Getting smart with electricity networks – Information Centre – Research & Innovation

Europe is looking to enhance its use of renewable energy sources as a way of decreasing emissions and to deal with international warming. Even so, integrating the likes of photo voltaic and wind ability into electricity grids stays a obstacle due to fluctuations in supply and constrained storage capability. This is an difficulty for ability method operators who have to have to preserve stability of electricity provides to households and business.

Intelligent grids could provide an reply. They embrace a selection of technologies, programs and infrastructures that can support take care of ability distribution techniques more effectively and intelligently. Although much of the investigation in this region has targeted on particular features of smart grids, the EU-funded ERIGRID venture took a more holistic strategy, drawing collectively the work of scientists from across Europe.

‘Our venture supports the technological enhancement and roll-out of smart grid methods, solutions and ideas in Europe by addressing method validation for smart grids,’ suggests venture coordinator Thomas Strasser from the AIT Austrian Institute of Engineering. ‘We are developing prevalent techniques, ideas and methods by bringing collectively 18 European investigation centres and establishments with excellent investigation infrastructures.’

Genuine-time simulations

ERIGRID’s Trans-nationwide Activity (TA) programme supplied exterior teams cost-free entry to some of Europe’s best facilities. By venture near in April 2020, all around 70 teams of engineers and scientists had taken advantage of the programme. They worked on a selection of subjects relating to smart grids and energy distribution networks, which includes ICT, automation technologies, ability regulate hardware and manufacturing of new factors. The TA-backed tasks were also able to test solutions by serious-time simulations.

Throughout 6 phone calls for proposals, the TA delivered final results that will support to develop intelligent energy networks. For instance, the ECOSMIC venture drew up an financial evaluation framework for micro-grids. The findings offered a pathway for the efficient use of decentralised ability technology for urban residential electricity networks.

In the meantime, the LCA venture produced a technological solution that could lessen the ability industry’s reliance on an environmentally destructive synthetic fuel. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is widely employed to prevent quick circuits but is regarded as to be the most strong of all greenhouse gases. LCA’s solution merged modern sensor technologies and dry air to insulate circuits rather of employing SF6.

Open up entry applications

To complement the TA programme, ERIGRID worked to provide scientists and engineers with new understanding and applications in this relatively younger topic region. ‘We are supplying coaching and educational materials that address a total selection of issues and meet up with important requirements in the domain of ability and energy techniques,’ suggests Strasser. ‘And we are elevating consciousness of the have to have to validate smart grids by a wide collaboration with stakeholders.’

The venture ran normal webinars, workshops and seasonal faculties to share skills and best apply on subjects these as ability technology choices for smart cities and constructing trusted and protected digitalised energy techniques. Numerous open up entry and open up supply applications were also produced, which are now readily available by the ERIGRID web site.

The provision of entry to excellent smart grid and smart energy techniques investigation infrastructures will keep on in the ERIGrid 2. venture around the upcoming 4 yrs.