Non-intrusive load monitoring through home energy management systems: A comprehensive review

The enhanced utilization of Appliance Load Monitoring (ALM) in customer sites enabled by Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) technologies, offers customized services and enables demand side flexibility in power systems. The significant integration of advanced electrical and computer engineering tools makes the nonintrusive approach of ALM a technically feasible solution to improve demand side energy utilization in the context of HEMS. This paper presents a comprehensive study conducted to reveal significant inevitabilities of a well organized Non-intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) that aids Smart Home (SH) idea to be implemented. In fact, the viewpoint of this study is to discuss critical issues related to NILM prerequisite necessities, hindered the practical implication of this approach despite improvements during over 30 years. Accordingly, this work presents actual analyses in order to elucidate some arguments using state of the art procedures and results of a semi-synthetic data generator tool. In addition, with the aim of an achievable NILM, we analyze NILM applications from the stakeholders' perspective to assist the choice of employed techniques. Consequently, by investigating crucial intentions of an effective NILM considering current standstill and future progression, the authors propose the Advanced NILM (ANILM) concept and describe its properties to provide an enhanced energy usage system in demand side. In order to meet its ambition, the paper uses a realistic point of view to pinpoint major obstacles toward NILM and elaborate various factors that will make it effectively feasible.