Earlier today during the BloombergNEF Summit, Audrey Zibelman, CEO of the Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO) announced the launch of the Global Power System Transformation Consortium (G-PST).
Speaking during the European Energy Infrastructure in Transition Session, Ms Zibelman highlighted the need for a major global collaborative effort in overcoming technical barriers related to the integration of clean energy into power systems at ‘an unprecedented scope and scale.’
Ms Zibelman explained: “Countries around the world are looking to pursue a path to modern, low-emissions energy systems, but face significant challenges in acquiring and applying the technical knowledge needed to operate and plan rapidly transforming power systems.
“This consortium will help meet this need by engaging key power system operators, applied research and educational institutions, governments, businesses, and stakeholders from developed and developing countries to accelerate clean energy transitions at the ambitious scope and scale that is required.”
The goal of the consortium is to dramatically accelerate the transition to low emission and low cost, secure, and reliable power systems, contributing to >50% emission reductions of all pollutants globally over the next 10 years by enabling the efficient integration of substantial clean energy investments into power systems.
CEOs of six of the world’s leading system operators, Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO), National Grid Electricity System Operator UK, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Ireland’s System Operator (EirGrid), and Denmark’s System Operator (Energinet) are leading this consortium.
These founding system operators are partnering with more than 25 prominent system operators from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and other regions as well as research and educational institutions from around the world to help guide the G-PST vision.
The system operators from emerging and developing countries will engage in technical collaboration, peer learning, and workforce development to support the application of advanced engineering and operational solutions to meet their priorities.
Fintan Slye, Director of the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), commented: “We’re excited to join fellow system operators in leading the consortium’s research agenda that is holistic and driven by making it all work together.
“Through the consortium, we’ll scale up global research collaboration on cutting-edge technical innovations in areas such as real-time intelligent control applications and state-of-the-art power electronics that will enhance the reliability and accelerate our transitions to best-in-class, low emission reliable power systems.
“These pioneering innovations will be shared rapidly with countries around the world.”
The core technical team for the consortium includes the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG), Imperial College London, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Integrated Energy Systems, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the Danish Technical University (DTU), and ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE).
According to Professor Mark O’Malley, Chair of the ESIG Research and Education Working Group, the consortium will engage in activities across five key pillars – System Operator Research & Peer Learning, System Operator Technical Support, Workforce Development, Standards & Testing and Open Data & Tools.
Professor O’Malley commented: “Our collaborative system operator research and peer learning pillar is unique in its holistic approach, global ambition and rapid application, and the work in the other four pillars will leverage the research outcomes, reinforce existing initiatives and drive the global coordination of our efforts toward achieving cost-efficient, clean, and reliable power systems.”
Key sponsors and partners of the G-PST Consortium include Wellspring Climate Initiative, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Germany) and Energy Innovation.
