Project description

The Smart Grid LAB Hessen is being set up at the location of the Pfeffer engineering office in Rödermark under the direction of the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt. In the realistic laboratory, the intelligent power grid (Smart Grid) will be examined holistically from different perspectives. The electrical grid is built from resources of public networks. All energy sources and consumptions are based on real-life models. Challenging grid situations can be simulated there without any risk. The project will develop various scenarios under which the Smart Grid LAB will be operated. These include:

- The increase of renewable decentralized power generation

- A higher electricity demand, e.g. due to more electromobility and heat pumps

- The establishment of prosumers with and without storage facilities

Goals

The Smart Grid LAB will be established to test active control methods in the smart grid and all required functionalities under practical conditions. The questions to be answered include:

- How can the power grid be controlled in a stable way when many customers charge an electric vehicle on days with low power generation?

- How can the grid be kept stable when dynamic elements (e.g. storage) fail?

- Up to what level can dynamic grid elements compensate for peaks and continuous loads?

- What happens, if important measurement and control components are disrupted?

- How can hackers be countered?

Role of the House of Energy

As a think tank, the House of Energy played a key role in developing the project idea for the Smart Grid LAB Hessen. During the course of the project, the House of Energy will establish and moderate a scientific and technical project advisory board. The advisory board will accompany the project in an advisory capacity and will consist of company representatives from the fields of energy supply and grid operation, technical monitoring and certification, personal safety and energy law.

Duration

12.2020–03.2023

Financing

Total volume € 3.31 million

Funding volume € 1.57 million

Funded by

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Consortium leader

-Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (FG Electrical Power Supply, Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency)

Project partner

-House of Energy e. V.

-Ingenieurbüro Pfeffer GmbH

-JEAN MÜLLER GmbH

-QGroup GmbH

-Tractebel Engineering GmbH