SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.

1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

Smart technologies for energy consumption

management
Katarína Hercegová 1,*, Tatyana Baranovskaya2 and Natalya Efanova2
Prague Business School, Werichova str. 1145/29, 15200 Prague, Czech Republic
1

Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Kuban State Agrarian
2

University named after I. T. Trubilin”, Kalinina str. 13, 350044 Krasnodar, Russian Federation

Abstract. The article aims at classifying and describing smart technologies

and solutions that are currently used for energy consumption management.
It stresses the positive impact of technology on the environment, with a
focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change. The
article analyses the green technologies used in energy generation and storage
and contemplates over the Internet of Things (IoT) concept that enabled
using super-fast flows of information from the generator to the consumer
and back with the purpose of optimizing energy management and impacting
the demand-side response of the energy consumers. Also, it describes the
future smart energy systems that would combines photovoltaic (PV) panels,
storage systems and batteries. In addition, it discusses the importance of
peer-to-peer (P2P) energy and information exchange, virtual power plants
and many other novel elements of the future smart grids that would make
the transition to the low-carbon economy and electric transport smooth and
effective.

1 Introduction
Smart energy management programs can be used to reduce and control the energy
consumption of buildings, reduce electricity bills, while increasing the comfort and
productivity of residents, and improve environmental sustainability without affecting living
standards [1, 2]. This includes everything from lighting and other devices to charging stations
in car parks, air conditioning, refrigerators and air conditioning.
In order to achieve the goals of energy management, the individual energy use of the
appliances must be combined with intelligent operation and control of the appliances. This
can be achieved, for example, by a distributed single-point sensor system that equips devices
with energy acquisition and measurement, or by a wireless sensor and actuator network
(WSAN)-based lighting or any other smart home control system [3,4].
Programmes that promise the best combination of smart devices, smart lighting, smart
devices and smart controls are the best to pursue. The smart devices communicate with each
other, enabling residents to automatically monitor and control the lighting, security systems
and energy consumption of the homes. Smart appliances are household appliances that
combine embedded computing, sensor and communication capabilities to enable smart

*
Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

decision-making. The deployment of accelerates the deployment of smart appliances by

facilitating the addition of communication capabilities to household appliances. The sensor
capability allows the device to measure energy consumption and report it to its local energy
authority, while its actuation capability allows it to respond to orders from it. To this end,
building managers and residents alike must define the appropriate energy management
strategy [5, 6].
Energy-efficient household management requires recommendations and forecasts based
on energy consumption patterns. Energy and sensor systems, use the capabilities of smart
meters and smart devices can all be integrated into the next generation of smart meters. State
Grid and Hunan IES have signed a strategic agreement for integrated energy services,
building on the success of Huawei's Smart Internet of Things (IoT) solutions acquired from
State Grid of China, China's second largest energy provider. The platform can collect data
from over 50 different types of devices, including smart thermostats, air conditioners,
refrigerators, heaters and air conditioning systems. It helps companies improve energy
efficiency, reduce energy costs, eliminate potential energy and safety risks, ensure green and
safe operation and improve corporate governance [7].
Companies can use energy savings to effectively reduce energy consumption in research
and production. Energy-efficient energy management systems such as smart meters and
smart appliances support the use of energy-efficient appliances, sensors and other
technologies to ensure efficient operation. Market analysts predict that investment in
industrial energy management will grow faster in manufacturing than in the residential,
commercial and construction sectors. These systems come in a variety of forms, including
smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances, smart meters, smart appliances and other
technologies [8]. For example, the transportation industry is one of the largest users of smart
technology in the United States. Recent studies informed that 493 cities surveyed by the
International Association of City and County Administrators used energy-related smart
technologies - in 2015, an increase of more than 20 percent from 2014. Sales of IoT devices
in cities are expected to triple between 2015 and 2020, and software sales are expected to
double [9].
When collecting data from various smart devices that control electricity-consuming
systems, facility managers can reduce total energy consumption. By breaking down energy
usage into different subsets for measurement, from measurement to undermeasurement, they
can look at the energy consumption of different systems separately. Ultimately, the potential
is to reduce a system's energy costs by 30 percent simply by analysing the data and adjusting
the motors. Organisations and business companies can move faster when they try to discover
opportunities for energy efficiency than in the past, especially in terms of energy
management. Big tech players also want to have their stake in this process. For example, an
intelligent energy management solution from Panasonic is driving a smart city project in
Berlin that saves carbon dioxide and supplies 90% of households with almost CO2-free
heating [10].
Overall, technology can help to save us more energy using novel technological solutions
such as predictive analytics that measure the energy consumption of commercial buildings,
smart meters and various smart devices. Of course, the data analysis from the energy sector
that is increasingly becoming the Big Data analysis that requires special skills and forces in
terms of manpower and in terms of information and communication solutions that arise every
day. The way to achieve energy efficiency in cities is to save energy - to make buildings
more efficient and to build new homes and offices that are also energy efficient.

