OFfSET - Optimised Forecasting for Switching Energy Tariffs

"The Optimising & Forecasting for Switching Energy Tariffs ""OFfSET"" project brings Samsung's UK-based Research team together with energy market disruptors Labrador and home energy management experts PassivSystems, along with the support and experience of the BRE.

OFfSET will validate a business model which will allow the integration of large electrical appliances to the existing electricity infrastructure whilst minimising the impact on energy bills, or system reinforcement costs.

The project encompasses both electricity and gas supply and anticipates the introduction of time-of-use and capacity-based domestic electricity tariffs in the UK to investigate the potential opportunities that this market change could represent through smarter use of heating and appliances. Working together to develop forecasting algorithms for external and internal conditions and behaviour patterns, the OFfSET partners will build from PassivSystems current model to one that predict occupants' energy demands from heating and large appliances. Using this, and with careful correlation prioritising the occupant/consumer's own preferences, the project team will expand the existing delegated tariff switching service from Labrador to trial a predictive switching model including new complex energy tariffs, enabling consumers to be moved to the cheapest gas or electricity tariff in anticipation of their forecast behaviour. OFfSET will allow consumers to access the expected benefits of time-of-use and capacity tariffs without exposing them to the complexity.

This model will further integrate with Samsung's SmartThings cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) connected appliances, ensuring that electrical demand from the growing ecosystem of connected devices (from a range of companies) can be factored into, and controlled by, the OFfSET platform. The SmartThings platform has Samsung's defense-grade Knox security technology built-in."