Chongqing- On April 15, the first load clustering intelligent terminal in southwest China was officially put into use in Chongqing, which will help enterprises lower electricity costs, reduce the risk of power equipment failure, and secure a more stable power grid.
The two-way interaction and efficient electricity distribution are realized through the intelligent interaction of Chongqing's power grid load clustering. (iChongqing file photo)
"Load clustering technology is to refine the classification of power users. For users with similar power consumption characteristics, we guide them to use power off-peak and allocate loads to users that need more power amid the off-peak period," said Yang Zhifang, a doctoral supervisor at the School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, who participated in the terminal's design.
Yang said that load clustering mainly aims at power equipment with specific adjustment capabilities, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and electric vehicles. It changes the control parameters quickly without any side effects on the equipment.
The Power Dispatching and Control Center of the State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Company manages the intelligent interactive platform of Chongqing's power grid load clustering.
The screen in the hall displays the electricity load of all city regions, the situation of user terminals, and the available power on that day.
Ou Rui, an official from the Center, has elaborate on this mechanism. Ou said that through the real-time electricity consumption data, the platform could find that user A does not need electricity at that time, then the platform will negotiate with user A. Finally, it will allocate the excess power to user B, who has a greater demand.
"This is a demand-side response based on load clustering technology, it can help power companies, governments, and businesses allocate electricity more intelligently," Ou explained.
The terminal connects to the platform via 5G communication. When the load needs to be adjusted, there is no need to operate the terminal manually. The terminal will automatically respond to the instructions given by the platform instantly.
The State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Company staff debugs the second-level intelligent terminal of load clustering. (iChongqing file photo)
Furthermore, if there is an emergency in the power grid, the terminal will prioritize the electricity for production to avoid losses as much as possible. The terminal is located in Jiangjin District, Chongqing, and this kind of terminal will be gradually promoted to other regions.Next, Chongqing will build more demonstration areas for load clustering resource adjustment to construct a new power system.