2
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

2 Technological solution for energy conservation

This section of the article is dedicated to the positive impact of technology on the
environment, with a focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change.
Renewable energy, also known as "clean energy," is energy produced from naturally
renewable resources. Modern environmental technology allows us to capture this naturally
occurring energy and convert it into electricity and useful heat, reflecting the technology's
extremely positive impact on the environment. Renewables generate more than 20% of
Britain's electricity, with wind, solar and geothermal energy sources such as wind turbines
and solar panels becoming our second largest generator. For example, European Union
targets mean that this share is likely to rise to 30% by 2020, and, according to the United
Kingdom Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), more than half of Britain's
electricity will come from renewable sources by 2050, with solar, wind and hydro power
becoming the second largest United Kingdom generator [11].
It is clear that the governments and their industry partners worldwide are pinning their
hopes on public-private partnerships leading to technological breakthroughs that will enable
coal-fired power plants to continue to provide safe and affordable energy. Optimising
existing plants is the low-hanging fruit of technology, because it makes the best use of what
we already have. In the United States, optimization involves the use of sophisticated software
that helps plants reduce emissions, increase efficiency, and improve reliability. The plant has
been upgraded to new pollution control facilities to emit carbon dioxide and other emissions,
including mercury [12]. Primitive artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning analyse
the icy surface over time - measured changes that help researchers plant plants with the best
potential to maximize carbon sequestration, and warning systems that contain destructive
algal blooms. Through the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence, AI also has an
impact on agricultural practices. In a way, AI is changing the way energy generation and
storage are conducted in developed countries, reducing dependence on various factors.
Materials scientists are using artificial intelligence to develop biodegradable plastic
substitutes, and some are developing strategies to clean up the oceans, which receive eight
million tonnes of plastic annually. The United States Department of Energy's National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is developing a strategy to clean up the
oceans, which produce up to eight million tonnes of plastic annually, as part of its Clean
Ocean Initiative [13].
In broad terms, clean energy generally means energy produced from renewable energy
sources that emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels and clean, decentralised
generation. Customers worldwide are getting more aware that their products, buildings and
houses can be certified independently of each other, that they use less energy to reduce
emissions, reduce air pollution and contribute to climate protection. This is a useful
information that might help to save energy, save money, and protect the environment.

3 Modern technologies in energy storage and energy utilization

Currently, thanks to the rise of the information and communication technologies worldwide
and the introduction of the concepts of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Energy
(IoE), modern technologies find a wide use in energy storage and energy utilization. For
example, there is a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) which is a cloud-based, decentralised energy
source that improves the efficiency and reliability of decentralised energy resources such as
wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower [14]. Similarly, the Power by Ammonia (P2A)
concept offers a solution whereby stored ammonia can be used as an energy source in the
form of a gas-phase fuel [15]. Power by Gas (P2G) are new technologies that can convert

