The capacities of societal-scale infrastructures such as smart buildings, power grids, and transportation networks are rapidly increasing, changing from mere physical systems to ones capable of advanced computation and even intelligence. Such systems are expected to deliver human-centric services, while enhancing efficiency and resilience. Remarkable advancements in data analytics and artificial intelligence, from sensing and learning to optimization and control, will further unlock the considerable potential of these energy-cyber-physical systems (e-CPSs) to effectively address pressing issues faced by society. This transformation includes the introduction of new applications and technologies at all stages of production, delivery and use, new sensing and data management solutions, new design and operational methodologies, new security- and privacy- protection mechanisms, and possibly new data markets and business models. Key benefits include enhanced energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of resource management, operational agility and flexibility in dynamic environments, safety and resilience of interdependent critical infrastructures, and broadly defined human-centric services such as comfort, privacy, health, and well-being. Driven by the fundamental push for a sustainable economy, this special issue focuses on these recent advancements.
Topics of interests include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
Technologies and applications of data analytics in e-CPSs
Data analytics for smart buildings, power grids, and urban environments
Learning and control strategies to improve e-CPS performance (energy efficiency, resilience, and human-centric services)
Design, optimization and data-driven modelling of energy systems
Novel sensor methodologies, techniques, and tools that enhance energy efficiency, energy reliability, durability and comfort