Academic Leadership and Research in
Energy Networks
Stephen McArthur
University of Strathclyde
Evolution of EPSRC SUPERGEN
EPSRC SUPERGEN Programme has:
– Resulted in a collaborative environment and ethos for the UK’s
research community in energy
– Generated significant research outcomes in networks and related areas
EPSRC SUPERGEN Hub in Energy Networks created which has:
– Built on the previous successes of the Supergen programme
– Refocused on underpinning science, moved towards sustainability and
provided the research community with a vehicle for enhancing
networks and smart grid collaborative research
– Engaged a wider academic community, in particular information and
communications technologies
HubNet – a hub for energy networks
HubNet is a collaboration that seeks to provide a central focus
to energy network research
HubNet formed by the following universities:
Bristol, Cardiff, Imperial College, Manchester, Nottingham,
Southampton, Strathclyde and Warwick
Positioning
and Strategy
Fundamental
Research
Training New
Researchers
Community of
Researchers
Community of
Research Users
Opportunities
For Collaborations
Other research
projects
International
links
HubNet
Grand Challenge
on Infrastructure
Grand Challenge
on Flexible Control
Power Networks
Research Academy
Low Carbon
Network Fund
projects
Grand
Challenges in
Storage
HubNet - Research
Investigate important disciplines for network evolution over the
next 20 years:
– Future Asset Technologies – materials science for
higher capacity, lower loss cables and other assets
– Managing Transition Assets – recognition of the need
for deeper understanding of how long-life equipment is
managed and monitored
– Power Electronic Technologies – a focus on how new
semiconductor technologies could lead to lower-cost,
lower-loss power electronics suitable for wider-scale
network deployment
HubNet - Research
– Multi-Energy Systems – analysis of the roles and
interactions of gas, electricity and heat networks and
examination of how demand-side action can be
maximised
– The European SuperGrid – technology, planning and
control innovation to create European interconnections
for exploiting diversity in renewable energy
– The Smart Grid – focus on communication and
automation strategies and technologies for supporting full
integration of demand, storage and generation in
optimised network operation
HubNet – Position Papers
Position Paper Topic
Status
Smart Metering in the UK
Available for download
Smart Grid Blueprint
Draft under review, released in
December
Smart Grid Communications
Draft under review, released in
December
Condition Monitoring
Workshop phase complete, analysis
underway, draft early 2013
Role of Power Electronics in
Distribution
Workshop phase complete, interviews
with DNOs planned, draft in 2013
Smart Metering Development and
Operation
Workshops in planning
www.hubnet.org.uk/signup
Industrial
input
Workshops
Policy
input
Analysis
Academic
input
Wider than
traditional power
community
RCUK Calls
Industry focused
calls
Position
Papers
Smart Grid Theme
Trials
Transmission
Standards
Distribution
Challenges
& lessons
Databases
Position
Papers: to provide strategic direction for the Smart
EU/Worldwide smart
Spectrum of smart grid
grid projects
and
Grid research
community:
PAC functions
Prosumer
Definitions
initiatives
Generation
&
– A Drivers
Smart
Grid
Blueprint:
User
and
Functional
Requirements
Policy
UK Smart Grids
– Flexible Techniques for
Centralised
and Distributed Control
Technical
Blue Print
–Modelling
Smart Grid communications
Architectures
Technologies
Smart grid research
directions
Delivery of Smart Grid
PAC functions
Information
models
Platforms
V&V
Intelligence
Integration
Vague
Definitions
Unproven
Scalability
Smart Grid
Challenges
Verification
&
Validation
Piecemeal
Approach
Smart Grid Theme - Research
Designing the Smart Grid
• Interactions between smart meters, smart grid and smart asset management
• An experimental demonstrator of some decentralised control will be formed.
• The functional specification developed will be used to drive interdisciplinary activities and workshops.
Connecting the Smart Grid
• The availability, reliability and delays of the communication systems and networking protocols will have a
profound effect on Smart Grid performance.
• Defining the required end-to-end performance of the communication system t through a scalable
simulation platform for Smart Grid communications.
Establishing a Business Case for the Smart Grid.
• Evaluation of the benefits and value proposition of alternative Smart Grid concepts and technologies
under various future UK electricity system development scenarios.
Risk and reliability:
• Reduction of the security margin through enhanced monitoring to achieve reliability
Strategic Role and Business Case for Power Electronics
• The strategic role and value for power electronics will be evaluated.
Power
Network
Management
(IT)
Power
System
Smart Grid Planes
Domain
functions & relationships
Apps
Comms
Network
QoS & Requirements
Network
architectures and
Comms
technology
DMS/EMS
SCADA Master
DNP3
Various Protocols Simulated
DNP3, Wisp+, etc
Network
Emulator
DNP3
DNP3
DNP3
DNP3
Substation
Gateway
(RTU)
Substation
Gateway
(RTU)
IEC 61850
Substation
Gateway
(RTU)
simSCADA
IEC 61850
Network
Emulator
OPC
IEC 61850
IEC 61850
RTS
Hardware in the loop Comms
RTDS
TCP/IP
Real Network
simSCADA
Scripting
Interface
OPC
Simulated Network
(sub-cycle)
OPC
MiniSim4simSCADA
Load Flow + ANM
(IPSA+)
Simulated Network
(1Hz)
Large Scale Simulation of the Smart
Grid’s ICT Plane
Annual Smart Grid Symposium
2013 HubNet Smart Grid Symposium
Week beginning: 16th September, 2013
Location: Cardiff
HubNet and the Grand Challenges will provide a
complementary set of fundamental, applied and
strategic research activities
Applied and strategic
LCNF & HubNet
Fundamental research
EPSRC Grand Challenges
EPSRC Networks Grand Challenge:
Preparing the UK’s Energy Infrastructure for 2050
The Electrical Layer
Top - Continental SuperGrid
Middle - T&D Networks
Tail - The Last Mile
BSP
SuperGrid with game
changing power converters
and cable materials
Smarter, more flexible control of
uncertain systems
The Information and Control Layer
Capacity transformaton through
innovation in power electronics
and service supply
Grand Challenge on Infrastructure:
Top and Tail Transformation
The greatest need and the greatest opportunities for new
infrastructure technology are in a continental SuperGrid and in a
reinvention of the final mile distribution.
Top - EU SuperGrid
Tail - The Last Mile
Middle T&D Networks
SuperGrid with game
changing power converters
and cable materials
Smarter, more flexible
control of
uncertain systems
Capacity transformaton through
innovation in power electronics
and service supply
Grand Challenge on Information and Control
The Autonomic Power System

