An overview of reinforcement learning-based approaches for smart home energy management systems with energy storages

The paper’s state-of-the-art review focuses on an in-depth evaluation of smart home energy management systems which employ reinforcement learning-based methods to integrate energy storages. In order to optimize energy consumption and improve overall sustainability while maintaining technical and economic constraints, the paper first investigates the multi-faceted aspects of integrating energy storages into smart homes. Second, an overview of a smart home system and a theoretical background of reinforcement learning-based algorithms are given and discussed. Consequently, this study delves into the challenges and benefits of integrating energy storage, specifically looking at ways to lessen the impact of renewable sources’ intermittency, improve grid stability, and streamline efficient energy storage management. Thirdly, the paper highlights the beneficial features of smart home energy storage integration, including reduced costs, increased system resilience, and improved energy efficiency. Therefore, cutting-edge reinforcement learning-based methods utilized in smart home energy management systems that incorporate energy storage are thoroughly examined by evaluating their effectiveness and adaptability, taking into account both multi-agent and single-agent reinforcement learning-based methods. Finally, the study identifies potential research directions, including the development of hybrid reinforcement learning algorithms, integration of demand-side management strategies, and addressing privacy and security concerns in reinforcement learning-based smart home energy management systems. While some research has made use of single-agent reinforcement learning, smart home energy storage systems that use energy storages seldom use multi-agent reinforcement learning techniques. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers will be able to use this work as a foundation to build smart, sustainable home energy systems.