The challenge
Delivering smarter energy management
We are developing new control systems using advanced communication and information technologies to manage and use energy more intelligently. Intelligent control can enable energy systems to respond to their environment and make operating decisions based on achieving specific energy goals.
Our response
Making renewable energy more reliable
Using intelligent systems to manage energy generation, transmission and consumption, we can achieve higher level goals, such as making energy from renewable sources more reliable and cost-effective.
More reliable renewable energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our technologies are designed for homes, commercial buildings and the energy distribution system.
Intelligent energy projects:
- optimal air-conditioning control uses weather data, energy market pricing and feedback from building occupants to alter the operation of a building’s air-conditioning system to save energy, money and greenhouse gas emissions
- solar cooling uses heat from the sun as an energy source to generate cool air for use in buildings
- secure grids use network design and configuration, control strategies and grid collaboration to enable automatic reconfiguration in response to threats, improved power quality and increased efficiency (thereby reducing emissions)
- the Virtual Power Station aggregates renewable energy generators — such as solar panels — and energy storage into a cost-effective and reliable electricity supply network
- smart fridges can plan ahead and coordinate when they consume energy, to smooth the intermittent power output from renewable generators such as wind and solar, while keeping within usual temperature limits.