building energy efficiency.
This paper explores the energy-intensive cement industry, focusing on a plant in Greece and its mill and kiln unit. The data utilized include manipulated, non-manipulated, and uncontrolled variables. ...The non-manipulated variables are computed based on the machine learning (ML) models and selected by the minimum value of the normalized root mean square error (
) across nine (9) methods. In case the distribution of the data displayed in the user interface changes, the user should trigger the retrain of the AI models to ensure their accuracy and robustness. To form the objective function, the expert user should define the desired weight for each manipulated or non-manipulated variable through the user interface (UI), along with its corresponding constraints or target value. The user selects the variables involved in the objective function based on the optimization strategy, and the evaluation is based on the comparison of the optimized and the active value of the objective function. The differential evolution (DE) method optimizes the objective function that is formed by the linear combination of the selected variables. The results indicate that using DE improves the operation of both the cement mill and kiln, yielding a lower objective function value compared to the current values.
The explicit demand response (DR) is a key program for reinforcing the participation of end customers and making the most out of the potential of the smart grid. The DR is a key topic in the field of ...buildings to make use of the flexibility that they can offer. However, in order to guarantee the correct functionality of a DR system, it is fundamental to perform interoperability tests among the various components/actors. In this paper, we take into consideration the technological solutions suggested in the framework of the DRIMPAC project to enable the DR in buildings. We consider all actors/devices involved in order to reach the objective of executing a flexibility order by an asset. Following a structured interoperability testing methodology created by the Joint Research Centre, we perform interoperability tests regarding all critical links of the full chain of interacting actors to obtain the DR in buildings. The results show that the system functions properly and the benefits from the DR can be exploited. On the other hand, we provide a concrete example of how to apply the interoperability methodology in the field of testing the DR in buildings.
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