Smart Grids IT

Modern electricity systems can - by means of coordination - be run more efficiently and safe. The "Smart Grids IT" project investigates the limits and possibilities of information technology (IT) to optimize and coordinate our electricity system, which is currently experiencing decreasing capacities, increasing demand and a growing distributed generation. Until now, optimization was a question of coordinating a relatively small number of power plants and automation reached at most down to the transformer substations. The increasing number of renewable and distributed energy sources enforces a change in thinking and technology. Two new concepts, addressing these topics, are "microgrids" and automated, fine-grained demand side management (DSM). Both give partial answers to the problems that our energy system will soon face. The "Smart Grids IT" project shall combine these two approaches, enabling synergies and flexibility. Microgrids define (semi- )autonomous energy islands that are equipped with local generation. Neighboring microgrids are only contacted in case of an emergency, e. g. peak load too high for the local energy sources. Automated demand side management on the other hand equips consumers with a remote interface, in the case of fine grained DSM down to individual devices, in order to gain influence on the consumption behavior. The Demand Response Research Center (DRRC) of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), CA, is the leading research center for such modern energy systems. The individual project teams investigate all aspects ranging from economic questions up to technological research and development. Especially information technology, and how it can support modern energy systems, is the area of several projects and researchers. The goal of the "Smart Grids IT" project is to investigate the technology and algorithms of an IT infrastructure, capable of coordinating microgrids and DSM. Open issues are the topology, its components, scalability, protocols, IT-security, standards and the costs of such a system. Experiences in SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), field area networks and embedded systems should contribute to the design process as well as economical requirements. The technological and organizational limits of such systems are of special importance. The topic "smart grids" deals with a (understandably) conservative energy technology that now faces unexpectedly fast innovation cycles, open markets and changing structures. New ideas must seamlessly and securely integrate into existing structures. A reliable IT infrastructure is the integrating factor for virtually all innovations in the area of energy systems. The research is to be done in a project oriented manner, with tried and tested methods and processes. The stay at the LBL DRRC allows for integrating resources (installations, pilot projects, persons) that can only be found there. The results shall be introduced into the Austrian research and development community and lead to industrial realization.