University Partners: Cambridge, Durham, Imperial College, Kings College
London, Manchester, Strathclyde, Sussex

Multi-disciplinary: power systems, economics, computer science, artificial
intelligence, social policy, mathematics, complexity

Industrial Partners: Accenture, Agilent, E.On, IBM, KEMA, Mott MacDonald, PB
Power, National Grid, SSE
Self* Network Operation and Control
Definition of control
functionality
Flexible zones of
control
Including:
• Storage
• Real time/dynamic ratings
• Electric vehicles
• Micro generation
Distributed control
approaches
Distributed control
approaches
Multi-agent system
architecture for
Active Network
Management
(Strathclyde)
Distributed Constraint
Optimisation Problems
(Strathclyde)
•
• Discrete
•
algorithms for
•
voltage control,
thermal
constraint
management,
•
etc.
• Including:
Integration
•within
Storage
an agent
•based
Realmessage
time/dynamic ratings
•passing
Electric vehicles
• Micro generation
architecture
Fully decentralised
Optimisation
Integration of
multiple constraints
and control
requirements
Flexibility in terms of
changing constraints
as the network
evolves
AI Planning
(Durham and
Kings College)
• Adding temporal
aspects to the control
problem
• Predictive and
proactive
• Flexibility in terms of
changing plans as the
network conditions
change or as the
network evolves
Positioning
and Strategy
Fundamental
Research
Training New
Researchers
Community of
Researchers
Community of
Research Users
Opportunities
For Collaborations
www.hubnet.org.uk/signup
s.mcarthur@strath.ac.uk
t.green@imperial.ac.uk