3
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

electricity into gas phase fuels and vice versa. The concept of Power by Ammonia (P2A) and
Power by Gas (P2G) concepts for the future of energy storage and energy efficiency.
Of all renewable energy sources, hydropower is one of the most commercially developed
and the one with the greatest potential for energy storage and efficiency. By building dams
and barriers, large reservoirs can be used to generate a controlled flow of water that drives
turbines to generate electricity. This energy source is more reliable than solar or wind power,
especially when it is tidal energy rather than electricity, and often allows for the storage of
electricity for use when demand peaks. Unlike wind, hydropower can in certain situations
not only be a more profitable commercial source of energy, but is also often used to generate
electricity in the home, depending on the type of property. Compared to other energy sources,
it is also more efficient than wind and solar energy [16, 17].
One of the most common uses of pumped hydropower in the United States is to store
electricity for periods of high demand, such as extreme weather events. This storage
technology is most commonly coupled with solar power plants and accounts for about one-
third of total energy storage capacity in North America. This type of heat storage is being
built on a very large scale, which is able to provide considerable thermal storage capacity at
a relatively low cost. While larger warehouses lose less heat over time, this concentration is
advantageous compared to distributing the same capacity among many smaller stores,
especially if larger stratification is permitted [18].
Compressed air storage systems could have the potential to make them a cheaper - more
effective - storage option for large volumes of storage. This offers a cost advantage over
thermal storage systems such as thermal power plants, but also considerable cost advantages
in terms of energy efficiency and reliability. The introduction of thermal energy storage
brings several advantages for current and future DHC systems. The thermal energy storage
(TES) market will vary considerably depending on the application, application and region,
with the potential for significant growth in the coming years [19].
All over the world, the development of electric vehicles breaks the traditional dependence
on petrochemicals and potentially changes personal mobility. Therefore, the use of thermal
energy storage is an important part of the energy mix for the future of transport. In several
countries, including Australia, the United States, China and Japan, TES and other forms of
cooling water storage are playing an important role as utilities reduce peak loads and
consumers cut their electricity bills. One of the most important drivers and prerequisites for
this growth is the resulting competitiveness of energy storage systems over conventional non-
storage solutions [20].
In addition, the use of decentralised energy resources, including wind, solar, geothermal,
hydroelectric and other renewable energy sources, is changing the nature of transmission and
distribution networks. As more smart energy technologies become available for commercial
applications, the different costs of energy storage need to be accurately compared. Although
there is a levelled cost factor for energy (LCOE) used to compare the costs of different types
of storage (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, etc.), this is not a generally applied
benchmark for calculating meaningful and comparable costs. There are also some factors we
consider to be the most important for calculating the price of electricity and its relative
competitiveness compared to conventional non-storage solutions. For example, electricity
storage can help to integrate more renewable energy into the electricity grid. It can also help
to ensure that generating units are optimally operated and that less efficient generating units
are used that would otherwise only be used at peak times [21].
In addition, the additional capacity provided by electricity storage can avoid or delay the
need to build new power plants or other large energy storage facilities. The possible negative
effects of electricity storage will depend on the type and efficiency of storage technology. It
can be used for pumping water, compressing air-energy storage, pumping hydro systems or
storing running water. Novel energy conversion, storage and conversion technologies can

4
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

store excess electricity when supply exceeds consumer demand. Photovoltaic systems use
batteries, and solar thermal systems require a kind of TES system to store heat at night and
on cloudy days. Also, there is hydrogen that is produced, compressed, liquefied, converted
back into electrical energy and heat and stored deep-frozen at 252 - 882 degrees Celsius. It
has storage costs of around 8,100 euros and can be produced with an output of 1,000 kilowatt
hours (kWh) per year which makes some researchers wonder whether it can become a better
energy option [22].

