## 7 Results and Discussion
### Winter
In contrast, without a planner, energy consumption remains constant yet frequent, with instances of usage even during high-cost periods. This lack of optimization leads to inefficient and more expensive energy use. By shifting consumption to the most cost-effective periods, the planner reduces overall energy costs, ensures sustainable energy management, and achieves a substantial reduction in the final electricity bill. Figure 14 illustrates the state of charge (SOC) of the system, with and without using the planner. Without the planner, the electric battery only works by storing the excess energy produced by the PV system during periods of surplus generation. When the solar panels generate more electricity than the home requires, the excess energy is used to charge the battery instead of being sent back to the grid. Once the battery is fully charged, it remains on standby, ready to supply power when needed. As soon as the installation starts consuming energy from the grid, the battery automatically discharges to meet this demand, reducing grid reliance. In contrast, when using a planner, the thermal storage is efficiently managed, displaying clear charging and discharging cycles. This indicates that energy is stored during periods when it is cheaper or more convenient and discharged later when needed. Without the planner, the SOC remains largely low or empty, highlighting that the storage systems are not effectively utilized, leading to a direct reliance on instantaneous energy consumption from the grid. Finally, Figure 15 shows the cost of energy, comparing the results of the optimizer without and with indoor temperature control using the TES concept. Figure 5:3 SOC of the system with and without using the planner for a winter week. Figure 5:4 Comparison of electric consumption with and without planner for a winter week. Figure 15 shows the cumulative cost over time and the impact on total cost. With the planner, the cost increases at a slower rate, indicating the savings achieved by strategically charging and using the TES. This optimization allows the system to avoid using power during expensive periods. In contrast, without the planner, costs accumulate more quickly, reflecting the inefficiencies of using energy immediately without leveraging storage capabilities. The jumps observed in Figure 15 are due to the system where the scheduler strategically concentrates energy consumption during certain periods when electricity prices are at their lowest. These discrete increases in cost correspond to the planner's decision to charge the battery and TES during optimal pricing windows. By doing so, the planner avoids consuming electricity during high-cost periods, resulting in cost savings and fewer incremental increases in the overall cost. In contrast, the system without a planner incurs more frequent and gradual increases in cost, as it directly consumes energy on demand without optimizing for lower-priced periods. In summary, these results show that the TES acts as an energy reservoir that allows systems to store thermal energy when electricity is cheap or plentiful and use it later when energy demand or costs are higher. The planner optimizes this process by determining the ideal times to charge and discharge the storage, thereby minimizing costs and improving energy efficiency. Without the planner, the system fails to take advantage of thermal storage, resulting in higher costs and more inefficient energy use.