MIT Receives Funding for Smart Grid Project
MIT’s Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) has been awarded $1,365,000 in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support its involvement with an innovative project, “Forming the Smart Grid Deployment Consortium (SGDC) and Expanding the HILLTOP+ Platform.”
AI-Driven Generative Models for Smart Grid
Led by Kalyan Veeramachaneni, principal research scientist at LIDS’ Data to AI Group, the project aims to create AI-driven generative models for customer load data. These models have various applications, such as grid modeling and training algorithms for energy tech startups. They can generate additional data based on existing information, allowing stakeholders to plan for different scenarios beyond what traditional data analysis can provide.
HILLTOP+ Platform for Smart Grid Technologies
The AI models will feed into the HILLTOP+ microgrid simulation platform, developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. This platform enables modeling and testing of new smart grid technologies in a virtual setting, giving rural electric utilities and energy startups the ability to deploy and test technologies with more confidence. The project aims to help mitigate risks associated with implementing these innovations and drive positive change in the energy sector.