Grant: College and Community Innovation Program

Across the globe, energy systems are shifting towards greater adoption of local clean energy sources. Technologies such as renewable wind and solar, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems are placing new demands on aging energy infrastructure, particularly the electricity grid. The North American grid is a complex synchronized machine, operating across hundreds of thousands of kilometers. As technology changes how we use the grid, many applied research questions arise related to interconnection, communications, energy storage, reliability, safety, and the future of structure the electricity markets. Studying these questions requires a complex range of equipment including electricity generation, energy storage and end-use devices, computer networks, and data systems. *The ""Energy Distribution using Advanced Telemetry and Analytics (Energy DATA)"" research program takes advantage of the Nova Scotia Community College's advanced buildings, renewable energy infrastructure, and unique geographic distribution of campuses to enable advanced research into a range of data telemetry and energy analysis questions in collaboration with local industry partners. The project will construct a 'grid within the grid,' a research micro-grid capable of interconnection, or isolation, from the larger utility grid. The result is a highly valuable research tool. Local companies participating in the Energy DATA program will engage in hardware development, systems integration, simulation modeling, and a variety of additional research activities leading to commercial applications. This research activity will also help train skilled workers, strengthen local communities, and improve industry's ability to implement advanced energy projects.*