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Harnessing Home Energy to Fortify Local Power Grids

Recent research indicates that homes and vehicles hold significant potential to enhance local power grids, making them more robust against unexpected outages. This study, conducted by engineers at MIT, emphasizes the value of decentralized devices such as residential solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, and water heaters in reinforcing the electricity supply during disruptions caused by events like cyber-attacks or natural disasters.

The study categorizes these devices as “grid-edge” resources, situated closer to consumers instead of centralized power facilities. These grid-edge systems are capable of independently generating, storing, and modulating their electricity usage. The research outlines a future scenario where these devices could be mobilized to either supply power to the grid or reduce their consumption as needed.

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research team proposes a framework for establishing a “local electricity market.” This market would enable owners of grid-edge devices to create a network, contributing their resources to function as a microgrid in times of crisis.

When the main power grid faces a threat, an innovative algorithm developed by the researchers would quickly assess which devices within the local market are operationally reliable. The algorithm would select the optimal combination of these trustworthy devices to effectively counteract the power failure—whether by feeding power back into the grid or adjusting their energy usage. Participants in this local electricity market would then receive compensation based on their level of involvement.

The study utilized various scenarios reflecting grid failures stemming from cyber attacks and natural disasters, demonstrating that networks of grid-edge devices could effectively respond to these challenges.

“All these small devices can contribute by adjusting their consumption,” noted Anu Annaswamy, a study co-author and research scientist at MIT. “By harnessing devices like smart dishwashers, solar panels, and EVs, we can collectively build a more resilient grid.”

The MIT research team, led by Vineet Nair and John Williams, collaborated with experts from institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Enhancing Power Reliability

The study builds upon their ongoing research in adaptive control theory, focusing on designing systems that can automatically respond to fluctuating conditions. Annaswamy highlights the need to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources like solar power, stating, “Solar production is predictable, but we must find solutions for energy shortfalls when the sun goes down.”

The researchers underscore the growing prevalence of distributed energy resources gaining traction near consumer locations. Nair explains, “With numerous residential energy solutions emerging from individual decarbonization efforts, it is essential to leverage this available capability at the grid edge.”

They not only investigated renewable energy generation but also explored how grid-edge devices could stabilize the grid during malicious cyber incidents.

Developing a Resilient Framework

The research team proposed a novel framework called EUREICA (Efficient, Ultra-REsilient, IoT-Coordinated Assets) to integrate grid-edge devices and internet-of-things (IoT) technologies smoothly with the larger grid. This initiative presupposes that many grid-edge devices will also function as IoT devices, facilitating seamless connectivity among rooftop panels, EV chargers, and smart thermostats.

The team envisions a regional microgrid comprising numerous households and their IoT devices, which would be managed by a centralized operator coordinating activities across different microgrids. In the event of a major grid disruption, operators could utilize the decision-making algorithm to identify dependable devices ready to assist in recovery.

The algorithm was tested under various disruptive scenarios, including a hypothetical cyber attack that compromised the functionality of smart thermostats across a regional network. The researchers explored how such attacks, along with adverse weather conditions, could impact the energy distribution and suggest countermeasures using the algorithm.

“Our evaluations ranged from losing 5 to 40 percent of power, taking into account that some nodes may still have operational IoT resources,” Nair elaborated. “The algorithm helps identify which homes can either contribute excess power to the grid or decrease demand to adapt to the circumstances.”

Every scenario tested resulted in the algorithm successfully stabilizing the grid and aiding recovery from the disruptions. The research team acknowledges the need for community engagement—including customers, lawmakers, and local authorities—alongside advancements in technology such as sophisticated power inverters that allow EVs to return energy to the grid.

“This marks the beginning of a longer journey toward implementing local electricity markets,” Annaswamy concluded. “However, we view it as a promising initial step.”

This study had support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the MIT Energy Initiative.

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