This research area concentrates on the development of innovative digital solutions to enhance the integration, management, and optimization of the physical infrastructure within the energy system. It aims to create a reliable, efficient, and resilient digital infrastructure that supports the operation of smart grids, multi-modal energy systems, and interconnected networks, enabling the seamless interplay of various energy resources and technologies.
Key areas of investigation within Smart Energy Digital Infrastructure include:
- Data analytics and machine learning: Utilizing advanced analytics techniques and machine learning algorithms to process large volumes of data generated by energy systems, enabling real-time monitoring, decision-making, and predictive maintenance, as well as optimizing energy generation, distribution, and consumption.
- Cybersecurity and resilience: Ensuring the security and reliability of digital energy infrastructure by developing robust cybersecurity strategies, protocols, and technologies that protect against external threats, unauthorized access, and data breaches, while also promoting system resilience in the face of potential disruptions or failures.
- Communication and interoperability: Investigating and developing communication protocols, standards, and interfaces that enable the seamless exchange of information and control signals among various energy system components, ensuring interoperability and coordination across diverse technologies, platforms, and stakeholders.
- Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing: Exploring the deployment of IoT devices, sensors, and actuators throughout the energy system, as well as the implementation of edge computing solutions that enable decentralized data processing and decision-making, enhancing system responsiveness, flexibility, and scalability.
- Demand-side management and load balancing: Developing digital tools and platforms that facilitate demand response, load balancing, and energy efficiency improvements by intelligently coordinating the operation of distributed energy resources, energy storage systems, and flexible loads in response to grid conditions and market signals.