Page 38 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2019 publication

38 Summer 2019 European Energy Innovation

COMMUNICATION

Making the grid smarter

Worldwide we have a problem:
global warming and climate change.
In this regard, the European Union
(EU) has decided to raise its target of
energy consumption from renewable
energy sources (RES) to 32% by 2030.
By 2050, the EU aims to reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by
at least 80% compared to 1990 levels.
In this process, the power grid has
been part of the problem but it is
also part of the solution.

In the last few years, the appearance
of renewable energy sources,
distributed generation, and the
advances in power electronics, and
sensing and communications has led
to a change on the energy paradigm
(redefining the electrical networks),
changing the way we understand it.

The advent of the Smart Grid is to propose innovative solutions for • To create a multi-sectoral space
a reality, making it the future of the challenging work of controlling where industry and academia can
electrical power infrastructures. and designing the future electrical interact to find new and better
With this, an important number of networks. Another goal is to create control solutions for the future
agents (sources, storage devices a multidisciplinary research space electrical networks.
and consumers) will have intelligent with a complete view of the smart
interfaces allowing the regulation of grid control sector where talented • To develop high-quality tools
the injection and extraction of power young researchers can be trained and methodologies for the
into the grid. This context will create through research. In other words, control, power management and
multiple alternatives to increase the INCITE aims to cover the existing monitoring for smart grids.
efficiency in electricity generation gap between theory and smart grid
and consumption, to reduce energy real world applications, in order to INCITE, Innovative controls for
costs and to provide a more reliable ensure the proper understanding renewable source integration into
operation of electrical grids. However, of the novel problems arising due smart energy systems, brings
it also poses new challenges into to the implementation of such new together a group of 14 PhDs and is
power distribution due to weather technologies as well as to provide funded by the European Union’s
variability, load uncertainty and with tools that cope with such new Horizon 2020 research and innovation
system coordination. A stable, reliable requirements. programme under Marie Sklodowska-
and secure operation of these future Curie grant agreement 675318.
networks will be only possible with Some of the key objectives of the
suitable control algorithms. research plan of INCITE are: INCITE, making the grid smarter. l

All these problems are currently • To provide the Early Stage Contact details:
addressed by INCITE by developing Researchers (ESRs) at the heart of Dr. Jose Luis Dominguez Garcia
solutions and control strategies for the project with deep knowledge INCITE Coordinator
the electricity grid of tomorrow. in control, optimisation, power Head of the Power Systems Group
electronics and power systems IREC
The general objective of the research with a complete view of the real Email: jldominguez@irec.cat
programme of INCITE, an H2020 necessities of the main actors in www.irec.cat
MSCA Innovative Training Network, is the smart-grid sector.

www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu