Simulation-Based Education Tool for Understanding Thermostatically Controlled Loads

Abstract

Thermostatically controlled loads have great potential to make a significant contribution to improving energy efficiency in the building sector, which is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. This, in addition to the environmental damage, represents a huge expense in terms of the electricity bill. Therefore, it is very important to train engineers on how to design energy management systems for TCLs. With this goal in mind, it would be very useful to have a simulation-based educational tool (SBET) to understand thermostatically controlled loads, their characteristics, and the possibilities in terms of energy efficiency. In addition, it would be very useful if this tool could be introduced in engineering curricula to help students become better trained and enter the labor market with more opportunities. Based on the shortcomings detected, this work develops an SBET specifically designed to teach on the subject of TCLs (SBET-TCLs), both about their intrinsic characteristics and their better management. To verify the developed SBET-TCLs, it was tested in a real scenario: a survey was carried out among the students of the subject ‘Alternative Energy Sources’ in the degrees of Industrial Engineering. The results show that the use of an SBET-TCLs has very positive effects on the learning process.