ADViCE Webinars & events

AI in Flexibility Webinar

Explore how AI can help maximise flexibility in energy networks as the UK moves toward a high-renewables, electrified future. Led by Dr Alex Buckman from Energy Systems Catapult, this webinar introduces energy system flexibility, its role in decarbonisation, and the emerging challenges.

Challenge Overview

This challenge relates to grand challenge 3 (GC3) Maximising Flexibility in Energy Networks. An electrified, high renewables future requires energy demand to flex, so users consume and store energy when the wind is blowing, and the sun is shining. This requires a radical change in how networks, markets and end users operate, which also requires an introduction of new technology, presenting a host of new challenges.

Details

The recording and further details of the event can be found below.

Title: AI for Flexibility

Presenter: Dr Alex Buckman, Innovation Solutions Architect – Flexibility, Energy Systems Catapult

Presenter Bio: Dr Alex Buckman is Energy Systems Catapult’s Innovative Solutions Architect for Flexibility, leading on the Catapults strategy for enabling a flexible net zero energy system by 2050. He leads the specification and technical delivery of major projects within ESC across flexibility, focussing on areas with opportunities for innovation to deliver a resilient and cost-effective net zero energy system. With a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Alex has spent the last 8 years developing whole energy system approaches to understand and enable flexibility across a range of scales and applications.

Date: 29th January 2024

Talk Description What is flexibility? How important is it for decarbonising the energy system? What role can AI play in enabling decarbonisation through flexibility? This interactive webinar, led by Dr Alex Buckman from Energy Systems Catapult, explores these questions. Aimed at AI professionals and tech innovators looking to apply AI to decarbonise the energy sector, the talk includes:

  • A beginner’s introduction to energy system flexibility and its importance in decarbonisation.
  • A deep dive into one of the key challenges for flexibility, and how AI is playing a role in addressing that challenge.
  • An overview of emerging and unsolved challenges in flexibility that AI could help address.

Slides

The slides for the presentation can be found here

Relevant Sub Challenges

This grand challenge has several related sub-challenges (a full list of which can be found in here, or in the appendix of the challenge report. The main problems include:

  • Challenge 19: Estimating Flexibility 
  • Challenge 20: Implementing Network Flexibility 
  • Challenge 21: Coordinated Community Control 
  • Challenge 22: Smart Electric Vehicle Management 
  • Challenge 23: Advanced Network Control 
  • Challenge 25: Weather Forecasting for improved system operation 
  • Challenge 26: Optimal Trading for Storage 
  • Challenge 27: Optimal Power Flow Calculations 
  • Challenge 30: Renewable Energy Forecasting 
  • Challenge 31: Forecasting for Network Management  
  • Challenge 32: Decentralised Market Solutions 
  • Challenge 66: Smart Building Control Systems 

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