Linux Foundation launches LF Energy open source platform
The Linux Foundation launched LF Energy, an open source platform that aims to expedite technological innovation and revolutionize the energy mix around the world, on Thursday.
Launched with support from Europe’s biggest transmission power systems provider and other organizations, LF Energy aims to streamline everything from system operator smart assistants to smart grid control software. It will serve as an umbrella organization that supports collaboration among vendors in the energy sector to advance information and communication technologies (ICT) that impact the energy balance and brings about economic value.
“Our complex, multifaceted global energy market is evolving quickly, and it demands that we not only keep pace but act more rapidly than ever before,” Shuli Goodman, executive director of LF Energy, said. “A collaborative open source approach to development of these technologies across companies, countries, and end users, will provide the innovation needed to meet our respective goals in renewable energy, power electronics, electric mobility, and rapid digitalization for the energy sector overall.”
In addition to modernizing and protecting the grid, LF Energy members will aim to advance electric mobility and the use of connected sensors and devices. Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, said LF Energy would engage French transmission operator RTE, the European Network of Transmission System Operators, Vanderbilt University, and the Electric Power Research Institute to advance the energy transition.
“We invite developers and organizations around the world to join us in advancing this exciting new endeavor,” Zemlin said. “With the technical and operational guidance of the Linux Foundation, LF Energy will create a sustainable ecosystem to quickly and efficiently deliver robust, secure and innovative solutions. Our goal with LF Energy is to deliver value as quickly as possible to help our stakeholders advance their business goals, strengthen local and global economies, and improve renewable energy and grid modernization.”
LF Energy projects include OperatorFabric, a smart assistant systems for electricity, water, and other utility operators; Let’s Coordinate, a solution to enhance system coordination, visibility, communication and workflow between distributed users; the PowSyBl Framework, reusable modular components in high-performance computing platforms used for grid modeling; and the Resilient Information Architecture Platform for Smart Grid (RIAPS) that will provide core services for distributed applications.
“Shared open development is fundamental to enabling smart power for the benefit the global economy and the energy landscape of the future,” Olivier Grabette, executive vice president and member of the executive board at RTE, said. “RTE is proud to contribute three significant projects to the LF Energy ecosystem, and we look forward to working closely with The Linux Foundation and the open source community to make our systems smarter and more secure.”
Gabor Karsai, associate director of the Vanderbilt University Institute for Software-Integrated Systems, said the institute has a long track record of building open source tools and LF Energy is “an exciting cross-sector collaboration.”
“This initiative will allow us to share our research results with the open source community and facilitate technology transition to industry,” Karsai said.
