October

The University of Twente’s Green Energy Initiative wants to give researchers the opportunity to show what they’re working at. This is the second of a series of interviews, in which Marion Steenbergen picks out one of the personal stories within UT’s energy research themes.

Researcher: Hermen Toersche, PhD student in the group Computer Architecture for Embedded Systems (CAES) of professor Gerard Smit.

Place: Coffee corner on the 4^th floor in Building Zilverling

Date: Monday 10 September 2012

1.	What is your background, how did you get where you are now?

“I was born in Twente and it wasn’t hard to decide to go studying Informatics at the University of Twente. I did both my Bachelor and my Master here. And I stayed; one and a half years ago, I started my PhD research in CAES.”

2.	What are you doing and where does your research fit in the overall UT research?

“In the CAES group, we investigate possibilities to balance demand and supply of energy. Smart grid is a tool for which we developed a method called Triana to firstly predict the moments during day and night that people actually use their domestic electrical devices. This prediction is based on existing profiles. Secondly, we make a planning. And when we notice that the prediction is to be improved, we try to change the planning, by heading for better balance. To be able to do this, devices need to become controllable (`smart appliances'.)

Triana, three steps

Planning is done hours before the actual using of energy, whereas we should deal with the providing of energy in a much more active manner. Mains voltage could suddenly drop out, for example.

In our research, we focus on the Netherlands and on Germany.

Besides this, I’m working on the controlling of heat pumps. Heat pumps need a large amount of electricity. On the other hand, modern, well isolated houses ‘retain’ warmth, which they loose very slowly. This warmth should be used as storage! The moment at which the heat pumps start working is to be controlled in a way that the demand and the supply of energy get more and more in balance.”

This research very well fits in the overall UT research, as what would a sustainable campus be without this method of bringing together demand for and supply of energy?

Hermen

Hermen with the Smart Grid house and device

3.	How will society benefit, on the long term?

“In the German town of Haren, this technology will actually be applied for the first time. In collaboration with the German RWE energy company, a new nursery school will have its own Home Energy Controller, which regulates the building’s energy management. See the recent news item UT smart grid system in German nursery

On the long term, it’s hard to say how society will benefit, because a great deal depends on subsidies. House owners will also have to be willing to invest, as smart devices are still rather expensive.”

Model of a house

Model of a house with Energy Controller

4.	With whom do you work together? (other chairs, companies?)

“STW is the funder of my research. With RWE (Rhenish-Westphalian Electric power company), which is involved in my project, I’ve informal contact every two weeks. In January of this year, I’ve been to Washington, to a yearly congress on this subject, to present a poster.
We’re working together with DMMP (Discrete Mathematics and Mathematical Programming), with professor Johann Hurink. Besides, I am connected to Philips Lighting, for smart devices.”

5.	(You’ve just begun so it’s a bit premature, but all the same:) Will your research be continued after you’ve finished your PhD thesis?

“It’s not very easy to get good PhD’s, for continuation in that particular way. We could use students from various disciplines, including Informatics and Mathematics, to do their MSc with us as well; they’re welcome to come and have a chat!” See for telephone numbers: http://caes.ewi.utwente.nl