## 8 Validation in a Testing Environment  
To study the integration of this solution in a real-world environment, a prototype was first developed in a laboratory in order to test the main functionalities of a household energy system, as shown in Figure 28.  
The developed prototype has been configured to replicate the behavior of real systems, providing a comprehensive and adaptable testing environment. One key element of the prototype is a 3 kW power supply that simulates the operation of solar panels by converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). This power supply acts as a controllable generator, capable of reproducing variations in photovoltaic energy production under different conditions, such as changes in solar radiation or generation capacity throughout the day. The system also includes an inverter and an electric battery. Meanwhile, the electric battery enables energy storage, allowing excess energy to be stored for use during periods when demand exceeds generation. Together, these components facilitate the evaluation of charge and discharge cycles, system efficiency, and the integration of renewable energy with storage systems. In addition, an aerothermal system has been used as an HVAC system. The prototype incorporates two water tanks designed to simulate different aspects of thermal energy management. The first tank is a dual-chamber unit configured to replicate the operation of an aerothermal heat pump, heating water on demand. This tank dynamically simulates how an aerothermal system responds to a household's heating requirements. The second tank is a large storage tank that simulates the thermal loads of a household, encompassing both heating and cooling demands. This tank acts as a thermal sink, enabling the evaluation of energy transfer, thermal inertia, and system behavior under various simulated household conditions. Thermal loads are simulated by introducing heat into the large tank to mimic heating consumption or by extracting heat to replicate cooling demands. Figure 28: Prototype for laboratory tests. The prototype is closely aligned with the final marketable solution and plays a critical role in validating its core components and functionality. The marketable solution consists of two primary elements: an in-home hardware device and a cloud-based component. The hardware device acts as a controller for various devices, such as the PV inverter and the aerothermal system, while also collecting key data, such as home temperature, battery SOC, and PV power production. The cloud-based component complements this by storing the data in a database, running computational models, and sending commands back to the hardware device to optimize performance. This prototype laid the groundwork for testing these concepts. These tests ensured that the hardware device could successfully monitor system states and that commands from the cloud could be accurately executed by actuators, even when these actuators were commercial devices not originally designed for this solution. The prototype also served as a testbed for refining the installation process. This involved ensuring that the system could be easily set up by customers without requiring extensive technical expertise. By simulating household thermal and electrical loads, the prototype allowed for the verification of key functionalities, such as the seamless integration of the PV inverter, electric battery, and aerothermal system. Although the prototype could not replicate the exact behavior of a TES system, it successfully tested the broader capabilities of energy storage and thermal management in a household context. TES systems in real homes are vital for storing surplus thermal energy generated during peak production and providing it later for heating or hot water. This aspect, while not fully implemented in the prototype, was acknowledged as a critical next step for real-world applications.