4 Smart energy consumption systems

While conventional energy-saving terminals provide access to a wide range of high-energy
appliances in a building and are located throughout the building, they cannot control all the
highest-energy appliances, including power, heating, air conditioning, cooling, lighting and
power distribution systems. Intelligent energy management system - supported terminals can
manage more devices than ever before, reducing energy consumption across any country on
any distance. Power consumption and emission reductions can be significantly reduced,
which would lead to further savings in energy consumption.
Conventional IoT technologies require complex configurations to enable remote control
and management of terminals. IoT technology to use a wide range of high-energy devices
such as smart thermostats, air conditioning, lighting and power distribution systems, whereas
traditional energy-saving terminals do not. Companies can use this energy by saving
terminals to effectively reduce energy consumption for research and production. The system
features a wide range of smart thermostats, air conditioning, lighting and power distribution
systems that have a variety of energy management functions, such as smart lighting, smart
heating and cooling, and smart ventilation and air conditioning. One can rely upon the IoT
technology to support the management and control of high-energy devices and systems to
ensure efficient operation. The neural network takes into account what it knows about its
users’ energy consumption and their home environment and uses this information to
determine how energy can be managed most effectively. While standard energy management
systems can monitor a variety of factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and
humidity, only a few of them are able to detect the full spectrum of energy consumption and
its impact on the environment [23].
Although the "Smart Home" standard is all about comfort and energy management, there
are various software that go a step further by automating the management of individual
circumstances based on their energy requirements and by responding to the specific needs of
each individual and their individual energy consumption [24]. One can take some
recommendations and take direct action to maximise the energy efficiency at her or his smart
home. The key issue is how to increase energy use and efficiency, both taking account of
electricity demand and energy-saving concepts.
Some authors propose the use of energy efficiency as a key component of a smart home
energy management system. The technology is often not human but intelligent and
innovative, and often provides information on the energy consumption of various household
appliances such as thermostats, lighting, appliances and appliances. For example, smart plugs
that can detect different household appliances and smart lights [25]. Thence, the term smart
grid covers a wide range of interconnected technologies that enter into public use to reduce
and better manage electricity consumption. The smart grid system can be designed to monitor
and control power consumption, such as smart thermostats, smart lighting and smart devices.
Power providers could see it as a way to locate blackouts and other problems so that
technicians can be deployed to defuse the problem. Consumers connected intelligently to the
grid can contribute to a stable, green grid [26, 27].

5
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

There are various solutions how the smart grid system, an intelligent electricity grid
system for the consumer, can be intelligently integrated into electricity systems. Some smart
home solutions such as smart meters already exist, but they are not yet widely used, such as
smart thermostats, smart lighting and smart devices. Some of the biggest trends in the smart
home sector are already evident today: homeowners produce their own electricity through
photovoltaic systems (solar batteries) placed on their roofs. They respond to the price of
electricity in the markets by increasing their production when electricity is plentiful and
cheap. In smart and interconnected households, these react to prices in the electricity markets
and adapt to households’ usage patterns in order to save electricity and reduce costs. In the
future, intelligent management of buildings and services will ensure that unused electricity
is stored and used, so that the power supply can be switched to these devices at any time.
Smart home technology also comes into play to ensure that the weather does not decide
whether enough electricity is available. When saving electricity, the rules are the device
should be turned off completely instead of running it in stand-by mode. There are different
scenarios to simulate the operation of appliances in real time in a hybrid energy system and
to optimize the operation of household appliances to minimize electricity costs. Resource
management techniques allow the algorithm to determine the distribution of energy from
different sources based on the load. The algorithm can also be re-evaluated for different
energy sources. The tool controls the operation of devices by simulating a central computing
unit and a dosing unit, a predefined device connected to elements in the home network. In a
few years, the smart grid system will basically become the basis for accessing consumption
data from a wide range of devices such as smart meters, smart thermostats and smart lighting.
This extensive network will allow for the deployment of smart grids in the future, if things
continue as they are now, and the development of new technologies for energy management.

5 Conclusions
In essence, smart technologies used in energy management will become the key to repairing
the damage we have already done to the planet by figuring out how to sustain our species’
energy, food, and water needs in the face of climate change and other environmental
challenges. We will be able to save the environment, reduce the effects of global warming,
adapt to climate change, clean up polluted areas and take care of our own health.
The examples given above in this article show that science and technology will be better
prepared to meet the challenges of the future, not only in terms of energy, but also in terms
of the environment. In addition, addressing these challenges will enable us to move towards
a more sustainable future, an environmentally friendly future that creates qualified jobs.
Green technology is an umbrella term that describes the use of technology to create
environmentally friendly products and services. Examples of green technologies include the
use of technology and infrastructure to recycle waste, purify water, create clean energy and
conserve natural resources.
In general terms, the aim of "green technology" is to protect the environment and even to
repair the damage that is being done to it. Green technology is related to cleantech, which
specifically refers to the development of products and services that improve operational
performance while reducing the use of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources.
Green technology can be used in energy-saving processes such as energy efficiency, energy
saving and energy storage. Green technology is also being used to create alternative sources
of fuel that are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. Solar, wind and hydro power
plants are examples of green technologies because they are environmentally friendly and do
not produce fossil fuel waste. These alternative energy sources would soon be used to run
homes, utilities and power plants on a massive scale leading to the true “green revolution”
that would foster decarbonization and tackle the climate change.

