Methods for electricity load profile calculation within deregulated markets

Integration of renewable energy sources mainly implies several advanced technologies such as smart metering devices, implementation of advanced tariff systems, informatics systems for load profile analyses and decision making on electricity consumption, etc. At electricity consumers´ level, smart metering devices along with load profile calculation and advanced tariff system help electricity consumers to have an active role, by managing programmable consumption and by using storage equipment and supplying as prosumers the national grid with electricity produced by small size wind generators or solar panels based on electricity price. At the grid operators and suppliers level, these advanced technologies allow a better resources planning, reduce energy losses, estimate necessary energy that should be acquired in order to cover losses, eliminate costs regarding meters reading and integrate a higher volume of renewable energy sources. This paper mainly describes a couple of methods for load profile calculation. They are very useful for certain activities such as: electricity market settlement, load forecasting and load optimization.