Layered-based approach to virtual storage for smart power systems

The advent of data networks and the plethora of internet-based computing and control approaches have stimulated research on novel technologies for the intelligent management of electric power transmission and distribution networks (the “grid”). Such couplings of the conventional power infrastructure with information technologies is known under the term smart power grid. The Consortium of Intelligent Management of the Grid (CIMEG) has proposed a further evolution of a smart power grid to what is called an Energy Internet, which couples the basic principles and protocols of data networks with power flow. One of the key principles of the Energy Internet is the use of virtual buffers as large scale energy storage mechanisms. In this paper the idea of virtual buffer is extended into a multi-layer architecture and its main operational principles are introduced. Energy layers are controlled by intelligent agents, which bring power utilization to a higher level than that of a single user. Furthermore, they leverage the idea of virtual buffers and provide more stability in the power flow. The operability of layered based virtual storage in energy distribution and for grid stability is demonstrated through an illustrative example, where advantages and disadvantages in building future smart power systems are examined.