Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption

This paper introduces a straightforward Model Predictive Control (MPC) method for residential buildings equipped with thermally activated building structures (TABS), photovoltaics (PV), and heat pumps (HP). The main goal is a triple-optimization of thermal comfort, heating costs, and PV self-consump...

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Main Authors: Vukasin Klepic, Magdalena Wolf, Tobias Proll
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059950/
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author Vukasin Klepic
Magdalena Wolf
Tobias Proll
author_facet Vukasin Klepic
Magdalena Wolf
Tobias Proll
author_sort Vukasin Klepic
collection DOAJ
description This paper introduces a straightforward Model Predictive Control (MPC) method for residential buildings equipped with thermally activated building structures (TABS), photovoltaics (PV), and heat pumps (HP). The main goal is a triple-optimization of thermal comfort, heating costs, and PV self-consumption. Building on existing low-tech MPC developments, this study extends them to enhance PV self-consumption optimization. The proposed streamlined MPC algorithm relies solely on weather forecast data and real-time electricity market prices to determine the required heating power input. The developed and extended MPC algorithm is simulated and validated using Matlab/Simulink. Various cost function variants of the MPC algorithm are analyzed and calculated with both fixed and flexible price signals. The results demonstrate that different cost function variations significantly impact energy consumption, costs, and comfort levels. With flexible day-ahead prices, the cost function incorporating comfort, electricity costs, and PV signals performs comparably to the variant focusing solely on comfort and PV optimization. However, for fixed electricity prices, the results indicate that the simplest cost function of the MPC achieves the best outcomes. These findings suggest that further simplifications of the MPC approach can effectively reduce heating costs while maintaining comfort, making it more practical for implementation in residential buildings.
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spelling doaj-art-44f2308978a54e3b891e872cf457733d2025-08-20T03:17:36ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-011311541911543210.1109/ACCESS.2025.358438811059950Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-ConsumptionVukasin Klepic0https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3331-395XMagdalena Wolf1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4363-1385Tobias Proll2Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, Institute of Chemical and Energy Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, Institute of Chemical and Energy Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, Institute of Chemical and Energy Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, AustriaThis paper introduces a straightforward Model Predictive Control (MPC) method for residential buildings equipped with thermally activated building structures (TABS), photovoltaics (PV), and heat pumps (HP). The main goal is a triple-optimization of thermal comfort, heating costs, and PV self-consumption. Building on existing low-tech MPC developments, this study extends them to enhance PV self-consumption optimization. The proposed streamlined MPC algorithm relies solely on weather forecast data and real-time electricity market prices to determine the required heating power input. The developed and extended MPC algorithm is simulated and validated using Matlab/Simulink. Various cost function variants of the MPC algorithm are analyzed and calculated with both fixed and flexible price signals. The results demonstrate that different cost function variations significantly impact energy consumption, costs, and comfort levels. With flexible day-ahead prices, the cost function incorporating comfort, electricity costs, and PV signals performs comparably to the variant focusing solely on comfort and PV optimization. However, for fixed electricity prices, the results indicate that the simplest cost function of the MPC achieves the best outcomes. These findings suggest that further simplifications of the MPC approach can effectively reduce heating costs while maintaining comfort, making it more practical for implementation in residential buildings.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059950/Buildingsday-ahead pricesmodel predictive controlweather forecastphotovoltaicself-consumption
spellingShingle Vukasin Klepic
Magdalena Wolf
Tobias Proll
Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
IEEE Access
Buildings
day-ahead prices
model predictive control
weather forecast
photovoltaic
self-consumption
title Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
title_full Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
title_fullStr Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
title_full_unstemmed Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
title_short Streamlined Model Predictive Control for a Triple-Optimization of Thermal Comfort, Heating Costs, and Photovoltaic Self-Consumption
title_sort streamlined model predictive control for a triple optimization of thermal comfort heating costs and photovoltaic self consumption
topic Buildings
day-ahead prices
model predictive control
weather forecast
photovoltaic
self-consumption
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059950/
work_keys_str_mv AT vukasinklepic streamlinedmodelpredictivecontrolforatripleoptimizationofthermalcomfortheatingcostsandphotovoltaicselfconsumption
AT magdalenawolf streamlinedmodelpredictivecontrolforatripleoptimizationofthermalcomfortheatingcostsandphotovoltaicselfconsumption
AT tobiasproll streamlinedmodelpredictivecontrolforatripleoptimizationofthermalcomfortheatingcostsandphotovoltaicselfconsumption