Algorithm development for non-intrusive load monitoring for verification and diagnostics

Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) is a method of detecting the current energy consumption of a building using a single set of sensors on the main building supply. This is in contrast to intrusive monitoring where end use devices are sensed. Building on techniques of previous works, it will be shown that NILM can be implemented on currently available commercial devices and provide meaningful feedback both to the user and supplying utility. Limitations of inexpensive commercial devices such as resolution and measurement accuracy are a challenge. An algorithm currently under development, specifically developed for the low resolution of inexpensive commercial sensor packages, will be discussed and demonstrated. This information can then be used to verify the effectiveness of various smart grid initiatives in addition to other energy saving protocols such as weather proofing and energy efficient appliances. In addition, this information can be used to select devices for distributed control by analyzing not only the type of device but also the real world operating characteristics.