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Smart Grid 2.0: The Energy Internet at Darnell’s Energy Summit

September 25, 2014 by Power Pulse1595211359

The energy internet was the focus of a talk during the afternoon plenary session at the 2014 Darnell Energy Summit (DES '14) by Dr. Alex Q. Huang, Progress Energy Distinguished Professor with the FREEDM Systems Center at NC State University. After presenting an overview of the concept of the "energy internet" as it related to today's utilities and the emerging smart grid, Dr. Huang focused his discussion on key enabling technologies for energy internet including the power delivery system, software platforms and the required market framework.

“In the envisioned Energy Internet, a cluster of distributed generators (DGs), distributed energy storage devices (DESDs), and/or dispatchable loads is considered as an Energy Cell. This scalable Energy Cell can be as large as a town or as small as a house. The existing electricity market is not suitable for the plug-and-play of a large number of heterogeneous Energy Cells,” Dr. Huang observed in his opening remarks.

“The role of utility grid is different than that in a legacy electricity market. In such a deregulated electricity market, the utility no longer owns power plants exclusively nor do they profit by only selling energy,” Dr. Huang continued. “In comparison with the topology of the bulk power system, which is relatively static, a residential distribution system with a number of heterogeneous Energy Cells can be a highly dynamic and complex system. The utilities will be playing a more important role in ensuring the residential distribution system security and reliability. In addition to electricity transaction, utilities are expected to make more profit on providing ancillary services (e.g., scheduling and dispatch; reactive power and voltage control; loss compensation; load following; system protection; and energy imbalance),” stated Dr. Huang.

There are three key elements in the energy internet described during this talk: First, a resilient and plug-and-play capable grid is a prerequisite for realizing energy internet. Power electronics plays a key role in achieving this goal. Second, distributed and secure software platform to support large and distributed data monitoring and application. And third, the business model of the energy internet will be more and more like an Energy eBay. An example of using game theory to clear every Energy Cell’s bidding was shown. Each of these areas was discussed in detail.

In his closing comments, Dr. Huang described the progress being made by GridBridge, Inc., a spin-out from the FREEDM Systems Center, that is developing a grid energy “router” platform. The GridBridge solution is to insert a rich set of features at the distribution transformer, downstream of the substation. The features are made possible by innovative power electronics based devices having both proprietary local software and communications capabilities.

GridBridge is actively working with electric utility partners to turn years of research into reliable solutions that help manage the demands of a 21st century energy grid. Combining advanced electronics with innovative software and housed in durable enclosures, GridBridge’s products give utilities both versatility and dependability. The company’s Grid Energy Router™ products will support grid modernization by empowering utilities to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously: integrate regulator-mandated renewable generation; significantly increase distribution efficiency; optimize distribution electricity flow; as well as, increase overall grid reliability and resilience.