International Cooperation in the field of Smart Grids

[ GERMAN ]

IEA Implementing Agreement on Electricity Networks Analysis, Research and Development (IEA-ENARD)

is an international forum dealing with energy and electricity grids on the basis of the new IEA implementing agreement. The aim is to make access to new technologies, processes and methods in the area of electricity transmission and distribution easier and subsequently create a platform which should primarily make it simple to exchange information and data. On top of that, specifically R&D projects in the field of electricity are being pursued and results in the areas of design, management and organisation of electricity grids are being analysed and processed, with all the countries involved participating.

Apart from the issues of decentralised feed-in, and the new business models for operating electricity grids, the agenda of this new IEA implementing agreement includes the basically unavoidable renewal of the power grid (large portions of which are out of date), questions of transmission capacities and broader visions for the electricity supply facilities of tomorrow.

Austrian contacts for the IEA ENARD cooperative arrangement

  • Ing. Michael Hübner (Austrian delegate to the executive committee)
    Federal Ministry for Transprt, Innovation and Technology
    E-Mail: michael.huebner@bmvit.gv.at
  • DI Hubert Fechner (deputy delegate to the executive committee)
    FH Technikum Vienna

More information: http://www.iea-enard.org/

ERA-Net Smart Grids (European Transnational Programme Cooperation)

In order to secure a sustainable Europe it is vital to renew the electricity grids across the continent, i.e. upgrade them to the current state of the art. The aim is to create one intelligent, flexible and robust grid for the whole of Europe, capable of coping with future requirements. While doing so it is, for instance, important to increase the percentage of electricity produced from renewable energy sources and on the other hand to secure an affordable, flexible and stable supply for customers.

The renewal and adapting of the existing electricity grid is the responsibility of each individual country, while the key lies in implementing an innovative grid architecture devised by 200 experts from all over Europe, the "SmartGrids Design".

ERA-Net serves as a coordination platform which deals with the various different needs at international, national and regional level, and facilitates the flow of information between the countries taking part. Furthermore links between governmental and private organisations are to be established and a joint strategy in the field of R&D is to be created.

Austrian contacts for the ERA-Net cooperative arrangement

  • Ing. Michael Hübner (Member of the Steering Committee)
    Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology
    E-Mail: michael.huebner@bmvit.gv.at
  • DI FH Natalie Glück (Workpackage Leader "Strategy")
    FH Technikum Vienna

More information: http://www.eranet-smartgrids.eu/

Smart Grids Germany-Austria-Switzerland

Electricity is the backbone of the economy and society. Increasing demand, scarcity/peaking of resources and climate change are creating new challenges for the energy system. New solutions have to be found without delay, guaranteeing a maximum of cost-effectiveness, security of supply and environmental viability. Information and communication technology (ICT) will play a key role in this process.

Austria, Germany and Switzerland have decided to cooperate as regards promoting R&D in the field of ICT-based energy systems of tomorrow. This cooperation encompasses developing and testing introduction strategies for Smart Grids. This provides further opportunities for the Austrian Smart Grids Pioneers to intensify and expand their research in the field of energy systems of tomorrow across borders. A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed during a ceremony at the E-Energy annual conference on 26 November 2009.

In Austria the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) is responsible for the cooperative arrangement, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in Germany and the Federal Agency for Energy (BFE) in Switzerland.

The cooperation focusses on the development of intelligent electricity grids, also called "Internet of Energy" or "Smart Grids". A further focal point is the integration of electro-mobility into the system.

The scope of cooperation covers the following areas of activity:

1.Information

  • Exchange of know-how between actors
  • Information on and coordination of funding policies

2.Synergies

  • Identifying and making use of synergies
  • Aiding cooperation between national projects (model regions, competence centers, etc.)

3.Cooperation

  • Collaborative solving of interdisciplinary tasks, e.g. interoperability, standardisation, safety requirements, legal compatibility, business models

4.Distribution

  • Coordination of PR efforts
  • Increasing acceptability to users
  • Accelerating technology transfer

Each ministry has chosen an external partner for German-Austrian-Swiss coordination. For the BMVIT (Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology) Fichtner IT Consulting AG is this partner.

In order to achieve useful progress fast a task force was set up for each topic of the cooperative arrangement. Each task force collects the information on results and progress within the country concerned and exchanges it with their opposite numbers from the other countries.

Structure of the cooperative arrangement

Status of the Development, Structure and Points of Contact of the Smart Grids D-A-CH Technology Cooperation (24th May 2011) (111.0 kB)

Austrian contacts for the Smart Grids German-Austrian-Swiss cooperative arrangement

More information: http://www.smartgrids-dach.eu/

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