Description
The main goal of the ELECON - Electricity Consumption Analysis to Promote Energy Efficiency Considering Demand Response and Non-technical Losses - project is the establishment of a competent and fruitful network between European and Brazilian researchers whose research work contributes to the successful implementation of the smart grid concept. The present proposal is an innovative and well-organised scientific project aiming at advancing on electricity consumption analysis methods and on the way they are used to promote energy efficiency. This use is focused on the design and utilization of demand response programs and on the identification of non-technical losses. On one hand, if adequately used, demand response can play a crucial role for the sustainability of energy systems. On the other hand, the restructuration of the power industry business and the rapid evolution that is taking place towards to real smart grids dramatically increases the number of players involved in electricity transactions, making billing much more complex. In the new context, the identification of non-technical losses assumes a new role and increased importance in the scope of supervision procedures able to assure the correctness of the billing process. The project also addresses the communication infrastructure and the innovative control models that are required to put bring these concepts into reality, considering adequate business models.
A well organized staff exchange program, involving a significant and balanced number of secondments of both experienced and early stage researchers, from institutions of 3 European countries (PT, DE, and FR) and 4 Brazilian institutions, will be implemented. On one hand, these exchange missions are closely coordinated with the development of the project work packages making the best possible use of each partner expertise and laboratorial means, promoting and enhancing the production and exchange of core scientific knowledge. On the other hand, the organization of several workshops will assure the proper dissemination of the produced knowledge throughout all the scientific community, but also to public in general, and the collaborative work under the frame of ELECON project, will lay the basis for solid and long lasting partnership with future scientific potential.
The proposed program aims at the creation of new links for collaboration and the strengthening of already existing partnerships between highly renowned scientific research teams as well as the establishment of solid scientific communication by building an extended multidisciplinary scientific network.
