Digital Grid Consortium Launched for Practical Use of New Electricity Network

The Digital Grid Consortium, a nonprofit Japanese incorporated association, was inaugurated in September 2011 to develop technology for next-generation power grid networks. The inauguration was prompted by the exposed fragility of both the large-scale centralized power supply and the synchronized wide-area network at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent nuclear crisis. The consortium was designed to promote and standardize new Digital GridTM technology, which solves problems related to conventional power transmission networks.

The Digital Grid is capable of interconnecting small- or medium-sized, independent power supply lines and of making lines supplement each other flexibly in order to reduce fluctuations and cascading power transmission failures. Consequently, the grid permits easy introduction of intermittent renewable energy such as solar and wind, which is expected to increase in the future. The Digital Grid will become similar to the Internet resulting in robust and redundant architecture, with IP addressable Digital Grid RoutersTM and ControllersTM.

The Digital Grid reduce burden on the transmission networks of electric power companies. As a result, companies will be able to reduce the investments required to reinforce transmission facilities and adjustment power supplies for the use of renewable energy.

The proposal for the consortium came from Professor Rikiya Abe at the Graduate School of the Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, who has been advocating the technological concept of the Digital Grid. Presently participating corporate members are NEC, a major electrical machinery manufacturer, ORIX corporation, a major leasing company, National Instruments Japan, graphical user interface software company and KyuMaru Pacific Alliances, an energy industry-related consulting service company for US and Japanese businesses. The consortium is continuing to invite corporate members in order to jointly develop digital grid technology.

Posted: 2012/02/27 06:00:15 AM