| Abstract |
The region of Vend�e in Ouest of France is engaged in a large scale smart grid demonstrator. The project, called �Smart Grid Vend�e�, has the ambition to determine the future organization ofelectricity distribution in order to increase the rate of renewable electricity supply at a local scale. Theconsortium includes SyDEV, ERDF, ALSTOM, COFELY, ACTILITY LEGRAND and le CNAM.The demonstrator will integrate the whole chain of smart grid from wind and solar farms (102 and 22MW) to consumers, especially public lighting (10 000 lights) and buildings (100). Specific tools arebeing developed to manage the distributed energy devices from a technical and economical point ofview. This revolution for the local grid management opens great prospects for power electronics. It isindeed most likely that the French regulatory framework will have established the bases for such abusiness development, within less than five years.Energy utilities worldwide through Demonstrators are experimenting new smart grid systems, layingdown a new layer of digital equipment on their existing infrastructures to interconnect all assets�fromultra-high-voltage supergrids to ultra-low-voltage micro- and pico-grids�with buildings and homes.This Layered digitalization will bring the opportunity to enhance existing power grid infrastructures(i.e., power lines, electrical substations, network control rooms) by improving real-time assessment ofsystem conditions. New digital equipment and devices can be strategically deployed to complementexisting equipment in a multi-tier architecture where Higher tiers are coordinating and optimizinglower tier actions. Using a combination of centralized IT and distributed intelligence within criticalsystem control nodes, a system of systems architecture is emerging to bring unprecedented efficiencyand stability to the energy system. |
