The EU-funded iGREENGrid project, which is aimed at spreading the use of distributed generation and includes Enel Distribuzione among its participants, was presented at the 2014 session of CIGRE (International Council for Large Electricity Systems).
Electricity generated by small renewable plants, even in homes, is an industry that is set to become increasingly important. It is therefore necessary to start integrating energy produced this way into distribution networks in the most efficient and competitive way possible.
The iGREENGrid project was launched last year in order to find the right way to do this, and it attracted €6.7 million of investment from the European Union. It is being coordinated by Iberdrola and includes among its participants Enel Distribuzione, who through its Isernia project is implementing a new distributed generation management model based on smart grids.
The Isernia project, whose facilities were visited by the iGREENGrid consortium on 3 July, was chosen to study multifunctional storage, the use of customer information devices and new telecommunications technology, as well as to test smart grids technology.
At the presentation of the iGREENGrid project at the 2014 CIGRE session, which took place during the SC C6 – Distribution and Dispersed Generation Systems meeting, issues key to Enel, such as rural electrification, demand management and storage technologies, were discussed.
It was also an opportunity to present the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help assess the benefits of integrating distributed renewable energy:
- Distributed renewables hosting capacity
- Quality of supplies
- Energy efficiency
Secondary KPIs include the accuracy of forecasting indicators and CO2 emissions. The assessment of the KPIs is currently ongoing, but according to a report presented at the CIGRE on 28 August, preliminary results are promising.