Alcatel-Lucent, a provider of end-to-end solutions for communications services, announced that its research arm, Bell Labs (News - Alert), has signed a joint research agreement with Korea-based Gachon Energy Research Institute, or “GERI,” of Kyungwon University, in order to design mission-critical communication infrastructure, comprehensive security systems, as well as develop innovative businesses models for the next-generation smart power grid.

 

More and more power utilities are seeking to implement smart grids, which will provide improved visibility and control through investment in information and communications technology, or “ICT,” thereby helping to better understand and manage new dynamics of energy flow within the networks.

 

The new joint research program, to be called Grid 2.0, has been started with the intention to enhance the efficiency, reliability, security, as well as intelligence of electric power grids - by making the most out of the convergence between electric power systems and ICT. This in turn will also accelerate evolution to more eco-sustainable power grid systems, Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) officials said.

 

In order to converge electric power systems and ICT for the next-generation smart grid, the Grid 2.0 project will be making use of Bell Labs’ research portfolios in networking technology and security, GERI’s knowledge in power grid systems and applications design, and methods and tools drawn from computational economics and mathematics research.

 

Expanding Alcatel-Lucent’s efforts in developing and delivering communications network infrastructure for the energy and utility industries, the Grid 2.0 research program will be defining the base communications technologies for the intelligent management and control mechanisms of smart grid systems.

 

The research program will also develop methods for secure and reliable flow of information among smart grid elements. In addition, a viable mathematical and computational modeling platform will be created for the study and analysis of the smart grid economic ecosystem, company officials said.

 

Randy Giles, director, optical subsystems and advanced photonics Bell Labs, said that Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs is world-renowned for its expertise and preeminent research in communications technology, security, mathematics and operations research, all the elements necessary to make a significant impact in the development of the Smart Grid.

 

 “Our agreement with GERI underscores our commitment to open innovation and our focus on smart power grids reflects our commitment to fostering environmental sustainability through communications technology,” Giles said.

 

Professor Junhee Hong, president of GERI, explained that GERI entered into this collaborative project due to the fact that complementary strengths of Bell Labs and GERI fit perfectly with the requirements of the envisioned smart grid and beyond.

 

Hong further said that both the companies anticipate that this research program will not only have widespread applicability, but will also accelerate the innovations in smart grids and their adoption.

 

Officials at Alcatel-Lucent said that the company has already supported a number of power utilities around the world, such as utility companies in Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States, in order to implement advanced communications technologies that will increase operational efficiency and performance.