Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)
Kuril, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
Energy Efficiency with Solar Photovoltaic Energy for Smart Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS)
Global warming, coupled with the depletion of fossil fuel reserves, has accelerated renewable energy adoption enthusiastically worldwide. Concurrently, advancements in electrical energy technologies, such as distributed generation, storage devices, and demand management systems, are transforming the way nations generate and consume electricity. These innovations not only enhance grid efficiency and stability but also play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By integrating smart technologies into energy supply, consumption, and storage, we can further optimize the electricity supply chain for greater efficiency. A key element of the smart grid is the Home Energy Management System (HEMS), which empowers residential users to engage in demand response programs autonomously. Autonomous control systems can help utility companies reduce over-consumption during peak hours by controlling the time-of-use of electrical appliances in residential premises. While smart appliances have emerged as a solution for this purpose, most traditional appliances still lack the ability to participate in demand response programs. To bridge this gap, we propose retrofitting conventional electrical appliances into smart appliances by using smart plugs connected to a localized network or an IoT-enabled system. By integrating these smart plugs with a central control system and incorporating solar photovoltaic energy as an alternative power source, we can optimize electricity consumption at the residential level. Some preliminary findings indicate that this approach could yield energy savings of up to 15%, making it both cost-effective for consumers and beneficial for the broader smart grid system.
Dr. Nowshad Amin is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). Prior to joining AIUB, he spent 18 years at various Malaysian universities, where he led the "Solar Energy Research" groups. Dr. Amin earned his Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Gunma National College of Technology (1994), BSc in EEE from Toyohashi University of Technology (1996), and both his Master's (1998) and PhD (2001) from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. His research expertise spans Renewable Energy, Solar Photovoltaic Materials, Solar Cell Development, and their applications. Dr. Amin is a Senior Member of IEEE and a Distinguished Lecturer (DL) for the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS). With over 400 ISI and SCOPUS-listed journal articles and conference proceedings, as well as several books and book chapters, Dr. Amin is widely recognized for his contributions to the field.
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ORCID: 0000-0002-3250-1307
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