EDGE
Enabling decentralized renewable generation in the Swiss cities, midlands, and the Alps
Contact: Dr. Blazhe Gjorgiev
In addition to the focus on integrating high shares of decentralized renewable energy in Switzerland, the EDGE consortium proposes a novel concept to distinguish among the three large Swiss regions with own specific circumstances: cities, midlands, and the Alps. The overall assumption here is that these three regions require different designs and operation of decentralized renewable systems as well as ways to promote these systems, due to their unique spatio-temporal potentials of renewable energy and unique socio-economic, political, and cultural conditions. Developing and demonstrating typical designs and markets of local systems lays the foundation for deploying them at a large scale in the Swiss cities, midlands, and the Alps.
Within the EDGE consortium, RRE will assess the capability of current electricity distribution grids representative of the Swiss midlands, including penetration of large amounts of decentralized inverter-based electricity production, storage devices, conventional biomass-based generation, and seasonal differences. We will study the tradeoffs among grid reinforcement, power curtailment, local storage, and demand side management. To achieve these goals we will develop representative distribution networks in the medium and low voltage systems in the Swiss midlands. Based on these archetypal networks and load patterns typical for these networks, simulations will be carried out that will identify the challenges specific to the grids in the midlands.