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Pioneer Region for Smart Grids in Upper Austria

Worldwide a change of energy systems takes place. The increased use of renewable energy leads to a decentralization of energy supply and therefore active control systems for the energy supply systems will be necessary. Therefore Smart Grids will become a key technology, because they have preconditions for the optimal integration of energy, produced by renewable energy sources, into the grid. Smart grids are using control- and communication-technologies, which analyze and balance the current supply and demand of electrical power.

Furthermore, with these control systems the electrical demand should be timed, so the grid operation and the efficiency of energy distribution can be improved.

Elements for implementation of the Pioneer region for Smart Grids in Upper Austria

A main goal in Upper Austria is the extension of photovoltaics. To achieve the aims of the 2030 Energy Strategy, first activities within the field of Smart Grids have been launched. Research initiatives and R&E projects which are supported by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and the Austrian Fund for Climate and Energy (KLIEN) will lead to the implementation of this pioneer region and make progress with the development of path-breaking energy systems:

Smart Metering – New Services for Energy Users

The central element of future smart grids is the smart meter. Smart meters are electricity meters which are linked to a communication system and send data about the consumption of electrical energy, voltage but also about the feed-in of energy (for example due to photovoltaics). The consumer behavior will be analysed and based on these data new rates, which are matched to the consumers behavior, and advices for energy saving can be developed. On the other hand, the grid operator is able to optimize the grid operation in dependence on the current energy consumption. Especially with distributed energy suppliers, such as many photovoltaic systems, the coordination of demand and supply of electric energy within the grid is getting simplified.

AMIS - The Smart Metering-System of Energie AG (german) (Source: Energie AG)

Energie AG Oberösterreich is an energy supplying company and a grid operator in Upper Austria. The company uses the AMIS smart meter system by Siemens and has started the installation and roll-out of 100.000 units. Due to regulations of the EU 80 % of all households should be equipped with smart meters until 2020. Energie AG Oberösterreich is planning the installation of smart meters for 500.000 customers.

LINZ AG (another energy supplying company in Upper Austria) has equipped 50.000 households in Linz with electronic smart meters, in cooperation with Ubitronix system solution GmbH. These smart meters are able to note the consumption of electricity and natural gas and will be also used for the broadcasting of other information which are relevant for the grid operation. Within the next ten years 240.000 electricity meters will be replaced with smart meters.

Involved within the project

  • LINZ AG
    Partners: Ubitronix system solution GmbH (Software), Echelon GmbH (Stromzähler), Pilotprojekt Mehrspartenintegration – Gaszähler (Flonidan), Fernwärmezähler (Kamstrup), Wasserzähler (EWT), Straßenbeleuchtung (Siteco), Home Automation (Moeller)

Smart Monitoring – Smart Planning – Smart Control

Eyes in the grid: ISOLVES: Power Snap Shot Analysis by Meters (PSSA-M)

AMIS Power Snapshot Analyse (german) (Source: bmvit, Energie AG Oberösterreich, Siemens AG)

The future extension of decentralized energy supplying systems (for example photovoltaics) the control and stabilization of the power grid will be more difficult. To avoid supply problems in situations, of a decentralized energy supply (for example on sunny days, when a lot of photovoltaic systems feed in energy into the grid), a lot of information about the state of the grid (for example: supply voltage) have to be available.

Energie AG Oberösterreich and other project partners have developed a method, called Power Snap-Shot Analysis by Meters” to get a „snapshot“ of the grid and its state. So it is possible to receive information about the real voltages and loads of urban and rural (low voltage) power grids. The necessary data, which are provided by smart meters, are used as input variables for mathematical models. These models portray the state of the grids. Through this method a better planning, an optimized grid operation and the development of new controls will become possible.

Involved within the project

This project is supported by New Energies 2020, Austrian Fund for Climate and Energy (KLIEN)

Flows of information within the electrical energy system – IRON Concept

A key element of Smart Grids is the communication between the different grid-players (energy producer/generator vs. Consumers). It is important for the load management, which is focused on the temporal control and shift of the load. This project has analyzed the opportunities for the implementation of the communication between these players. Further, the project has examined the effects for the efficiency of the grid operation. In the following projects the economical aspects of these communication systems will be evaluated.

Involved within the project

As part of: Energy Systems of Tomorrow, Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) / New Energies 2020, Austrian Fund for Climate and Energy (KLIEN)

Integral Resource Optimisation Network - Concept

Publications

Integral Resource Optimization Network Concept - Final report (german) (pdf)

Smart Network Planning

Within this project, which is based on the IRON Concept, LINZ AG evaluates new methods for the planning of power supplies of decentralized suppliers. These methods are based on a probalistic approach. In a demonstration project the economical advantages of this new planning approach will be found.

DG Demonetz – active grid operation in medium voltage grids

This project concerned with concepts for the controlling of power grids. Four innovative concepts, which also can be used in periods when a lot of decentralized suppliers feed in electrical energy into the grid, have been tested. It has been examined, if these concepts are able to stabilize the supply voltage and to ensure the supply of electrical energy for the customers.

Involved within the project

As part of: Energy Systems of Tomorrow, Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) / New Energies 2020, Austrian Fund for Climate and Energy (KLIEN)

Projekt: Aktiver Betrieb von elektrischen Verteilnetzen mit hohem Anteil dezentraler Stromerzeugung - Konzeption von Demonstrationsnetzen

Publications

DG DemoNetz - Concept - Final report (german) (pdf)

Smart LV Grid – Integration of distributed generation in low voltage networks

The aim of this project was the development and the evaluation of smart approaches for planning, monitoring, management and control of the power grid operation in periods with a lot of decentralized suppliers and flexible demand (for example due to electric cars). The economical evaluation of these approaches is a basis for future technologies, norms and feed-in models and conditions for connection to mains supply.

Involved within the project

As part of: Energy Systems of Tomorrow, Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) / New Energies 2020, Austrian Fund for Climate and Energy (KLIEN)

Publications

Pioneer Region for Smart Grids in Upper Austria - Forschungsforum (german) (pdf)