6
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

References
1. A. Bhati, M. Hansen, C. M. Chan, Energy conservation through smart homes in a smart
city: A lesson for Singapore households, Energy Policy, 104, 230-239 (2017)
2. W. Strielkowski, T. Veinbender, M. Tvaronavičienė, N. Lace, Economic Research-
Ekonomska Istraživanja, 33 (1), 788-803 (2020)
3. Z, Zhao, W. Lee, Y. Shin, K. Song, IEEE transactions on smart grid, 4 (3), 1391-1400
(2013)
4. W. Strielkowski, Economics & Sociology, 10 (1), 310-318 (2017)
5. I. Machorro-Cano, G. Alor-Hernández, M. Paredes-Valverde, I. Rodríguez-Mazahua, J.
Sánchez-Cervantes, J. Olmedo-Aguirre, Energies, 13 (5), 1097 (2020)
6. G. Rausser, W. Strielkowski, D. Štreimikienė, Energy & Environment, 29 (1), 131-146
(2018)
7. H. Wang, H. Ma, X. Liu, J. Yang, H. He, Z. Meng, IOP Conference Series: Earth and
Environmental Science, 621 (1), 012046 (2021)
8. M. ALiero, K. Qureshi, M. Pasha, G. Jeon, Environmental Technology & Innovation,
101443 (2021)
9. J. Oh, Sustainability, 12(17), 6874 (2020)
10. Panasonic (2020). Access mode:
https://news.panasonic.com/global/topics/2020/79631.html
11. D. Newbery, M. Pollitt, R. Ritz, W. Strielkowski, Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews, 91, 695-707 (2018)
12. N. Ryan, J. Johnson, G. Keoleian, G. Lewis, Journal of Industrial Ecology, 22 (6), 1318-
1330 (2018)
13. A. Iverson, Conservation Science and Practice, 1 (6), e45 (2019)
14. S. Ali, B. Choi, Electronics, 9 (6), 1030 (2020)
15. A. Valera-Medina, H. Xiao, M. Owen-Jones, W. David, P. Bowen, Progress in Energy
and combustion science, 69, 63-102 (2018)
16. X. Luo, J. Wang, M. Dooner, J. Clarke, Applied Energy, 137, 511-536 (2015)
17. M. Simionescu, W. Strielkowski, M. Tvaronavičienė, Energies, 13 (9), 2280 (2020)
18. M. Liu, N. Tay, S. Bell, M. Belusko, R. Jacob, G. Will, W. Saman, F. Bruno, Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 53, 1411-1432 (2016)
19. M. Mahmoud, M. Ramadan, A. Olabi, K. Pullen, S. Naher, Energy Conversion and
Management, 210, 112670 (2020)
20. A. Dahash, F. Ochs, M. Janetti, W. Streicher, Applied Energy, 239, 296-315 (2019)
21. D. Munoz-Rojas, X. Moya, Materials for Sustainable Energy Applications: Conversion,
Storage, Transmission, and Consumption (2017)
22. O. Marchenko, S. Solomin, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40 (10), 3801-
3805 (2015)
23. W. Strielkowski, D. Streimikiene, A. Fomina, E. Semenova, Energies, 12 (24), 4790
(2019)
24. R. Ford, M. Pritoni, A. Sanguinetti, B. Karlin, Building and Environment, 123, 543-554
(2017)
25. C. Mahapatra, A. Moharana, V. Leung, Sensors, 17 (12), 2812 (2017)

7
SHS Web of Conferences 128, 02005 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112802005
IFSDR 2021

26. W. Strielkowski, E. Volkova, L. Pushkareva, D. Streimikiene, Energies, 12 (7), 1392

(2019)
27. F. Shirani, C. Groves, K. Henwood, N. Pidgeon, E. Roberts, Energy Policy, 144, 111637
(2020)