The field of energy management and simulation is moving towards more interactive and intuitive approaches, enabling real-time exploration and decision-making. Researchers are developing innovative simulation platforms that integrate human-in-the-loop capabilities, allowing users to override default control settings and observe the immediate impact of their actions. This shift towards more interactive simulations is expected to support more informed decision-making in the practical adoption of demand-side flexibility. Noteworthy papers in this area include:

• A study that presents a human-in-the-loop simulation platform for exploring HVAC demand flexibility, offering a more intuitive means of engaging with grid-interactive building operations.
• A paper that introduces a scalable simulator for developing and benchmarking energy management systems, capable of modeling any number of houses with unique distributed energy resource configurations.
• A research work that develops an integrated learning and optimization methodology to control load demand and wind generation, minimizing ramping costs in real-time electricity markets.