NOTA: PARA ALUNO ERASMUS NA TuWien (VIENA). 15 ECTS em Portugal, 30 ECTS na Aústria.

The future smart grid will connect the different stakeholders and participants, generating and consuming units alike, not only by the power distribution grid itself but also via communication and information networks. Through these communication links not only measurement data (Remote Metering) should be exchanged but also information like tariffs or about the grid status are thinkable. Especially possibilities for balancing the mismatches between the amount of generated energy and demanded energy are looked upon.

The recent years brought an increased interest in the research field of demand response and the structure and elements of the smart power grid. One target is to include the demand side of the power infrastructure into the dynamic process of adjusting imbalances in situations of too low or too high generation of electrical energy. In difference to former approaches not only altering the generation side of the power equation but also the demand side introduces new flexibilities into the process. Influencing the load (or generation) profile of the different nodes lead to scenarios where each and every participant is an active element inside the large power infrastructure.

Especially "new" elements like small-scaled generation units (Wind, Sun) or storage units of different kinds have very special demands on the smart power grid because of their geographical distribution and their limited flexibilities. On the other hand could the stronger integration of renewables bring a stronger decentralization of the generation units and therefore a lower dependence from single generation units.