Smart grids and renewables records

The EU wants electricity distribution systems that can use more solar and wind energy – and has given SINTEF a key role in preparing for them. The tools at hand are a smart power grid and a range of financial “carrots”. With the aid of these tools, 2000 electricity customers on the Danish island of Bornholm are being tempted to reduce their power consumption when the wind is either too weak or too strong for the wind turbines on the island to generate electricity.

All this is part of the demonstration project EcoGrid EU, a EUR 160 million project that is being coordinated by SINTEF Energy Research in Trondheim. Sixteen partners from ten countries are members of the project.

The project will raise the ceiling for how far an electricity grid can use unpredictable sources such as wind and sun.