Guest Editorial

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Energy Systems Integration (ESI) is the process of coordinating the operation and planning of energy systems across multiple pathways and/or geographical scales to deliver reliable, cost-effective energy services with minimal impact on the environment. Energy systems have evolved from individual systems with little or no dependencies into a complex set of integrated systems at scales that include customers, cities, and regions. This evolution has been driven by political, economic, and environmental objectives. As we try to meet the globally recognized imperative to reduce carbon emissions through the deployment of large renewable energy capacities while also maintaining reliability and competitiveness, flexible energy systems are required. This flexibility can be attained through integrating various systems: by physically linking energy vectors, namely electricity, heat, and fuels; by coordinating these vectors across other infrastructures, namely water, data, and transport; by institutionally coordinating energy markets; and, spatially, by increasing market footprint with granularity all the way down to the customer level. Smart grids and ESI are related, in particular, the coupling between electricity, consumers, data and transport. This special section focuses on the aspects of ESI where electricity is coupled to water, heat and fuels and where this coupling brings challenges and/or opportunities.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)1089-1090
Number of pages2
JournalIEEE Transactions on Smart Grid
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-5C00-73197

Keywords

  • power system planning
  • power system reliability
  • renewable energy sources
  • system integration

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