The effects of a backup battery and a rooftop PV system on the comfort and cost of a smart home with flexible loads and an electrical vehicle

In order to maximize the comfort and minimize the cost, an energy management system through the particle swarm optimization is developed for a smart home with a rooftop PV system, flexible loads, and an electric vehicle. Then, the study is focused on the effects of the PV size and the home backup battery on home power system performance. As a result, the system's life cycle cost increases with the PV size and the adding of a battery. However, the adding of a home backup battery is cost effective and it improves the home comfort. Moreover, there is an optimal PV size for the home with a backup battery.