Power management by AI technologies is the future for Indian cities
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, two out of every three people are likely to be living in cities or other urban centres by 2050. As such areas become hubs for economic growth in future, they inevitably bring with them challenges that need to be managed if citizens are going to enjoy sustainable quality of life in the long-term.
Smart grids
One such challenge is the supply of reliable, quality power to rising populations. Addressing this is the concept of smart grids, which use the latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT), including Artificial Intelligence, to gather information, automate processes and improve the efficiency and sustainability of electricity.
Smart grid infrastructure has several advantages. Through advanced sensing and monitoring technologies, it can monitor and control power systems in a timely manner. Its ability to automate data collection and analysis enables more intelligent decision-making process, which in turn leads to optimised system performance and greater efficiency.
Smart grids can also provide the flexibility needed to integrate variable generation characteristic of wind and solar generators. And through their capacity for self-diagnosis and fault location, they can prevent power disturbances and breakdowns.
Developments in India
India’s National Smart Grid Mission has launched 12 pilot projects in the country’s power distribution sector. These projects use smart grid functions like Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI), Power Quality Management (PQM), Outage Management System (OMS), Peak Load Management (PLM) and Distributed Generation (DG).
So far, the pilots have delivered several benefits: a reduction in peak load demand, improved services to customers through outage reduction and greater revenues for Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) thanks to better asset utilisation.
Meanwhile, the Government of India Ministry of Power has launched several initiatives to introduce smart technologies to the distribution and transmission sectors. One example is the Power Grid, India’s central transmission utility, which is deploying a ~1750 Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) Wide Area Monitoring system, the largest deployment of a PMU network in the world.
AI and energy
In such a rapidly evolving technological landscape, what advantages can AI bring to the smart revolution? In recent years, accurate forecasting has proved a daunting challenge, owing to the proliferation of variable renewable energy, extreme weather conditions and changing customer behavioural patterns.
Through AI and Machine Learning, the vast amount of data gathered through AMI can be used by utilities to forecast generation and demand much more accurately. In addition, AI-based real time autonomous network management practice such as Active Network Management (ANM) can now predict the changes which lead to network congestion. By sending automatic control signals to manage constraint, they can make renewable energy integration more efficient.
A win-win situation
AI-based technologies can optimise energy consumption too. An example is Nest, a smart thermostat for homes, which assesses the occupant’s behaviour and energy consumption patterns and automatically adjusts the temperature accordingly. Devices such as these can reduce energy bills by as much as 10 to 12 %.
Other examples are Alexa and Google Home which can integrate energy data and AI for smart home energy management. Elsewhere in industry, products such as Optibat, which uses AI and advanced analytics to optimise processes, can deliver efficiency improvements between 5-9%.
Smarter cities
In transport, AI can optimise smart Electric Vehicle (EV) charging, using intelligence derived from available data, electricity tariffs and EV usage patterns. It’s a win-win situation: EV owners enjoy lower costs, while utilities are supported in managing network constraints.
As the energy sector undergoes huge transformation, the influence and application of AI and smart technologies is set to increase exponentially. If we can use these innovations intelligently and to maximum effect, both consumers and utilities will not only be better informed about their role within the energy ecosystem, but help create smarter cities too.
