PFI: Role of the Smart Grid in Alleviating Electrical Power System Stress Conditions Through Demand Response

这个创新伙伴关系项目是基于弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学（又名弗吉尼亚理工大学）、三家小企业和一家公用事业合作伙伴的合作。拟议的合作伙伴关系侧重于智能电网传感和控制硬件和软件的设计和评估，使需求响应程序能够为客户提供各级有效使用电力的选择。这种能力将通过开发一个平台来建立，该平台由优化控制算法和基于电力公用事业要求和客户偏好的产品概念设计组成。硬件设计包括智能电源管理系统和用于240伏终端设备的无线传感器控制设备，这是实现高效灵活的电力需求控制程序所必需的。这项研究的智力价值在于设计了先进的控制和传感技术和算法，这些技术和算法可以作为公用事业公司和客户之间的接口，在为客户提供选择的同时，实现具有成本效益的需求响应计划。本研究的更广泛影响是：(1)由于新的α -原型产品的创新设计，可能导致未来的电力节能产品，从而潜在地增强当地经济；(2)通过为合作伙伴公司和其他公司开发新的业务线，为当地创造就业机会；最重要的是，(3)通过以最佳方式协调供需，使电网更有效地运行，从而在国家层面上切实改善经济。拟议中的平台将允许电力公司更有效地运营其资产，同时允许其客户在不影响其生活方式或生活方式的情况下管理其电力消耗。此外，该项目还得到了弗吉尼亚州两个公共部门组织的大力支持：阿灵顿县政府和高级研究与工程中心（CAER）。阿灵顿县正在制定一项社区能源计划，该计划预计将推荐广泛使用节能设备和智能电网技术，以优化家庭和企业的电力使用，从而减少该县的碳足迹。这项研究的结果补充了当地的需求。项目开始时的合作伙伴都是知识增强伙伴关系（KEP）单位的一部分，包括弗吉尼亚理工大学（弗吉尼亚理工大学高级研究所（VT-ARI））；三家小型企业：先进制造技术公司（AMTI）（弗吉尼亚州林奇堡）；EIT, LLC (Sterling， VA)；创新无线技术（IWT） （Forest， VA）；以及一家私营机构：弗吉尼亚电力公司（弗吉尼亚州里士满）。

This Partnership for Innovation project is based on collaboration among Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University a.k.a Virginia Tech, three small businesses, and a utility partner. The proposed partnership focuses on the design and evaluation of smart grid sensing and control hardware and software that enable demand response programs to offer customer choices for efficient use of electricity at all levels. This capability is to be built through the development of a platform consisting of optimization- control algorithms and product conceptual designs based on electric utility requirements and customer preferences. The hardware designs include a smart power management system and wireless sensor-control devices for 240-Volt end-use appliances, which are necessary to implement efficient and flexible electricity demand control programs. The intellectual merit of this research is the design of advanced control and sensing technologies and algorithms that can serve as the interface between a utility and its customers to enable the implementation of cost-effective demand response programs while providing customer choice.The broader impacts of this research are (1) a potentially stronger local economy as a result of the innovative design of new alpha-prototype products that could lead to electric energy saving products in the future; (2) a local job creation opportunity through the development of a new line of business for the partner companies and others; and, most important, (3) a viable improvement in the economy at a national level as a result of more efficient operation of the power grid by coordinating supply and demand in an optimal manner. The proposed platform will allow the electric utility to operate its assets more efficiently, and, at the same time, will allow its customers to manage their power consumption without compromising their lifestyle or way of life. In addition, this project has received strong support from two public sector organizations in Virginia: the Arlington County government and the Center for Advanced Research and Engineering (CAER). The County of Arlington is in the process of developing a Community Energy Plan, which is expected to recommend extensive use of energy efficient devices and smart grid technologies to optimize the use of electricity in homes and businesses, thus reducing the county's carbon footprint. The outcome of this research complements this local need.Partners at the inception of the project are all part of the Knowledge Enhancement Partnership (KEP) unit, consisting of Virginia Tech (Virginia Tech Advanced Research Institute (VT-ARI)); three small businesses: Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (AMTI) (Lynchburg, VA); EIT, LLC (Sterling, VA); and Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT) (Forest, VA); and a private sector organization: Dominion Virginia Power (Richmond, VA).