Learn Smart Homes — Without the Hype
This guide explains how Energy Management Systems (EMS) work for smart homes. It explains how they reduce electricity costs, and how to build a compatible smart home setup using solar panels, batteries, EV chargers, heat pumps and more.
Next, it explains how to get started with the PowerPick framework. It defines the essential concepts and provides guides for adding your first setup, using the device catalogue and more.
Smart Home Basics
What is an EMS - Energy Management System?
An Energy Management System (EMS) is the intelligence layer of a modern, electrified home. It monitors, analyzes, and optimizes how electricity is produced, stored, and consumed — automatically.
If you have solar panels, a home battery, an EV charger, or a heat pump, you already have an energy system. An EMS ensures those devices don’t operate independently — but work together as one coordinated system.
Why Energy Management Matters
Modern homes are becoming small power plants:
- Solar panels generate electricity
- Batteries store energy for later use
- EVs require large amounts of power
- Heat pumps shift heating from gas to electricity
Without coordination, each device follows its own internal logic. An EMS adds system-level intelligence, deciding when and how devices should operate.
What Does an EMS Actually Do?
- Monitor: Tracks real-time consumption, solar production, battery levels, and grid usage.
- Analyze: Considers electricity prices, forecasts, and usage patterns.
- Optimize: Automatically shifts loads to cheaper or greener hours.
- Control: Sends commands to EV chargers, batteries, heat pumps, or smart appliances.
Financial & Environmental Benefits
A well-configured Energy Management System can:
- Charge EVs during low-price hours
- Increase solar self-consumption
- Reduce peak electricity usage
- Shift demand to renewable-heavy grid periods
The more electrified your home becomes, the greater the value of intelligent coordination.
The Bottom Line
An Energy Management System turns disconnected smart devices into an optimized energy ecosystem. It is the difference between owning smart devices — and running a truly optimized smart energy system.
Challenges of Energy Management Systems (EMS)
While Energy Management Systems bring huge benefits, they also come with some challenges. Understanding these helps you plan your smart home setup effectively.
- Device Compatibility: Not all smart devices or brands work seamlessly together. There are many methods for connecting devices based on different protocols.
- Complexity: Coordinating solar panels, batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps can be complicated. Incorrect setup may reduce savings or efficiency.
- Cost: Advanced EMS solutions and compatible devices can have high upfront costs. ROI depends on home size, energy usage, and local electricity prices.
- Learning Curve: Understanding schedules, dynamic pricing, and energy optimization strategies can take time. Some EMS platforms simplify this, but beginners may need guidance.
- Interoperability & Updates: Firmware updates or new device protocols can break integrations if the EMS isn’t actively maintained.
Despite these challenges, a well-planned EMS can pay off significantly in energy savings and environmental impact. Many of these obstacles are solved by choosing a platform with strong compatibility, clear guides, and active user support.
