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).