Ensuring Reliable Communication in Smart Grids

VIENNA, November 27, 2019 (Newswire.com) -  Austrian energy tech company cyberGRID plays an important role in the optimization of distribution grid operation, as demonstrated in project InteGrid.

Smart metering is a crucial feature in modern power networks. It allows flexibility providers to keep track of energy utilisation through data collection. A growing number of energy players are seeking this service because, with smart metering, usage rates can be analysed: valuable information which can be monetized on energy markets. Thanks to InteGrid, a project supported by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, DSOs can now assume a new role as enablers of cutting-edge energy services, increasing the reliability, efficiency and hosting capacity of distribution grids.

These services include the grid market hub, an IT-platform where several technical/non-technical tools can be provided, such as energy services to be offered to end users and generation or flexibility services offered to network operators. The grid market hub as a central point of information can tackle challenges concerning secure and reliable information by providing smart metering data to qualified receivers in a short time. In addition, the grid market hub also allows businesses to offer forecasting load services and provide these to partners or to the TSO. Here, cyberGRID’s ICT-solution serves as an interface between the flexibility provider and the DSO to easily exchange power.

Another highly valuable tool developed and demonstrated in InteGrid is the traffic light system for DSOs to manage the integration of flexibilities for ancillary service markets. Distribution system operators (DSOs) will introduce temporal limitations on market activities in stressed grid sections, dynamically adapting to the current and forecast load on the network elements. 

“Increased feed-in from renewable energy sources necessitates an interconnected planning of the grid with smart technologies. cyberGRID’s IT-platform serves as an interface to seamlessly exchange active power between the flexibility provider and the DSO,” Christoph Gutschi, cyberGRID’s Senior Project Manager clarifies.

Practical innovation has been created with regards to the management of flexibilities from wastewater treatment plants. A tool has been developed and tested in the framework of InteGrid to help the internal energy optimization to reduce energy costs of the facilities. Furthermore, a method to integrate wastewater treatment plants into Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) was developed. Project demonstrators were successfully installed, and real data was gathered from the field, all of which confirm the usefulness of this project’s innovation. This is interesting from a replicability perspective, as thousands of wastewater treatment plants can provide flexibilities. Their integration into VPPs, thus, represent a cost-friendly source of flexibility.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and Innovation Programme under the grant agreement no. 731218.

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For further information, please contact Christoph Gutschi, Senior Project Manager at cyberGRID: cg@cyber-grid.com 

Source: cyberGRID GmbH & Co KG