A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Ana Ferreira et al.
Figure 1: Portuguese final consumption of Electricity and Heat in 2009 (IEA, 2012)
Domestic energy consumption can be defined as the amount of energy that is spent on the different
appliances (heating, lightening, hot water, electrical equipment, etc.). The amount of energy used per
dwelling varies, depending on the standard of living, climate of the country and the building
characteristics. Although significant improvements in energy efficiency have been achieved in
household appliances, the electricity consumption in household has been increasing during the past
years. Some of the reasons for such increase in the residential sector electricity consumption are
associated with a higher level of basic comfort and level of amenities and also with the widespread
utilization of relatively new types of loads whose penetration and use has experienced a very
significant growth in recent years.
According to DGEG data, the average Portuguese citizen consumes 20% less electricity than the
average citizen of the European Union.
The mix of energy consumption in the Portuguese residential sector by energy source in 2009 was
made of 16% of liquefied propane, 8% of natural gas, 1% of other oil derived fuels, 38% of electricity,
1% of solar thermal and 36% of biomass (DGEG, 2010).
The proper sizing of the micro-CHP system depends significantly on the daily profiles of the thermal
and electrical needs over the year. Thus, for a specific sizing of the system, it is very important to
define the consumption profile considering the thermal and electrical requirements. Taking into
account the data, there is a noticeable intention to reduce the energy dependence on fossil sources,
throughout new technological developments, mainly if that potential could be used with renewable
energy sources (COGEN EUROPE, 2010). Figure 2 shows the typical electricity demand throughout a
day for a single familiar household. The electricity peak demands correspond to the periods where the
thermal needs are more required.
Figure 2: Electricity demand throughout the day (COGEN EUROPE, 2010)
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