update main copy on FlexMeasures' utility (#192)

* update Readme, index.rst and package description

* react to review comments

Readme.md

@@ -5,20 +5,21 @@
 [![Code style: black](https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20style-black-000000.svg)](https://github.com/psf/black)
 [![Documentation Status](https://readthedocs.org/projects/flexmeasures/badge/?version=latest)](https://flexmeasures.readthedocs.io/en/latest/?badge=latest)
 
-The *FlexMeasures Platform* is a tool for scheduling flexible actions for energy assets.
-For this purpose, it performs monitoring, forecasting and scheduling services.
+The *FlexMeasures Platform* is a tool for building real-time energy flexibility services, rapidly and scalable. 
+
+- Developing energy flexibility services (e.g. to enable demand response) is crucial, but expensive.
+- FlexMeasures reduces development costs with real-time data integrations, uncertainty models and API/UI support.
 
 ![Separation of concerns ― FlexMeasures enhancing Energy Service Company services](https://seita.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SeparationOfConcerns.png)
 
 
-Its role is to enhance energy services. Forecasts and schedules are made available via API (designed with [the USEF framework](https://usef.energy) in mind).
+The role of FlexMeasures is to enhance the services of energy service companies (ESCOs) towards energy flexibility. For instance, forecasts and schedules are made available via API (designed with [the USEF framework](https://usef.energy) in mind). Uncertainty about ongoing events is modelled accurately and for a decentralised eco-system with the [timely-beliefs framework](https://github.com/SeitaBV/timely-beliefs).
 
 ![Integration view of the FlexMeasures platform architecture](https://seita.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FlexMeasures-HighLevel.png)
 
-FlexMeasures is developed by [Seita BV](https://www.seita.nl) in The Netherlands, in cooperation with [A1 Engineering](http://aoneeng.com), Korea.
-
-We made FlexMeasures freely available under the Apache2.0 licence. Please get in contact if you use FlexMeasures or are considering it. More information on [FlexMeasures.io](https://flexmeasures.io).
+FlexMeasures is developed by [Seita BV](https://www.seita.nl) in The Netherlands.
 
+We made FlexMeasures freely available under the Apache2.0 licence. Please get in contact if you use FlexMeasures or are considering it.
 
-Head over to our documentation on [getting started](https://flexmeasures.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting-started.html)!
+Head over to our [documentation](https://flexmeasures.readthedocs.io), e.g. the [getting started guide](https://flexmeasures.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting-started.html). Or find more information on [FlexMeasures.io](https://flexmeasures.io).
 

documentation/index.rst

@@ -6,12 +6,40 @@ Planning ahead allows flexible assets to serve the whole system with their flexi
 e.g. by shifting or curtailing energy use.
 This can also be profitable for their owners.
 
-The FlexMeasures Platform is a tool for scheduling flexibility activations for energy assets.
-For this purpose, it performs three services:
+The *FlexMeasures Platform* is a tool for building real-time energy flexibility services, rapidly and scalable.
+
+- Developing energy flexibility services (e.g. to enable demand response) is crucial, but expensive.
+- FlexMeasures reduces development costs with real-time data integrations, uncertainty models and API/UI support.
+
+Let's take a closer look at the three core values:
+
+
+Real-time data updates & advice
+----------------------------
+
+Energy flexibility services need to interact multiple times per day or hour. We equipped FlexMeasures with:
+
+- Support for real-time updates
+- Forecasting for the upcoming hours
+- Schedule optimization
+
+
+Uncertainty models
+-----------------------
+
+Dealing with uncertain forecasts and outcomes is crucial.
+
+FlexMeasures is therefore built on the `timely-beliefs framework <https://github.com/SeitaBV/timely-beliefs>`_, so we model this real-world aspect accurately.
+
+
+Service building
+-----------------------
+Building customer-facing services is where developers make impact. We make their work easy.
+
+- Well-documented API
+- Plugin support
+- Plotting support
 
-* Monitoring of incoming measurements
-* Forecasting of expected measurements
-* Scheduling flexibility activations with custom optimisation
 
 For more on FlexMeasures services, read :ref:`services`. Or head right over to :ref:`getting_started`.
 

setup.py

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def load_requirements(use_case):
 
 setup(
     name="flexmeasures",
-    description="FlexMeasures - A free platform to build services for real-time optimization of flexible energy.",
+    description="The *FlexMeasures Platform* - a tool for building real-time energy flexibility services, rapidly and scalable.",
     author="Seita BV",
     author_email="nicolas@seita.nl",
     url="https://github.com/seitabv/flexmeasures",
@@ -41,11 +41,22 @@ def load_requirements(use_case):
         "Operating System :: OS Independent",
     ],
     long_description="""\
-The *FlexMeasures Platform* is a tool for scheduling flexible actions for energy assets.
-For this purpose, it performs monitoring, forecasting and scheduling services.
+The *FlexMeasures Platform* is a tool for building real-time energy flexibility services, rapidly and scalable.
 
-FlexMeasures is fully usable via APIs, which are inspired by the Universal Smart Energy Framework (USEF).
-Some algorithms are included, but projects will usually write their own (WIP).
+In a world with renewable energy, flexibility is crucial and valuable.
+Planning ahead allows flexible assets to serve the whole system with their flexibility,
+e.g. by shifting or curtailing energy use. This can also be profitable for their owners.
+
+- Developing energy flexibility services (e.g. to enable demand response) is crucial, but expensive.
+- To enable rapid creation of scalable services, we offer the FlexMeasures platform. For free.
+- FlexMeasures reduces development costs with real-time data integrations, uncertainty models and API/UI support.
+
+For this purpose, it delivers three core values:
+
+
+ * Real-time updates & advice ― Support for real-time updates, forecasting for the upcoming hours & schedule optimization.
+ * Uncertainty models ― Dealing with uncertain forecasts and outcomes is crucial. FlexMeasures is built on [timely-beliefs](https://github.com/SeitaBV/timely-beliefs), so we model this real-world aspect accurately.
+ * Service building ― Building customer-facing services is where developers make impact. We make their work easy with a well-documented API (inspired by the Universal Smart Energy Framework - USEF), plugin support & plotting support.
 
 Energy Flexibility is one of the key ingredients to reducing CO2. FlexMeasures is meant
 to facilitate the transition to a carbon-free energy system. By open-sourcing FlexMeasures,