Self-Organization for the Smart Grid

In my keynote "AI Techniques for Smart Grids" at the 2014 IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies - Asia conference, I discussed the role and potential of self-organization in the smart grid. Since power systems are critical infrastructure, applying a distributed, bottom-up control structure is a delicate step. On the one hand, self-organizing systems provide very attractive properties like scalability, adaptability and robustness. On the other hand, due to non-linear interactions in the system, small changes that appear insignificant can have severe consequences. To ensure secure operation, this is not the most-wanted property. However, sometimes one gets such systems without a choice. An example is the effect of the unbundling process of power generation and system operation to create a free energy market - a decision that was taken to support distributed on-site power generation with renewable energy sources. At the UCTE grid, the largest synchronous grid in the world in terms of generation capacity, the decreased the scope of control for the Transmission System Operators (TSOs) due to the liberalization of the power market has caused the TSOs to develop a new way of understanding of the system in order to carefully and knowledgeable interact with the system. So we got a self-organization system without explicitly designing the system for being one. Another possibility where self-organization can explicitly support the smart grid is the utilization of smart meters in a way that supports the utilities while still keeping control and private information locally at the customer's side.

To enable self-organization for the smart grid, it is necessary to provide models, proofs, case studies, etc. showing that self-organizing approaches work. For finding self-organizing algorithms we provide our part: with the open-source software tool FREVO, we can evolve agent behavior for self-organizing systems using an automated process based on artificial evolution.

Links:

• Video: 6 minute introduction to FREVO
• Download FREVO (open source, platform-independent)
• A. Sobe, I. Fehérvári, and W. Elmenreich. FREVO: A tool for evolving and evaluating self-organizing systems. In Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Evaluation for Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems, Lyon, France, September 2012.
• A. Sobe and W. Elmenreich. Smart microgrids: Overview and outlook. In Proceedings of the ITG INFORMATIK Workshop on Smart Grids, Braunschweig, Germany, September 2012.
• IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies - Asia conference website

Open PhD/Postdoc Positions at Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Austria

It could be you!

PhD researcher on Complex Systems Engineering (full-time)

We are offering a position for a researcher within the MESON (Modeling and Engineering of Self-Organizing Networks) project. We are a highly motivated international team of researchers situated at the Lakeside Science & Technology Park/University of Klagenfurt, Austria. We offer best work conditions, a beautiful campus with a pleasant, intercultural work environment, and a highly competitive salary. Potential candidates should have a master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, physics or related studies and should have skills in creative problem solving, Java programming, the use of the English language and knowledge in at least one of the following subjects: Complex systems, Machine Learning, Multi-agent systems, Smart Grid. Further information about the MESON project can be found on the project webpage: http://meson.lakeside-labs.com

1 Postdoc and 1 PhD researcher on Smart Energy Systems (full-time)

We work on integrating energy generators and consumers into a smart electricity grid. The goal is to build up a microgrid lab and perform applied research with industrial partners. One PhD and one Senior Researcher will be hired. We are a highly motivated international team of researchers situated at the Lakeside Science & Technology Park/University of Klagenfurt, Austria. We offer best work conditions, a beautiful campus with a pleasant, intercultural work environment, and a highly competitive salary. Potential candidates should have a master's degree (for PhD position)/a doctoral degree (for postdoc position) in computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, physics or related studies and should have skills in creative problem solving, energy systems, and the use of the English language. Further information about the project can be found on: http://smartmicrogrid.blogspot.com

Information for Applicants

Research will be conducted at the Institute of Networked and Embedded Systems under the supervision of Professor Wilfried Elmenreich. Working language is English. The institute cooperates with national and international partners from industry and academia and is part of the research cluster Lakeside Labs. Women are especially encouraged to apply. Please mail applications containing a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, copies of academic certificates and courses, list of publications, and contact details of two references in a single PDF file to applications@lakeside-labs.com by deadline of January15th, 2013.