Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Balasubramaniam Natarajan / Active consumers who engage in energy consumption, production, storage and provide ancillary services in a dynamic and interactive manner will be an integral part of the future grid. Firstly, this dissertation models and analyzes the interaction between active consumers and aggregators with a specific focus on consumer actions in response to real-time electricity pricing and the resulting impact on grid voltage. A unique prospect theory based consumer behavior model is introduced. This model captures wide range of consumers each with their individual preferences by modeling the interaction between the active consumers and the aggregator as a Stackelberg game. However, unlike existing game theoretic efforts that assume rational behavior of consumers, the prospect theory based models systematically incorporate realistic consumer behavior including irrationality. Secondly, this dissertation develops probabilistic voltage sensitivity analysis. In contrast to prior approaches that limit themselves to economic aspects, the proposed techno-economic perspective provides an understanding of the impact of large scale penetration of active consumers on the physical grid. Most current studies are scenario-based, and derived results are scenario specific. Determining the impact of spatially distributed active consumers with temporally variable behavior requires investigation of a large number of scenarios, which is computationally intractable using current iterative power flow algorithms. This work provides a new analytical method of voltage sensitivity analysis that allows for stochastic analysis of change in grid voltage due to change in consumer behavior (load and generation choices). This work first derives an upper bound for change in voltage at a particular bus due to change in power consumption at other buses in a radial distribution network. Next, this bound is used to derive the probability distribution of change voltage at a bus due to randomly changing power consumption/injection of random spatial distribution of the active consumers. This upper bound is also used to develop an algorithmic approach to identify the dominant influencer of voltage fluctuations in the power distribution system. Thirdly, security and stability aspects of transactive energy market based power distribution system is investigated. Specifically, the impact of attacks on pricing/load signals on the physical grid is quantified. This work models the interaction between real-time electricity price and total energy demand in the form of a discrete time non-linear autonomous dynamical system. Equilibrium electricity price and energy demand associated with this coupled dynamical system is derived and conditions for bounded input bounded output (BIBO) stability are identified. Then, a BIBO stable algorithm to design real-time electricity pricing scheme from a techno-economic perspective is developed. Finally, the impact of various level of false data injection (FDI) attack on price of electricity, demand and distribution system voltage is investigated. This dissertation shows that impact of FDI attack on electricity prices is more severe than an attack on electricity demand.

Master of Science / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Balasubramaniam Natarajan / Anil Pahwa / Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular because of their low operating costs and environmentally friendly operation. However, the anticipated increase of EV usage and increased use of renewable energy sources and smart storage devices for EV charging presents opportunities as well as challenges. Time-varying electricity pricing and day-ahead power commitment adds another dimension to this problem. This thesis, describes development of coordinated EV charging strategies for renewable energy-powered charging stations at homes and parking lots. We develop an optimal control theory-based charging strategy that minimizes power drawn from the electricity grid while utilizing maximum energy from renewable energy sources. Specifically, we derive a centralized iterative control approach in which charging rates of EVs are optimized one at a time. We also propose an algorithm that maximizes profits for parking lot operators by advantageously utilizing time-varying electricity pricing while satisfying system constraints. We propose a linear programming-based strategy for EV charging, and we specifically derive a centralized linear program that minimizes charging costs for parking lot operators while satisfying customer demand in available time. Then we model EV charging behavior of Active Consumers. We develop a real-time pricing scheme that results in favorable load profile for electric utility by influencing EV charging behavior of Active Consumers. We develop this pricing scheme as a game between electric utility and Active Consumers, in which the electric utilities decide optimal electricity prices that minimize peak-to-average load ratio and Active Consumers decide optimal charging strategy that minimizes EV charging costs for Active Consumers.

Internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher. Zum einen hat die Beweise für die Relevanz und die Kontextualisierung zu demonstrieren. Dann sind einige wichtige Konzepte, das Thema zu begrenzen, gefolgt von einer Beschreibung des Verhaltens und der touristischen Erwartungen der Verbraucher. Der zweite Teil stellt die verschiedenen Mittel, die internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher, mit den internationalen Organisationen beginnen, durch regionale Blöcke und mit den nationalen Entwicklungen abzuschließen. Im dritten Teil ist es der Global Governance zu Gunsten der internationalen Verbraucherschutz. Es beginnt mit der lokalen Verwaltung und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit; dann regionale Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit gearbeitet, mit Global Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit abzuschließen. Abschließend forderte der Vorschlag für den Verbraucher in den internationalen Fällen, in der Aktualisierung des Verbraucherschutzgesetz günstigere Regelung einzufügen; auf regionaler Ebene gibt es eine Nachfrage nach Verbesserung und Strukturierung des Schutzes der Verbraucher internationalen Tourismus; Schließlich ist es die Notwendigkeit eines internationalen touristischen Verbraucherschutz mehr diffus durch eine Konvention der Haager Konferenz für Internationales Privatrecht - HCCH. / Proteção internacional do consumidor turista. Primeiramente, são apresentados elementos para demonstrar a relevância e a contextualização do tema. Em seguida, são apresentados alguns conceitos importantes para delimitar o tema, seguido de uma descrição sobre o comportamento e as expectativas do consumidor turista. Na segunda parte, são apresentados os diferentes meios de tutela internacional do consumidor turista, começando pelas organizações internacional, passando pelos blocos regionais e concluindo com os desenvolvimentos nacionais. Na terceira parte, trata-se da governança global em prol da proteção internacional do consumidor. Começase pela governança local e a cooperação jurídica internacional; em seguida, é trabalhada a governança regional e a cooperação jurídica internacional, concluindo com a governança global e a cooperação jurídica internacional. Como conclusão, defende-se a inserção de proposta da regra mais favorável ao consumidor em casos internacionais na atualização do Código de Defesa do Consumidor; no âmbito regional, há uma demanda por aprimoramento e estruturação da tutela do consumidor turista internacional; Por fim, conclui-se da necessidade de uma proteção do consumidor turista internacional de forma mais difusa, por meio de uma convenção da Conferência de Haia sobre o Direito Internacional Privado - HCCH. / International protection of the tourist consumer. At first, elements are presented to demonstrate the relevance and contextualization of the issue. Then, there are some important concepts to delimit the theme, followed by a description about the behavior and expectations of the tourist consumer. In the second part, the different means of international protection of the tourist consumer are presented, beginning with the international organizations, going through the regional blocks and concluding with the national developments. The third part deals with global governance for international consumer protection. It starts with local governance and international legal cooperation; Then regional governance and international legal cooperation are worked out, concluding with global governance and international legal cooperation. As a conclusion, we advocate the insertion of a proposal of the most consumer most favorable rule in international cases in updating the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code; At the regional level, there is a demand for improvement and structuring of the protection of the international tourist consumer; Finally, it concludes from the need for broader international protection of the tourist consumer, through a Hague Conference on Private International Law convention.

Product customisation has always been a regular practice as a form of self or group identification. Previous studies have demonstrated that when investing time and effort to customise a product, an emotional attachment to that product develops. Since the 1980s, new technologies in design, manufacturing and communications have facilitated customisation practices for mass manufacturers as well as for individual consumers. For example, computer algorithms can now automate customisation (i.e. individualise), meaning that the investment of time and effort can be significantly lower than in other customisation processes. Such novel automated practices have, however, not considered the effects on emotional attachment to products, which occurs when the consumer personally engages in the process. This research investigates individualisation as a form of customisation by looking at the relationship between an individualised product and the consumers’ attribution of value and emotional attachment to the end result. This was achieved through a mixed methods approach: following a literature review, in-depth interviews, observation and experiments were carried out. Four pilot studies were conducted, involving 42 respondents (designers, company directors, and consumers). The main study engaged a further 44 respondents, profiled as one of two types of consumers depending on their critical engagement with customisation processes, namely Active Consumers (AC) that Passive Consumers (PC). Data was collected through five Action Research cycles and incorporated key features of Design-Based Research. It was then processed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis. This study makes contributions to knowledge in the area of product customisation and individualisation, as well as in the research methods developed, applied and refined over the four pilot iterations and in the main study. Results suggest that despite limiting freedom of choice, individualisation is a valuable approach to product customisation, particularly for PCs willing to relinquish part of the decision making to an automated process, in order to obtain a customised and unique design. ACs, on the other hand, value their freedom to customise their own products and see individualisation as a limitation to the customisation experience and as a hindrance to developing emotional attachment to the product. These findings have the potential to inform entrepreneurs’ and designers’ decisions to better understand and exploit the benefits associated to individualisation processes. Offering specific consumer groups opportunities to engage with the individualisation process can trigger a strong emotional product attachment and potentially generate new business opportunities.

Internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher. Zum einen hat die Beweise für die Relevanz und die Kontextualisierung zu demonstrieren. Dann sind einige wichtige Konzepte, das Thema zu begrenzen, gefolgt von einer Beschreibung des Verhaltens und der touristischen Erwartungen der Verbraucher. Der zweite Teil stellt die verschiedenen Mittel, die internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher, mit den internationalen Organisationen beginnen, durch regionale Blöcke und mit den nationalen Entwicklungen abzuschließen. Im dritten Teil ist es der Global Governance zu Gunsten der internationalen Verbraucherschutz. Es beginnt mit der lokalen Verwaltung und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit; dann regionale Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit gearbeitet, mit Global Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit abzuschließen. Abschließend forderte der Vorschlag für den Verbraucher in den internationalen Fällen, in der Aktualisierung des Verbraucherschutzgesetz günstigere Regelung einzufügen; auf regionaler Ebene gibt es eine Nachfrage nach Verbesserung und Strukturierung des Schutzes der Verbraucher internationalen Tourismus; Schließlich ist es die Notwendigkeit eines internationalen touristischen Verbraucherschutz mehr diffus durch eine Konvention der Haager Konferenz für Internationales Privatrecht - HCCH. / Proteção internacional do consumidor turista. Primeiramente, são apresentados elementos para demonstrar a relevância e a contextualização do tema. Em seguida, são apresentados alguns conceitos importantes para delimitar o tema, seguido de uma descrição sobre o comportamento e as expectativas do consumidor turista. Na segunda parte, são apresentados os diferentes meios de tutela internacional do consumidor turista, começando pelas organizações internacional, passando pelos blocos regionais e concluindo com os desenvolvimentos nacionais. Na terceira parte, trata-se da governança global em prol da proteção internacional do consumidor. Começase pela governança local e a cooperação jurídica internacional; em seguida, é trabalhada a governança regional e a cooperação jurídica internacional, concluindo com a governança global e a cooperação jurídica internacional. Como conclusão, defende-se a inserção de proposta da regra mais favorável ao consumidor em casos internacionais na atualização do Código de Defesa do Consumidor; no âmbito regional, há uma demanda por aprimoramento e estruturação da tutela do consumidor turista internacional; Por fim, conclui-se da necessidade de uma proteção do consumidor turista internacional de forma mais difusa, por meio de uma convenção da Conferência de Haia sobre o Direito Internacional Privado - HCCH. / International protection of the tourist consumer. At first, elements are presented to demonstrate the relevance and contextualization of the issue. Then, there are some important concepts to delimit the theme, followed by a description about the behavior and expectations of the tourist consumer. In the second part, the different means of international protection of the tourist consumer are presented, beginning with the international organizations, going through the regional blocks and concluding with the national developments. The third part deals with global governance for international consumer protection. It starts with local governance and international legal cooperation; Then regional governance and international legal cooperation are worked out, concluding with global governance and international legal cooperation. As a conclusion, we advocate the insertion of a proposal of the most consumer most favorable rule in international cases in updating the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code; At the regional level, there is a demand for improvement and structuring of the protection of the international tourist consumer; Finally, it concludes from the need for broader international protection of the tourist consumer, through a Hague Conference on Private International Law convention.

Internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher. Zum einen hat die Beweise für die Relevanz und die Kontextualisierung zu demonstrieren. Dann sind einige wichtige Konzepte, das Thema zu begrenzen, gefolgt von einer Beschreibung des Verhaltens und der touristischen Erwartungen der Verbraucher. Der zweite Teil stellt die verschiedenen Mittel, die internationalen Schutz der touristischen Verbraucher, mit den internationalen Organisationen beginnen, durch regionale Blöcke und mit den nationalen Entwicklungen abzuschließen. Im dritten Teil ist es der Global Governance zu Gunsten der internationalen Verbraucherschutz. Es beginnt mit der lokalen Verwaltung und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit; dann regionale Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit gearbeitet, mit Global Governance und internationale rechtliche Zusammenarbeit abzuschließen. Abschließend forderte der Vorschlag für den Verbraucher in den internationalen Fällen, in der Aktualisierung des Verbraucherschutzgesetz günstigere Regelung einzufügen; auf regionaler Ebene gibt es eine Nachfrage nach Verbesserung und Strukturierung des Schutzes der Verbraucher internationalen Tourismus; Schließlich ist es die Notwendigkeit eines internationalen touristischen Verbraucherschutz mehr diffus durch eine Konvention der Haager Konferenz für Internationales Privatrecht - HCCH. / Proteção internacional do consumidor turista. Primeiramente, são apresentados elementos para demonstrar a relevância e a contextualização do tema. Em seguida, são apresentados alguns conceitos importantes para delimitar o tema, seguido de uma descrição sobre o comportamento e as expectativas do consumidor turista. Na segunda parte, são apresentados os diferentes meios de tutela internacional do consumidor turista, começando pelas organizações internacional, passando pelos blocos regionais e concluindo com os desenvolvimentos nacionais. Na terceira parte, trata-se da governança global em prol da proteção internacional do consumidor. Começase pela governança local e a cooperação jurídica internacional; em seguida, é trabalhada a governança regional e a cooperação jurídica internacional, concluindo com a governança global e a cooperação jurídica internacional. Como conclusão, defende-se a inserção de proposta da regra mais favorável ao consumidor em casos internacionais na atualização do Código de Defesa do Consumidor; no âmbito regional, há uma demanda por aprimoramento e estruturação da tutela do consumidor turista internacional; Por fim, conclui-se da necessidade de uma proteção do consumidor turista internacional de forma mais difusa, por meio de uma convenção da Conferência de Haia sobre o Direito Internacional Privado - HCCH. / International protection of the tourist consumer. At first, elements are presented to demonstrate the relevance and contextualization of the issue. Then, there are some important concepts to delimit the theme, followed by a description about the behavior and expectations of the tourist consumer. In the second part, the different means of international protection of the tourist consumer are presented, beginning with the international organizations, going through the regional blocks and concluding with the national developments. The third part deals with global governance for international consumer protection. It starts with local governance and international legal cooperation; Then regional governance and international legal cooperation are worked out, concluding with global governance and international legal cooperation. As a conclusion, we advocate the insertion of a proposal of the most consumer most favorable rule in international cases in updating the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code; At the regional level, there is a demand for improvement and structuring of the protection of the international tourist consumer; Finally, it concludes from the need for broader international protection of the tourist consumer, through a Hague Conference on Private International Law convention.