Workshop: Urgent Opportunities for Transmission System Enhancement: Western US and Brazilian Grids to be held September 27-28, 2001 in Palo Alto, California.

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

0130410 Liu This workshop will bring together decision makers from government and the power industry and technology experts from US and Brazil to discuss the solutions to the current energy crises in both countries. The workshop organization will be guided by NSF and EPRI. The PI will also work closely with the Brazilian colleagues to identify the best team for a successful discussion. The workshop is intended to identify the basic research needs and fundamental solutions for the future both near-term and long term. This is the first of a series of three NSF/EPRI workshops, whose ultimate goal is to promote research leading to a quantum leap in the level, intelligence and efficiency of global grid control, whether centralized or distributed. A critical issue that this first workshop will address is rapid development of the devices that allow an increased level of controllability in a wide area grid. There is substantial opportunity for the U.S. to learn from the successful experience of Brazil with such devices. The US is facing severe national challenges on the electricity infrastructure in the years to come. These issues were discussed in President Bush's National Energy Policy: Grand Challenge 1: Lack of Transmission Capability; Grand Challenge 2: Operation in a Competitive Market Environment; Grand Challenge 3: Power Infrastructure Vulnerability. These grand challenges require basic research to develop fundamental solutions to the national problems. Some questions that must be answered through basic research are: o What is the optimal strategy to expand the transmission capabilities from an engineering point of view? o What is the strategy to defend, protect and operate the stressed power grids in the market environment? o What is the strategy to ensure that wide area power grids are invulnerable facing the various sources of disruption? o What new technologies are needed to meet the grand challenges?