ESB Networks, in partnership with Intune Networks and TSSG (WIT), have secured €3.3m in EU funding under the FINESCE smart energy project to explore how future internet technologies can be applied to advance smart energy systems. The funding was awarded following a competitive process with other EU states, and the Irish partners were selected on the basis of the potential savings their projects could deliver to consumers across the European Union.
Within the Irish trials, Irish partners ESB, Intune Networks and TSSG (WIT) will team up with European partners Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, Orange Labs, Alstom and the RWTH research centre to test the application of advanced internet technologies and architectures to support smart grid requirements in two main areas:
The first will look at how dynamic control of electric vehicle charging can be used to balance the electricity system.
The second will explore how utilities can use advanced optical burst telecommunications switching technology to enhance the functionality and efficiency of their networks.