NC State University Receives ARPA-E Grant to Develop Smart Grid Technologies

Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a division of the U.S. Department of Energy, has awarded a research grant to North Carolina State University to design novel technologies for developing smart grid systems.

The systems should be capable of storing and distributing energy from sun wind and solar. Majority of the $5.15 million grant will be given to Cree, while the remaining amount will go to Powerex, ABB and NC State.

According to Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya, chief investigator of the project and Assistant Professor at NC State, the university will design a transformerless intelligent power substation (TIPS) that will help develop an advanced smart grid solution. The smart grid will provide an efficient and economical solution to link renewable energy resources to the current power infrastructure. He further informed that TIPS will allow them to directly link the energy storage systems and renewable energy resources to the smart grid having two-directional power flow control. The smart grid will also enhance the reliability and quality of grid power and provide energy control via improved communication.

Cree’s role in the project is to develop a silicon carbide-based power semiconductor device that will facilitate the development of TIPS.