Grid Innovation
In most developed countries the power grid is over 50 years old, and is built around a design of centralized power plants delivering transmitting electricity long distances to communities of end users. As we transition to a renewable energy based grid the mode is changing, to a more distributed and ultimately resilient possibility. This builds in participation from the consumers who might have solar panels on their house and be selling energy back to the grid. It also builds in resilience to the system, with multiple cells of power supply that can help significantly reduce outages.
The development of smart grids, where real-time monitoring coupled with advanced flow management can improve efficiency, reduce loss and enhance reliability, is only possible to implement as we overhaul the outdated infrastructure.
Researchers in RASEI are working on a range of areas in grid innovation. Advanced computational simulation of different scenarios of intermittent energy generation, integrated energy storage and smart grids that can effectively manage flows, allow teams to better understand the needs and guide future smart grid design. Researchers are exploring solutions for how best to integrate renewable energy sources into the existing grid, and using the lessons from those investigations to inform the design of a modern power grid built around renewable energy that will be more efficient, affordable, safe, and resilient.