AR-Mini: AI-powered renewable mini-grids for rural regions in Sri Lanka

传统能源的快速耗尽和与使用化石燃料发电相关的环境成本已经对电力公司施加了越来越大的压力，以将分布式可再生能源资源纳入其网络中。此外，能源效率、需求侧管理和负载控制正在成为现代配电操作的组成部分。监管机构和客户还要求提高电力质量、可靠性和运营灵活性。在这种情况下，仅仅通过投资于传统基础设施来提高供应能力是不够的。智能电网、小型电网和需求响应计划是配电公司为应对这些未来挑战可以采取的一些举措，可再生能源有能力确保可持续的能源供应和燃料多样化。它们增加了能源安全，减少了燃料污染的风险，并减少了对化石燃料的依赖。可再生能源保护了国家的自然资源。这对斯里兰卡这样没有化石燃料储备但可再生能源丰富的国家尤其有利。尽管有这些好处，但使用可再生能源增加了电网管理和控制的复杂性。微型电网用于缓解这种复杂性，但在平衡多种可再生能源的需求和供应时存在挑战。智能微电网控制器可以处理需求和供应的不确定性。它可以帮助最大限度地利用可再生资源，同时最大限度地减少化石燃料的使用（例如使用柴油的混合动力系统）。斯里兰卡（AVS）和英国（RGU）之间的这一合作项目旨在展示斯里兰卡农村地区人工智能驱动的可再生小型电网（AR-Mini）的可行性。该项目的目标如下：* 设计和开发一个原型AR-Mini，由人工智能驱动的迷你电网管理系统管理，优化核心运营。评估AR-Mini在改善斯里兰卡获得低碳、可靠和负担得起的能源方面的可行性，由于其地理位置，太阳能、水力和风力发电被认为是斯里兰卡比化石燃料更便宜的发电来源。因此，拟议的创新（AR-Mini）将降低成本，排放并提高对农村家庭，中小企业和社会机构等最终用户的供应可靠性，最终解决能源三难困境的所有三个领域。虽然主要重点是斯里兰卡，但拟议创新的研究结果可被南亚、撒哈拉以南非洲和东南亚的类似国家采用。

The rapid depletion of conventional energy resources and environmental costs associated with the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation have put increasing pressure on electrical utilities to include distributed renewable energy resources into their networks, In addition, energy efficiency, demand-side management and load control are becoming integral parts of modern electricity distribution operations. Regulatory bodies and customers also demand improved power quality, reliability and operational flexibility. In these conditions, increasing the supply capacity by investing in traditional infrastructure alone would not be sufficient. Smart grids, mini-grids and demand response schemes are some of the initiatives that distribution utilities can take to meet these future challenges.Renewable energy sources have the capacity to ensure sustainable energy supply and fuel diversification. They increase energy security, reduce the risk of fuel pollution and reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources conserve the country's natural resources. This is especially beneficial for countries like Sri Lanka, which have no fossil fuel reserves but are rich in renewable energy sources. Despite the benefits, the use of renewable sources increases the complexity of management and control of the electricity grid. Mini-grids are used to alleviate such complexities but there are challenges when balancing demand and supply from multiple renewable energy sources. An intelligent mini-grid controller can deal with uncertainties in both demand and supply. It can help maximise the use of renewable resources and while minimising the use of fossil fuel (e.g. hybrid system using diesel).This collaborative project between Sri Lanka (AVS) and the UK (RGU), aims to demonstrate the feasibility of an AI-powered Renewable Mini-grid (AR-Mini) for rural regions in Sri Lanka. The project objectives are as follows:* Design and development of a prototypical AR-Mini, managed by an AI-powered mini-grid management system, that optimises core operations.* Assess the feasibility of AR-Mini in terms of improving access to low-carbon, reliable and affordable energy in Sri Lanka.Due to its geographical location, solar, hydro and wind power are considered to be cheaper sources of electricity generation in Sri Lanka compared to fossil fuels. Hence the proposed innovation (AR-Mini) will reduce costs, emissions and increase the reliability of supply to the end-users like rural households, SMEs and social institutions, ultimately addressing all three areas of the energy trilemma. Although the primary focus is Sri Lanka, findings of the proposed innovation can be adopted in similar countries in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.