Georg Kienesberger

Smart demand response scenarios

Automated demand response has the potential to be an essential future tool for maintaining the balance of supply and demand in electrical energy systems with a very high density of generation from renewable sources. Although this scenario can become true in the near future, only very few actual implementations of automated demand response can be found in Europe. This paper is tackling this by analyzing current demand response implementations, placing them into a matrix of different aspects and strategies, with the goal to provide a systematical basis of current application scenarios of demand response, highlighting barriers and starting points for further development decisions. Recommendations for important and possible near future application scenarios of demand side energy management concepts in Austria are the result of this analysis by a multidisciplinary team of researchers. This paper describes related and important future work for Austria in demand response in context of a defined scenario kit. Aspects and strategies of each scenario are described in the following subsections.

Architectural options for vehicle to grid communication.

ZusammenfassungDer aktuell zu verzeichnende Aufstieg der Elektromobilität als ein Ansatz der CO2-Reduktion im Verkehrssektor wird begleitet von der Herausforderung, dass die elektrischen Verteilnetze nun nicht nur zusätzliche verteilte Erzeuger, sondern auch zusätzliche Lasten – namentlich die Elektromobile – aufnehmen müssen. Diese Arbeit widmet sich der Spitzenlastproblematik, welche im Falle eines ungesteuerten Ladens zu kostenintensiven Netzverstärkungen führen würde. Das koordinierte Laden von Elektrofahrzeugen erfordert eine Kommunikation im Dreieck aus Benutzer, Fahrzeug und Stromnetz. Grundsätzliche Optionen für eine Vehicle-to-Grid-Kommunikation und deren praktische Anwendbarkeit werden hier aus dem Blickwinkel eines spartenintegrierten Netzbetreibers diskutiert. Diese Diskussion wird die Grundlage für eine zweite Generation von Home-Ladestationen in der Smart Grids-Modellregion Salzburg sein.SummaryThe current rise of electric mobility as a means of reducing CO2 emissions in the traffic sector comes with the challenge for distribution power networks to host not only additional distributed generators but also additional loads – namely the electric vehicles. This work makes an effort to tackle the peak consumption challenge that, if not solved in time, would require additional investments for grid reinforcement. Coordinated charging of electric vehicles requires communication in the triangle of user, car and power grid. General options for vehicle to grid communication and their applicability are discussed from the viewpoint of a multi-utility system operator. This will be the foundation for an implementation of second-generation home charging stations in the smart grids model region of Salzburg.

Privacy issues of smart e-mobility

The increasing adoption of Smart Grids brings about significant benefits such as enhanced efficiency and sustainability, but entails also severe threats to consumer privacy due to the possibility of establishing detailed user profiles. Existing efforts mostly focus on privacy issues in Smart Metering. However, the Smart Grid contains other important use cases whose privacy challenges have not received much attention to date. In this paper we aim to raise awareness for privacy issues in e-mobility, which will be a cornerstone application of the future Smart Grid. In particular, we study in detail the properties of privacy-relevant e-mobility use cases, the actors involved in those scenarios, and the data they exchange as part of their interaction. We investigate to which extent existing solutions can be applied to address emerging privacy challenges in e-mobility, and propose privacy-aware design patterns.

A comprehensive information platform for the Smart Grid

Smart Grid technology promises to prepare todays energy systems for the challenges of the future such as increasing demand, integration of distributed generation and fulfillment of the climate goals. Numerous Smart Grid applications have been proposed and some are already rolled out. Across these applications different kinds of information are acquired, processed and stored. In this paper a holistic view on the information in a Smart Grid and an approach for the design of a comprehensive information platform fostering integration, user acceptance and profitability of Smart Grids are presented. Security and privacy challenges emerging from this concept are reviewed critically and methods for reaching promising solutions are proposed.

