This project was designed to produce practical solutions to the challenges facing the large scale deployment of renewable energy for electric utilities, equipment manufacturers, and energy consumers.

Modern energy systems provide a plethora of data (including data on generation, loads, weather, and market conditions) that can be harnessed for the design, monitoring, and control of electric power grids. Under the Smart Grid (SG) framework, this data, with Information and Computing Technologies (ICT) can be used to enhance the reliability, efficiency, flexibility and resilience of power systems. In Future Energy Systems, an additional degree of complexity will be brought by the mass introduction of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and storage devices.

We are working to devise an integrated program that addresses crucial aspects of smart grid operation such as the development of data-driven methods for coordination and control of distributed generators, storage, and loads at the level of microgrids and distribution systems. Further, we are working on the formulation of operation strategies for energy storage systems at community and utility-scale to support various functions of future power systems, and advanced modeling and optimization of energy storage systems. Decision making under uncertainty and multi-criteria decision making will be employed as important tools to capture the complexity and distributed nature of future electric power grids with a high level of penetration of renewables and more actors directly participating in energy generation, consumption, and trading.

Together these objectives will become part of an integrated decision support system that will increase the efficiency of energy generation and supply, strengthen grid reliability, and improve the quality of power for customers.