Sustainable Power Grids with High Penetration of Distributed Energy Resources

零边际成本的可再生能源的大规模整合，通过电力电子设备与电网相连，迫使我们重新思考如何保护、控制和优化电力系统。它们的低可控性促使人们设想基于存储设备和需求响应的解决方案，以平衡系统，将电网作为转向100%可再生经济的关键政策工具。它确实会增加可再生能源发电的托管能力，同时通过促进微电网和客户拥有的分布式能源（DER），实现分散的电力交易，提高服务质量和客户满意度。在分配和传输两个层面上，研究处理和开发分布式电源潜力的方法和途径，以最大限度地提高可变资源的电网托管能力，是最重要的。在利用输配电网络的双边互动，从客户端资源提供电网服务的同时，了解具有高渗透率的有源配电系统的开发和运行也很重要。在此背景下，研究结果将涉及塑造现代电网功能的关键创新领域：(a)分散的智能电网，无论规模大小，它们相互补充，以实现新的可变发电管理方案。(b)分散的交易能源平台，赋予消费者权力，使他们成为配备创新技术的积极参与者，以增加基于平价的能源供应。(c)提高电力系统灵活性以管理不确定性的新操作程序，以及减少因电网堵塞而导致的风能/太阳能削减的电网操作新方法。具体的研究目标包括：1)激活网格边缘，为新的商业模式赋予消费者点对点和交互控制和市场；2)确保电网运营商在电力电子主导的系统中稳定可靠地使用客户端DER，该系统具有无处不在的并网转换器和分层控制；3)在存在不确定性的情况下，利用数据驱动和人工智能支持的自动操作，同时管理电网的技术和经济性能。该计划将在三个大学周期内大力培养高素质人才，让本科、硕士和博士阶段的学生参与三个主要研究轨道核心的先进DER技术的设计和实施。此外，这些学生将在毕业后通过IREQ、MITACS或联盟资助的实习和高薪工作，将知识和技术转移到行业。在这个重大项目背景下开发的技术向工业的转移确实是学生研究计划和培训理念的一个非常重要的组成部分。

The massive integration of renewable energy sources with zero marginal costs, connected through power electronics to the grid, imposes us to rethink how to protect, control and optimize power systems. Their low controllability pushes to envision solutions based on storage devices and demand responses to balance the system, setting the electric grid as key policy tool to switching to 100% renewable economy. It will indeed increase the hosting capacity of renewable generation while enabling decentralized electricity trading, with higher quality of service and satisfaction for customers, by facilitating microgrids and customer owned Distributed Energy Resources (DER). It is of prime interest to investigate methods and approaches to deal with and exploit the potential of DER, at both distribution and transmission levels to maximize grid-hosting capability of variable resources. It is also important to understand the development and operation of active distribution systems with high penetration of DERs, while exploiting bilateral interactions of transmission-distribution networks to provide grid services from client-side resources. In this context, the research findings will touch on key innovation areas that are shaping the functionality of modern electricity grid: (a) Decentralized smart grids, both large and small scale that complement each other to enable new variable-generation management schemes. (b) Decentralized transactive energy platforms that empower consumers, turning them into active participants equipped with innovative technologies for increasing DER-based energy supply. (c) New operation procedures that enhance electricity system flexibility to manage uncertainties and new ways to operate the grid that reduce wind/solar curtailment due to grid congestion. The specific research objectives include: 1) activate the grid edge for new business models empowering the consumer with peer-to-peer and transactive controls and markets; 2) ensure stable and reliable use of customer side DER by the grid operator in power electronics-dominated systems with ubiquitous grid-forming converters and hierarchical controls; and 3) manage simultaneously power grid technical and economical performance in the presence of uncertainties, using data-driven and AI-enabled automatic operations. The program will engage strongly in the training of highly qualified personnel at the three university cycles by involving students at the bachelor's, master's and PhD levels in the design and implementation of advanced DER technologies at the core of the three main research tracks. In addition, these students will carry out the transfer of knowledge and technology to the industry through internships with IREQ, MITACS or Alliance funding and high-paying jobs after graduation. The transfer to industry of technologies developed in the context of this major project is indeed a very important part of the students' research program and training philosophy.