ICT emulation platform setup demonstration of smart grid component prototype examples

The shift towards massively distributed energy generation demands more decentralized flexibility to meet strict power quality constraints of the electric grid. A cyber-physical system such as a smart grid can provide increased flexibility by utilizing additional information and communication technologies to better monitor the medium and low voltage distribution networks and to actively control grid-connected resources, ranging from loads to distributed generation, to electric mobility but at the cost of increased complexity. Essential future functionalities such as dynamic management of line use, fault detection and fast service restoration are only possible with appropriate sensors and actuators in place. These missing sensors and actuators on the distribution level are being developed today. This paper presents a standards based, low cost, open source, ICT emulation platform setup to test necessary networking concepts of these smart grid component prototypes already in various stages of development. Preliminary development results of the first example applications chosen: Customer Energy Management System, Smart Breaker, and Smart Meter, are shown in this work in progress paper.

Smart energy grids in Austria - innovative solutions and concepts

Through the increasing electricity generation from renewable energy sources the power infrastructure not only in Europe received new stimuli to find unique and novel solutions. Especially the integration of information exchange into the infrastructure lead to the definition of the actual research topic of smart grids. Austrian researchers and industry alike have built a strong community over the years that brought quite a number of interesting and innovative approaches and solutions to very different challenges the smart grid still has to face. This work will give an overview on the Austrian solutions and concepts for a smart energy grid.

A comparison of Web service technologies for smart meter data exchange

This paper analyzes different Web service technologies that can be used for data exchange in Smart Grids. The focus is put on smart metering in electricity networks and the required data exchange for different application scenarios. It contributes a detailed comparison of available interface technologies, in particular Web services. The evaluation is performed based on a qualitative comparison using a criteria catalogue and literature research and a quantitative comparison based on an empirical field test using a test bed. The results show that binary protocols require less computational resources but lack several qualitative advantages. Furthermore it can be seen that recent optimizations for XML data exchange reduce the performance gap.

The RASSA Initiative --- Defining a Reference Architecture for Secure Smart Grids in Austria

The goal of the Reference Architecture for Secure Smart Grids in Austria RASSA initiative is to design and establish a technical reference architecture specification in coordination with all relevant stakeholders. This goal is realized across multiple projects. This paper first motivates the need for developing a coordinated smart grids reference architecture for Austria involving all relevant actors, such as infrastructure operators, manufacturers, and public agencies. After a description of most prominent international reference architecture efforts, first results on how to develop a reference architecture serving as a blueprint for further smart grids solutions is described. Necessary coordination and communication efforts to achieve a nationally accepted and internationally aligned process are described. The paper closes with an outlook on a practical application of the principles defined in order to meet stakeholder requirements through target-group-specific involvement.

Demo Abstract: Demonstration of new sensor and actuator equipment for distributed grids

Changes in the energy domain have created a high demand for new equipment and strategies to face its new challenges. To this end, stronger coordination between producers and consumers, as well as distributed control gain importance. This demonstration intends to show how developments from the project iniGrid can contribute towards this goal, by utilizing newly developed smart breakers to meet grid sided usage restrictions. The described demonstration system allows energy consumers more control over their usage and provides aggregators and energy suppliers as well as distribution system operators with additional means to improve grid stability and ways to counteract imminent catastrophic failures.

Agent-based decentralization of applications in distributed smart grid systems

Smart grid technology promises to prepare todays power systems for the challenges of the future by extensive integration of information and communication technology (ICT). One key aspect is the control paradigm which will have to be shifted from completely centralized control systems to more dezentralized concepts in order to adapt to the distributed nature of smart grids. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are a very promising approach for designing distributed, decentralized systems, naturally also in the field of smart grids. This work introduces the notion of decentralized multi-agent-based control systems (DMACS) and aims to give an overview on the different requirements and challenges on the way from current centralized control systems to DMACS. Therefore, different ICT scenarios and MAS topologies are employed to discuss the decentralization of three exemplary smart grid applications: voltage/var control, virtual power plants, and dynamic islanding. As a result, the advantages and challenges as well as ICT requirements of agent-based decentralization are outlined.