The AIT Center for Energy portfolio encompasses everything from the initial idea to technical specification, hardware-in-the-loop development and laboratory testing

European Utility Week (EUW), the leading energy infrastructure event showcasing innovative solutions from industry and research, is being held in Paris, from 12 to 14 November 2019. Here the experts from the Center for Energy at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology will be presenting their latest developments for inverter concepts, a new software toolset for long-term grid planning, solutions for stable operation of networks with a high share of fluctuating generation and digital building technologies. The portfolio offered by AIT as an innovation partner encompasses everything from the initial idea to hardware-in-the-loop design and laboratory testing. This saves industry and enterprises valuable time-to-market when integrating new technologies and helps increase efficiency.

High-performance computing for comprehensive analysis of low and medium-voltage grids

Over the past years, the increased integration of renewable energy has made planning and assessing medium and low-voltage grids increasingly challenging for network operators. In response, the Center for Energy at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has developed a toolset which uses high-performance computing to calculate a broad range of network planning scenarios within a very short time. The calculations are based on network topology data, coupled with rollout scenarios for various technologies and the specific requirements for network reinforcement. The planning software can analyse several thousand grids, identify the future need for network reinforcement in the entire medium and low-voltage grid infrastructure and compute measures for integrating new technologies such as PV installations and electric vehicles in order to meet these grid reinforcement requirements in a cost-efficient manner.

Stable operation of grids with a high share of volatile generation

The increasing role played by renewable energies in Europe is dramatically changing the demands placed on the energy infrastructure to ensure a stable power supply. Over the past years, power electronics has become a key technology for integrating renewable energies.  The AIT Center for Energy offers a test infrastructure for inverters up to the MW range and will use EUW 2019 as a platform for showcasing inverter concepts, demonstrators and development methods for the stable operation of grids with a high share of volatile generation. A real-time inverter simulation model (digital twin) supports developers of innovative algorithms prior to rolling out the solution in the field. The grid-forming AIT Smart Grid Converter, an intelligent inverter module for power supply in microgrids, represents a unique inverter technology which also acts as a flexible development platform.

Digital building technology: the building on the digital test bed

Building and control technology are becoming increasingly important factors in building design and construction. Modern buildings are expected to meet increasingly exacting comfort and energy efficiency requirements, while at the same time coordinating an ever broader range of technical systems. The Center for Energy at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has developed a digital testbed that offers extensive support for builders, planners and operators in all lifecycle phases of a building. The experts from the Center for Energy at the AIT are pursuing a model-based approach in which the digital building twin is the starting point and center for innovative energy and control concepts, cost-effective design of energy-efficient HVAC systems, commissioning tests on virtual digital building twin, and operational optimization based on measurement data.

AIT Center for Energy

At the AIT Center for Energy over 200 experts are developing sustainable solutions for our future energy system under the leadership of Wolfgang Hribernik. The Center combines longstanding experience and scientific excellence with high quality laboratory infrastructure and a global network to offer companies innovative applied research services, providing them with a competitive edge in this promising market. A total of 370 research projects were carried out in 2018, with European projects accounting for 41 percent. The thematic portfolio of the Center for Energy focuses on three key systems: sustainable energy infrastructure, decarbonisation of industrial processes and facilities, and innovative technologies and solutions for urban transformation (buildings, cities). More information about the Center: https://www.ait.ac.at/energy

Press contact:

Mag. Margit Özelt
Marketing and Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Center for Energy
T +43 (0)50550-6302
margit.oezelt@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at

Daniel Pepl, MBA, MAS
Corporate and Marketing Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
T +43 (0)50550-4040
daniel.pepl@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at

Attachments

• EUW 19 Booth AIT 1
• AIT Smart Grids Converter (c) AIT Bernhard Wolf