The complexity of the electricity supply network continues to grow as electricity production moves away from the traditional centralised model of generation, to a distributed model, that are more disparate in both size and technology.
Renewable technologies, such as wind and solar, are creating a pull for connection to the grid via DC links, energy storage devices and DC-AC converters. The real-time monitoring, control and optimisation of such a complex network – in the context of stability, synchronisation, power quality, islanding protection, reliability, load balancing, intelligent metering and active demand management – requires an ICT infrastructure that is larger and more sophisticated than that required for the traditional power system. Many technologies can be integrated to realise this ICT (Information and Communications Technology) infrastructure including sensor networks, power-line communication, optical fibre and wireless communications, and GPS for location and timing.
This theme focuses on advanced communications addressing security protocols, encryption techniques, testing remote sensing capability, sensor communications and verifying data acquisition, using a range of systems and processes.
