May 21, 2014 | Grenad proven effective for distributed energy systems

CEA LIST’s Grenad modelling software came through recent eco-neighborhood simulations with flying colors. The software developed load shedding strategies to reduce peaks in electricity consumption, ensured locally-produced electricity was used first, and reduced the neighborhood’s overall carbon footprint. The simulations were completed in the first half of 2014 under the Oseo-financed Edens project and the EU FP7 Resilient project.

The simulations entailed developing a detailed model reflecting the actual complexity of an eco-neighborhood, with multiple separate buildings, energy producers, energy grids, and energy storage systems. Grenad’s multi-agent technology, particularly well-suited for modelling complex distributed systems, was able to take into account factors like:

- Multiple agents like producers, consumers, and storers, with varied behaviors

- Several layers of energy flows, with electricity, thermal energy, etc.

- Multiple decision-making criteria like cost reduction, priority to locally-produced energy, etc.

With these successful simulations under its belt, Grenad will now be implemented in real-life conditions at existing sites for validation. Developers will continue tweaking the software to make it more robust and secure.