PowerPick Framework
Device Categories
Powerpick currently supports adding the following device categories:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| accumulation_heater | An accumulation heater stores heat during off-peak hours for use throughout the day. It helps balance energy demand and reduce electricity costs. |
| battery | A battery can store electrical energy for use at a later time. The size of the battery can vary depending on the installation. |
| battery_inverter | A battery inverter manages charging and discharging between a home battery and the grid. It converts DC power from batteries into usable AC electricity. |
| electric_boiler | An electric boiler heats water using electric resistance elements. It’s often used for domestic hot water or space heating where gas isn’t available. |
| ems | An EMS coordinates and optimizes energy generation, consumption, and storage within a home or building. It ensures efficient use of electricity and supports grid interaction. |
| ev | An electric vehicle (EV) runs entirely or partly on electric power stored in rechargeable batteries. It produces zero tailpipe emissions and can integrate with home energy systems. |
| ev_charge_point | An EV charge point supplies electricity to recharge electric vehicles safely and efficiently. Smart models can schedule charging based on tariffs or renewable energy availability. |
| heatpump | A heat pump transfers heat between indoor and outdoor air, water, or ground sources. It provides both heating and cooling with high energy efficiency. |
| household_appliance | Household appliances include everyday devices such as washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers. Smart versions can optimize cycles for energy efficiency and respond to demand signals. |
| hub | A physical devices that links other devices to it. It can expose their interfaces and transfer measurement or control signals between devices. |
| hybrid_inverter | A hybrid inverter combines solar and battery inverter functions in one device. It allows simultaneous PV generation, battery storage, and grid interaction. |
| smart_lighting | Smart lighting systems allow remote control, scheduling, and automation of lights. They enhance ambiance and energy efficiency through dimming and presence detection. |
| smart_meter | A smart meter records energy consumption in real time and communicates data to the utility or user interface. It enables accurate billing and helps users track and reduce usage. |
| smart_plug | A smart plug allows remote control and monitoring of connected devices via an app or automation system. It’s a simple way to measure energy usage and schedule operation. |
| smart_thermostat | A smart thermostat learns household routines and adjusts heating or cooling automatically. It improves comfort while reducing unnecessary energy use. |
| solar_inverter | A solar inverter converts DC power from solar panels into AC electricity for household use or grid export. It also optimizes panel performance and monitors system output. |
Device Features
Powerpick organizes device features into the following categories: EMS, Measure, Act
EMS features
These features are relevant for EMS devices only. They describe the functionalities the EMS supports and the ways you can interact with it.
| Feature | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| optimize_self_consumption | decide | Adjusts device operation to maximize on-site consumption of locally generated energy, reducing reliance on the grid. |
| optimize_capacity_tariff | decide | Schedules device operation to minimize electricity costs under capacity-based tariffs. |
| optimize_day_ahead | decide | Plans energy usage and storage in advance based on predicted demand and prices on wholesale markets for the next day. |
| optimize_energy_sharing | decide | Plans energy usage to optimize the total costs in an energy community or between connected sites ("energiedelen"). |
| optimize_vehicle_to_grid | decide | Manages bidirectional power flow between electric vehicles and the grid to optimize energy use or market participation. |
| offer_market_flexibility_imbalance | decide | Offers the flexibility of connected devices to market parties that steer the devices based on imbalance prices. This flexibility is employed to improve the market party's balancing cost. |
| offer_market_flexibility_reserves | decide | Offers the flexibility of connected devices to market parties that steer the devices based on TSO steering signals. This flexibility is directly controlled by the grid operator. |
| manual_scheduling | decide | Allows the user to manually set operation schedules for connected devices. |
| interface_app | interface | Provides a dedicated mobile app for monitoring, controlling, and configuring devices. |
| interface_desktop | interface | Provides a desktop interface for monitoring, controlling, and configuring devices. |
| interface_mobile | interface | Provides a mobile interface for monitoring, controlling, and configuring devices. |
| monitoring_realtime | monitor | Displays live data from connected devices, such as power usage, energy production, or battery state. |
| monitoring_historical | monitor | Records and shows past device data to analyze trends and performance over time. |
Measure & Act features
These features are not relevant for EMS devices, but for the devices they interact with.
| Feature | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| bidirectional_power | act | Allows energy to flow in both directions, such as charging a battery or feeding energy back to the grid. |
| device_power_limiting | act | Allows devices to adjust their power output or consumption dynamically within defined limits. |
| measure_power | measure | Captures the instantaneous power consumption or production of a device. |
Note: More detailed specs like power and energy constraints will be added in a future version.
Compatibility
The Powerpick platform builds an index of compatible devices based on input provided by its users. The algorithm is fine-tuned to provide the best insights for users based on multiple factos such as submitted setups, communication protocols, and more. If two devices are compatible, they can be used together. The features they support might depend on the actual setup.
| Compatibility Tier | Description |
|---|---|
| Full | The devices are compatible. The compatibility is validated by other users or by the admin. |
| Partial | The devices are probably compatible, but it is not certain. They might work together in some setups or share a common protocol. |
| Protocol | There is limited information about compatibility, but the devices share a common protocol. |
| None | There is no information about compatibility. |
| Incompatible | The devices are not compatible, validatd by other users or by the admin. |