Service Class Based Management Framework for Photovoltaic Self-Consumption

With the increasing popularity of photovoltaic (PV) equipment in residential and commercial buildings, there is a pressing need for systems that maximize energy efficiency and self-consumption. This paper introduces an integrated management framework for maximizing photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption in residential buildings. The framework, suitable for retrofitting existing infrastructures, supports three service classes based on user-level Quality of Service (QoS) parameters and employs an effective control strategy that monitors battery voltage and power absorbed/returned from/to the grid. The designed framework was implemented in a residential building (equipped with a heat pump, PV panels, batteries, and a hot water cylinder) and it achieved up to 98% PV self-consumption while keeping daily power grid consumption below 0.5kWh. The use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components for the testbed, demonstrated the potential for an integrated management of diverse components not initially designed for a coordinated control.