Kirsi Kotilainen

Prosumer centric digital energy ecosystem framework

Climate change is putting pressure on governments, policy makers and international organizations to increase energy efficiency and move towards using renewable energy sources. To meet growing need for energy and at the same time comply with ecologic and economic demands, the energy market structure is slowly transitioning from a centralized system to more interactive and decentralized model based on Smart Grid technology in which also end users may play a role as prosumers i.e. as producers and consumers of energy. Different scenarios exist for the level of prosumer participation in the future flexible energy ecosystem. In this paper, we propose a framework for Prosumer centric Digital Energy Ecosystem based on Smart Grid technologies, decentralized energy production using renewable energy sources and complex network of new and incumbent actors, business models and processes.