Deptartment of Energy releases new $5.8M funding opportunity to improve grid

The U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) released a new $5.8 million funding opportunity for the research and development of tools and controls to improve the reliability of the nation’s power grid.

The DOE’s Office of Electricity Transmission Reliability Program is seeking applications from researchers to explore the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning technology to get more value from existing sensor data to better monitor the health of the grid.

Advanced sensors — known as phasor measurement units (PMUs) — provide measurements of electric power system values using GPS satellites. The data provides system operators with an almost real-time look at the grid’s operating status. PMUs have been used at over 2,500 locations in the U.S. and have given grid owners and operators large quantities of data detailing the condition of the grid.

“A strong and resilient power grid is vital to America’s security, economy, and modern way of life,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said. “This investment in rapid, technology-driven innovation pushes the limits farther than we can imagine, and marks another important step in ensuring the reliable and secure flow of energy that Americans rely on every day.”

Tools are now needed to analyze the data and discover actionable information within the data to design a more resilient and secure electric system. The goals are faster grid analytics and modeling; better grid asset management; and sub-second automatic control actions to help system operators avoid grid outages, improve operations, and reduce costs.

Applications must be submitted to the DOE by Nov. 9.