New interactions between LV customers and the network: further possibilities for home automation functions

In recent years Italian power sector has been undergoing considerable changes: EU Directive on electricity (96/92/EC) established common rules for the creation of internal markets and required privatization of Italy's dominant energy monopolies, but also extended to all domestic customers the possibility to choose their own energy retailers starting from July 2007. This will involve a new role for the final user who will change from passive consumer to active participant. To get the most advantage from this opportunity it is necessary to provide a platform which will be interoperable with home and building automation systems and that will supply several functionalities as communicate with distributor/retailer, interact with consumer, manage loads, energy storages and domestic micro-generation. In this way households will become active "nodes" of the electric network that could also provide services for the network (power modulation) and the market (reduce energy price volatility).