PJM electric grid
Google revealed their largest move to date in utilizing Artificial Intelligence to create a more robust and resilient PJM electric grid. Google is working with Tapestry, an Alphabet-incubated moonshot, and PJM Interconnection, the biggest grid operator in North America.
Building on its core technology, Tapestry will create a new suite of AI tools and models with the help of Google Cloud and Google DeepMind. Connecting power generation to the PJM electric grid which covers 13 states and the District of Columbia as well as a large portion of the industrial Mid-Atlantic and Midwest will be intelligently managed and optimised by the technology. In order to improve the reliability and affordability of electricity for the 67 million people that PJM serves, the technology will enable PJM to connect energy sources to its grid considerably more quickly.
Constructing grid to be more robust and durable
With the use of Artificial Intelligence, the US has the chance to enter a new era of innovation and expansion. It will take a large investment in new electrical infrastructure to take advantage of this possibility. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s five-year demand growth prediction for 2024, the peak energy demand in the United States is predicted to increase by 128 GW before the end of the decade, more than tripling from the previous year’s forecast.
The increasing backlog of power generation projects in the United States can be addressed with the help of advanced AI technologies. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory anticipated that by the end of 2023, the backlog would have more than doubled the installed capacity of the U.S. power fleet, with 2,600 gigawatts (GW) of potential capacity awaiting interconnection to the organized power grids. In order to handle the significant spike in interconnection requests which have increased from a few dozen per year to thousands grid operators are modifying their databases, models, and assessment tools.
Automating and optimizing connections with AI
AI has the potential to significantly enhance and grow the American PJM electric grid while preserving security and dependability. In order to create and provide a suite of collaborative AI tools that will allow PJM to make decisions more quickly and confidently, it is combining the strength of Alphabet, including Tapestry, Google Cloud, and Google DeepMind. The time required to process new project applications will be greatly decreased with the use of Tapestry’s tools and insights, enabling new capacity to come up much more quickly.
The goal of this multi-year project is to promote significant advancements in the PJM area by:
Increasing the grid’s energy capacity more quickly
By automating and enhancing the data verification process, Tapestry is creating AI-powered solutions that will simplify and expedite the interconnection application and crucial steps of the verification process, lessening the workload for PJM planners and energy developers alike. This is intended to speed up the approval of projects and the process of connecting electricity projects to the PJM grid.
Increasing affordability and efficiency
Tapestry will create a safe environment for grid planners and project developers to work together by combining the dozens of databases and tools currently in use to assess interconnection requests into a single, cohesive model of PJM’s network. The platform’s goal is to speed up the data intake and grid planning process so that additional projects can connect to the grid and provide the area with reasonably priced electricity.
Combining a variety of energy sources
At present, a significant amount of the PJM interconnection queue is composed of variable energy resources. Diverse energy sources may be reliably and quickly integrated into the grid with the help of Tapestry’s AI-powered automation and planning tools.
Responsiblely meeting its demand for power
To guarantee that the United States has the energy capability, affordability, and dependability required to take advantage of the growing opportunity, innovative solutions from the public and private sectors are essential. With several execution initiatives in progress, Alphabet is dedicated to playing a role in leading in this new era.
Along with this unique partnership with PJM to use AI for the grid, Google is also advancing new technologies including advanced nuclear and enhanced geothermal. In order to fuel Google’s operations and create a more intelligent, cost-effective electrical system for all, it is also investigating novel development and procurement strategies that can provide new, reliable electricity.
