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US and Europe Launch Global Power System Transformation Consortium

May 01, 2021 by Alessandro Mascellino

The United States and European governments have established a new Consortium named Global Power System Transformation (G-PST).

Led by CEOs of five of the world’s leading system operators, the G-PST Consortium will focus on driving the world transition to clean energy throughout the next decade.

 

Image used courtesy of G-PST Consortium
Image used courtesy of G-PST Consortium

 

Driven by Technical Excellency

The G-PST Consortium draws its expertise from its high technical leadership. 

In fact, the organization is led by the CEOs of Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO), National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) UK, and California Independent System Operator (CAISO), 

Ireland’s system operator (EirGrid) and Denmark’s system operator (Energinet) are also part of the leadership group.

In addition, the core technical team counts several institutions known for their research and development efforts in sustainable solutions, spearheaded by the Energy Systems Integration Group, Imperial College London.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Integrated Energy Systems are also parts of it, together with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Latin American Energy Organization.

Additional research partners include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Electric Power Research Institute, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, the Technical University of Denmark, and ASEAN Centre for Energy.

Moreover, the G-PST Consortium will also receive the support of a number of system operators from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

Among the confirmed ones in this category is Perusahaan Listrik Negara, Indonesia's system operator.

 

Toward a Global Power System Transformation 

According to a press release published when the project was first announced last year, the goal of the G-PST Consortium is to reach 50% emission reductions over the next ten years.

“While each country will take a different path to 100% clean energy, we’ll all face similar obstacles along the way—which means there’s great value in collaboration,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, commenting on the news.

Before the online event last week, the Consortium published the inaugural global research agenda.

The document defines key research areas the group will have to focus on to bring the highest levels of clean and renewable energy to the grid as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The document includes 59 research questions meant to stimulate industry research and public-private sector collaboration to create a safer, cheaper, and more resilient global energy system.

“This research agenda focuses on bulk power system issues that must be addressed in the next decade,” explained NREL Director Martin Keller, “including inverter design, stability tools and methods, control rooms of the future, planning, restoration, and black start, and technical services for supply-demand balance.”

For more information about the G-PST Consortium and its future plans, you can watch the event launch webinar at this link here.