V - Expanding smart electricity grids
This includes not only the solar panels, wind turbines and hydro generators used to generate therenewable energy, but also the smart grids for transferring it from source to socket. The European Commission’s Action Plan on the digitisation of the energy sector lays the foundation for creating an integrated energy system, one that can support the growing interconnectedness of the market and enable digital and energy value chains to work more closely together.
New technologies and integrated infrastructure
Building on this foundation are projects such as ACON, which is working to integrate electricity markets in Czechia and Slovakia. To do so, the project is developing a smart grid system based on such emerging technologies as intelligent load management and remote controls. This technology, used in combination with integrated infrastructure, will allow the two countries to begin introducing renewables into their energy mix. Similarly, the Danube InGrid project is building an integrated, modern energy infrastructure in Slovakia and Hungary. As it works to modernise the existing grid, the project is adding such smart elements as on-load tap charges, smart metres and new fibre optics. Not only will these updates allow the grid to use large amounts of renewable energy, but they will also enable more efficient network management and control.
Bridging the gap between supply and demand
To function properly, electric grids must maintain a close balance between supply and demand. Doing so with renewables can be challenging due to natural fluctuations in sunshine and wind. Smart grids must include an energy storage component to accommodate these fluctuations, something that existing grids simply don’t have. Projects such as EVVE are using vehicle-to-grid technology to turn an idle electric vehicle into a virtual power plant. With plans to install nearly 800 bidirectional charging stations across Europe, the project expects to be able to feed 8.36 megawatts of energy into the grid during periods of peak consumption, helping ensure that gaps between supply and demand are filled with renewable energy and not energy produced using fossil fuels. Through integration, innovation and technological prowess, each of these projects is helping to put the ‘smart’ into the grids of the future.