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Intelligent network links producers and consumers across an efficient energy delivery infrastructure.
Intelligent networks are the key to controlling economics in fields such as information technologies, transportation and energy. Market deregulation, greater reliance on renewable energy sources, climate protection and the growing demand for electricity have placed new demands on the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy. RWE Deutschland AG is working with partners to develop solutions to these challenges so it can create a vision of smart energy.
The Virtual Power Plant
Intelligent networking begins at the power generation stage. Small plants, in particular, have a difficult time holding their own in energy markets. For this reason, a solution was developed to bundle the power of small power plants, what is known as the virtual power plant. No power is generated in the virtual power plant. Instead, the power plant connects small distributed power plants, such as wind power plants, block-central cogeneration stations, photovoltaic plants, small hydropower units and biogas plants.
This system makes it easier to bring power to the market. The plants are controlled from a dispatching center. Virtual power plants benefit more than the single plant operators. Grid operators benefit as well since virtual power plants enable more consistent utilization of regional grid capacity, thus optimizing the use of the grid operator's resources.
Together with Siemens and Lister-Lennekraftwerke, RWE has finished a trial of nine renewable energy plants. Through this project, RWE and Siemens have proved the technical and economic advantages of virtual power plants and also gained insights into other potential applications. Additional distributed generation plants such as block-central cogeneration stations and biomass and wind power plants could be added to the network. The aim of coordinated use of distributed generation plants also has to help improve energy market integration.
An Energy Marketplace
Networking is not just an issue for generating electricity. RWE also is testing models that use intelligent solutions in energy trading. One example is the E-DeMa project, which is sponsored by the German government. This project is part of the utility's aim to actively incorporate consumers, small generators and volatile generation (for example, by wind turbines or photovoltaics) in the energy market. E-DeMa stands for development and demonstration of locally networked energy systems.
As part...