The objective is to develop a new communications and computation architecture that overlays the electric power grid to enable the real time control needed for reliable and economic operation. The increasing frequency of measurements and the resulting volume of real time data are being constrained by the communications-computation infrastructure that was originally designed in the 60s. The new architecture should be able to take advantage of the higher communications and computation speeds but also be flexible to accommodate more sophisticated wide area controls and network analysis tools.
The intellectual merit is in the interdisciplinary marriage of the evolving communications and database technologies with the new power grid controls and operational tools needed for the reliability and efficiency of the electric supply. These smart grid requirements are a challenge to the traditional methods of development of visualization, monitoring and control of the grid. The resulting architecture must be flexible enough to be useful for several decades of evolving technologies.
The broader impacts of this research pertain to the implementation of the 21st century electric grid that enables the incorporation of renewable energy sources while minimizing environmental impacts. This has to be done while increasing the reliability, security and the efficiency of electric supply so that the economic growth needed for society is not impeded. The results of this research can be incorporated into existing courses and the simulations can be used for grid demonstrations in the recruitment of new students.
